What makes CAPA the right program for your child?

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All roles are important. This is not a platitude, I mean it from the bottom of my being!  At CAPA we do a lot to make our performers know the truth of this statement. We never list actors in a cluster in the program as the ensemble. We list every child and each role they play in the program. We always cast really talented actors in the ensemble to raise the level of our whole production for that is what serious performers will spend much of their life doing in the professional musical theatre world. We help each actor find their moment on stage no matter the role they are cast as. We also make sure our actors have amazing costumes and the costume for each and every role is never an afterthought. Additionally, we treat every actor as an equally important part of the cast and let them know how much their voice is needed whether it is mic'd at the time or not. There are so few lead roles in a show that, one show at a time, I am trying to change the way casting is interpreted by performers and parents. I almost never double cast lead roles because I think this supports a message that the other roles are less important.  There really are no "small" roles. Imagine a movie with no supporting roles, featured extras, and no extras. It would be empty. As a professional actress helping others book the tiniest of roles on tv and film it's important to know that the "leads" are few and far between. You have to be a celebrity to make any real money at it so you must enjoy being a part of the show to make your life in the theatre an enjoyable one. There are so many gifts that come from participating in theatre that don't include fame, prestige or money. Statistics show that a sense of community, belonging, confidence, empathy, self-esteem, higher academic scores, communication, imagination, creativity, a more successful adulthood, including career, and much, much more are all benefits of participation in theatre. 

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You will hear me say this speech again and again because it's a bit of a soap-box for me but when I say all roles are important, it is not a platitude. I mean it from the bottom of my being! At CAPA we do a lot to make our performers know the truth of this statement. We never list actors in a cluster in the program as the ensemble. We list every child and each role they play in the program. We always cast really talented actors in the ensemble to raise the level of our whole production for that is what serious performers will spend much of their life doing in the professional musical theatre world. We help each actor find their moment on stage no matter their role. We also make sure our actors have amazing costumes and the costume for each and every role is never an afterthought. Additionally, we treat every actor as an equally important part of the cast and let them know how much their voice is needed whether it is mic'd at the time or not. There are so few lead roles in a show that, one show at a time, I am trying to change the way casting is interpreted by performers and parents. I almost never double cast lead roles because I think this supports a message that the other roles are less important. There really are no "small" roles. Imagine a movie with no supporting roles, featured extras, or extras. It would be empty. As a professional actress helping others book the tiniest of roles on tv and film, it's important to know that the "leads" are few and far between. You have to be a celebrity to make any real money at it so one must enjoy being a part of the show to make your life in the theatre an enjoyable one. There are so many gifts that come from participating in theatre that don't include fame, prestige or money. Statistics show that a sense of community, belonging, confidence, empathy, self-esteem, higher academic scores, communication, imagination, creativity, a more successful adulthood, including career, and much, much more, are all benefits of participation in theatre. In this light, we ask that all parents and participants are positive and supportive of all CAPA casting. 

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Special Note from Melanie Prince, Founder and Artistic Director