Create. Imagine. Perform.
Summer at Wheelock Family Theatre is a place where creativity comes to life. Through imaginative play, hands-on exploration, and immersive theatre experiences, students build confidence, develop new skills, and create lasting friendships in a joyful, inclusive community.
Whether stepping onto the stage for the first time or preparing for advanced performance opportunities, every program is rooted in our educational philosophy—cultivating joy, connecting through process, co-creating community, and celebrating growth through every creative experience.
Why Summer at Wheelock?
A Summer They’ll Never Forget
Every day is filled with storytelling, collaboration, movement, music, design, and discovery. Guided by professional teaching artists, students spend their summer creating, taking creative risks, and building confidence in a welcoming environment where every voice matters.
Learn by Creating
Students build theatre skills through hands-on, process-based experiences.
Belong to a Community
Friendships and collaboration are at the heart of every rehearsal, class, and creative project.
Grow with Confidence
Every program encourages creativity, independence, and joyful self-expression.
Your Summer Journey
Whether you’re joining us for one week or the entire summer, every session offers a unique opportunity to imagine, create, and grow.
Spotlight Experiences
Production Intensives
Spend two or three weeks rehearsing and performing a fully staged production while learning from professional directors, choreographers, and music directors.
Musical Theatre
Develop singing, dancing, and acting skills while exploring musicals from Broadway classics to contemporary favorites.
Design & Production
Discover the artistry behind the curtain through scenic, lighting, costume, props, sound, and technical theatre while supporting a live production Teen Masterclasses
Masterclasses
Advanced workshops and intensives designed for high school students ready to deepen their craft alongside professional artists.
A Day at Wheelock
9:00 AM | Creative Warm-Ups & Ensemble Building
Morning | Classes, rehearsals, and collaborative projects
Lunch | Outdoor play and community time
Afternoon | Creative workshops, rehearsals, and hands-on activities
3:30 PM | Reflection and celebration
Summer for Every Family
Every child deserves the opportunity to imagine, create, and belong. Learn more about tuition assistance, accessibility, and the supports available to help every student thrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Many students join us with little or no previous theatre experience. Our classes are designed to welcome beginners while providing opportunities for returning students to continue growing.
Every session concludes with an informal sharing that celebrates students’ learning and creative process. The emphasis is on growth, collaboration, and confidence rather than a polished production.
Classes are organized by grade level to ensure developmentally appropriate instruction and meaningful collaboration.
Comfortable clothing they can move freely in, along with closed-toe shoes.
Absolutely! We work closely with families to create an inclusive learning environment for students of all abilities. Click here to learn more.
To view classes by grade, click below
Story Explorers: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
This class is now sold out.
Story Explorers embark on a new adventure each week! Through creative movement, imagination, and hands-on art activities, students jump into the world of each story and set sail on this interactive theatre experience specially designed for our youngest students. This session explores stories by beloved author Eric Carle, such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, The Tiny Seed, and more!
Stories on Stage: The Magic Treehouse
Inspired by the time-traveling, place-hopping adventures in the Magic Treehouse series, students will develop characters through improvisation, movement, and vocal exercises. As they travel to different settings through movement, tableau, and story drama, they will bring these adventurous stories to life. Pirates, Pyramids, Prehistoric Times? Who knows where or when this class will take you!
Sing & Dance a Story: Frozen!
Do you want to build a snowman? Come on out and play– and sing, and dance with us!
A taste of musical theatre for young movers and shakers! Students will sing and dance to favorite tunes from the musical Frozen, as they learn to “tell the story” of the song. Through music and movement exercises, theatre games, and improvisation, students will dance, sing, and act in musical numbers they help create!
Actor’s Toolbox: Scenes!
Our Actors’ Toolbox series provides opportunities for students to engage in the creative process and experience growth as actors, individually and in ensemble. In Actor’s Toolbox: Scenes! students will learn how to unpack the “given circumstances” of a scene and work collaboratively with a scene partner to convey the heart of a piece. Participants will develop and refine the fundamentals of performance (body, voice, mind, and imagination) by exploring technique, ensemble building, movement, and voice, while working to turn the text on the page into fully developed scenes.
Musical Theatre Revue: Back to School Broadway
This class builds on the foundational skills of musical theatre as students apply those skills to the process of developing a musical revue of scenes and songs. Drawing from well-known musicals set in schools, participants will create characters and expand theatrical storytelling techniques as they sing, dance, and act. Through solo, small-group, and ensemble work, students will learn how to transition from scene to song, creating a believable shift that allows the audience to follow a character’s journey.
Actor’s Toolbox: Scenes!
Our Actors’ Toolbox series provides opportunities for students to engage in the creative process and experience growth as actors, individually and in ensemble. In Actor’s Toolbox: Scenes! students will learn how to unpack the “given circumstances” of a scene and work collaboratively with a scene partner to convey the heart of a piece. Participants will develop and refine the fundamentals of performance (body, voice, mind, and imagination) by exploring technique, ensemble building, movement, and voice, while working to turn the text on the page into fully developed scenes.
Musical Theatre Revue: Back to School Broadway
This class builds on the foundational skills of musical theatre as students apply those skills to the process of developing a musical revue of scenes and songs. Drawing from well-known musicals set in schools, participants will create characters and expand theatrical storytelling techniques as they sing, dance, and act. Through solo, small-group, and ensemble work, students will learn how to transition from scene to song, creating a believable shift that allows the audience to follow a character’s journey.
Actor’s Studio: Mastering the Monologue
Mastering the monologue is one of the essential skills of the actor. How does one “take the stage” and tell the character’s story in those dramatic moments when the actor is alone with the audience? Building on foundational acting techniques, students will explore the nuances of both comedic and dramatic monologues.
