Overview
Find your place at Theatre at the J! Whether your child is new to theatre, a seasoned performer, or prefers to work backstage, here at Theatre at the J, everyone is a star. Students will learn the basics of acting skills including performance, character development, ensemble building, and storytelling. Along the way they will develop their creativity, self-expression, and self-confidence and form lasting friendships with their fellow cast and crew members. Every class concludes with a fully produced, age-appropriate theatrical production, held in our beautiful Amberley Room.
Classes and Course Offerings
Our Minis program is a Sunday-only introductory performance class intended for children ages 5 – 8. Students will learn the fundamentals of acting including projection, memorization, and stage direction. All students will participate in a final performance, usually scheduled for early December.
Minis should be Kindergarten-ready at the start of the program. If your child is five years old but not yet in Kindergarten, please reach out to the director for permission to register.
Third graders with no prior acting experience are encouraged to sign up for this class before moving into our Juniors program. If you are unsure which group to enroll your 3rd grade child in, please reach out to the director!
Juniors are students ages 8 – 14 who are ready to rock their acting skills in a play all their own! Juniors meet on Tuesday and Thursday from 5 – 7pm, with additional rehearsals for tech week, starting two weeks before closing night. All Juniors will perform in a fully produced one-act production in mid-November.
This program is recommended for students in 4th – 8th grade. 3rd graders who have previously completed our Minis program or who have performed elsewhere are welcome to enroll. 9th graders are also welcome. Due to licensing reasons, we are unable to enroll any students over 9th grade. If you are unsure if this class is a good fit for your child, please reach out to the director.
In Everyone’s a Star: The Musical, students ages 5 – 14 come together to present a fully-produced JR version of a popular musical! Past productions have included Moana, JR, Frozen, JR, and The Wizard of Oz, Youth Edition.
Minis (ages 5 – 8) learn group song and dance numbers and may be offered a small feature role. Juniors (ages 8 – 14) audition for main and supporting characters with significant speaking and singing roles. Minis rehearse on Sunday and Juniors on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday afternoons. Both groups are expected to commit to two weeks of technical rehearsals and three performances, usually in April or May.
Our stage crew apprenticeship is for all the theatre kids who do not like the spotlight and prefer to work behind-the-scenes making the magic happen. This program is open to students ages 10 – 17. Length and subject vary based on production needs but usually runs between 3 – 6 weeks. Students will have the opportunity to paint backdrops, create props, learn technical theatre vocabulary, operate the curtain, assist in set changes, and assist in wardrobe support.
2026 Registration Information
Ages 5 – 8
Sundays, August 23 – December 6
Minis 1: 2 – 3pm
Minis 2: 3 – 4pm
Mayerson JCC
J Members: $275 | Public: $325
Performance Dates: December 6
Learn the basics of acting and teamwork in this drama class, best suited for K – 3rd grade with no prior theatre experience. All students will perform in a short play called Dragon Trouble about a mischievous fairy who creates problems in a peaceful kingdom, just because she is bored.
NEW! This session is a Sunday ONLY class. Students will rehearse and perform independently of the Juniors schedule with NO tech week requirements! This year we have TWO* sections available! Both classes will rehearse on the same schedule at different times and perform the same play at the end.
*In the event of insufficient enrollment, the two classes will be combined into one time slot.
Ages 8 – 14
August 25 – November 16
5 – 7pm | Mayerson JCC
J Members: $450 | Public: $500
Make friends and learn acting skills in this educational drama class, best for 4th-8th graders, and 3rd graders with prior performing experience. All students will participate in a performance of Aristophanes’ “The Birds,” adapted by Claudia Haas.
Originally written as a satire on man’s society, this loose adaptation features three children who embark on a journey that leads them to the Great Bird’s Nest in the Sky. There they hope to live away from all the constraints of home and school, but instead of living “free as a bird,” they find the birds trying to outdo humans in a far more complicated society.
Mandatory technical rehearsals begin November 2.
Show dates: Thursday, November 12 at 7pm and Sunday, November 15 at 2pm.
Ages 10 – 17
October 5 – November 16
Tuesdays and Thursdays
5 – 7pm | Mayerson JCC
J Members: $240 | Public: $320
Come help build the set for Aristophanes’ The Birds!
This six-week program gives students ages 10 – 17 the opportunity to learn the behind-the-scenes aspects of running a show! Sessions run concurrent with Junior rehearsals and stage crew apprentices receive playbill credit and an invitation to the cast party.
Students will work with the set designer to build, paint, and design all the aspects of our fall production of Aristophanes’ The Birds. After construction is complete, students will have the opportunity to assist in technical rehearsals with prop management, costume support, opening and closing the curtain, and moving set pieces for scene changes.
Backstage crew is essential to the success of any show. Our Stage Crew Apprenticeship is essential to including everyone in theatre, not just those who want to be in the spotlight.
This class is art focused, and no power tools will be used. A waiver must be signed by parents after registration.
Financial Assistance
Theatre should be accessible to every family. Need-based financial aid is available to help make that possible.
Questions? Contact Ariel Gamm, Membership Director, at [email protected] or call 513.792.5652.
2026 Sponsors
Grants
Presenting ($5,000+)
In Loving Memory of Edward Cohen
Star ($2,500)
Jen and John Stein
Stage Manager ($1,000)
Sally and Marty Hiudt
Ronna and Ben Schneider
Anonymous
Choreographer ($500)
Jeff and Laura Goldstein
Deborah and John Moffat
Jenny and Bob Oestreicher
Holly and Josh Wolfson
Jeff Zipkin and Shelly Gerson
Patron ($250)
Alan and Claire Eichner
Judith Zipkin
Sue Price and Family
Contact Rick Lefton at [email protected] for sponsorship opportunities! Sponsors receive priority seating, free tickets, ad space in the playbill, and more!
Support Theatre at the J
You can support us by becoming a sponsor, buying a playbill ad, contributing in-kind donations, or joining our volunteer corps!
Get Involved Here.
Inclusion
Theatre at the J, strives to host an inclusive and accessible program that enables all individuals to fully participate to their ability. We are committed to working with families to support participants’ with reasonable accommodations when possible. In order to best support your child, we ask that you share any relevant information regarding behavior, sensory, or medical needs with the Director upon registration. This may include IEPs, 504s, behavior plans, or even information about recent life changes. This type of information ensures we can work together to provide a healthy, consistent framework for redirection and focus for all participants. Students may bring fidgets, books, or other quiet materials to work on off stage, with the understanding that those materials should be set aside quickly when called up on stage.