Discover the actor inside of you in this fun, creative, and confidence-building class! Students will explore the fundamentals of acting for both the stage and the screen by learning basic theater techniques, character development, and scene work. Through engaging exercises, students will create original commercials and scenes, while also learning to answer the essential questions every actor must ask: Who? Where? What? Why? How? The class will culminate in a Final Sharing, where students can showcase their work for family and friends!

Ivy's BIO:
Ivy Sunflower is an award-winning actress and director that brings her passion for storytelling to the classroom as a teaching artist at American Stage. Ivy guides students through the fundamentals of theater and the nuances of on-screen performance. Her approach emphasizes authentic expression, ensemble storytelling, and strong character development, helping young actors connect in front of the camera and shine on stage.

In Ivy’s class, students are encouraged to embrace bold choices, discover their unique artistic voices, and grow with intention as performers.

Musical theater is more than just singing and dancing; it's acting through a song. By using material from Broadway and movie musicals, your child will explore how to interpret a song and gain strong collaborative skills by working on group numbers. This class will culminate in a final sharing of their works in progress on the last day of the session.

Ryan's BIO:
Ryan Hill-Joustra is a singer, songwriter, actor, director, and teaching artist. She is a Berklee College of Music alum where she studied Contemporary Writing/Production and Vocal Performance. During her time at Berklee, she discovered a love for composing, arranging, and directing. She was heavily involved in the growing Musical Theater Performance and Writing Initiative at her alma mater. After college, Ryan spent time performing in various cities in Ohio before moving to Chicago where she attended classes at The Second City and began teaching private voice and musical theater classes. Since moving to St. Petersburg, she can be found teaching at American Stage (since 2019) and Creative Clay (since 2024). Ryan specializes in teaching musical theater and cabaret performances. She’s currently the music director/producing director and performer with sketch comedy group Dirty John’s.