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First there was the dream. A small band of devoted acting students had been through the curriculum of the children's acting ensemble, the educational and performance organization under the artistic direction of Jennie Lee since 1993. These students, along with other children ages 8 through 18, had studied acting and performed in numerous theater productions.
The most advanced students found their twice weekly class didn't provide enough time to satisfy their love of the work. Home schooling provided the solution.
The Performing Arts Conservatory meets five days a week for three hours a day at the Iowa Conservatory Theatre at 1900 West Stone. The program consists of high school academics in the morning, and classes in acting, dance, creative movement, singing, and puppetry through the afternoon.
"The Conservatory allows us to increase our skills and become more well-rounded as performers, to pursue, study, and perfect our art," says student Betsy Huebner, age 14.
"Acting allows me to be who I really want to be, to express all the different parts of myself, and not feel judged for it," says Arya Smith, age 14. "The Conservatory means a lot to me because we get to spend more time doing what we love."
"The acting training we're doing improves us as people in our personal lives, too," says Anya Hoerlein, age 14. "With the Performing Arts Conservatory, we can finally be happy and satisfied with the intensity of the training, like being in a real, professional acting school."
For two weekends starting May 25, the PAC will present a showcase of the skills students have been developing with a performance of dance, singing, and acted scenes and monologues from modern and classic literature. It's rich evening of entertainment that ten-year-olds through adults will enjoy.
