american childrens theatre


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About Us



American Childrens Theatre is a theater company for children. We offer classes during the school year, camps (stages) during some school vacations and in the summer, and occasional specialized workshops. We do a little singing, a little dancing, a little clowning, a little silliness, and have a lot of fun! We only use material that has positive values and messages. A highlight of our Fall and Spring sessions is performing in a professional theater here in Paris! The children get to experience the thrill of a real stage performance with lights, sound, effects, and a full audience. We can also bring our program into schools, birthday parties, and more!


Goals:

I. Teaching Children Confident Communication

A. Creating a supportive, positive environment to encourage confidence through performance of theater, music, comedy, and dance

B. Encouraging children to create and perform their own material, and facilitating its development

C. Allowing each child a "moment to shine" through individual lines


Examples of Materials to be used: Plays taken from children's stories that encourage positive values or important social issues on a level easy for children to understand Original shows created around known showtunes or motown, pop music with positive messages and values. Traditional Broadway and Musical Theater material, and even Pop music, as long as it fits the guidelines of promoting positive values.





Our Staff





Erin Colston
Founder and Artistic Director,
All-Star DirectoR,
Sparklers Director



Erin is a conservatory-trained musical theater actress from American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York with off- broadway and film credits, including such shows as "The Fantasticks", "The Gift of Love", "The Lady from Havana", "My Fair Lady" (concert version), "Eating Raoul", "You're a Grand Ole Flag", and more. Erin also has classical vocal training (from the age of 8) and experience in opera, classical, choral, jazz, and "cabaret"-style vocal performance as a solo performer and in chorales and 2 operas, as well as dance training in various styles from Broadway, to jazz, tap, classical, and other "flavors" such as Salsa, African, Swing, and more. She also trained at Broadway Dance Center and the prestigious Luigi Jazz Centre in New York City (where the likes of Susan Stroman, Ben Vereen, Liza Minelli, and more trained, sometimes alongside her!),. She completed Stage Combat training under Denise Hurd. She was formerly a teacher and co-director with the Childrens Theatre Company of New York for 2 years, and her enjoyment and experience there led her to start her own program here in Paris!



Luana Carrera : Teacher



Luana is a Brazilian actress, singer and dancer who has performed internationally in theatre, musical theatre and entertainment. She has worked at Disneyland Paris and most recently played Nadia in the original musical Raffaella, el Musical, for which she was nominated for Best Leading Actress at the PTM Awards. Her other work includes dubbing for Miúda e o Guarda-Chuva and theatre productions in Brazil. She trained in Musical Theatre at the Institute of the Arts Barcelona and also completed screen acting training at The Reel Scene UK. As a performer and teacher, Luana has trained in classical ballet, jazz, tap, commercial, hip-hop and other dance styles, as well as pop, classical, rock and musical theatre singing. She loves helping young performers build confidence, creativity and a genuine love for performing



Sarah Gerard : Teacher



Sarah is a French-Dutch actress and aspiring screenwriter who studied Acting in English at Cours Florent and musical theatre at AICOM. She has since lived in Australia, Rotterdam and LA, where she trained in the Meisner Technique. Now back in Paris, she is looking to explore the French entertainment industry while pursuing her passion for working with children.




Pauline Nyrls: Teacher



Pauline is an actress with over 10 years of experience. She studied theater here in Paris and had the chance to work in films and TV series. For her most recent role, she transformed herself into a French army soldier! She also loves sharing her passion for theater with others. She’s taught theater in a primary school not far from here, as well as to adults experiencing homelessness as part of a professional reintegration program. She’s a joyful and positive person, always ready for a laugh and never the last one to make a joke! She’s really looking forward to meeting you, playing, creating and having lots of fun together.



Our Staff





Sylvie Titterington : Teacher



Sylvie Titterington is an American actress and theatre teacher whose international upbringing has shaped both her creative work and her approach to teaching. Although she grew up across cultures, she spent most of her formative years in Paris before completing a BA (Hons) in Acting, accredited by Liverpool John Moores University, at the Institute of the Arts Barcelona. Returning to Paris after graduating, she has continued to develop her career across stage and screen while teaching English and theatre to children and young people aged 3 to 18. Having worked with young people for more than six years, Sylvie brings a genuine love of theatre into the classroom she particularly enjoys the spontaneity, curiosity, and wonderfully unpredictable energy that children bring to creative work. Sylvie continues to perform professionally and is currently appearing in Hamlet with The Acting Ensemble in Paris.


Daisy Fairclough : Glitteratti Lead Teacher



NEW TEAM COMING SOON!



other staff and past staff





Other staff and assistants :



Eva Klamper, 2023/2024 Intern







Musicians/ Support:



Barbara Arnould - Pianist


​​ Nicolas Martinez - drums 



Previous Guest/Special workshop Teachers:



Justin Micheal Wilcox - Ovation Award Nominee, Successful West Coast and LA actor with credits such as "cosmo" in "Singing in the Rain", "DeLuca" in "A Chorus Line" at the Hollywood Bowl, "Action" in West Side Story, and much more!


Chryssie Whitehead - Broadway, TV, and film actress with credits such as: A Chorus Line and Chicago on Broadway, appearances on Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, and ABC Family movie Revenge of the Bridesmaids, and in films such as The Producers, Save the Last Dance, and Lucky Stiff.


... AND MORE! We bring our professional friends in to give guest workshops whenever possible!



Past Staff (Still well-loved! Some return for guest teaching!)



Raluca Nechita, Teacher


Pamela Silverthorn, Teaching Assistant and Satellite Program Director


Maria Restivo, Teacher


Allison Wheeler, Assistant Director


Rachelle Flores,
Assistant Director and Teacher


Sarah Mahoney, Assistant Teacher and Vocal Coach Kyle


Neil Sinclair - Teacher and Workshop director


Nóra Tóth-Fekete = Pianist


Trenton-Stewart - Stage Manager


Ali Krasner, Teacher


Lisa Bidnall,

Dance Teacher


Debra Mourad, Director of Communications


Amanda Bestor-Siegal, Lighting Design and Tech



American Childrens Theatre Paris


+33 6 58 54 13 48
act.paris@yahoo.com



+33 6 58 54 13 48

act.paris@yahoo.com



Don't just sit there when you can SHINE!