

PORTSMOUTH ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS
Winter 2023 Classes
ACTING
Acting & Improv 1
(60 minutes, recommended ages 9-10)
This course will teach young actors the fundamentals of the art of acting and is for all levels of acting experience. Our young actors will develop foundational skills through a series of improv games and acting activities, awaken their imaginations to creating characters, build confidence, and learn to open up on stage to show their natural personalities.
Tuition is $120 (Session 1: Jan. 24th - Feb. 28th)
Tuition is $120 (Session 2: Mar. 7th - April 11th)
Tuition is $120 (Session 3: April 18th - May 23rd)
Tuesday 4pm - 5pm at The Kittery Community Center (East Wing - Rep Studio 2)
Acting & Improv 2
(60 minutes, recommended ages 11-12)
This course will teach young actors the fundamentals of the art of acting and is for all levels of acting experience. Our young actors will develop foundational skills through a series of improv games and acting activities, awaken their imaginations to creating characters, build confidence, and learn to open up on stage and to their natural personalities.
Tuition is $120 (Session 1: Jan. 24th - Feb. 28th)
Tuition is $120 (Session 2: Mar. 7th - April 11th)
Tuition is $120 (Session 3: April 18th - May 23rd)
Tuesday 5pm - 6pm at The Kittery Community Center (East Wing - Rep Studio 2)
Improv
(60 minutes, ages 12-18)
Improv can serve as an important foundation for performers of all types, whether you’re an aspiring comedian or an actor hoping to up your audition game. In this course students will learn the core fundamentals and principles of improv, focusing on various games and exercises that encourage trust, communication, agreement (“yes and”); active listening, and to give and take focus. Students will be encouraged to make strong emotional and character choices and will learn how to act quickly, while applying improvisational skills towards fast-paced scenes, on-the-fly challenges, and impressive guessing games!
Tuition is $120 (Session 1: Jan. 24th - Feb. 28th)
Tuition is $120 (Session 2: Mar. 7th - April 11th)
Tuition is $120 (Session 3: April 18th - May 23rd)
Tuesday 6pm - 7pm at The Kittery Community Center (East Wing - Rep Studio 2)
DANCE
Musical Theater Dance 1
(60 minutes, recommended ages 9-12)
Broadway is bursting with all the greatest dance styles and you got the beat! Explore all musical theatre dance has to offer while emphasizing performance skills such as connecting with the audience, facial expressions, stage presence, and confidence in and out of the classroom! This class will also include center warm-up stretches, isolations, core strengthening, and across the floor technique. In each class students will learn a combo from one of Broadway’s greatest shows!
Session 1: Jan. 28th - Mar. 4th (Tuition is $120)
Session 2: Mar. 11th - Apr. 15th (Tuition is $120)
Session 3: Apr. 22nd - May 27th (Tuition is $120)
Saturday 11:00am - 12:00pm at The Block (located at 2800 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, NH)
MUSICAL THEATRE
Intro to Musical Theatre
(50 minutes, recommended ages 6-7)
Taught by Samantha Kuczun
This class will introduce the fundamentals of musical theatre. We will discover basic voice techniques, explore a variety of dance styles, and enjoy theatre games. Students will learn to express themselves through creative group music and movement activities while gaining confidence and appreciation for the arts.
Session 1: Jan 26th - Mar 2nd (Tuition is $120)
Session 2: Mar 9th - Apr 20th (Tuition is $120)
Session 3: Apr 27th - June 1st (Tuition is $120)
Thursday 4:00pm - 4:50pm at The Kittery Community Center (East Wing - Rep Studio 2)
Musical Theatre Techniques I
(50 minutes, recommended ages 8-9)
Taught by Samantha Kuczun
This class will encompass all aspects of musical theatre. A series of vocal warmups will lead into relevant musical theatre repertoire. Dance technique will be emphasized and choreography for multiple styles will be taught. Theatre games and improvisation will finish up our weekly class to help build confidence and self-expression.
Session 1: Jan 26th - Mar 2nd (Tuition is $120)
Session 2: Mar 9th - Apr 20th (Tuition is $120))
Session 3: Apr 27th - June 1st (Tuition is $120)
Thursday 5:00pm - 5:50pm at The Kittery Community Center (East Wing - Rep Studio 2)
Musical Theatre Techniques II
(60 minutes, recommended ages 10-11)
Taught by Samantha Kuczun
This class will encompass all aspects of musical theatre. A series of vocal warmups will lead into relevant musical theatre repertoire. Dance technique will be emphasized and choreography for multiple styles will be taught. Theatre games and improvisation will finish up our weekly class to help build confidence and self-expression.
Session 1: Jan 26th - Mar 2nd (Tuition is $120)
Session 2: Mar 9th - Apr 20th (Tuition is $120))
Session 3: Apr 27th - June 1st (Tuition is $120)
Thursday 6:00pm - 7:00pm at The Kittery Community Center (East Wing - Rep Studio 2))
JR Rep Company
(60 minutes, recommended ages 9-12)
JR Rep Company is designed for students who love to perform and are looking to improve their musical theater skills. Part of each class will be dedicated to developing foundational skills through a series of improv games and acting activities helping students open up on stage and show their natural personalities without fear. The other part of class students will be learning music and choreography for their class' production number to be performed at a Final Showcase on the Seacoast Rep stage on May 30, 2023.
Tuition is $360 (Session runs Jan. 28th - May 27th)
Saturday 12:00pm - 1:00pm at The Block (located at 2800 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, NH)
Teen Rep Company
(ages 13-19) * AUDITION ONLY *
Taught by Emily Zentis, Hannah Street, Andrew Strout & Sophie Caldwell
Teen Rep Company is focused on zeroing in on the unique qualities of each student to help them shine in the audition room, the rehearsal room, and on the stage. Teen Rep members will receive training in vocal technique, building their repertoire books, acting and dance. Teen Rep members will also have the opportunity to work with their peers on ensemble work in scenes and musical production numbers. The session ends with a showcase featuring the scenes and songs mastered throughout the session on May 30th on the Seacoast Rep stage.
Teen Rep Company meets on Saturdays 11:00am - 1:00pm or 2:30pm - 4:30pm
*Teen Rep Company members are required to take Musical Theater Dance which meets on Saturdays from 1:15pm - 2:15pm. The price of dance is included in the price of Teen Rep.
Tuition is $795* (Jan. 28th - May 30th) *payment plan available*
Auditions for Winter Session are tentatively scheduled for January 21st
VOICE
Group Voice Class- Disney Edition
(60 minutes, recommended ages 9-12)
Taught by Emily Zentis
In this 6-week class, we will have fun with our favorite Disney songs while learning basic techniques and building our repertoire. We will do vocal exercises to learn to use proper posture and breathing methods to avoid damaging the voice, while also learning basic music theory, and audition techniques.
Tuition is $180 (Session runs Jan. 28th - March 4th)
Saturday 1:15pm - 2:15pm at The Block (located at 2800 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth, NH)
Group Voice Class - Broadway Edition
(60 minutes, recommended ages 9-12)
Taught by Emily Zentis
In this 6-week class we will discover new and exciting repertoire from some Broadway classics both new and old. We will focus on learning to choose material to sing, the acting of a song, and picking out audition cuts of your favorite Broadway songs.
Tuition is $180 (Session runs from March 11th - April 15th)
Saturday 1:15pm - 2:15pm at The Block (located at 2800 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth, NH)
Group Voice Class- Audition Prep
(60 minutes, recommended ages 9-12)
Taught by Emily Zentis
In this 6-week class we will practice taking the nerves away from auditions by making you as prepared for your net audition as possible. We will discuss slating (what it is and how to do it correctly), finding the best audition cut, marking sheet music correctly, and more! Everyone will walk away with at least two polished audition pieces to use for their next audition!
Tuition is $180 (Session runs from April 22nd - May 27th)
Saturday 1:15pm - 2:15pm at The Block (located at 2800 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth, NH)

In the beginning...
The Portsmouth Academy of Performing Arts was founded in 1985 by Eileen and Roy Rogosin of Los Angeles, who moved to the Seacoast to start a performance school and company. They established PAPA in the Button factory on Islington street. In 1986 they took up residency in a late 19th century brewery warehouse on Portsmouth’s historic Bow Street that housed the Theatre by the Sea, converted into theatre space by Joseph Sawtelle and the Bow Street Theatre Trust in an effort to improve the culture and economy of Portsmouth. In 1988 it became the Seacoast Repertory Theatre.