Beginning June 27-July 31, Apollinaire Theatre will launch a Summer Shakespeare Intensive welcoming youth ages 11-18 as an expansion of the Chelsea Youth Theatre program.
The centerpiece of this five-week experience is a Spanish-language production of Hamlet, which will be staged as part of Apollinaire in the Park July 13-31 at PORT Park. William Shakespeare’s classic will be performed in Spanish by the Chelsea Youth Theatre students alongside support from Apollinaire Theatre Company’s professional ensemble. The company tradition includes offering free outdoor productions each summer in both English and Spanish versions.
Instruction will span acting, text work, movement, and stage combat, complemented by regular rehearsals throughout the program. Professional cast members from Hamlet will conduct specialized workshops in their respective disciplines. The final performances are scheduled for Saturday July 30 and Sunday July 31 at PORT Park.
Entry into the program requires only genuine interest, dedication, and willingness to develop skills—no Shakespeare background or prior acting experience is necessary. Group auditions demand no prepared material and take place June 11 & 12 during the Chelsea Art Walk, plus June 16 & 19. Bilingual instruction will be provided, with Spanish-speaking students receiving preference for the Spanish-language final production. The program costs $575, though financial assistance exists, and Apollinaire actively encourages all interested students to apply regardless of economic circumstances, maintaining a commitment to arts access for everyone. (English language classes will begin this fall!)
Direction comes from Andrea Rios and Armando Rivera. Rios brings expertise as a dancer, choreographer, and filmmaker specializing in Hispanic Literature, recently completing her Master of Arts in Theatre Education from Emerson College. Rivera, trained at Florida Gulf Coast University with degrees in theater and history, has substantial youth theatre experience with Sacramento’s B Street Theatre, including California touring work with “Walk in Our Shoes” and featured roles in the original production “Dia de los Cuentos.”
This fall, Chelsea Youth Theatre will introduce multiple class offerings for children and youth at its new facility. The organization invites interested students and parents to join their email list via www.apollinairetheatre.com for updates. The new youth arts venue features a black-box theater dedicated to youth productions, year-round programming, and expanded apprenticeship and internship opportunities with Apollinaire Theatre Company professionals including directors, stage managers, and designers, plus acting roles in productions.
Located at Chelsea Theatre Works, 189 Winnisimmet Street (Chelsea Square—across from 222 Broadway) in Chelsea, all programs operate from this site.
Support for Chelsea Youth Theatre includes funding from the Paul & Edith Babson Foundation and the Riseman Foundation.
Contact information: 617/887-2336 or [email protected]
Apollinaire Theatre Company, Chelsea’s professional theater organization, operates the Chelsea Youth Theatre program.
Young Actors in 2015 Apollinaire in the Park production.