Performing Arts

Our goal at York Prep is to foster a supportive and collaborative environment where students learn to express themselves through the performing arts, with a focus on music and drama. York Prep’s Performing Arts program is designed to encourage students with or without any prior performing experience to feel at ease communicating and expressing themselves in front of their peers.

The Performing Arts at York Prep is a project- and performance-based program. At the end of each semester, Drama students will perform scenes in their classes from various plays, both traditional and original. Students who express a desire to continue performing have the chance to audition for two main stage productions: one in the fall and one in the spring. Opportunities in both productions are available for students to perform as well as assist with direction, stage management, costume design, set design, prop management, and choreography. Students who participate commit to rehearsal time after school.

Music classes will culminate with one major musical celebration at the end of each semester, where students collaborate on and perform a collection of songs. Parents and friends are encouraged to attend both drama main stage productions and musical performances.

Many students at York Prep go on to attend prestigious performing arts colleges, universities, and conservatories. Some of these students continue on to successful careers in music and drama. Those who pursue other paths still find their experience with the performing arts, as well as the confidence and the new skills they gain, highly rewarding.

Our program is unique because our concentration on the basics and on fostering a collaborative environment steer the direction of the performances and allow students to develop at different speeds. Thus, both seasoned performing arts students and students with little or no prior experience can all develop and deepen their appreciation and enjoyment of drama and music.

Fiona Hutchison, the chair of the Performing Arts Department, is an Emmy-nominated actor who has starred in many movies and was formally trained as a dancer at the Royal Ballet School in London and the American Ballet Theater in New York.

Highlights

The York Prep Music Room consistently produces music and podcasts, which can be enjoyed on our SoundCloud page!
The inaugural York Prep Film Festival was a great success, and was launched virtually last spring.
The dance department has remained robust and prolific throughout the pandemic.
We proudly presented a sold-out production of Chicago throughout three performances.