Plano Children's Theatre

Go ahead. Step out onto the big stage and give a new role a try!

Here are some things you’ll want to know about auditioning at PCT and MYT:

Plano Children’s Theatre is an educational theatre program for young people, ages 5-18. PCT/MYT offers a variety of performance opportunities each year for all levels, from beginner to the pre-professional advanced student with an agent.

Les Miserables Audition Update
Plano Children's Theatre is having auditions for the young Cossette, Eponine, and Gavroche (Boys and girls - Ages 8,9) on Wednesday, February 1, from 6-8 p.m. Please prepare a musial theatre song and bring a CD to accompany you. Call 972-422-2575 for an appointment.

Click Here for Upcoming Audition Dates

Beginning Acting Programs:

Preschool through Elementary Students

If your child is a beginning actor, check out the seasonal elementary classes, acting and/or dance classes. The curriculum for these classes provides each student with a foundation in acting including warm-ups, stage directions, characterization, improvisation, listening skills, expectations of an actor, how to write blocking in your script and movement while providing plenty of opportunities to perform for family and friends.

For these beginning classes and productions, auditions for parts will be held the first or second week of class. All students enrolled in the class will have speaking lines and be in the two performances at the end of the semester.

Grades 6 and Up

If your teen has not had any performance experience, we would suggest at least one semester of an acting class and a semester of improvisation. The curriculum for the acting classes include physical and vocal warm-ups, scene work and monologues which the student may use for auditions in the future. Improvisation is learning how to listen and react to a given situation and create plausible scenes with other students. Creative problem solving, language, social and communication skills are enhanced through improvisation. Both programs end in a presentation for parents and friends.

Intermediate Acting Program

Grades K – 6: Elementary Productions

PCT’s elementary productions offer students an opportunity to prepare for a production with all the production elements: costumes, set, props, lights, and sound effects. The scripts are especially written for this age range and ability. The students rehearse once a week and then at least three evenings the week before opening night for an approximate 20-25 hours of rehearsal.

Line memorization, choreography, characterization, and backstage behavior are crucial curriculum elements in these productions. A week before the opening, families help build the set which is designed by a set designer. The productions last 45 minutes to one hour in length. Depending on the number of students in the class, there are four to six performances. Each family is required to sell eight tickets and receive four complimentary tickets. Tickets are $6 in advance and $8 at the door.

Roles in our Intermediate Productions are cast from the students enrolled in the program either the first or second week of class. Unlike the copyrighted scripts which are used in our advanced program, the scripts for the intermediate productions are tailored to each cast so that everyone has an equal opportunity to shine on stage.

Major Productions
Advanced Acting Program

For more experienced youth, we have more than 20 productions a year for ages 6-18, which range from shows such as Annie, Wizard of Oz, Disney’s Aladdin, and Snow White. For the most part, roles are double cast to accommodate family schedules and includes up to 50 hours of rehearsal, usually 2 hours a week over a period of 2-3 months including every night of technical and dress rehearsal week. Advanced choreography and acting skills are learned as students rehearse challenging scripts. Shows offered include both musical and non-musical productions. Most productions have eight to twelve performances.

ACE Productions

Acting Company for Excellence (ACE) productions targets older and the most advanced students, ages 12-18. Members of ACE receive advance notice and audition scheduling flexibility, but receive no preferential casting treatment. Students who are not ACE members may audition for ACE productions. Please see more information about ACE auditions on the ACE web page.

Our national reputation as the “North Texas Premiere Acting Academy” awarded us the opportunity to be chosen as the first children’s theatre in the region to produce these prestigious titles: Hairspray, Elton John’s Aida, High School Musical I and II, and Les Miserables.

How to Audition:

All students must audition to be cast in a major production. The auditions are listed in our current brochure which may be found on the home page of our website. Please call the office 972-422-2575 for an audition appointment.

There is no cost to audition. For the audition, please prepare a one minute monologue (find them on line, libraries, and book stores). For returning PCT/MYT and experienced students, we would prefer the monologue be memorized. If auditioning for a musical, please prepare one minute of a musical theatre selection and bring a CD to accompany you. A beginning student is welcome to sing over the lyrics. For intermediate and advanced students, we would prefer a performance track without vocals. For new students, contact us about sample monologues and suggestions for songs.

For those productions with heavy choreography, there will be dance auditions. These are group auditions and the students will learn the choreography for a song during the audition. There is no special preparation. Students should wear appropriate attire (loose pants, t-shirts, no midriffs, etc…) as well as dance (jazz) shoes if possible.

At the audition, the student will list their show and role preference. As time allows, the directors will provide the student constructive comments on their audition. Our goal for your student is help them learn how to audition. Some directors will have second auditions called “call backs”. PCT will attempt to cast every student in one of the productions offered that semester. All students will receive an e-mail with cast results.

Tuition:

If your student accepts their role, 50% tuition is due by the second rehearsal and the balance is due the fourth week. Alternatively, 100% tuition payment may be made on the PCT/MYT website. Any other arrangement must be made with the Executive Director, prior to start of rehearsals. Each family is required to sell fifteen tickets, and each family will receive eight complimentary tickets. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door, and special reserved front section seats are $18.

Tuition and ticket sales are used to partially pay the production costs associated with the production: script royalties ($1,500-$2,800), rent, director, musical director, choreographer, sets, and other overhead costs. Increased ticket sales keep our tuition down!

Thank you once again. If you have questions after reading this page, please feel free to contact us at 972-422-2575.

Print The Audition Form!

For all actors auditioning for a major production, please print and complete this form. For more experienced actors, fill out just the top of the form and attach to your headshot and resume. Click here for the audition form.

Upcoming Plano Children's Theatre Auditions:

• Les Miserables Auditions | 02/07/2012 | 06:00pm to 08:00pm
  

Upcoming McKinney Youth Theatre Auditions:

To schedule an appointment to audition, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and specify the location and your preferred date/time.