About SPARC
Through exceptional performing arts education, SPARC helps youth find their inner light and share it with the world!
SPARC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1981 and is one of the nation’s most comprehensive, community-based youth performing arts education organizations. We provide an atmosphere where creative expression flourishes, meaningful connections are built, and individuality is celebrated.
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It’s the first week back for StageCraft after a long winter break and we’re diving right into Urinetown paint! Tech begins this weekend! Come see the show Feb 16-18 and Feb 23-25. #UrinetownAtSparc #StageCraft
BACK IN PERSON! SPARC is excited to announce a change to the 2024 New Voices for the Theater program. Over the last several years, New Voices has been an online-only program. This year, we are re-introducing an in-person component by bringing four playwrights together for a live, shared experience in Richmond, VA hosted by SPARC from July 22 to 27.
Learn more at https://www.sparcrichmond.org/newvoices/
Image Descriptions: 5 photos from 2019's in-person New Voices program.
1) A playwright, director, and stage manager sit at a wooden table with scripts and mugs in front of them. They are talking about a scene just out of frame. The playwright has their hands stretched out with a pencil in it.
2) 3 actors and a director stand on stage in a group. The actors are smiling and laughing as the director points to text on an envelope.
3) A scene from one of the 2019 plays. A young boy is half laying on the floor with a notebook and pencil in from of him. He is on a small, very thin green mattress and has a silver blanket on top of him. A woman sits next to him, asking him a question.
4) A playwright and director sit in blue theater seats conferring about a script.
5) A cast of 7 stands in 2 lines facing their director. They are in a white studio space rehearsing a technical moment with clip lights. Each actor has a light in hand which is pointed at the ceiling.
We hope everyone is gearing up for February FUN! We have some phenomenal things the young people have been working hard on!
We also desire to take time to recognize & appreciate February for being Black History Month, a heritage landmark meant to amplify the voices, expand the spaces, and remember the progressive & generational contributions of Black/African Americans. In harmony, with SPARC's vision to inspire creativity, confidence, and character in our young people, it is our hope to set the stage by showcasing Black/African American youth playwrights, influenced works, and SPARC's dedication to our young people & every part of their identities.
Image Description: Students in SPARC's Stages program are rehearsing a dance number together. Many of the students can be seen smiling, and many are focused on their dance moves.
First and last lines from the cast of Urinetown! Just a few more weeks until we open the show. Will we see you there?
sparcrichmond.org/shows/tickets
Video credit: @embochette
#UrinetownAtSparc #YouthTheatre #UrinetownTheMusical
Today is SPARC's birthday! Thank you for the lauughs, celebrations, and fond memories. We are honored to have shared the last 43 years with this community and look forward to 43 more.
Video description: 3 SPARC classes huddled together in 3 separate rooms saying Happy Birthday
Spotlight on Tech Workshops! This spring we’re excited to offer workshops in Lighting Design and Stage Management. 6th through 12th graders will join the production team for Matilda Jr. and design their own lights for the show in Lighting Design. Meanwhile, 8th through 12th graders are invited to join The Director/Stage Manager’s Process where they will get hands on stage management experience while sharing the roles of directors, readers/actors, and managers on published works. See our website for more info!
Video Descriptions:
1. Bolded white text in all caps reading, “Spring Workshop Lighting Design with Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical Jr.” on top of a video of SPARC’s theater during a previous lighting workshop. The stage has black stools spaced evenly on it with a blue dress form in the center. The cyc lighting switches from a royal blue to a bright gold and stars appear on the ground. The video pans away to an info panel with star bullet points reading, “Lighting Design Participants meet for 8 weeks on Thursdays from 6pm-7:30pm, learn elements of lighting design and apply those skills to a group lighting design for Matilda Jr., will see their work in a SPARC production, and need not have prior experience.”
2. Bolded white text in all caps reading, “Spring Workshop The Director/Stage Manager’s Process,” on top of a video clip from rehearsal of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time where the cast is working on blocking and the director turns to chat with the stage manager, who is glimpsed just off screen. The video pans away to an info panel with star bullet points reading, “Director/Stage Manager Participants Meet for 4 weeks on Tuesdays from 6pm-8pm, Learn about the critical production relationship between a stage manager and a director, Work as production teams to stage parts of a show and get hands on stage management and direction work, Will be invited to participate in New Voices for the Theatre this summer, and Need not have prior experience.”
Thank you, @littlehandsva for inviting SPARC’s Touring Ensemble to perform at your Wild Night at the Museum! We had a blast!
Image Description:
Image 1: Touring Ensemble students on stage in a final formation with both hands raised.
Video 2: Touring Ensemble performers singing and dancing to “Roar”.
Video 3: Touring Ensemble students entering the stage dancing to “Under the Sea”. Full group enters and completes the song with the full group dancing.
Video 4: Touring Ensemble students performing “Just Can’t Wait to be King”
Video 5: Touring Ensemble student in front singing “Eye of the Tiger” while the mascot enjoys the song from the crowd.
Video 6: Touring Ensemble and audience members participate in animal freeze dance.
Happy Friday! This past fall we had fun taking polaroids in Stage Makeup class. Here are some of our favorite looks from the group!
Image Description: 7 polaroid pictures laid out in helter-skelter rows of three and four with a snowy background behind them. Each polaroid features a student from class. Makeup looks include clowns, patchwork effects, freckles, blue and white lips and eyes, zig zags, and animals.
Run Freedom, Run, right on down to Urinetown! TICKETS are now on sale for our winter production. This show is recommended for ages 11+. To purchase tickets and learn more, check out SPARCrichmond.org/shows/tickets
Video Description: The cast of Urinetown rehearses the song Run, Freedom, Run in front of an almost-finished set. Students are equally spaced throughout the stage and are doing jogging choreography with hands in the air.
Acting! Singing! Dancing! To possess all three talents is referred to as a "triple threat" in the theatre industry. As any performer knows, to achieve this accolade each discipline must be studied individually and with special focus.
SPARC is committed to bringing high quality training in each area of performing arts study and is excited to announce that there are new classes this spring that will support students in their desire to take a deep dive into popular practices that support the actor, dancer, and singer. The Actor's Process, The Dancer's Process, and The Singer's Process are designed to introduce students to different techniques that inspire and shape their approach to developing a character and approaching a song.
Learn more at our website, linked in bio, and be sure to register for these courses by January 22!
Facebook Posts
SPARC's 3rd annual Senior Celebration is tomorrow, June 7, at 6PM! We're excited to celebrate this year's graduating class with an open mic for seniors, awards, and special performances from Touring Ensemble. Swipe to see highlights from last year's celebration, and mark your calendars to join us at SPARC tomorrow evening!
Photo Credit: Tom Topinka
Image Descriptions
1: Graduating seniors from last year's Senior Celebration stand on stage with some of SPARC's staff holding roses and certificates.
2: Members of Touring Ensemble unveil the Jeri Cutler-Voltz Scholarship plague to the seniors being awarded the scholarship. Allison Beckett is off to the side making the announcement.
3: Two Touring Ensemble members are hosting the evening's events. They are in their blue SPARC shirts with mics and a binder.
4: Two youth perform with mics in front of them and blue lighting behind them. They have their hands pressed together and are looking at each other.
5: A member of Touring Ensemble performs a solo, holding a mic with his hand outstretched.
6: A member of Touring Ensemble performs, wearing her SPARC shirt and holding the mic with both hands.
7: A member of Touring Ensemble performs. They're holding a mic and looking off camera.
8: Two members of Touring Ensemble perform. They both have mics, and one is playing the guitar.
9: The Touring Ensemble perform with multicolored lights behind them. They're standing in a triangle formation.
10: Touring Ensemble poses together. Some are standing, and others are squatting in front of them. There's pieces of set decoration hanging above their heads.
SPARC works to help every young person embrace their most authentic selves. We honor the beginning of Pride Month as a highlight of our year-round effort to support youth as they are. While the LGBTQ+ community is celebrated in all SPARC programs, we offer a dedicated focus on the queer youth experience and that of their allies in our Spectrum and Spectrum Summer Session programs for teens. Learn more about these programs at sparcrichmond.org/spectrum, and find resources for supporting the LGBTQ+ community at diversityrichmond.org/resources.
Photo Credit: Tom Topinka
Image Description: A production still from 2024's Spectrum show, "Time Will Bring Me Back to You." Two young people stand in profile, facing each other. They each hold up one hand and mirror each other. The lighting is deep blue.
Questions?
Email us at sparc@sparcrichmond.org or call 804.353.3393.
All SPARC programs are made possible, in part, by the generous support of:
