Award-winning Porchlight Music Theatre’s Education Department is proud to announce the return of its Spring Youth Classes, February 15 - May 17, with registration now available for all sessions. Also, Porchlight offers a sample option for the first day of class, Saturday, Feb. 15, for interested students and parents wanting to learn more about the 2025 Porchlight offerings. Families can sign up for a class sampler, Saturday, Feb. 15 for $25 and if they decide to register, the trial class will be credited towards the cost of registration.
Youth classes are designed to teach young actors musical theatre skills from basics to advanced while enabling students to also learn life skills such as effective communication and self-esteem. Classes are held at the Holtschneider Performance Center at the DePaul University School of Music, 2330 N. Halsted St. Tuition is $300 - $600 based on the class level with payment plans and scholarships available for all youth programming. For specific questions regarding camps and registration, please email Porchlight Education Director Rebeccah Singer at Rebeccah@PorchlightMusicTheatre.org. For general camp information and registration, visit PorchlightMusicTheatre.org/youth-classes/.
Chicago’s favorite music theatre classes return this spring with fun, jam-packed musical sessions for ages 4 - 13 years old. New and returning young actors will spend 13 weeks singing, dancing, meeting new friends and creating an original musical piece or revue to share with family and friends on the last day of class.
Porchlight classes and camps are process-over-product focused programs designed to boost confidence, empathy and a love of the arts. Young actors join session after session to build on previous skills – from music theatre basics up to college audition readiness in a nurturing and fun environment.
Sample Week One of Class
Saturday, Feb. 15
10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Porchlight invites new students to experience the first week of spring classes Saturday, Feb. 15 for just $25. If participants enjoy their first class and want to continue, the cost of the trial will be applied to the rest of the term fee.
The classes offered include:
Mini Musicals (ages 4-6) - 10 - 11 a.m.
Broadway Basics (ages 7-10) - 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Intermediate Ensemble (ages 11-13) - 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
All classes will meet at DePaul School of Music (2330 N. Halsted). For additional information or to register, please go to PorchlightMusicTheatre.org/youth-classes/.
The Porchlight Spring Youth Classes 2025 schedule includes:
Mini Musicals
Ages 4 – 6 years old
February 15 - May 17 (no class 4/19)
Saturdays, 10 - 11 a.m.
Holtschneider Performance Center, DePaul University School of Music, 2330 N. Halsted St.
Tuition: $300
Budding actors join us each week for songs, games, making new friends, and having a blast on stage! Our youngest students stretch their theatre muscles as they create an original musical story – with dance moves, props and songs to share with family and friends on the last day of class!
Broadway Basics
Ages 7 – 10 years old
February 15 - May 17 (no class 4/19)
Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Holtschneider Performance Center, DePaul University School of Music, 2330 N. Halsted St.
Tuition: $450
Enter the world of music, drama, dance, writing and more while practicing teamwork, communication and problem-solving. Students will be introduced to their actor tools — their bodies, voices and imaginations — while singing and dancing to classic and contemporary Broadway hits, writing their own story and with lots of time for playing games and making new friends. At the end of the session join us for a final performance to celebrate all your young actors’ work!
Intermediate Ensemble
Ages 11 – 13 years old
February 15 - May 17 (no class 4/19)
Saturdays, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Holtschneider Performance Center, DePaul University School of Music, 2330 N. Halsted St.
Tuition: $600
Returning and new middle school aged actors join us to grow as they focus on classic or contemporary musicals, learn musical theater songs, choreography and create a musical revue to share with family and friends.
NOTE: All class content, dates, times, etc. are subject to change. For the most up to date information, please visit PorchlightMusicTheatre.org/youth-classes/.
ABOUT PORCHLIGHT EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS
Porchlight Music Theatre’s Youth Programs serve those ages 4 – 17 years old and are grounded in the power of the American art form of music theatre to tell stories and inspire confidence and a love of the arts. The Engagement Programs deepen audience connection to the art, artists and the community.
ABOUT PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE
Porchlight Music Theatre, now in its 30th season, is the award-winning center for music theatre in Chicago. Through live performance, youth education and community outreach, we impact thousands of lives each season, bringing the magic of musicals to our theatre home at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts in the Gold Coast and to neighborhoods across the city. Porchlight has built a national reputation for boldly reimagining classic musicals, supporting new works and young performers, and showcasing Chicago’s most notable music theatre artists, all through the intimate and powerful theatrical lens of the “Chicago Style.”
Porchlight's history over the last 30 years includes more than 70 mainstage works with 15 Chicago premieres and five world premieres. Porchlight’s commitment to the past, present and future of music theatre led the company to develop the Porchlight Revisits and New Faces Sing Broadway program series, both quickly becoming audience favorites.
Porchlight's education and outreach programs serve schools, youth of all ages and skill levels and community organizations, most notably the ongoing collaboration with Chicago Youth Centers. Porchlight annually awards dozens of full scholarships and hundreds of free tickets to ensure accessibility and real engagement with this uniquely American art form.
The company’s many honors include 178 Joseph Jefferson Award (Jeff) nominations and 49 Jeff awards, as well as 44 Black Theatre Alliance (BTA) nominations and 15 BTA awards. In 2019, Porchlight graduated to the Large Theatre tier of the Equity Jeff Awards and has been honored with seven awards in this tier to date including Best Ensemble for Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies (2019) and Best Production-Revue for Blues in the Night (2022).
Through the global pandemic, Porchlight emerged as one of Chicago’s leaders in virtual programming, quickly launching a host of free offerings like Sondheim @ 90 Roundtables, Movie Musical Mondays, Porchlight by Request: Command Performances and WPMT: Classic Musicals from the Golden Age of Radio. In 2021, Porchlight launched its annual summer series, Broadway in your Backyard, performing at parks and venues throughout the city.
Porchlight Music Theatre is partially supported by generous contributions from Allstate; Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation; Glimpse Vision; James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation; Hearty Boys; A.L. and Jennie L. Luria Foundation; The MacArthur Fund for Culture, Equity and the Arts at Prince; the Pritzker Traubert Foundation; Ryan and Spaeth, Inc.; Daniel and Genevieve Ratner Foundation; The Saints and Dr. Scholl Foundation.
The season program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency, and by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.
Porchlight Music Theatre wishes to thank members of the Matching Gift Corporate Program including Abbvie; Allstate; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Peoples Gas; Pepsico; Polk Bros Foundation and The Saints.
Photos Courtesy of Porchlight Music Theatre
