Tag Archives: Youth Theatre

Join Town’s Staff this Summer!

02/10/2025

Summer Program Leader – Town Theatre Summer Youth Theatre Camp

Overview:
Town Theatre is seeking a dynamic and organized Summer Program Leader to oversee our Youth Theatre Summer Camp. This seasonal position oversees all aspects of the camp, ensuring a fun, educational and safe experience for young performers. Town Theatre is home to a very well-developed youth theatre program that has expanded exponentially over the last 25 years. Summer Camp program staff are an integral part of the theatre’s year-round educational youth theatre offerings.

Key Responsibilities:

Coordinate and implement theatre camp programming. (Note due to timing, some planning has already taken place.)
Ensure a positive and fun environment for campers of all experience levels.
Be a positive and friendly face representing Town Theatre.
Work with the Executive Director to communicate with parents and guardians regarding schedules, policies and camper progress.
Support camp interns as needed.

Qualifications:

High school diploma or GED equivalency.
Experience in theatre education, youth programming or camp leadership.
Strong organizational and communication skills.
Ability to work with children.
CPR/First Aid certification (or willingness to obtain) is a plus.

This is a temporary, full-time summer position with a paid preparation period. Anticipated camp dates would be June 2 through August 1. For the right candidates, the position could be shared. Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume to Executive Director, Shannon Willis Scruggs at shannon@towntheatre.com. Interviews will be scheduled in person or via Zoom if the applicant is not presently in Columbia. The position will remain open until the right candidate(s) is/are hired.

Special Events

Townies Around Town

12/28/2022

Not only did we fill our stage during the holiday but we also spent time in our community spreading cheer for all to hear!

Forest Acres Sweet Seasons
Our Town Tweens, Town Teens and Town Carolers (Lou Boeschen, Shannon Scruggs, Davis Herndon and Joel Yarborough) enjoyed the evening in Forest Acres to help kick off the holiday season. It was a pleasure to mingle and sing AND to help light the Christmas tree with Mayor Brunson and the City Council.

Junior League Holiday Market
Town performers partnered with Columbia Ballet School dancers to present a holiday showcase at the Jr. League Holiday Market. Our Town Teens performed their seasonal pieces, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “White Winter Hymnal.” Mary Jayne Davis, Nathan Jackson and Juliet Gregg performed solo pieces and Abby Gamble represented the cast of A Christmas Story: The Musical. David LaTorre, Town’s Youth Theatre Director, also shared his vocal talents. Thank you to Joy Alexander and Columbia Ballet School for allowing us to be a part of this fun event!

Brockman Elementary School
After a brief hiatus, Town Theatre is thrilled to be back at Brockman Elementary School, leading students in theatre classes. Under the umbrella of our Youth Theatre program, David LaTorre has assembled a team of assistants who helped create two winter wonderland showcases in only six weeks. Our thanks to the team including David, Nathan Jackson, Chelsey Art, Lee Martin and Jane Cato. Next semester will be another great opportunity to connect with Brockman students and their families!

Pre-Show Music
Oh, what fun it was to sing Christmas carols and perform in advance of our main stage production of A Christmas Story: The Musical. Our Town Tweens and Town Teens each shared a holiday piece for one of the performances. Our Town Carolers from Sweet Seasons made several encore performances from the upper vestibule of the lobby as did other amazing vocal groups comprised of David LaTorre, John LaTorre, Davis Herndon, Adam Bigony and Daniel LaTorre. And, as a closing weekend treat, audiences were serenaded by Lee Saxton. Thank you to our many musicians who added extra cheer to the season!

Leadership, Special Events, Youth Theatre

Beyond the stage

07/22/2019

Town Theatre is proud to partner with FACES ~ Foreign Academic & Cultural Exchanges Services ~ to assist with a special project taking our acting chops into a classroom setting. FACES works with teachers from other countries to help them succeed in the academic arena of the United States. As one might imagine, the classroom setting in America is quite different. Teachers from other countries often encounter situations that they are not used to seeing in their home country. FACES reached out to our Town Theatre to see how we might help and we knew that many of our Town Teen Troupe actors would be perfect for the job! At the end of July, these actors will role-play classroom scenarios that showcase issues that FACES teachers might see. The action will “freeze” while a moderator addresses ways in which teachers might handle these scenarios.

We are so proud of our youth theatre program and delighted to have this very special opportunity to use our stage skills in a way that will bring such value to academia.

FACTS about FACES…
*FACES is a Columbia-based company that recruits foreign teachers for South Carolina schools K-12.

*FACES recruits international teachers, evaluates their credentials for appropriate experience and certification requirements and then provides the selected teachers for possible selection by local South Carolina districts who are seeking teachers for the cultural enrichment opportunities for the school.

*Before leaving for the school, FACES provides an intensive staff development program to prepare the teachers for their role in an American classroom.

*FACES is unique for providing training in academic subjects and classroom management before they report to school.

*To learn even more about FACES, please visit facesinc.org.

Youth Theatre

Leapin’ Lizards ~ Annie Jr. is Here!

10/27/2017

Annie Jr. is a production of Town’s youth theatre program. Students meet once a week for a ten-week period and then come together for two weeks of full ensemble rehearsals. The result? A fantastic and energetic show which will delight audiences of all ages!

Based on the popular comic strip and adapted from the Tony Award-winning musical, Annie Jr. features everyone’s favorite redhead. With an equal mix of pizzazz and positivity, little orphan Annie is easy to fall in love with despite her meager start in a 1930s orphanage under the watch of Miss Hannigan.

Annie and her mutt, Sandy, are determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago. Ultimately she finds a new family with Daddy Warbucks and Grace Farrell.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for youth (17 and under) and seniors ($65+).

Shows times are ~
~Fri. Nov. 10 at 7 PM
~Sat. Nov. 11 at 3 PM
~Sat. Nov. 11 at 7 PM
~Sun. Nov. 12 at 3 PM

Call our box office beginning Monday, Oct. 30 at 12 noon for tickets OR go online at towntheatre.com.

Annie Jr. is directed by Jamie Harrington, with Megan Douthitt as assistant director and Jeremy Reasoner as music director. Lori Stepp is designing the costumes with Danny Harrington on set and lighting design. Town’s youth theatre program is generously sponsored by Colonial Life.