All the World’s a Stage... Are You Ready for the Show?

All the World’s a Stage… Are You Ready for the Show?

For over 25 years one award-winning theater has been the training ground for actors who are now on Broadway, television series, movies, and have Disney contracts. We aren’t talking about the downtown theater district…we’re talking about Fort Bend Theatre, here in our own backyard! Executive Artistic Director Tarra McCain says, “We take enormous pride in presenting fantastic entertainment for the community…as well as offering acting classes, summer camps, and opportunities for actors to hone their craft.”
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Originally, Fort Bend Theatre started as a safe place for kids to come and learn about the arts. Decades later, many of those young dreamers credit this beginning with their professional acting success. Today both Fort Bend Theatre and Tarra herself have won numerous awards for costume design, set design, and youth performances from Texas Non-Profit Theatres. Tarra says, “Every season I try to find a great musical, a play with characters that our actors can really explore in depth, and children’s plays that are based on a good, classic story. Ultimately, each season is crafted to please our audience, challenge our actors, and offer opportunities to create something wonderful.”
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Without the hassle of a long drive or paid parking, you can enjoy an unforgettable evening. Get excited about seeing a big musical like “Young Frankenstein” (August 1-3) at the Stafford Centre or visiting Fort Bend Theatre in their home, the Rudy-Katz Building, recently designated as an historical landmark by the Stafford Historical Society and given an elegant facelift with new flooring, seats, and (soon) new curtains. Here you’ll enjoy an outrageous, character-driven comedy like the award-winning classic-to-be “The Foreigner” (April 10-May 3rd) or a beloved children’s story like “Disney’s Cinderella Kids” (June 6-28) or “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” (July 4-25). Tarra says, “We also have an ‘Action-Reaction Troupe’ of professionally-trained actors between the ages of 8-18. Our A.R.T Players will perform ‘Anne of Green Gables’ (March 20-29) and ‘Little Princess Sara Crewe’ (May 15-31).”
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Get in on the act with professional acting classes for all ages…and the uber-popular Summer Musical Theatre camps at Fort Bend Theatre. Each camp runs four hours a day for one week. Tarra says, “Kids walk in on Monday and by Friday they put on a musical showcase. Popular selections include ‘Annie,’ Cinderella‘,’ and the guaranteed-to-be-repeated ‘Frozen, The Snow Queen.’ I love seeing how even the shyest kids blossom and gain confidence singing, acting, working the lights, creating costumes, and more! Our youngest acting student has been a four-year-old camper and our oldest has been a seventy-seven-year-old, whose adult grandchild bought him acting classes to fulfill a lifelong dream.”

We do have a special “insider’s tip” for our readers. Fort Bend Theatre’s Summer Camps sell out year after year…but members get priority sign-up weeks in advance. Visit www.fortbendtheatre.com to purchase your annual membership (a steal at $25 – and it’s tax-deductible!), get tickets for the current show, register for classes, and for camps (once they are open for general admission).