For the 2018-2019 season, FLCT reached a new benchmark in their scholarship program, giving $100,000 in scholarships, ensuring that finances are not a barrier to children benefiting from the FLCT experience. The not-for-profit organization is now in its seventh decade of teaching and producing children’s theatre and serving families in South Florida. It’s not unusual for a child to begin classes as FLCT at age four and continue with the program until they leave for college.
#Florida theatre onstage full
In addition to producing a full season of five shows each year, FLCT offers a variety of acting classes and a thriving circus program throughout the school year as well as theatre camp during the summer. Some of the young cast members of Matilda at FLCT. Matilda helps encourage the underdog to take a chance and fight back.” So many humans feel small in many different ways, like they don’t have a lot to give. “It’s always been a story I’ve enjoyed, because of Matilda’s line, ‘Even when you’re little you can do a lot’,” says Manuel.
#Florida theatre onstage professional
When that childlike rawness is partnered with a trained professional team of adults who can direct it down the correct avenue, something truly magical happens.” “In college they’re constantly telling us to return to that childlike state to where we can just play. “I think that kid performers have a relentless, raw way of performing that most adult actors have grown out of and go to college for years to try to get back,” says Manuel. He finds working with an all-kid cast fulfilling. To date he has directed “Carrie,” “ Ragtime,” “ Annie,” “ 13 the Musical,”” Legally Blond,” and now “Matilda.” After college he began working at FLCT, becoming a full-time staff member last year. While he attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where he earned a BFA in Musical Theatre, Manuel returned to FLCT each summer and worked with the company’s summer camp, directing shows. Manuel was 17 when he began performing in productions at the theatre, and he’s been involved with FLCT ever since. “I was dragged here by a friend who wanted to do “Aida” and I went along for the ride,” says Manuel. Although he always wanted to be an actor, he found FLCT by accident. Manuel’s history with FLCT predates any of those credits. In addition to his local credits, Manuel spent three months touring nationally with “Elf the Musical.” Manuel, an actor and director who has appeared in several regional productions, including “Memphis” at Slow Burn Theatre Company, which won the Carbonell Award for Best Musical of 2018. It’s real theatre that just happens to be done by younger people.” “Come see! Children deserve the best possible artistic experiences, so all of our productions are led by a team of professional adult directors and designers who empower and mentor the student actors and crew members.
“I think many times people underestimate youth and expect children’s theatre to be unprofessional with low production values,” says Erlick.
While it is children’s theatre, Janet Erlick, the executive artistic director of FLCT, eschews the public perception of what children’s theatre is. The cast of FLCT’s Matilda ranges from fifth graders to seniors in high school. But Matilda, a natural storyteller, uses her imagination and her special gifts to right wrongs and make life better for those around her. At school, the tyrannical head mistress, Miss Trunchbull, terrorizes the children, much to the dismay of sweet teacher Miss Honey. In the musical, little Matilda Wormwood is intelligent, clever and compassionate, traits that are not valued by her eccentric, bullying family. “Matilda,” the beloved story about a little girl with magical powers by Roald Dahl, is a perfect fit for Florida Children’s Theatre, whose mission statement is, “Teaching the art of life through the magic of theatre.”
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