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Young Actors Troop: Grades 3-5 (ages 8 through 11). ONLY 10 SLOTS AVAILABLE PER SESSION! One 1 1/2 hour meeting a week from September to May. $70 per actor. Meetings are on Thursdays from 4:30 to 6pm. Children may arrive no sooner than 4:00. Activity Center rules stipulate that no child under the age of 18 may be unsupervised in the building, therefore children must be picked up no later then 6:10. Parents will be charged $5 per 5 minutes, in 5 minute blocks, payable to the director of the troop the day of the incursion, no exceptions.

What is the Young Actors Troop?
The YAT falls under the Harford Drama Guild, which also encompasses the tiny Tots Troop, Teen Actors Troop, and Karaoke Kids(tm) and are programs established and run through the Havre de Grace Rec Committee by Tom Barnes. For more information on any of these programs, please follow the links to the above.

What ages are part of the Young Actors Troop?
This troop is for kids in grades 3-5 and in the age ranges of 8 to 11. 11 year olds in the 6th grade must belong to the Teen Actors Troop. We only allow 10 slots. However, if we find the need to increase the number of slots available, we will do so as we add adult staff to our troop. (Parents that wish to volunteer may contact me at 410-702-5914)

When and where are meetings? Meetings are on Thursdays from 4:30 to 6pm during September through April each year. Meetings are held at the Havre de Grace Activity Center located at 351 Lewis Lane in Havre de Grace (next to the HDG Middle School).

Is there a cost to belong to the YAT? $70 per actor.

What happens at meetings?
The young actors are taught varying basic techniques that are age and grade appropriate. This is done through games, movies, "classroom instruction," handouts, etc. We have learned that while the actors like the preparation and rehearsals for an upcoming play, they find it a lot of fun to learn the "in's and out's" of how to act as well. So we keep the 'learning' as a core element of our program. Once a year, usually in January, actors will begin preparing for a small production which may either be on stage or in the multipurpose room of the Activity Center. There will need to be an increase in meetings so that we can rehearse. So, a word of caution: If your child is active in a lot of seasonal activities, do not encourage them to take on "lead roles" but instead encourage them to seek parts (even if its stage crew!) that meets their schedules. We have learned from previous experience that it effects the production if your child is not available to rehearse with the troop as a whole on a regular basis. It's no different then being on a lacrosse, swim, football or softball team... they need to dedicate themselves to the troop during rehearsal times so that everyone in the troop can be success.

What are the expectations of my child?
Acting is like life in general - a persons expectations has to be their own. Therefore, aside from proper behavior, we will not force your child to do anything they do not want to do. We will encourage them to be participatory (after all, the troop is not a babysitting service) but what is most important is that they do what they are comfortable with. Our goal is to encourage them to build character through drama, not to traumatize them so they are afraid of the stage.