Musical Theatre Conservatory: Not just drama class

DOWNEY — You might think it’s just another middle school drama program, but on closer observation Downey Unified School District’s Musical Theatre Conservatory held at Stauffer Middle School is much more.

Students had to audition to be here. They converge from city-wide daily, offering up hours of their own personal time after school. While one cast rehearses scene by scene on stage, members not rehearsing can be seen (and heard) watching intently, mimicking from their seats, going over lines, or singing passages in various songs.

More than just a typical drama class or club, the Musical Theatre Conservatory (MTC) brings together students from all four of Downey’s middle schools for a higher-level of performance.

Stauffer Middle School drama teacher Andrea Pyle, who oversees the program, says the difference is in the level of commitment.

“These kids meet five days a week for two hours a day,” said Pyle. “Monday, they have voice for two hours with a trained voice teacher… They’re with me Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday to rehearse for our productions, and then on Fridays they have a two-hour dance class with a dance instructor.

“That’s a huge commitment, so that’s the difference. Because, these kids are willing to work 10 hours a week just on improving on their crafts; not just any kid that enjoys musical theater could make that kind of commitment, so that’s the difference.”

Ella Garcia, a 12-year-old seventh grader at Stauffer Middle School, says that she enjoys MTC because of the commitment level of her castmates.

“I like it because there are more students that are really committed to it, so they play will be better overall,” said Garcia.

Students auditioned with a monologue and a song. There are 42 currently involved.

Briseis Ayala, a 14-year-old eighth grader from Griffiths Middle School, opted to join the MTC over Griffith’s drama class so she could continue pursuing choir. She says “we’re all hard workers here.”

“We come with bright attitudes, happy attitudes to rehearse; we’re just ready to go,” said Ayala. “I feel like you don’t really see that when you’re looking at some school programs that you have to take as a class, per se.

“The people here, they want to be here, they want to do their roles, and they want to sing. It’s just so nice when you have people like that. I don’t get that feeling that I’m singled out out of everyone else; I’m a part of something, and they understand that too.”

Pyle described “musical theatre kids” as “a very unique kind of drama kid.”

“A lot of times, specifically with the musical theatre stuff, I feel like they finally find other kids that are like them,” said Pyle. “They’re the ones that never want to stop singing, never want to stop speaking in different accents. I was one of those weird kids; I used to have a keychain on my backpack that said, ‘I’m not weird, I’m gifted.’

“It’s like they finally find their people.”

The MTC is free to students, and to audiences who come see the shows.

Jose Zepeda, 11, sixth grader at Stauffer, was in his first play – Aladdin – at Aspire Firestone Academy. From that moment on, he knew he wanted to be an actor. It’s a sentiment he shares with many of his fellow MTC performers.

“Some of them want to go to Broadway, which I’m so excited for them. I know they can make it,” said Zepeda.

If that’s the case, then Zepeda and his class mates are in the right place, as Pyle explained that MTC could be considered a first look at what theatre life could be for some of her aspiring actors.

“What they learn through this is a lot of them are interested in going to arts high schools and things like that, and so this is similar to that commitment,” said Pyle. “I do let them know, if this is too much for you, then that’s kind of the difference, because this is what you’re looking at if you do it professionally.”

According to Pyle, the idea for the MTC was that of Matthew Knox, President of the Board at the Downey Foundation for Educational Opportunities (DFEO). Knox approached Pyle last year.

“Last year, it was supported by DFEO, it was a DFEO program,” said Pyle. “His students went to the Orange County School of the Arts, and he knew I went to the Orange County School of the Arts; I was in musical theater in their musical theater conservatory.

“He approached me and was interested to know if I was interested in trying a conservatory in Downey Unified. This is actually my 17th year at DUSD, and I’ve worked really hard to bring the performing arts, and drama, and theater to DUSD.”

In its first year, the MTC had 35 kids involved in two productions: Annie, and Beauty and the Beast. The District has since taken the program over, and the MTC performed Legally Blonde in the Fall. The program is currently in rehearsals for Matilda.

Pyle tries to pick shows that are currently relevant, though there are limits.

“Matilda specifically came to mind last year because of the Netflix movie that came out,” said Pyle. “I do try to pick musicals that are popular, however what people don’t realize is you can’t do whatever musical you want.

“Of course, kids are always asking for Hamilton, but the rights aren’t even available yet. I do work with a company called Musical Theatre International, so they own the rights to a lot of Broadway musicals, and what I like is they have Broadway Jr. What they do is they take the full-length musical, and they cut it down to about an hour, hour 20 minutes so it’s a little more attainable for kids.”

The MTC will perform Matilda six times, three times each between two casts. The show will play May 23 – May 25.

Pyle doesn’t necessarily see the program growing much larger, preferring instead to keep things a little more intimate.

Instead, she would like to see more conservatories take shape in the District.

“Could we have an instrumental music, could we have a visual arts conservatory? I feel like the arts in Downey Unified are so strong,” said Pyle. “That’s how it is at an arts school, where there’s different, there could be culinary arts conservatory.

“So, kids that enjoy those different artistic programs, it’s nice when it’s a smaller group…because then you get those kids that are really serious about it.”