SVPA, the School of Visual and Performing Arts extracurricular program, for students who want to explore these arts beyond the curriculum, produces diverse shows and events each year in the Little Theater of the George Inness Annex and the Auditorium. Students interested in acting, dance, technical theatre, and playing in the pit band have a chance to work with professionals in all these areas and receive training and experience both onstage and backstage. The director and advisor of SVPA Theatre is Brenda Pepper, with Kenneth Cleerdin as Technical Director, and Kamille King as director of MHS Dance Company.
Rehearsals and tech activities happen after school. While all roles in shows are “by audition,” as is The Passing Notes student-run a capella group, the tech crew building process, and many other events like the popular student Cabaret, produced in collaboration with the Black Student Union, are open to all who wish to participate. The Drama Club, which meets after school and produces student-directed and student-written work, is also open to all.
SVPA Theatre Mainstage shows each year:
- Fall Musical Showcase: a musical revue: early November
- Winter Drama: early February
- Spring Musical: two weekends in May
The MHS Dance Company holds its auditions in the late spring for the following year (with notice given to all middle schools), and is directed by Kamille King. The company rehearses with Ms. King and professional choreographers after school in the dance studio and performs in the MHS Auditorium in March. (Note: the Company has a separate audition from Ms. Blackburn’s Advanced Dance class during the school day, which also produces a show in the Little Theater at the end of the school year.)
Other shows and opportunities are “To Be Announced” throughout the year!
+++A WELCOME MEETING WILL BE HELD BY THE SVPA THEATRE STUDENT BOARD AND DIRECTORS AFTER SCHOOL FOR ALL INTERESTED STUDENTS WITHIN THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF SCHOOL, AND AUDITIONS FOR FALL SHOWCASE HAPPEN WITHIN THE FIRST FOUR OR FIVE DAYS. NEW STUDENTS ARE ADVISED TO LISTEN CAREFULLY TO ALL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ATTEND THE FIRST AFTER-SCHOOL MEETING FOR ALL INFO!++++
[Musical Theatre actors, it’s good to prepare a 32-bar cut of a Broadway song over the summer!]
How to get regular updates and news about auditions and events in SVPA Theatre?
STUDENTS: Search for “2019-2020 School of Visual and Performing Arts” on Facebook and request to join this group.
PARENTS: Search for “Montclair High School SVPA Parents Group” on Facebook and request to join this group.
If you do not use Facebook, please reach out to one of our parent liaisons by email:
Deb Garrison: [email protected]
Christina Axelrod: [email protected]
For Dance Company inquiries, reach out to Darryl Lammin: [email protected]
Advisor and Director of SVPA, Brenda Pepper: Email [email protected]