ROQUE BERLANGA
Director
The story of a little program called...APTC
In the spring of 2008, I was given the opportunity to start a “summer camp” for the Allenberry Playhouse. After months of planning we founded Actors Professional Theatre Conservatory (APTC). Little did I know that this "one week summer camp" would soon grow into a year round program offering TYA productions of fairy tales with modern twists, a day camp for young artists ages 8-12, (2) one-week long over night camps for ages 12- 15 and a two week summer intensive for young artists 13-18 which would culminate with a full length Shakespeare production and a full length musical.
At APTC we truly believed that through the performing arts we can enrich and enhance the lives of others...One Young Artist at a Time. I could speak at lengths about how developing APTC changed my life but I feel the young artists can do a better job…
"I remember one of the last days, lying in the studio and looking at the ceiling and thinking “don’t you dare forget this. You live every single second of this, and love it with all your heart, and don’t you DARE forget it. “ Looking at councilors with amps in their hands and bags under their eyes and smiles on their faces because they are mind-body-and-soul in LOVE with the art of people. It’s not about camp - it’s about people. It’s about the fact that I can’t describe, really REALLY describe, to anybody what camp was like for me. But there are 36 people who know exactly what I’m talking about, and that’s pretty beautiful."
-Rebecca M. 14
"I’ve always heard the sayings like, “You’ve got one life, Live it to the fullest” or anything else. But that’s one of the things that I got from APTC. I literally do not go a DAY without remotely thinking of APTC"
-Madi Y. 13
" APTC changed the way I thought about theatre because the first thing I thought was “I am going to learn songs, dances and lines and then perform them.” With APTC, I learned there was more than that. We learned character building, acting exercises, vocal exercises, and much more! When I hear about auditions or shows for something with APTC, I automatically want to be involved."
-Carly L. 14
"APTC is the program that led me to commit to following my dream of becoming a performer. It has taught me valuable lessons in both acting and being a good person. The training I’ve received at APTC has also lead me to getting two lead roles in musicals, which I believe without APTC, I would not have gotten. If there’s a place that teaches a person that they can achieve anything with hard work and passion, it’s APTC."
-Gary S. 17
"Guess what?!! Thanks to all of your amazing acting coaching I got the part of Amy in my school’s production of Little Women! I’m the only freshman in the cast of 10 people (6 girls). Thank you so much! I can’t wait for APTC!!!!!!!!!"
-Jessica E. 15
"APTC is incredibly different than any other theatre program I’ve ever participated in. I’ve done shows almost all my life, yet nothing is quite the same as APTC. The most unique thing about the program is probably how intensive it is. Most shows, especially those that are youth-oriented, tend to have at most two or three rehearsals a week. However, APTC, especially the overnight summer programs, gave me a taste for what professional theatre is really like. The participants are in rehearsal from first in the morning to late at night, basically stopping just for meals. There are other fun activities some of the days, but most of the program is all theatre all the time. It really gives one a feel for what it’s like to pull a show together in a very short amount of time, and what it would be like to do theatre full time as a career. Thus, every aspiring artist should have the opportunity to participate in this fantastic program, because it really is one in a million."
-Sam W. 15
"GUESS WHAT! I auditioned for this program for the directors and scouts and producers from Disney and Nickelodean and I got a call back! I meant with the woman who runs the whole program and she said that there was 20 people that made it out of 1,000 and I was picked second! She asked me who was my role model and who got me into acting and I said it was my director Roque and Emily who got me in to it and I look up to them all the time if they can do it so can I. I love you guys so very much! "
-Randee B. 14
"The professional experience I had at APTC was amazing. It felt as though I was in a professional theatre cast, which was about to tour the nation, instead of a high school play or community theatre awesome. The director and all the other adults’ vast experience helped them coach me and become a better actor"
-Megan H. 14
Visit our website at www.aptconservatory.org for more info!