Playhouse Playmakers – Westport Country Playhouse

Playhouse Playmakers is a new children’s education program at the Westport Country Playhouse, directed by actor/playwright/educator Evette Marie White and actor/songwriter/educator Stacie Morgain Lewis. The purpose of this program is to educate middle schoolers (grades 6-8) on the fundamentals of creating a play while allowing them space to develop as artists. In this six-week program, kids will come to understand the process of writing, revising, and rehearsing a play that they themselves originate as a group. Students will learn the foundations of playwriting, production and acting that will culminate with a performance on the Westport Country Playhouse stage that their friends and families will be invited to attend.

Program Details:

The program runs from 10am-1pm for 6 Saturdays from October 19 – November 23.
The invited performance will take place on the Playhouse stage on Sunday, November 24.
The class size will be about 15 students in grades 6-8.

More about Evette Marie White:

Evette Marie White is an actress, poet, playwright and educator who has nurtured young artists for over a decade. She hails from Chesapeake, VA and she studied Musical Theatre at Howard University in Washington, DC. She has toured the world in Ghost the Musical and performed in a host of shows throughout the US, Asia, Australia and abroad. She currently teaches for Learning Through an Expanded Art Program (Leap) as a teaching artist where she has coached several New York City Finalists for The Next Narrative Monologue Competition at the Apollo Theatre hosted by Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company. She looks forward to seeing our young thespians soar!

More about Stacie Morgain Lewis:

Stacie Morgain Lewis is an actress, singer, songwriter, teacher and mom. She played Glinda in the Chicago production of Wicked. Broadway: Sunday in the Park with George (Frieda/Betty), Wicked (standby Glinda), Urinetown (u/s Hope Cladwell), Titanic. Off-B’way: Don’t Quit Your Night Job. National Tours: Titanic, South Pacific (u/s Nellie). Regional: LMNOP at the Goodspeed, The 39 Steps, No Way To Treat a Lady, My Fair Lady. Film/TV: Elephant Shoes, Blacklist. BFA Ithaca College. She co-wrote the children’s album Harmonize with Ben Cohn (the conductor/musical director of Dear Evan Hansen) and then went on to create Harmonize Kidz, an arts enrichment program that uses her music to teach social-emotional learning to elementary students. The curriculum has been implemented in school systems throughout the tri-state area. Stacie has performed countless concerts in and out of schools, and in partnerships with organizations such as Sandy Hook Promise (supported by Senator Chris Murphy), Melissa and Doug, Bank Street School for Children and the Broadway Inspirational Voices. www.harmonizekidz.com

Playhouse Playmakers is generously supported by

What does the program cost?

The fee for the program is $950 in full. This fee covers all six sessions, technical rehearsal, materials, and four complimentary tickets to the performance.

What is the time commitment for students?

Playhouse Playmakers will meet from 10am – 1pm on the following dates, and all students are expected to attend all classes and the performance:

October 19
October 26
November 2
November 9
November 16
November 23 (last class)
November 24 (performance on stage)

Will the performance be open to the public?

No, the final performance will not be open to the general public, but each student is entitled to 4 complimentary tickets. Families needing more will be able to purchase additional tickets for a small fee.

How do I register for Playhouse Playmakers?

Playhouse Playmakers has an application process, and your application must be accepted to secure your spot in the program. To apply, please fill out the form on this page. Once submitted, your information will be reviewed by our staff, and you will receive a follow up email. Should you be accepted to the program, your email will include a link for payment (deposit or in full) and standard waivers. Your spot is secured once initial payment and forms are received.

Playhouse Playmakers Application

Initial application for Playhouse Playmakers educational program for students grades 6-8.

Student Name(Required)

First Last

Student Birthday(Required)

Student Pronouns

Please fill out this section if you would like to share the student's pronouns with us.

Parent/Guardian Name(Required)

First Last

Primary Contact Email(Required)

This email address should be the primary contact for daily communications regarding the program details.

Primary Contact Phone(Required)

This should be the contact number for the primary transportation person to and from the program.

Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Why would you like to join Playhouse Playmakers?(Required)

Please have the student write a short response (2-3 sentences) describing why they would like to be a part of the program.

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

This is free space to add comments, questions, accommodation requests, concerns, or anything else you would like to communicate alongside this application.