The B.E.S.T. Musical Theater Workshop was born in the summer of 2008, and was initially meant as a performing arts education workshop for those who show exceptional strengths in the areas of singing, dancing and/or acting. The acronym “B.E.S.T.” stands for “Building Excellence through Summer Theater” The intent is to offer gifted, young performers the opportunity to work with professionally-trained artists in all areas in order to further their innate talents towards becoming the “triple threat” that today’s musical theatre demands.

This past summer, in addition to Mr. Mow and Ms. Lawrence-Gist as Voice and Dance instructors, B.E.S.T. was pleased to announce the addition of Mr. Jonathan Berry as Drama instructor. Mr. Berry is a stage director from the Steppenwolf School in Chicago and holds an MFA in Theatre from Northwestern University.

Over the course of the workshop, student’s skills are tested while their more novice abilities are also nurtured and cultivated. Areas to be addressed include: classical voice, classical dance and dramatic training through “viewpoints”, piano, music theory for the singer, movement, American musical theatre history, stage combat and much more. B.E.S.T. culminates in a final “Inform-ance” where the participants prepare a short review exemplifying the techniques and skills learned over the course of the workshop through specific scenes selected by the faculty.

Participants are accepted into the two-week workshop by audition only. Audition Dates for the Workshop are scheduled in the early summer, and applicants must be 12 or older to participate.