Marcia Hovick has been the doyenne of children’s theater on the Monterey Peninsula since 1975, when she founded Children’s Experimental Theatre to pre-sent works by Shaw, Moliere, Euripides, Sophocles, and other classic playwrights (tailored for children ages 6 to 18). Every child who applies and fulfills the requirements of the program will earn a part in the productions.
Classes include exercises such as tai chi, improvisation, speech, and stage combat. Stage combat? Learning how to take a pratfall or how to stumble for the stage are specialized skills.
The Pacific Repertory Theatre supports another active and popular children’s school and theater with The School of Dramatic Arts and boasts a staff of teaching artists. The program director is MaryAnn Schaup-Rousseau, an actor and movement specialist whose credentials include 15 years teaching for CET.
SODA classes include theatrical terminology, playwriting, costume design, and the principles of voice, movement, combat choreography, comedy, and drama. At the end of each semester, the Student Showcase offers family and friends an opportunity to see the fruits of this outstanding theater experience. Students may also participate in the annual SODA spring musical.
In 11 seasons with the Pacific Repertory Theatre, veteran Hollywood director and producer Walter deFaria has written the scripts and conceptualized staging, costumes, and set designs, known as the “book” for the children’s productions. Stephen Tosh has collaborated with deFaria on every original musical as composer and lyricist for this annual event. The shows, performed during the last two weekends in April, are “age appropriate and have titles like Here Comes Cindy, Kid Millionaire, and If Wishes Were Horses,” deFaria says.
SODA’s summer offering is linked with everything else PacRep does. Students sometimes do the spring show and segue into the Summer Family Musical. In the past, there have been productions of The Sound of Music and Peter Pan. This year’s production is The Wizard of Oz.
Other theatrical opportunities for children include dance academies operated and directed by Alan and Carol Richmond.
Dance Kids of Monterey County is a nonprofit organization located on Alvarado Street in Monterey. Children range in age from 5 to 18. Each Christmas, they present an enchanting version of The Nutcracker. Some performers come from CET, SODA, and The Carmel Ballet Company.
If this all sounds like one big happy family, it is. Although these centers are scattered around the peninsula, they come together effortlessly when the house lights go down and the curtain goes up.
For more information on the performing arts, see Carmel Culture Guide »
