Studio Classes

Journey Studio is a program designed for students, ages 13 – 18 (you must turn 13 by December 15th in order to be eligible), who want more rigorous training in the theater arts. If you are considering pursuing theater as a career, or just want to push yourself to really grow in your skills and become a more well-rounded performer, then this program is for you.

The Acting Studio is an intensive course focused on the foundational craft of acting. This class will take the student beyond the surface challenges of memorizing lines and blocking, drilling down to the heart of the character.  This class will feature physical work to create a character’s voice and movement, theory work in several different common acting approaches, and practical work with scenes and monologues—both contemporary and classic. Watch your acting skills take off under the direction of a master-teacher.  If you participated in the Acting Studio program in a previous season, you are still eligible to audition!   Returning students will receive new and more challenging material in order to continue your growth as a performer.

The Journey Studio Acting class instructor will be Melissa Bareford.

Studio – Musical Theater

The Journey Studio Musical Theater class is designed to challenge you in all areas of musical theater: singing, dancing, and acting. In this class, you will get more personalized instruction and material to help you develop into a triple-threat performer and prepare you for that musical theater grind.  If you participated in the Musical Theater Studio program in a previous season, you are still eligible to audition!  Returning students will receive new and more challenging material in order to continue your growth as a performer.

The Journey Studio Musical Theater class instructor will be Chelsea Pitel.

Studio Auditions

Acting AND Musical Theater Studio Auditions will be Monday, August 21, 2023..

Students who only wish to be considered for Acting Studio should come prepared with a 30-60 second monologue.  Monologues can be from a play/musical, a stand-alone monologue, or from this collection: 15-Monologues-from-Contemporary-Monologues-for-Young-Actors.pdf. 

Students who wish to be considered for Musical Theater Studio should also prepare a monologue, in addition to a 16-bar cut of a song of your choosing. You will need an accompaniment track (instrumental only) for your song. The track needs to either be on a CD, or a downloaded MP3 (no streaming). There will also be a dance audition at the end of the evening.

Watch this space for a form to sign up for an audition spot.

Costs:

• $(TBD for 2023-2024) per month (9 months/5 months if joining in Winter)
• Monthly subscription payment will be due on the 15th of each month (Auto-pay)
• $50 materials fee (includes a Journey Studio shirt)
• $50 drop fee
• There will be no penalty or prorate for any missed classes.
• Subscription cancellations after the 15th of the month will be billed through the end of the following month.

*For students joining in Winter, the $50 class fee and the 1/2 month payment payment is due by January 1st for both Musical Theater and Acting.  Button to pay will be on your family page on the Journey website.
The remaining 5 payments will be set up on auto-pay on the 15th of each month (Jan-May) or you can choose full pay

Class dates:

ACTING and MUSICAL THEATER

• Mondays, 6:00 – 8:15pm at Crosspointe Baptist Church in Vancouver
• Specific date TBD

Showcase:

There will be a year-end performance to showcase what students have been working on.

Musical Theater Studio Instructor:

Chelsea Nicole Lapp is an award-winning choreographer from San Diego who recently relocated to Vancouver. Having grown up in the theatre world since age 4, Chelsea has performed in over 80 shows and tour groups, and at the age of 14 began choreographing and teaching dance classes for a national children’s theatre company. Since 2007, Chelsea has choreographed both professional and non-professional shows all over the United States, as well as Uganda. Her training includes places like Broadway Dance Center in NYC and Academy of Performing Arts in San Diego, she is also an alumnus of the Pulse Teacher Workshop and the Stage Door Connections Workshop with Andy Blankenbuehler. Chelsea is a recipient of the Portland Area Musical Theatre Award, Inland Theatre League, National Youth Arts, and Director’s Choice Award.

Acting Studio Instructor:

Melissa Bareford has worked for Journey as a teacher, coordinator, director, and set designer.  She also works locally at The Love Street Playhouse as a director and designer.  Melissa moved to Washington from Chicago in 2012 where she was the Managing Director of the award-winning Lifeline Theater. She holds a B.A., M.A and Ph. D in Theater. Fun Fact:  Melissa was the stunt double for Marisa Tomei in the 1993 movie, The Untamed Heart.