STAGE DOOR THEATRE PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY TURNS ONE

Stage Door Theatre Performing Arts Academy celebrates its one-year anniversary.

Founded in 2021, the Stage Door Performing Arts Academy (SDPAA) serves to educate and inspire children and young adults ages 3 through 18 in the performing arts. Offerings taught by their team of theatre professionals and educators include acting, musical theatre, dance, costuming, set design, performance opportunities, and more!

SDPAA has spent its first year teaching over 60 students in the Dunwoody area. Building on that momentum, summer camps this year have soared to 130. SDPAA has even expanded to partner with the Spruill Arts Center this summer. Education Director Grace VandeWaa is, “Excited to have so many new faces and to encourage their artistic and personal expression through theatre.” This excitement has been matched through one of Stage Door Theatre’s founding organizations: The Dunwoody Women’s Club. In addition to funding and support, Sharon Clark and the other members of the Dunwoody Women’s Club have organized multiple full and partial scholarships for classes and camps.

In anticipation of the growing number of students, SDPAA has boosted its teaching roster with Atlanta professionals such as: Molly Wiley, Carli Hardon, and O’Neil Delapenha. These professional theatre workers offer a fun and practical curriculum to Dunwoody families. “Our goal is to ensure that fun and quality is never separate.” said Executive Director Justin Ball, “We are thrilled at the opportunity to instill vital life skills through the arts.” This instillment is continuing through former and current students of SDPAA returning as teaching assistants, which reinforces Stage Door’s ties to the Dunwoody community.

In addition to classes, SDPAA has put up three different performances from its inaugural show High School Musical Jr., to the sold-out musical The Addams Family, and this May they continue forward with Into the Woods Jr., starring 18 local Dunwoody students. Tickets are currently on sale for Into the Woods Jr. with performances running from May 13^th-15^th.