CONTRIBUTED GRAPHIC The Marshalltown Community Theater Kids’ Acting Academy will return this summer with performances of “Finding Nemo, Jr.” The registration cost per student is $60.

After seven years, the Marshalltown Community Theatre Kids’ Acting Academy is gearing up for a return this summer.

Organizer Vanessa Engel said 30 children have already registered for the Aug. 4-9 academy, which is a “great” number.

“Our goal is to have 100 kids,” she said. “We would get 50 to 80 kids each year. The maximum number of kids enrolled in the past has been 80 to 85. I am confident we can reach 100.”

Each day of the academy, which will be held in the Marshalltown Performing Arts Center, will be separated into two sessions. Children aged 7 to 12 will attend in the mornings and children aged 13 to 18 will learn in the afternoons.

During the academy, children will not be limited to learning the art of acting. They will also receive education on other aspects of putting on a theater production. Engel said there will be workshops included in the academy, such as music and dancing, sound and lighting, theater vocabulary, improv and art.

“Theater vocabulary will teach them how to follow director’s directions and how to write notes in their scripts,” she said. “My favorite is the art class, which includes making props and costume pieces and making and painting sets.”

According to Engel, the art class was a big hit with academy students, especially with the younger ones. Sometimes children have a hard time sitting through long acting sessions, so giving them the opportunity to get hands-on learning is nice to have, she said.

“We have a full staff to keep the kids engaged,” Engel said. “They are taking time to teach them additional roles necessary to make a magical show.”

Some of the staff members include Erin Wisecup, Jose Ramirez, Mark Astleford, Em Thill and Elizabeth Lassey.

Engel hopes parents will register their interested children as soon as possible, even though the deadline is Aug. 1. That will give staff time to determine how many supplies and snacks to get.

“It will give us some wiggle room,” she said.

Engel added they are accepting Kids Acting Academy donations. Unfortunately, they lost all of their art supplies in the derecho and from the recent moving MCT had to do.

“We need to replace those and we need snacks for all of the students,” she said.

The education provided to the students will culminate in performances of “Finding Nemo, Jr.” in which all students will be cast. “Finding Nemo, Jr.” is a musical adaptation of the well-known 2003 Pixar movie. Engel is looking forward to the performances of the songs “Just Keep Swimming” and “Fish Are Friends Not Food.”

The first two shows will be on Aug. 8 for the children’s families. Then on Aug. 9, the public will be able to watch the young actors in action in two separate performances. For the public performances, tickets will be $5 per person.

“The community response overall has been positive,” Engel said. “We are extra excited for the Kids Acting Academy and trying to involve Marshalltown youth in this, because there are a lot of dramas and musicals during the school year. In the summer, there needs to be more for the kids to engage in. The theater is great for kids of all abilities. It is an accepting environment and it will keep kids social and get them moving. Students will also learn about marine animals. So, this will cover science, literacy and social emotional standards.”

The cost of registering a child for the Kids’ Acting Academy is $60. Engel said there are scholarships available through the Marshalltown Youth Foundation. To apply for aid, go to marshalltownyouthfoundation.org and click on “Sign Up.” If a child is approved for a scholarship, she said the family will be responsible for one-third of the cost, the Foundation will pay another third and the Marshalltown Community Theater will pay the remaining third.

To register for the academy, fill out the form on the MCT Facebook page or on the Marshalltown Community School District Digital Backpack. Physical copies can also be obtained at the Marshalltown Public Library and Lowe’s Flowers. Donations and payments of cash or check can be sent to: Kids’ Acting Academy – Marshalltown Community Theatre, P.O. Box 923, Marshalltown, IA, 50158.

ACADEMY INFORMATION:

Name: Kids’ Acting Academy

Address: Marshalltown Performing Arts Center, 1602 S. Second Ave.

Dates: Aug. 4 to Aug. 9

Hours: Morning sessions for children aged 7 to 12, 8 a.m. to noon; afternoon sessions for children aged 13 to 18, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: $60

Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.