Creating a Home Performance Space
Every young performer needs a stage, and summer is the perfect time to create a special performance space right at home! Whether your child is currently in our musical theatre classes or just loves to perform, having a dedicated space for creativity can inspire hours of imaginative play and skill development.
Choosing Your Performance Space
Living Room Stage: Clear a corner of your living room and designate it as "the stage." Use furniture to create natural boundaries between the performance area and the audience seating.
Backyard Theatre: Take advantage of beautiful summer weather by creating an outdoor performance space. Use your deck, patio, or even a flat area of lawn as your stage.
Garage Conversion: With the car parked outside for summer, your garage can become an amazing indoor/outdoor performance venue with great acoustics.
Basement Studio: If you have a finished basement, this can become the perfect year-round performance space with controlled lighting and sound.
Simple Stage Setup Ideas
Backdrop Magic: Hang a sheet or tablecloth as a backdrop. Let kids decorate it with fabric markers for different shows, or use it as a projection screen for mood lighting.
Curtain Call: Install a simple curtain rod and use bedsheets or lightweight fabric to create opening and closing curtains. This adds authentic theatre magic to any performance.
Lighting Effects: Use floor lamps, string lights, or even flashlights to create different moods. Colored tissue paper over lights can create beautiful effects (always with adult supervision).
Sound System: A simple bluetooth speaker connected to a phone or tablet can provide background music, sound effects, or accompaniment tracks.
Props and Costume Storage
Dress-Up Station: Create a designated area with hooks, baskets, or a small wardrobe for costume storage. Include scarves, hats, jewelry, and other accessories that can transform any outfit.
Props Box: Use a large storage container to hold performance props - both real items and things that can be repurposed for different shows.
Quick Change Area: Set up a small screen, curtain, or even just designate a corner as the "backstage" area for costume changes between acts.
Audience Seating
Cozy Seating: Arrange pillows, bean bags, or folding chairs to create comfortable audience seating. Make it feel special with a small side table for "concessions."
VIP Section: Create a special "VIP" seat for family members or friends - maybe a decorated chair or a spot with the best view.
Interactive Audience: Include props for the audience too - pom-poms for cheering, programs to read, or even simple musical instruments to participate in certain songs.
Making It Special
House Rules: Create a fun poster with "theatre rules" like "No talking during performances" and "Applause is always welcome!"
Programs: Help kids create simple programs for their shows. This adds professionalism and helps with planning and organization skills.
Ticket Booth: Set up a small table as a ticket booth where family members can "buy" tickets (even if they're free) to make the experience more authentic.
Encouraging Regular Use
Show Schedules: Help kids create performance schedules and stick to them. This builds discipline and gives family members something to look forward to.
Theme Weeks: Designate different themes for each week - Musical Monday, Dramatic Tuesday, Comedy Wednesday, etc.
Family Participation: Encourage all family members to participate, whether as audience, fellow performers, or crew members.
Creating a home performance space doesn't require expensive equipment or major renovations. With creativity and enthusiasm, any space can become a magical venue where young performers can develop their skills, build confidence, and most importantly, have fun exploring the world of musical theatre!
