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Musical Theater Classes in NYC Where Kids Can Sing, Dance, and Act

Harlem School of the Arts has been providing musical theater classes and more arts education in the storied neighborhood since 1964. Photo courtesy of Harlem School of the Arts
Harlem School of the Arts has been providing musical theater classes and more arts education in the storied neighborhood since 1964. Photo courtesy of Harlem School of the Arts
10/10/22 - By Jacqueline Stansbury

Many of our New York City kids grow up on musical theater. It is, after all, right here in our backyard. Inevitably once they're introduced to the magic of seeing a Broadway show, some of them are going to want to move out of the audience and onto the stage, which is where these musical theater classes in NYC come in handy. Luckily, we live in a place where there are as many ways to be in a show as there are to see a show.

The camaraderie of a troupe of performers can equal the team experience of sports—and then, of course, there are those kids who were just born to be center stage. They gotta sing. They gotta dance. They gotta emote. Help them hone their craft with one of our favorite musical theater classes in NYC.

For more great classes for kids, including everything from dance classes in NYC to music classes for babies, check out our New York City Classes for Kids Guide and Classes Directory.

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TADA! Youth Theater offers musical theater classes and camps, plus mounts its own Broadway-style productions with a troupe of talented kid actors. Photo courtesy of TADA! Youth Theater
TADA! Youth Theater offers musical theater classes and camps, plus mounts its own Broadway-style productions with a troupe of talented kid actors. Photo courtesy of TADA! Youth Theater

Musical Theater Classes in NYC for Kids

Harlem School of the Arts - Harlem Summer Arts Experience

Harlem
Founded in 1964 by internationally acclaimed African American soprano Dorothy Maynor, Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) offers instruction in music, dance, theater, musical theater, and media and design to children ages 2-18. The summer arts camp program is open to kids ages 5-12, giving kids the opportunity to sing, dance, act, and design, all while immersing themselves in the creative history of Harlem with guest artists, special trips, and opportunities to present their work each session. READ MORE

TADA! Youth Theater - Camps & Classes

Chelsea
TADA! offers fun, interactive, musical theater classes and camps for kids of all ages and from all backgrounds. Its musical theater programs aim to build creativity through high-quality productions. Summer and school break camps are offered. Financial aid aims to make arts education at TADA! accessible to all.  READ MORE

A Class Act NY - Classes

Midtown West
Broadway professionals and on-camera actors teach all of A Class Act NY's weekly classes in musical theater, drama, on-camera, and voice-over acting. Advanced young actors and kids of all skill levels ages 5-18 can learn a lot in ongoing class sessions, all while creating new memories and friendships along the way. The studio's mission is to enrich children’s lives through the magic of performing arts in a fun, safe, and supportive environment. READ MORE

Play On! Studios

Upper West Side
At Play On! Studio's theater day camps and classes, young actors rehearse and perform in a full production, work with professional NYC actors/teaching artists, and build up their skills in a nurturing, non-competitive environment. Campers get to enjoy lots of drama games. The after-school musical theater program incorporates character building, vocal performance, and movement. READ MORE

Atlantic Acting School Classes for Kids & Teens

Chelsea
Atlantic Acting School has been training actors for more than 30 years. The programs for kids and teens, ages 4 to 18, focuses on storytelling, building characters, and producing shows. Budding artists can take classes in film, acting, musical theater, improv, sketch comedy, and more.  READ MORE

Brooklyn Arts Exchange

Park Slope, Brooklyn
Offering more affordable prices than many of its counterparts, this arts center provides tumbling, dance, and theater classes to kids ages 3 and up. Choose from modern dance, ballet, and hip-hop for tweens and great movement classes for the toddler set. More advanced dancers (ages 9-18) may be invited to participate in Dance Performance Workshops, in which they'll deepen their study of dance technique and work on original choreography. READ MORE

Bronx House

Morris Park, the Bronx
Bronx House is an active community center offering a broad scope of class and camp programs, including parent-child swimming lessons starting at 6 months, independent swimming lessons, music instruction on a variety of instruments, dance classes, and acting lessons. Parent-and-me classes cover everything from games and songs to art and music. Summer camp programs include STEM programs, nature programs, and more. READ MORE

Applause Performing Arts

Upper East Side
Applause offers a comprehensive performing arts program with group classes and private instruction in theater, dance, and even backstage skills for kids who are more interested in remaining behind the scenes. Film classes cover acting, TV, editing, and YouTube.  READ MORE

Staten Island Children's Theatre Association

Snug Harbor, Staten Island
Offering two musical productions annually, Staten Island Children's Theatre has a program for kids ages 5 to 8, and another for kids 9 to 18. Many of the teachers are alumni of the program. READ MORE

Garden Players

Forest Hills, Queens
Founded in 1916, Garden Players has been bringing musical theater education to Forest Hills for over 100 years. A new musical is developed annually. In addition to theater production, there are classes targeting improv and audtioning. Private instruction is available for musicians and actors ages 5-100. READ MORE

Chickenshed NYC Theatre Company

Midtown West
Chickenshed offers a "No Audition" program with a mission of inclusivity and a high teacher-to-student ratio. The youngest thespians perform for each other, then graduate to public productions. Older students are encouraged to mentor the young ones and get to perform onstage for a live audience. READ MORE

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About the Author

Jacqueline Stansbury
A native Angeleno, Jackie enjoys revisiting her childhood as a mom and writer for Mommy Poppins. She did a lot of cool stuff as a kid and has newfound respect for her own mom who made that happen without the internet! Today in Los Angeles, some things are gone, some have changed and some, like the grunion, remain exactly the same. In her former life, Jackie was a development executive on the Fox Studios lot where she rounded up writer/director lists and covered screenplays. Mommy Poppins is much more fun. Jackie's kids, Benjamin and Juliet, agree.
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