Wingspan Summer Conservatory

Summer Theater Intensives by Wingspan Arts and The New Group

The 2023 Wingspan Ensemble in Mean Girls. Photo by Natalie Powers.

This summer, The New Group is partnering with renowned arts education innovators Wingspan Arts to provide tuition-free Summer Theater Conservatory for middle school and high school students. Combining our own Scene 1 teen acting program with their long-running Summer Conservatory, students learn the skills required to become accomplished actors, vocalists, and theater artists. Serving all students from talented beginners to experienced professionals, Summer Conservatory strikes a balance between fun and learning that keeps our students coming back year after year. All students have an opportunity to participate in master classes and workshops, as well as a fully-produced musical or drama production.

Available Programs

Wingspan Ensemble

Theater Intensive for Incoming 9th-12th graders

• When: July 1 – August 11 (off 7/4-5)
• Where: Beacon High School (campus located at 522 West 44th St, Manhattan)
• Learn more at Wingspan Arts Conservatory

Wingspan Players

Musical Theater Program for Incoming 6th-8th graders

• When: July 1 – August 3 (off 7/4-5)
• Where: Beacon High School (campus located at 522 West 44th St, Manhattan)
• Learn more at Wingspan Arts Conservatory

About Scene 1

Scene 1 uses an ensemble-based model for students to experience and practice acting with seasoned professionals, including Master Classes with artists from The New Group. The goals of Scene 1 are to develop students’ individual voices as emerging artists; to provide students with rigorous skills-based courses in various aspects of acting; and to create a community of mutually supportive young artists that help each other grow and excel.

The young people in this program are an integral part of The New Group Artistic Community, and see our theater as a safe and exciting place to learn and be inspired by one another.

About Wingspan Arts

Wingspan Arts aims to enrich the lives of young people in and around New York City through multi-disciplinary arts education programs both in and out of the classroom. Our programs emphasize the value of theatre, music, visual arts, and dance while also using these art forms as tools for communication, personal growth, and self-expression.

Founded in 2001 in response to the lack of arts instruction in public schools, Wingspan Arts’ customized programs have benefited thousands of children across the New York Metro Region. By partnering with professional artist-educators who bring their creative experiences and personalized lessons to the classroom, Wingspan has transformed the traditional teacher-student paradigm into an authenticity-driven, community-based learning environment. Through afterschool, in-school, theatre conservatory, and public programs, Wingspan Arts students are empowered both as individuals and as stewards of the expanding arts community.

All children have creative promise; however, many may not have means to access the arts. For these families, Wingspan Arts offers tuition-free opportunities, a scholarship program, and free public events as part of our commitment to reaching as many young people as possible. This helps fulfill our mission of connecting students to the arts, and the arts to life.

This program is supported in part by the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation and the Laura B. Vogler Foundation.

Generous support for The New Group is provided by The Shubert Foundation and The Howard Gilman Foundation. The New Group’s programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Programming is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.