“The Little Theatre youth and adult programs are a wonderful way to expand horizons.”
And it’s a wrap! Ms Kathy’s 3rd-5th grade Saturday class wrapped up with a videotaped presentation of “The Grinch and the Holidays”. Saturday, Sunday and weekday afternoon youth classes will resume in January. For a complete listing and full class details see thelittletheatre.com/education. In the meantime, we wish you a peaceful and memorable Holiday Season.
LTA’s Education Department thanks the community for their continued support of our classes and camps. Although we will be continuing to offer online classes, we’re looking forward to opening up our physical doors to students this fall. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve made changes to our operations and procedures to ensure the well-being of our students, teaching artists, staff and patrons. We will continue to evaluate accordingly as we learn more.
In making the decision to return to on-site instruction, LTA’s Education Department has carefully considered and planned measures to minimize risks to our students, instructors, and their families. LTA has received the ALX Promise Seal of Approval, recognizing LTA’s commitment to complying with the guidelines issued by the US CDC, the Governor of Virginia, and the City of Alexandria in our response to COVID-19.
The exposure mitigation measures in place for on-site classes (in-person and hybrid) at LTA include:
Newly installed high efficiency air filters, our long-time daily cleaning service has been equipped with and trained in the use of newly acquired sterilization equipment, we have implemented physical distancing-measures, and all students (and teachers and assistants) will be required to have their temperatures taken with an infrared thermometer on arrival.
Rooms will be thoroughly sanitized by our cleaning service each morning and again before and after class by the teaching staff. The wearing of face masks that cover both mouths and noses while on LTA property, both indoors and outdoors, is mandatory. Masks will be provided to those who need them.
For information on the ALX Promise Seal of Approval, please visit https://www.visitalexandriava.com/alx-promise/.
LTA offers classes for adults, youth and preschoolers throughout the year. Our in-person classes are held in the theatre building and in our historic Academy building, located adjacent to the main building. Several classes incorporate the use of our wonderful Shakespeare Garden. Virtual/online classes are conducted via zoom.
A limited number of partial tuition grants are available through the generosity of the LTA Council. Inquiries should be made to the LTA Governor for Education. Email: Heather Sanderson at bardsplay@gmail.com.
ADULT
For a full listing of adult classes, workshops, and for secure registration please click the button below.
WINTER-SPRING SESSION (in person)
WINTER-SPRING SESSION (online)
** The $10 registration fee will be waived for members. Please notify Crissy in the Business Office at crissy@thelittletheatre.com.
PRESCHOOL/YOUTH
For a full listing of youth and preschool classes and workshops, and for secure registration please click the buttons below.
HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS (in person)
WINTER-SPRING SESSION (in person)
** The $10 registration fee will be waived for members. Please notify Crissy in the Business Office at crissy@thelittletheatre.com.
All tuition is due at the time of registration. Classes and workshops cancelled within seven days of the class/workshop taking place will receive a refund, minus a $10 cancellation fee and Active Network service fees. Classes and workshops that are cancelled less than seven days prior to the start of the class/workshop will have the funds for the class/workshop credited to their Active Network account to use towards a future registration at LTA. Refunds and cancellations will not be permitted after the second class has occurred. If the class in which you are registered is a hybrid class (online and in-person) and conditions warrant that the theatre be closed, LTA reserves the right to move classes online. If the class for which you are registered is an in-person class and conditions warrant that the theatre be closed prior to the start of the session, a refund will be issued. If conditions warrant after the session has started, LTA reserves the right to postpone the class to a mutually convenient date. Questions regarding refunds or credits, can be directed to the LTA Business Office Manager, Crissy Wilke, at crissy@thelittletheatre.com.
During this period of social distancing and teleworking, the LTA Business Office and Box Office are closed to walk-up public business. If you need to come to LTA during business hours, please schedule an appointment with either LTA’s Business Manager Crissy Wilke (crissy@thelittletheatre.com) or the Box Office Manager Jeffery Westlake (jeff@thelittletheatre.com). Both will be working online and coming to the office on a limited basis.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
The Little Theater of Alexandria recognizes outstanding high school students by awarding annual academic scholarships to deserving students. Through generous donations, LTA is able to offer a maximum of two annual one-time awards of $1,000 each to local students. These General High School Scholarship Awards were introduced in 2015, and talented high school juniors and seniors who have taken part in at least one Main Stage production, or have been actively involved as volunteers, are nominated annually by LTA Producers, Directors, and Committee Chairs who submit their nominations throughout the year to the Governor of Development. From the list of nominations, the LTA Scholarship Selection Committee will select two recipients and present them with scholarships at the theater’s Annual Awards Night Ceremony in the fall.
Students awarded these scholarships are not required to select Theater as their field of study.
Eligible students must exhibit the following criteria:
- Be a high school senior or rising junior from a Northern Virginia/Alexandria school.
2. Be a U.S. citizen, or legal resident, and plan to use the scholarship for college tuition assistance.
3. Maintain a high school scholastic GPA of 3.0or greaterthroughout their junior/senior year.
4. Must attend college or technical school following high school graduation.
5. Must have been a volunteer with The Little Theatre of Alexandria in the area of acting, technical, or general theater craft on at least one main stage LTA production, within 18 months of this application, or have completed at least 20 hrs. of voluntary service at LTA.
Nominees and acceptable applications will be automatically submitted for consideration.
Completed applications can be submitted to the Governor of Development through the Business Office or be mailed to LTA:
Scholarship Committee
The Little Theatre of Alexandria
600 Wolfe Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Applications must be postmarked or registered with the LTA Business Office no later than June 1.
Application Form:
A scholarship application form can be downloaded by clicking HERE.
STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
High Schoolers who have previously participated in two or more LTA youth classes or camps are invited to apply to become Student Ambassadors for LTA. The mission of group is to provide support for and to help promote LTA, e.g. help with set building, opening night parties, costume closet organization, ushering (Junior and Seniors only, following Front of House training), participate in parades and events, and assist with pre-school and elementary age classes and workshops. Participants will receive community service hours, plus extracurricular leadership credit for college resumes. There is no charge for this program, however, all participants must become junior members of LTA ($30). To apply, fill out the Student Ambassador Program Application here and email to Heather Sanderson at bardsplay@gmail.com.
TEACHERS
RICH AMADA
RICH AMADA is an award-winning dramatist, published book author, and Emmy-winning former TV journalist. His plays have been produced around the country, including in Washington, D.C., New York City, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, Ohio, and Arizona. Among his multiple playwriting awards are a Playwriting Fellowship from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and an Individual Artist Award in Playwriting from the Maryland State Arts Council. Rich served as D.C./Baltimore Regional Representative of the Dramatists Guild for five years, and he has also been a member of the professional writers’ section of D.C.’s Playwrights Forum as well as twice president of Tucson’s Old Pueblo Playwrights. He also directs and acts. Additionally, he is an attorney whose practice has included counseling and representing people in the arts.
RACHEL AMES
RACHEL AMES’s passion for the performing arts is second only to her love of teaching. She has been sharing those passions with youngsters throughout the New Jersey and DMV area, where she has taught drama, improv, musical theatre and Shakespeare. Rachel also has experience in directing, choreographing, and costume design. Ames Piano Lessons and Performing Arts has continued to thrive in a virtual setting and we welcome Rachel to our family of loving and creative teaching artists.
JEFFREY AUERBACH AND KIMBERLY CRAGO
JEFFREY AND KIMBERLY design lights for multiple local theatre companies including The Arlington Players, Reston Community Players and Little Theatre of Alexandria. Jeff and Kimberly are the 2018 WATCH Award winners for Outstanding Light Design in a Play and the 2017 LTA Award winners for Excellence in Lighting Design.
MICHAEL BAKER, JR.
MICHAEL J. BAKER, JR. is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV host, reporter and producer. He has also garnered six National Telly Awards, five Videographer Awards and a Marcom Creative Award. He hosted and produced a talk show on the Bravo Cable Network for seven years. Mike’s work has also appeared on Tempo Television, NBC, PAX-TV, Bravo International, Voice of America, RTE, and 178 PBS stations. Mike has garnered multiple awards for his performances in musical comedy and dramatic theatre. He has worked in New York as an actor and voice over artist and has sung at The Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, and The White House. Mike directed A Christmas Carol (Best Director), Red, White and Tuna and Anne of Green Gables: The Musical at LTA in the last 4 years. He has appeared in 30 LTA productions.
BEVERLEY BENDA
BEVERLEY BENDA, a professional singer by trade, retired after 30 years as a classical soprano with The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own”, and Programming NCO and Script Writer for their Public Affairs Office. She has performance and teaching degrees from James Madison University, Eastern Illinois University, and The Eastman School of Music, and has appeared in a variety of musical productions including Brigadoon, Carmen, Carousel, Oklahoma!, Kismet, The Pirates of Penzance, Dialogue of the Carmelites, My Fair Lady, The Music Man, Hollywood Pinafore, It’s A Grand Night for Singing, and the first revival of Call Me Mister. As a private voice teacher and vocal coach, her class at LTA is the longest-running in the theater’s history. She is also on the LTA Board of Governors and is an award-winning costumer.
CAROL JEAN CLARK
CAROL JEAN CLARK attended The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in NYC for musical theatre. After performing, recording music, and producing benefit concerts with Broadway stars in NYC, she now lives and works in VA performing, directing, music directing, and choreographing. She is also on the board of a local theatre company and works with several others in the area. Carol teaches private vocal and piano lessons as well as audition prep and acting coaching. In her free time she rides horses, plays pool competitively, and spends time with her horse, two dogs, two turtles, and a dove.
DONA DAVIS
DONA DAVIS earned a Masters of Education from Lesley University in the Creative Arts in Learning program. She recently received a Certificate in Puppet Arts from the University of Connecticut where she studied puppetry history, puppetry materials, shadow puppetry, and hand puppetry. Dona taught at St. Stephens and St. Agnes School and other schools for twenty-two years, bringing arts into her classroom at every opportunity. She also ran drama clubs and puppet clubs at her schools. She is one of the artists featured on Artstravaganza Day at St. Stephens and St. Agnes School. Dona loves nothing more than helping children express their creativity and having fun with them.
KATHERINE M. DILLABER
KATHERINE M. DILLABER is a JMU graduate, with a B.A in Communication Arts & Educational Certification, plus graduate studies. Post college, she performed at “Tecumseh”, Ohio; ‘Land of Oz’, N. C.; Busch Gardens, Williamsburg; and local theatres. Since 2013, she participates annually in the Broadway Teachers Workshop, NYC, working with Broadway’s top artists onstage & backstage. Workshops explored the theatre craft as it pertains to school & community productions. Other experiences include a techie backstage and a theatre instructor where she has directed numerous children’s productions. Her professional education, theatre positions, and years of ballet training (Cecchetti method) are constant resources for classes.
AMY CARSON
AMY CARSON has been involved in the DC dance and musical theatre scene for more than 20 years. Having taught Musical Theatre Dance and specialty dance workshops for numerous adult and teen students, Amy has developed a passion for teaching Broadway-style dance to beginners and above. Additionally, Amy has performed in many musicals and dance shows, has choreographed several musicals, and has won the WATCH Award for Best Choreography. Most recently, Amy has been seen performing in LTA acting showcases and has served as a supernumerary in American Ballet Theatre’s productions of Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty, and Romeo & Juliet.
FARHAANA NYAMEKYE-FRAZIER
FARHAANA NYAMEKYE-FRAZIER A native of Miami, Fl (by way of New York), Farhaana’s introduction to acting began with a role as Beneatha Younger in A Raisin in the Sun in a Miami Dade College production at the age of 17. Choosing to pursue a non-theatre college major, she studied mathematics education at the University of Miami, FL and the University of Texas at Austin. She obtained her doctorate degree in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Maryland, College Park in 2010. Realizing that she needed to tap into her creative side, Farhaana began exploring acting and performing arts in more depth. A sequence of visits with a Reiki practitioner helped her to remove mental and emotional blocks that she had with pursuing an acting career. The journey led her not only to obtain roles in film projects and print work, but to later become Reiki I certified, Reiki II certified and eventually to become a Reiki master herself. Farhaana received her training at Avalaura’s Healing Center in College Park, MD. When she is not teaching math, Farhaana is working towards helping actors to use Reiki to remove blocks that might prevent them from being the best actor they can be.
ASHLEY HAMMOND
ASHLEY HAMMOND graduated from the University of Kentucky with a B.F.A. in Acting. She toured professionally and taught children’s theatre for many years, traveling all over the eastern part of the country. She has been teaching acting at LTA and in the DC metro area for over 10 years. In addition to teaching, she is also the Managing Director of Educational Theatre Company.
SARAH HOLT
SARAH HOLT launched LTA’s improv classes back in 2001. A graduate of The Groundlings training program in NYC, she performed with various groups there before moving down to the nation’s capital and joining a then-fledgling troupe of nine members called Washington Improv Theater (WIT). She now performs with LTA’s house troupe The Retros and teaches improv workshops at The Actors’ Center. Sarah brings her extensive resume as an actor to her improv classes, encouraging students to play real and let funny happen. Recent acting credits include performances with The Little Theatre of Alexandria, The Keegan Theatre, the Folger Theatre, Nextstop Theatre, and the Source Festival. Through her company Mixed Minds (www.mixedminds.biz), Sarah combines her improv expertise and long-time corporate communications experience to provide workshops that enliven group dynamics for better collaboration and bigger ideas.
JOY JONES
JOY JONES is a master instructor and a working actor. In the DC-metropolitan area, she has taught at the Shakespeare Theatre, Ford’s Theatre and others. She has also taught in New York City and North Carolina. As an actor, Joy has performed at Arena Stage, Studio Theatre, Denver Center, Huntington Theatre, and in TV and film projects. Joy has an Acting MFA from UNC-Chapel Hill and Certificates in Classical Acting, from the British American Drama Academy (Oxford, UK) and Arts in Education from the Actors Work Program/The Actors Fund. Joy is a member of Actors Equity and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
KEELY KIRK
KEELY KIRK began her improv career with Mental Floss, a Miami-based improv/sketch troupe. She went on to be a principle performer for over ten years with Laughing Gas Comedy Improv – Miami’s longest- running improv theater company. Keely relocated to the epicenter for improv, Chicago, and trained with iO (formerly Improv Olympics) and Second City. Currently Keely teaches, develops and delivers fun, fast-paced, interactive training and unforgettable events using theater improvisation techniques. Through her company, Playing OUTSIDE the Lines LLC, she has provided team building workshops for businesses, law firms, accounting firms, schools, as well as numerous Fortune 500 companies. She consults with businesses and training facilities in the Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia area. In addition to teaching, Keely also performs with various improv groups around the country.
RICK LORE
RICK LORE, an Actor’s Equity member, has directed over 20 works in Colorado and California, including the premiere of his own play, Mixed Doubles. Productions ranged from the traditional (Ibsen, Williams, Mamet) to a half dozen world premieres. Rick’s theatre career coincided with a 25 year stint in Public Television, where he travelled the country conducting workshops for on-air talent, geared to honing communication skills at PBS stations.
STEVE MCBRIDE
STEVE MCBRIDE holds a Bachelor of Music, in Music Education (vocal concentration) from West Chester University. In addition to his teaching, Mr. McBride has been Music Director/Conductor/Vocal Director of many shows including The Producers, Into the Woods, Les Misérables, Pajama Game, Camelot, South Pacific, Grease, My Fair Lady, Cinderella, Sound of Music, Trial by Jury, and King and I. Steve is also very active throughout the area as a vocal coach, accompanist, and conductor. Having taught choral/vocal music in public schools in both Pennsylvania and Maryland, Steve also is the Interim Choir Director/Organist at Church of the Good Shepherd, Burke, Virginia.
SARAH NICHOLS
SARAH NICHOLS is a freelance voice, accent, and communication coach with an MFA in Voice Studies from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and a BFA in Musical Theater from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee. She has taught voice and accents at Virginia Commonwealth University, East 15 Acting School, Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance, and the American University in Cairo. Sarah is a Senior Editor-at-Large for the International Dialects of English Archive (IDEA) and an active member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA), having served for two years on the Junior Board. Based in Washington, DC, Sarah leads voice and accent workshops for The Little Theatre of Alexandria, GALA Hispanic Theatre, Washington Improv Theater, and The Actors’ Center. www.sarahnicholsvoice.com
MICHAEL PAGE
MICHAEL PAGE has been teaching theatre, dance, and music in the DMV for over a decade. He has worked in community theatre for 18 years in many roles; actor, singer, dancer, set designer, light designer, choreographer, and director. He has been working with LTA’s Education department for over 15 years and counting. He has a BA in Theater Studies from Christopher Newport University where he focused in lighting, dance, musical theatre and directing.
JESSICA MONTOYA
JESSICA MONTOYA has practiced yoga for 20 years, and over the last 7 years has taught thousands of people at studios in Northern Virginia, USA. Jessica also leads yoga retreats all around the world in English and Spanish languages. Jessica has lived in Alexandria for over 15 years. She is a native New Mexican where she studied yoga under Meta Hershyl in Abuiqui, NM at the historic Ghost Ranch and home of Georgia O’Keefe. Jessica founded YogaForVitality.com online and outdoors during the 2020 pandemic to keep the local yoga community together.
HEATHER SANDERSON
HEATHER SANDERSON studied classical theatre at RADA in London and prior to moving to Alexandria acted extensively in the San Francisco Bay Area. As “Miss Heather”, she is known locally for instilling a love of theatre – in particular Shakespeare – into the hearts of children. Her youth Shakespeare troupes have performed in D.C. and in the U.K. and her privately coached monologue students have performed at the Shakespeare Theatre, the Ford’s Theatre and numerous community and children’s theatres in the area. Heather may be familiar to fans of British television programs through her Tea with Heather segments on Maryland Public Television’s Afternoon Tea.
FRANK SHUTTS
FRANK SHUTTS has been teaching acting since 1985 and has worked with the theater department of McLean High School, The Madeira School, and Bishop Ireton High School. He has directed 35 main-stage shows at LTA alone and currently serves as the stage director for the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington (GMCW). A member of the Educational Theater Association, Frank also serves as a mentor with the CAPPIES program of the National Capital Area. A native northern Virginian, Frank returns to the education program at LTA where he previously taught Acting I and II, Shakespeare, and Acting in Comedy.
RUBEN VELLEKOOP
RUBEN VELLEKOOP is a director, sound designer, and intimacy choreographer in the DMV area. He has studied with The Acting Studio and The Barrow Group. His next project is co-directing LOVE/SICK for Winterfest ’20 (NYC).
JOHN WALDRON
JOHN WALDRON received his BFA in theatre from Virginia Commonwealth University. As an actor, director, and instructor, he has been working in the region for over 20 years. He has directed shows at Aldersgate and MVCCT. John can be seen in the motion picture ‘Talk To Me’ starring Don Cheadle and was featured on Investigative Discovery show ‘Who The Bleep!’ John is a member of the improvisation group, The Stagecoach Bandits.
MONA WARGO
MONA WARGO has been a volunteer in community theater for many years. From 1998-2007 she painted countless sets for Dominion Stage, where she was nominated for an ACT award, and also painted for Foundry Theater in WDC in 2004. She made her return to the theater in 2015 at LTA. At the encouragement of the late Roland Gomez, she painted his show “A Party To Murder” for which she jointly won her first LTA award. Her second LTA award and 2018 WATCH award were jointly won for “Dracula.” She recently painted “Frozen Jr.” for Aldersgate Community Theater. She has once again won the 2019-2020 LTA award solo for “A Christmas Carol.” She continues to teach at LTA as well as work on various shows.
LINDA WELLS
LINDA WELLS is a private vocal teacher/coach, working primarily with children and teens. She has appeared in many musical theatre productions in professional and community theatres locally and elsewhere including The Music Man, Sweeney Todd, The Sound of Music, 1776, The Most Happy Fella, Side by Side by Sondheim, Brigadoon, George M!, Fiorello!, Guys and Dolls, and Godspell. Linda is also a professional church soloist and pianist. She was the Children’s Vocal Coach for The Little Theatre of Alexandria (LTA)’s Scrooge: The Musical, and the Musical Director for LTA’s A Christmas Carol (ten times) and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (twice); for Aldersgate Church Community Theatre’s Mulan, Jr.; and for Mount Vernon Community Children’s Theatre’s Narnia.