Summer 2024 School of Dramatic Arts

SKETCH COMEDY & IMPROVISATION 

7th grade thru 12th grade 

CLASS MEETS: Mon, June 24 thru Friday, June 28 

10am to 1pm 

Cost: $149 

This 1 week class is for those looking to have fun! Learn the basics of improv and sketch comedy. Learn to write your own material! Learn improv games that will sharpen your comedy chops. This fun interactive class will culminate into a final performance on the final day of class in the big theater! Students will show off their comedy and improv skills in a final showcase that will sure to make everyone laugh!

INSTRUCTOR: William Whitefield 

CLICK HERE TO PAY TUITION 

MUSICAL THEATER INTENSIVE 

7th grade thru 12th grade 

CLASS MEETS: Monday, July 1 thru Friday, July 12 (M-F only) 

10am to 1pm 

NOTE: No class on Thursday, July 4 

Price: $299 

This 2 week class will be for older students who want to further their skills in the magical world of musical theater. Learn songs and scenes from such shows as Legally Blonde, Dear Evan Hanson, 13, The Musical, Mean Girls and more! Sharpen your movement skills by learning from a Broadway dancer! The class will culminate into a final showcase performance performed on the big stage during the final class on Friday, July 19. 

INSTRUCTORS: William Whitefield, Serena Soffer and Cindy Dwyer

CLICK HERE TO PAY TUITION

For more information please contact William Whitefield at william@asburyparktheatercompany.org. 

To register for all classes please click here. 

Don't delay! These are small classes with limited space available. We will make every effort to accommodate your request, but we are keeping the class-sizes small to maximize individual instruction time. 

Broadway Veteran Serena Soffer 

(Choreographer and Movement Instructor)

Serena is a versatile artist. (triple threat as they say) A Broadway Performer, choreographer, dance educator and yogi! She has worked extensively all over the world. She was first inspired by her mother, Eva, a performing contortionist in the early 1930's in the German Circus. Serena's professional performing career began at the young age of ten, where she began working with multiple legends, including Ray Bolger (the Scarecrow in Oz), Gregory Hines (the famous tapper), Donald O’Connor (Singing in the Rain) and Jane Krakowski (NBC’s 30 Rock). Just google kids!! In her teens, she received a full scholarship to the New York Academy of Theatrical Arts which began her journey with her classical ballet training.  Her Broadway credits include Assistant Choreographer and featured performer in Footloose. Radio City music Hall “Bernadette Peters Live”, Featured Dancer in  Broadway Bares directed by Jerry Mitchell. 3 years in the National and European tour of Phantom of the Opera. Assistant Choreographer to and dancer in the Movie Rock of ages starring Tom Cruise.  Serena choreographed "Panic at the disco's tour “nothing rhymes with circus” For many years she was on the faculty of Broadway dance center.

She has danced  in many national commercials, such as McDonald's, Intel and E-Trade. She appeared on ABC’s “All My Children,” as well as Saturday Night Live as a Weekend Update Dancer, The Late Night Show with David Letterman and The Rosie O'Donnell Show.  She was also cited as CNN's Spotlight Performer of the Week. She choreographed for the Super Bowl well remembered Chevy Car Wash, Snickers, Axe Body Spray, Dove Soap (starring Lea Michelle from Glee)  and the famous AT&T Grand Central station flash mob commercials, as well as for the platinum selling rock band Panic! At The Disco! "Nothing Rhymes with Circus Tour"  After dealing with a few dance injuries Serena became much more dedicated to her yoga practice and spirituality. Learning to chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and the study of Yogic philosophy. came a decade before Serena gave up her dancer’s “ego” and intertwined the body, mind and spirit through her Yoga practice. In 1998 her beloved mom died 2 weeks before the opening night of Footloose. Life definitely took on even a deeper meaning for wholeness and oneness..  

Serena spent an entire summer living at Ananda Ashram in upstate New York (spiritual community) and soon after received her Yoga Teacher Training certification at Laughing Lotus in NYC, where she was a Senior Teacher for several years.   Miss Serena is an encyclopedia of knowledge and spirit that will never feel as though her cup is overflowing with too much passion! Did you know that Serena is also an inspiring Chef? And obsessed with Unicorns? Her greatest advice to the world is "Smile and Live YOUR LIFE"  Instagram:  Svahaserena 

Producing Artistic Director William Whitefield 

(Camp Director and Musical Theater Intensive Coordinator)

Bill is a singer, songwriter, composer, lyricist, director, arts educator and actor who hails originally from Nashville, TN. He was the Executive Director at Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan, NJ for six years. As Executive Director, he was responsible for overseeing the Production, Education, Development, Marketing & Box Office staff, and making all programming and artistic decisions. As Executive Director, he produced over 30 main stage Broadway style shows such as the New Jersey premiere of Spamalot starring Robert Johanson, Joseph….., Tuesdays with Morrie, The 1940s Radio Hour, The Music Man, Always, Patsy Cline starring Emmy Award Winner Sally Stuthers and Carter Calvert, Kids Say the Darndest Things starring Patrick Cassidy, My Fair Lady starring Glory Crampton and Robert Johanson, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Shrek, The King & I, Annie Get Your Gun and South Pacific. 

For two years prior to the start of his tenure as Executive Director, he was the Director of Arts Education at the theatre where he turned the fledgling Theatre School into what is now an award-winning, first class Performing Arts Academy that serves over 400 students each year. During that time he also started the much-needed Asbury Park High School Acting Studio, which was an Algonquin Arts Theatre afterschool program that gave students the chance to appear over the course of three years in several main stage school productions such as You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, Grease, Little Shop of Horrors, Voices from the High School and Teen Scene. The program was so successful that the Asbury Park school district elected to hire a full time drama and dance teacher. 

After Bill's promotion to Executive Director, he immediately began to rethink the programming of Algonquin Arts Theatre and he began involving more academy students in shows and hiring professional directors such as Robert Johanson, Jayme McDaniel and Gina Lupi to oversee the productions. The once struggling Main Stage series took on a life of its own and has since moved the theatre from a large deficit to a comfortable surplus in just five years. 

For three years prior to Algonquin Arts Theatre, he was the Associate Director alongside Producing Artistic Director Bill Castellino at Western Michigan’s Cherry County Playhouse, as well as the first Director of Musical Development and a member of the Founding Board of Directors for The Genesius Guild in New York. 

As a composer he collaborated with the late science fiction writer Ray Bradbury on the musical adaptation of Mr. Bradbury's short story, The Day It Rained Forever. Recently, he had the great fortune to work with fiction novelist Mary Higgins Clark on an adaptation of her new children’s book, The Magical Christmas Horse, composing the music and co-writing the lyrics with playwright Cynthia Mitchell Payne, and the show had a successful run at Algonquin Arts Theatre. At Cherry County Playhouse in Muskegon, MI, he co-composed music and lyrics along with playwright/co-lyricist/director Bill Castellino and co-composer/co-lyricist Christopher McGovern for Crash Club, a new hip-hop musical for teens that was choreographed by Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominated choreographer Joshua Bergasse. He was the composer and co-lyricist for Queen Esther, which he co-wrote with playwright Lenora Conway. 

As an actor he has been seen in the lead role of Giuseppe in The Gondoliers, the role of Florian in Princess Ida, the role of Bill Bobstay in H.M.S. Pinafore and as a pirate in The Pirates of Penzance starring Hal Linden, all at City Center in New York City. He was featured in The Presidents starring Rich Little and directed by Bill Castellino, first at the Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center and then at TheatreFest in Montclair, NJ. The show was later taped for TV at The Paris Theatre, Las Vegas and subsequently aired on PBS. As a commercial actor, he has appeared in several TV commercials for such companies as Letgo, YOPA (England), Benjamin Moore Paints, Office Depot among others.

In various regional theatres, he was seen as Detlef in Paper Mill Playhouse's production of The Student Prince starring Christiane Noll and directed by Robert Johanson, as well as the American in Paper Mill’s production of Rags. He played the role of John in Shenandoah alongside such cast members as James Van der Beek, Michael Park and Marc Kudisch. He has performed at other regional theatres such as Tennessee Repertory Theatre, American Stage Company, Northshore Music Theatre, Monomoy Theatre and Algonquin Arts Theatre where he played Mitch Albom in the gripping drama, Tuesdays with Morrie and Sir Robin in Spamalot. 

As a songwriter he wrote the music with lyricist Nick De Biase for two songs for Centaur Records: “Every Time You’re Near” performed by Tony Award winner Alice Ripley on the CD, Utopia and “Never Letting Go” sung by Elsa Raven on the CD, Dance With Angels. He also wrote the music with lyricist Bill Castellino for Tony Award nominee Rebecca Luker’s recording of “Fine” which is featured on her album, Leaving Home, produced by Christopher McGovern. 

As a singer he toured from 2001 to 2018 around the globe as the Construction Worker with the World famous Village People featuring Ray Simpson, Felipe Rose, Alex Briley, Eric Anzalone, Jim Newman and Bill Whitefield. 

He is a proud member of ASCAP, SAG-AFTRA, Actors Equity Association and Dramatist Guild. He earned his BA in Theatre at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA and currently resides with his husband Christopher Verdi in Asbury Park, NJ where he teaches voice and produces music in his home recording studio.

Cindy Dwyer (Music Director)

Cindy is a seasoned music director with over three decades of experience in teaching music and drama. With an extensive background in both fields, Cindy has dedicated her career to nurturing young talents and bringing captivating performances to life on stage. Her passion for theater and music education has led her to direct and music-direct well over 100 plays and musicals throughout her career.

Currently serving as the music and drama instructor at the Ranney School in Tinton Falls, NJ, she continues to inspire and mentor aspiring performers. Her impact on the local arts scene has not gone unnoticed, as she has been honored with several prestigious awards for her outstanding contributions to the field.

In 2021, Cindy was named the Monmouth County Arts Educator of the Year, recognizing her exceptional dedication to arts education in the region. The same year, she received the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Outstanding Educator Award, further cementing her status as a leading figure in theater education.

Cindy's commitment to excellence has also been acknowledged by the Montclair State University Theater Night Joann Fox Director’s Award in 2020, honoring her remarkable achievements in theater. Additionally, she has been a recipient of multiple Basie nominations and awards, earning accolades for Outstanding Direction, Musical Direction, Chorus, and Overall Production and more from 2010 to the present day.

With her wealth of experience, unwavering passion, and a string of accolades to her name, Cindy Dwyer continues to enrich the lives of students and audiences alike through the magic of theater and music.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

APTCo's INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED MUSICAL THEATER CAMP is open to all students, ages 11 to 17. We are seeking young performers who appear to be between 13 and 15 years old. 

PLEASE NOTE: There are only 10 slots available for the camp.