If you’re searching for musical theatre classes for kids, you’re probably already sold on the idea that your child would love it. What you might not realize is how much more they’ll get out of it than a fun enrichment class after school.
At Charlotte Academy of the Arts, just off I-485 in Matthews, NC, you’ll find a musical theatre program for kids ages 4 to 13 that combines acting, singing, and dance into a single class. That’s three disciplines, three sets of skills, and three kinds of growth, all in one time commitment on your calendar.
Local parents often come to us looking for a creative outlet for their child. They leave realizing musical theatre is one of the most complete forms of childhood development available. Here’s what’s actually happening in every class:
Real physical activity. The dance component means kids are up and moving every class, building strength, coordination, balance, and stamina. It’s exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise, because they’re too busy learning choreography and having fun to notice they’re working hard.
Confidence. Kids learn to walk on stage, project their voice, and own a moment, skills that carry into classrooms, sports, and social situations long after the final bow.
Public speaking. Memorizing lines, projecting to the back of a room, and performing in front of an audience is public speaking practice that most kids won’t get anywhere else until high school, if then. Vocal training in theatre builds real public speaking skills. Research points to voice projection, clear communication, and facial expression as making kids stronger presenters in class and more confident communicators with peers.
School readiness. Following choreography, memorizing lyrics and blocking, and taking direction from a teacher build the same focus, listening, and memory skills that translate directly to the classroom.
Teamwork and empathy. A musical only works if everyone shows up for each other. Kids learn to support castmates, take turns in the spotlight, and understand that their role matters, even when it’s not the lead.
We group classes by age so kids are learning alongside peers at a similar developmental stage, from our youngest performers just starting to explore the stage up through our Shining Stars class for older kids ready for a bigger challenge.
Mini Stars
Ages 4-5
A gentle welcome into the performing arts including beginning acting through storytelling, pre-dance movement, and singing.
Rising Stars
Ages 6-8
Singing, acting, and light choreography building confidence and imagination, preparing for the spring class, Rising Stars OnStage.
Shining Stars
Ages 9-13
A triple threat class of acting, dance, and singing technique while building audition and performance skills.
Through audition skills training in Shining Stars, students are prepared to audition confidently for school and community theatre productions, as well as productions here at Charlotte Academy of the Arts. It’s real preparation for real opportunities.
And when students are ready, they may become part of our SHINE Company, a troupe that performs at the Jr Theatre Festival in Atlanta as well as in Charlotte community events.
Our fall session runs 12 weeks, September through November, with class options on various days and after-school time slots to fit busy family schedules in Matthews and the surrounding Charlotte area. Unlike many studios that require a full year commitment, our classes run in focused 12-week sessions, so you can try musical theatre without locking in for months on end. Once the fall session wraps, families take a natural break through the busy holiday season, then kids can jump back in with a new class or production come January.
Each class culminates in an age and developmentally ready performance whether that be a sharing for class families, or on stage in our Fall Musical Revue. Fall session Rising Stars students will move on to Rising Stars OnStage, performing in our Spring Musical Revue. Our Shining Stars will receive audition prep for our Spring Musical Production, Frozen KIDS. Older students may audition in February for Into the Woods JR.
This is the part that surprises a lot of parents: most performing arts programs make you choose. Acting here, voice lessons there, dance class somewhere else, three separate drop-offs and three separate calendars to manage.
Our musical theatre classes fold all three into one session, taught by instructors who specialize in youth performance. Your child isn’t just doing a little bit of everything. They’re learning how acting, singing, and dance work together, which is exactly how it works on a real stage.
There’s also a discovery element parents don’t always expect. A child who signs up thinking they just want to dance might find out they love belting out a song, or a naturally quiet kid might surprise everyone by shining in a comedic scene. Training in all three disciplines side by side gives kids the chance to find out where their real strengths and interests lie, instead of guessing based on one class alone. It’s also simply how working performers train. Professional actors, singers, and dancers rarely specialize in just one skill, so this approach gives kids an early, well-rounded foundation rather than a narrow one.
September classes are filling up, and spots in each age group are limited to keep class sizes small enough for real individual attention. If you’ve been thinking about signing your child up, now’s the time to grab your spot before the session fills. We can’t wait to see your child shine this fall!
Ready to enroll your child in musical theatre classes in Matthews, NC? Visit our Enrollment page for details. Have questions? Contact Us!