Acting Up was founded in 2009.. Our program focuses on using theater to minister to our community. At Acting Up, we aim to grow natural talent, theater skills, and teamwork that can be used in and out the classroom. With classes for all ages 1st grade through adult, we strive to provide a safe, Christ-centered learning environment for all who participate.
Classes begin the week of August 5, 2024. Auditions for company placement for Spotlight and MainStage will take place prior to the beginning of class. The classes will conclude after their productions in the spring. Registration opened April 1, 2024. We encourage early registration in spring for the next season as classes may fill up.
Students will learn audition techniques, improvisation, choreography, ensemble singing, and stage movement.
See the calendar page for exact dates and times.
MainStage Company (6th grade and up placement by audition)
The class meets Monday nights from 5:00-7:00 p.m. and Thursday night 5p-6:30p during the Winter/Spring semester.
The Class will perform Elf the Musical Jr November 14th & 15th and Bye Bye Birdie in spring 2025.
Spotlight Company (6th grade through 12th grade placement by audition)
The class meets Monday from 7:00-8:30 p.m. and will end their season with a musical presentation of Finding Nemo, Jr. in the spring of 2025.
Kids Company (grades 1-5)
A drama class for students grades 1-5. The class meets Tuesday from 5:00-6:15 p.m. They will present The Magic Treehouse Pirates Past Noon Kids in the spring of 2025 to end their class. In addition to preparing a kids show, they will learn the basics of musical theater including music, choreography, and acting through fun and interactive games.
Junior Theatre Festival Competition Troupe (6th grade and up audition only) - January 17-19, 2025
An audition only group. This group traveled to the Cobb Galleria in January for adjudication and theatre workshops. The troupe was awarded Excellence in Dance in 2024 and 2 of our students received callbacks for the iTheatrics Video Auditions for a program in New York.
Skills Class
An addition this year will be skill classes available at select times throughout the year on Tuesday nights at 630p. We will cover topics like audition prep, basic dance skills, hair and makeup tutorials for stage, improv, and acting for film and tv. Stay tuned for more details and schedule.
Donate
If you'd like to donate to help support our ministry we have an Amazon wishlist of things we are working to keep stocked or for future shows, click below.
Tickets and Additional Information
For additional Drama dates and ticket information for all the Drama productions, visit the Calendar page.
Our Staff
ALLY HECK and her family have been members at First Redeemer since 2013. She is the Director of Acting Up and the Director of Kids' Worship & Creative Arts at First Redeemer. She has been the high school drama director at Fideles Christian School and taught classes for middle and high school in communications and public speaking. She is also an actor in film and TV in the Atlanta area and has been in a few community theater shows including A Christmas Carol, Noises Off, and Sound of Music. She studied Organizational Management in college and has held a position in the corporate world in customer service management. Ally is excited to teach kids to shine for Jesus on and off the stage. Her favorite reminder is to be a light for Jesus in everything. John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
KATHERINE BROWN has been teaching at the Conservatory for a few years now and is thrilled to be the program’s assistant director and in-house stage manager. She is truly “home grown”, having been a student at the conservatory for over 6 years. In her overall time with the conservatory, she has been involved in over 40 Acting Up productions. She has a degree from the University of North Georgia in Communications and a minor in theatre. She had the pleasure of studying theatre at the Gainesville Theatre Alliance, where she found a passion for directing, stage management, and scenic painting. Her life verse is Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”
KENNADY MAYS is an Acting Up Alumni, as she has been part of the program since 2014. She has been an intern under Kim Norton for several years, and is thrilled to step into the role of Lead Choreographer. She is an active student at Lanier Technical College, and is currently on an interdisciplinary studies track. In 2022 as her first year as Lead Choreographer, the Acting Up Junior Theatre Festival competition troupe took home an award in excellence in ensemble! She is excited to be on staff and help students explore and expand their talents through the conservatory.
HOPE WEISHEIT grew up in Sugar Hill, GA where she attended Sugar Hill Church and started her career serving in the arts. She is a graduate of Piedmont College where she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Musical Theatre. Her major accomplishments include being a finalist in the South Eastern Regional National Association of Teachers of Singing voice competition, performing in various theatrical productions/operas, being a member of two major touring choirs in college, Directing/Stage managing various productions and events, and serving at Sugar Hill Church in Children’s/Students/Adult Ministries. Hope loves music, photography, and “putting a smile on everyone’s face.” Hope joined First Redeemer staff serving as the Conservatory of Music & Fine Arts Administrative Assistant for 2+ years. She now serves as the Drama and Musical Theatre Teacher at Coleman Middle school in Duluth and the Music Director for Acting Up.
