<p>The Music Theater Bavaria summer musical theatre intensive is wonderful, if you’d consider a musical theatre study abroad program! They are accepting applications now for July 2012, for students age 18 and up. One of my sons has attended, and another is applying for this summer. It’s an incredible cultural experience in Germany (where there is lots of musical theatre work), as well as a top notch training program.</p>
<p>There is a great festival called The MasterWorks Festival that is held in Winona Lake, IN. They have programs in all of the performing arts and they are truly top notch. ALL of the instructors have been on Broadway and in film and there is something really cool about spending time outside of class learning from these people. We go out to dinner or to the movies with our instructors all the time. The morning is spent in class time working on different acting techniques - often more experimental with a base in psychology. We also have several voice and movement classes each week. The main project is fully staged play. It’s usually something more classic to balance out the training; last year it was Cyrano de Bergerac. Everyone accepted into the program is cast in the show and rehearsals take up the afternoon. We are in Indiana for three weeks and have many other performance opportunities such as honors recitals, scene festivals, musical theatre competitions, ect. Then, the fourth week we will take the show on the road to Pittsburg, Philly, and New York. When we’re in New York we will perform in an off Broadway theatre for casting agents, producers, and the local community. We will also get to teach a class about improv and theatre for social change to inner city kids. It’s an AMAZING program. I really can’t say enough about the quality training and experience. Many of us have gotten work as a result of meeting the instructors and MasterClass teachers at MasterWorks. Also, it’s on the more affordable side for a summer program and they offer fantastic finical aid and work study opportunities. </p>
<p>Please be aware, though, that it is based out of a Christian organization. Not everyone who attends the festival is a christian (though the faculty are), but there are Bible studies a few times a week and church on Sunday… I personally love it - it’s awesome to connect and learn from these successful artists in a totally different context. It’s allowed us to become close in a way that doesn’t occur in rehearsal. </p>
<p>(Also, you are allowed to audition between the ages of 17 and 28, so the majority of the students with be studying theatre in college just as you are)</p>