Performing arts programs for kids in Southwest Florida can offer much more than a weekly hobby. Young actors, singers, dancers, and theater technicians in Collier and Lee Counties can find programs that provide intensive training and exposure to professional practices.
Some students are pursuing Broadway dreams. Others are preparing for college theater programs or professional dance careers. Local schools and arts organizations are helping them gain experience close to home.
Can students combine academics with serious arts training?
Madison Mance, 14, dreams of being on Broadway, living in New York, acting, singing, and writing songs. The high school freshman wants more than weekly acting classes. She wants to immerse herself in the arts and gather as much experience as possible.
Madison attends Baker Day Academy at The Naples Players, where students combine academics with arts education.
“It is such an incredible experience,” Madison said. “I have dreamed about something like this for so long. It has shaped me into the person that I am today and made me a better performer.”
Steven Caruso, chief education officer at Baker Day, says the school puts equal emphasis on academics and the arts. Teachers oversee students as they learn through Florida Virtual School and teach challenging subjects such as math.
Students in grades 6-12 move between classrooms and arts studios. Their training includes more than acting, dancing, and singing.
- Auditioning
- Stage management
- Lighting
- Sound
- Costuming
- Other areas of theater production
“We feel strongly that the kids branch out. Your child might be incredibly talented, but so are 1,000 other kids. So we help kids explore all aspects of the theater,” Caruso said.
“We have been able to put together a program that allows students to grow their passion for the arts without sacrificing academics,” he noted.
How can broad theater training prepare young performers?
Students say learning several sides of theater can help them discover new skills and interests.
Thomas Currie completed his senior year at Baker before heading to Western Connecticut State University to study theater.
“It was incredible,” he said. “Here, I got to learn different aspects of theater because you never know what you will like and what you won’t like. Now I know that I like mixing sound for shows. It opened up so many opportunities.”
Senior Ella Hamblen previously attended Gulf Coast High School and drove long distances after school for dance and acting classes. Coming to Baker changed that schedule and gave her access to subjects such as scriptwriting, script analysis, choreography, and stage management.
“It was a lot easier to stay engaged overall because I was more interested in what I was learning” at Baker Day, Ella explained.
“You become a better actor by being around it all,” she concluded.
Madison also sees the school as preparation for the future.
“Academically and performance-wise, there is nothing else like it,” Madison added. “I’ve always known that theater was my passion. This is what I want to do with my life.”
Can young actors get professional training outside an arts school?
Yes. Aspiring actors in Southwest Florida do not have to attend a theater-focused school to receive serious training.
Organizations throughout Collier and Lee Counties offer theater and dance instruction with experienced teachers. Families can browse additional Southwest Florida arts programs through Southwest Florida Family.
When Kristen Coury founded Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples in 2004, she said many young students approached theater mainly as a hobby. She has seen that change.
“When I first started, it didn’t appear that the kids here had the same hunger as [kids] in the northeast, but now they do,” she said.
“We live in a time where everybody is influenced by YouTube, and they think they can just audition for a show. But theater is a skill and an art, and they need to be trained.”
Gulfshore Playhouse trains both students who simply enjoy theater and those seeking more rigorous preparation.
“We not only do the obvious training, but we help them to audition better and understand the audition process,” Coury explained. “We are also helping connect them in our network.”
The organization also gives students opportunities to work alongside professionals. Coury said those experiences show students how seriously working actors approach their profession.
“They are not being coddled,” Coury said. “It is not ‘we will babysit you for a few hours and put you on stage’. We will treat you professionally, and we have professionals to back it up.”
Learn more about Gulfshore Playhouse or read about how theater benefits kids.
What professional dance training is available in Collier County?
Young dancers also can find serious training locally.
Abdel Roque, owner of Naples Dance Conservatory, danced professionally with companies around the world, including Miami City Ballet and The Washington Ballet. He uses that experience to help young dancers develop.
“We do our best to help [students] have a professional career,” Roque said. “We do a lot of classical training, technique, and artistic development. Some of them know from the beginning, and some of them fall in love in the process.”
His students have gone on to jobs with ballet companies across the United States.
How does Cypress Lake prepare Lee County arts students?
In Lee County, the Center for the Arts at Cypress Lake High School combines traditional academics with intensive study in music, theater, dance, visual arts, and media arts.
The program was created in 1994, and students must audition for a spot.
Dance students take courses in choreography, performance, ballet, modern dance, and other techniques. Music students choose instrumental or vocal study and participate in ensembles.
Theater students can pursue:
- Theater performance
- Technical theater
- Musical theater
Students graduate with a portfolio of audition material and technical achievements.
Carmen Crussard, theater director at Cypress Lake, says students can focus their studies around their goals.
“We create these customizable programs for them to be able to strengthen wherever their interests are,” Crussard explained.
Students also study design and lighting, stage management, playwriting, theater history, and other areas of the industry.
“They get a taste of everything,” she said.
The program has helped students gain acceptance to colleges including New York University, DePaul University in Chicago, and Emerson College in Boston. Crussard also says Cypress Lake alumni have worked on Broadway, national tours, movies, and television.
What professional ballet training is available in Lee County?
Gulfshore Ballet offers another option for students interested in careers in dance.
Iliana Lopez and her husband, Franklin Gamero, were principal dancers with Miami City Ballet for 18 years. They also worked with the Cleveland Ballet and San Francisco Ballet and as soloists in Germany.
Since taking over Gulfshore Ballet in 2012, they have trained young dancers for professional careers.
Students gain stage experience, work with professional guest dancers, and receive help preparing audition tapes or live auditions. Lopez and Gamero also use their industry contacts to help students pursue opportunities.
Kayla Rathur began taking lessons at Gulfshore Ballet at about age six. At 17, she spent a summer training with Miami City Ballet.
Kayla dances six days a week, including four hours after school and additional training on Saturdays.
“They are very encouraging,” Kayla said. “I feel like I have very strong endurance now. They teach very hard steps, and I have become strong that way. I definitely see ballet as part of my life, and I see it as something I want to do professionally.”
Her mother, Susan Rathur, appreciates having that level of training available in Fort Myers.
“If that is the path they want to go on, then they prepare you,” Susan Rathur said. “They are hardcore. If you show a lot of interest, they will guide you in that direction.”
Lopez says numerous Gulfshore Ballet students have continued into professional dance careers, including opportunities with companies in the United States and abroad.
“We have a lot of students that have gone on to professional careers,” Lopez said. “We are super excited. We can’t be happier.”
“It is good to have that opportunity here in Fort Myers that can prepare students for professional dance,” Lopez concluded.
Where can Southwest Florida families find more arts opportunities?
For young people who want to take theater, dance, or music seriously, performing arts for kids in Southwest Florida now include options ranging from school-day arts education to professional-level theater and dance instruction.
Families can also explore summer programs for Southwest Florida teens and tweens, as well as the Southwest Florida camp directory.
For upcoming performances, workshops, and other family activities in Collier and Lee Counties, check the Southwest Florida Family calendar.