Inside A.C.T.

Did you know that the majestic American Conservatory Theater also houses intimate cabaret performances throughout the season? Tucked away on the fifth floor, the Garret is a vibrant performance space, artfully bordered by exposed brick walls and dotted with colorful posters of past A.C.T. productions. Last weekend, the Master of Fine Arts Program class of 2012 took over the Garret to present three performances of their lively cabaret (with a tongue-and-cheek title), The Sublime and The Ridiculous , created by director Craig Slaight and music director Robert Rutt. Below are some photos of the third-year class, all dressed up and performing their hearts out as they delivered an eclectic mix of songs, from Jackson Browne to Stephen Sondheim. If you missed this performance, don’t despair—A.C.T.’s cabaret season is just beginning! Next up: Young Conservatory students bring their talents to the Garret right before Halloween for a cabaret performance October 28–30. Check back on our ...

posted by Craig Slaight, Young Conservatory Director School may have been out all summer for many, but here at the A.C.T. Young Conservatory (YC), the joint was jumpin’! The summer of 2011 was one of the most exciting in years. It all began in June with the opening of Homefront , the first-ever completely original musical to be commissioned, developed, and produced by the YC. After years of developing our musical theater program and creating new musicals from existing music, the YC commissioned a new musical score from New York composer Creighton Irons. After a year working together (with me on board as playwright), Homefront was born this summer, featuring a cast of 19 (including two members of the A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program). Within a week of Homefront ’s opening at Zeum Theater, our four-week session of YC classes began at 30 Grant Avenue, filling the studios with eager and talented young actors, many of whom can only study with us during the summer because of the dist...