The Academy
Discover your voice. Build Your SKills. Take the Stage.
Theatre Education for All Levels
Learn to act from expert instructors with extensive performing arts industry experience. Whether you’re looking to improve your theatre skills or preparing for a college theatre program, you’ll love the guidance you get from the UP Academy team. Through weekly classes, we aim to inspire self-expression, cultivate discipline, and build a lifelong love for the arts.
The Academy offers students the opportunity for a more intensive course of study in theatre arts. Our inaugural year focuses on acting and important theatrical fundamentals, with classes that provide training to support varied levels of skills and experience.
Students ages 10-18 are invited to apply for the fall 2026 semester.
Applicants will be placed in the level that best supports their continuous growth, with consideration given to prior experience and past performances, and with reflection on the engagement & involvement with UP and the directorial & education teams.
Theatre Training for the Next Stage. And the One After That.
Our Academy program is designed for students who are ready to explore more in depth theatrical training—whether to prepare for college, the professional stage, or just to hone their skills to be the best performer they can be.
What to expect
- Courses that build year over year to provide a full curriculum of knowledge and prepare students to be proficient in theatre skills
- Trimester Class Schedules - no summer academy
- Acting classes in each trimester focusing on different techniques and stronger connections
- Audition prep & character work
- Script analysis & theatre history
- Showcases and performance opportunities
- Feedback & mentorship from professional artists
- NOTE: The Academy does not spend significant time on the musical portion of musical theatre at this time
UP Academy for Aspiring Actors
Aspiring actors learn to behave logically and naturally onstage. Students work on scene study, monologues, poetry, and audition technique. Relaxation, concentration, collaboration, and focus are stressed. Students are exposed to various techniques including: Spolin, Stanislavski, Hagen, Meisner, and Alexander techniques. During every class meeting, we work on speech, diction, and improvisation.
Instructor: Andrew Lidestri - andrew@theatreupnh.org
Mondays 4:30-7:30PM
Fall Session: September 14 - November 16, 2026
Spring Session: April 5 - June 21, 2027
Tuition: $375 per trimester session
The Academy is paused during the Teen production. Other winter programming will be offered - check out our Studio page.
UP Academy for Young Actors
Young actors focus on choosing and preparing monologues, improvisation skills, cold readings and audition technique. Actors learn to behave logically and naturally. Relaxation, concentration, and focus are stressed. Students are exposed to various techniques including: Spolin, Stanislavski, Hagen, Meisner, and Alexander techniques. During every class meeting, we work on speech and diction.
Instructor: Mary Madsen - mary@theatreupnh.org
Mondays 4:30-6:00PM
Fall Session: September 14 - November 16, 2026
Spring Session: April 5 - June 21, 2027
Tuition: $275 per trimester session
The Academy is paused during the Teen production. Other winter programming will be offered - check out our Studio page.
JOIN THE ACADEMY
Where We Teach
Littleton Opera House, 2 Union Street Littleton, NH 03561 (our performance space)
