Portland Drama Club in Your School

We have attempted to answer most questions people new to our programs may have below. If you have more questions, please don't hesitate to contact our Managing Director Robin Krill. She'd be happy to converse via email, phone, or even come in person to speak about who we are and what we do!

i've got a golden ticket rehearsal.JPG

MUSICAL production classes

Here are just some of the benefits of having a Play Production at your school:

  • Boosts self-confidence

  • Teaches public speaking skills

  • Teaches acceptance of people/characters/kids/beings different than you

  • Teaches kids to work as a team

  • Teaches patience, resilience, personal responsibility, and accountability 

  • Builds community between grades

  • Builds community with parents/families

  • FUN

Putting on a full-scale production costs money. We have found, though, that the value it brings to the school community and the children themselves far exceeds theater classes without a production at the end.

By jumping right into a show, children learn by doing. We will incorporate theater games and exercises into each rehearsal. Students will learn breathing and vocal techniques, acting techniques, and dance/movement in a supportive environment that encourages hard work through practice and personal responsibility.

Portland Drama Club is a nonprofit, so we are still working on funding through grants, etc, in order to make our classes and shows as low-cost as possible. We are happy to try to work with your school to create a program that your families can afford while still covering the costs of putting on a big show complete with lights, sound and skilled staff. Whether some of it is supported by your PTA/PTO or it is simply a tuition-based after-school program you offer to your students, we hope to find a way to make our programs accessible to as many kids as possible. We do find that there is more interested and enthusiastic kids and better attendance/commitment when families are required to pay a tuition fee to join.

general requirements for putting on a show

30 minute productions require at the very least 30 hours of rehearsal. That's one day a week, after school for 2-2.5 hours each day for approximately 15 weeks (this is a semester program; recommended for younger kids).

60 minute productions require about 50-60 hours of rehearsal. That's one day a week, after school for 2-2.5 hours each day for approximately 30 weeks (this is a full-year program; appropriate for elementary and middle school kids). We can increase the number of times we meet each week to decrease the number of weeks required to learn the show, but the hours should remain roughly the same. This can be customized to meet the needs/desires of your school/community.
We can still do a 60-minute production in one semester! We can double up days/week, beef up staffing or extend our rehearsals (maybe adding a weekend or two).

We need a large open space to rehearse in.

Ideally, we would have enough time throughout the rehearsal process to play games and activities that teach techniques which strengthen the theater experience (and they’re lots of fun!).


Play Production - not a full musical
We could do a play without a musical aspect in a few less classes. The shorter Fall Semester is a great time to do a play or series of short plays as opposed to a musical.

theater fun classes

We also offer shorter Theater Fun after-school classes where we simply play games and activities. These classes are tuition-based and can be conducted in a classroom with some open floor space. These classes are a great space for all kinds of kids: for shy kids to simply get a taste of theater and for little showbizzers to strut their stuff. A low-key performance without the use of costumes or set pieces will be held at the end of each session for parents.

  • Young kids grades kindergarten - 2nd grade will meet for approximately an hour and play lots of silly games. It's a chance to play and speak up.

  • Kids 3rd-5th grade can meet for 1-1.5 hours playing games with plenty of silliness, but with more depth and understanding of the purpose of the games. Kids will break off more often into smaller groups to create their own stories and may occasionally work on scenes.

  • Middle school kids can meet for 1.5-2 hours working through theater exercises and concentrating more on acting technique, creating their own stories and two-person scenes. Kids are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones through improvisational games and opportunities for self-expression. Middle school kids will keep drama journals and follow more of a set curriculum. Even with this age group, though, silliness ensues.

Please email us for a general budget or to request a proposal for your school.