YouthREACH Kids Company - December 2025 & Summer 2026
OVERVIEW
Every child deserves a chance to be in the spotlight! Whether your kid is a stage veteran or a fresh-faced newbie, they will experience musical theater in a whole new way. With our tag-team approach to casting, every child gets a starring part as well as being in the ensemble.
The Kids Company staff will rehearse shows full of acting, singing, and dancing, while incorporating positive lessons through the theater arts. Our cast members will build confidence, flexibility, empathy, and find themselves uplifting the strengths in others. In our welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, our kids will find themselves astonished by what they can accomplish!
Fall in love with a wonderful new show each week! You’ll be amazed by how hard these kids work and how much fun they will have! With only six days of fast-paced rehearsals, our cast will put on a final Saturday performance for friends and family.
WHO CAN ATTEND
Young performers (ages 8 to 13) who are wanting to learn musical theater from professional teaching artists. No experience or audition is required, and every child gets a part. Students must be 8 years old by the first day of the workshop and should have a 3rd grade reading level.
SCHEDULE
- Monday – Friday: 9am – 3pm
- Saturday: 1pm rehearsal for the 3pm performance
LOCATION
WEEKDAY REHEARSALS: Music Theater Works’ Joyce Saxon Rehearsal Hall, 516 4th Street, Wilmette, Illinois 60091
DRESS REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE: Winnetka Community House, 620 Lincoln Avenue, Winnetka, IL 60093
CLASS SIZE
Space is limited to 35 students for the workshop, so please register now to avoid disappointment.
COST
The cost is $430 per student per workshop (due upon their registration).
The cost is refundable (aside from the $25 processing fee) if cancellation is received in writing two weeks before the registered week. No refunds will be issued after that date has passed. Limited need-based scholarships available – call 847-920-5360
December 2025 YouthREACH Kids Company
December 29, 2025 – January 2, 2026
(Half-day on Jan 1. 6pm performance on Jan 2.)
LOCATION
WEEKDAY REHEARSALS and PERFORMANCE: Music Theater Works’ Joyce Saxon Rehearsal Hall, 516 4th Street, Wilmette, Illinois 60091
FROZEN JR..
Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen,” experience the joy of your young performer in the latest YouthREACH Kids Company Winter Workshop, DISNEY’S FROZEN JR! When faced with danger, Princesses Elsa and Anna discover their hidden potential and the powerful bond of sisterhood. When we add in a cast of beloved characters (Olaf! Sven!) and the memorable songs from the movie, this show is sure to thaw even the coldest heart.
Summer 2026 YouthREACH Kids Company
June 15 – June 20, 2026
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL JR.
Go Wildcats! When Troy and Gabriella discover a passion for singing, they shake up East High. Although many students resent the threat posed to the “Status Quo,” their alliance might open the door for others to shine as well. With basketball, science, the school musical, and team spirit colliding, they remind us that “We’re All in This Together!”
Summer 2026 YouthREACH Kids Company
June 22 – June 27, 2026
SOUND OF MUSIC YOUTH
The hills are alive with music when Maria, a high-spirited postulant, becomes a governess and brings joy and song into the von Trapp household! From “Do-Re-Mi” to “Edelweiss,” this heartwarming story reminds us that love, courage, and music can carry us through any storm. Get inspired to “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” and reach your dreams!
Summer 2026 YouthREACH Kids Company
July 6 – July 11, 2026
INTO THE WOODS JR.
What happens after “happily ever after?” The Baker and his Wife, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Witch are among the fantastical fairy-tale characters chasing their wishes. There’s a quest! A cow! And so much more! Along the way in this lyrically rich musical, they learn that finding “The End” doesn’t mean that your story is over.
Summer 2026 YouthREACH Kids Company
July 13 – July 18, 2026
FOOTLOOSE YOUTH
Everybody cut loose! When city-boy Ren moves to a small town where dancing is forbidden, he sparks a revolution in his school and then in the whole community. The story celebrates the wisdom of listening to young people and guiding them with a warm heart and an open mind. With rockin’ tunes – like “Holding Out for a Hero!” and “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” – it’s time to dance your heart out!
Summer 2026 YouthREACH Kids Company
July 20 – July 25 2026
MARY POPPINS JR.
Practically perfect in every way, Mary Poppins arrives at Cherry Tree Lane to bring order, adventure, and a spoonful of sugar to the Banks family. She turns every chore into a game and every day into an extraordinary whimsical adventure! You’ll be dancing on the rooftops in this supercalifragilisticexpialidocious show!
Locations and times subject to change.
YouthREACH Teen Company - Summer 2026
OVERVIEW
CHICAGO brings the roaring twenties to life in a story of fame, fortune, and questionable justice. Convicted murderesses Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly vie for the spotlight as their sensational trials ignite a media circus and put their loyalties to the test. Featuring iconic Bob Fosse–inspired choreography set to showstoppers like “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango,” and “Razzle Dazzle,” CHICAGO captures the energy of a city driven by ambition and dreams.
At Music Theater Works, our teens will take their talent to the next level.
YouthREACH is delighted to share the stage with Music Theater Works’ professional productions. Our teens will perform on the very same set as the mainstage show, with our outstanding design team helping to bring their performance to life!
Every teen will get a part, based on their spring audition. In rehearsal, detailed scene work will be paired with training in our show’s particular style of singing and dancing. Additionally, masterclasses in audition technique will be held, along with visits from established stage artists. Our directing team will encourage each cast member to use their individuality to stand out, while becoming part of a supportive ensemble. It will all culminate in one final performance for friends and family!
To our teen performers: Join us and be part of the vibrant world of musical theater, where your skills and passion can shine on our professional stage. Get ready to audition and make unforgettable memories with YouthREACH at Music Theater Works!
Register
AUDITION
- Register to get on the audition list and receive more audition information.
- Submit a video-taped song and monologue.
- Schedule an in-person visit for dance and sides.
SCHEDULE
- Friday, July 31 – Sunday, August 16
- Monday – Friday: 9am – 4pm
- Saturdays: August and August 8, 12pm – 4pm
- Tech Rehearsals: August 14 and 15, 10am – 4pm
- Performance: August 16, 5pm call for the 7pm show
LOCATION
REHEARSALS: Music Theater Works’ Joyce Saxon Rehearsal Hall, 516 4th Street, Wilmette, Illinois 60091
TECH REHEARSALS AND PERFORMANCE: North Shore Center for the Performing Arts – Center Theater, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, IL 600711
COST
Fee is $1325 per student, with a $50 audition fee due with registration. If the teen is cast, the audition fee will be applied to the cost, making the balance $1275, due by June 1st. If the teen is not cast, the $50 will be refunded. If the teen is cast and does not accept the role, the audition fee will not be refunded.
WHO CAN ATTEND?
Serious teens, age 13 to 18, who desire to work like professionals. Students will learn from director/choreographer Caryn Ott Hillman, music director Christopher Richard, and program manager Anya Plotkin, and work together to train through our theatrical process to a terrific performance.