5th-8th Grade Musical Production

Fall 2026 Session: Mondays & Wednesdays

September 9 - November 21

4:45-6:45 pm

WHO: This Community Program is open to ANY 5th-8th graders in the Portland area. This is a great program for those with experience and those just starting out - every student gets a part. Come see what theater is all about! All kids will sing, dance and act in this wonderful show - complete with costumes and sets. 

WHAT: Based on the DreamWorks Animation hit, How to Train Your Dragon JR. brings fire-breathing action, epic adventure and big laughs to the stage. Hiccup is a young Viking who defies tradition and befriends one of his deadliest foes – a ferocious dragon he calls Toothless. Together, the unlikely heroes fight against the odds to save both their worlds in this wonderful theatrical adaptation.

WHERE: Imago Theater: 17 SE 8th Ave, Portland, 97214

WHEN: Mondays & Wednesdays 4:45-6:45 pm

September 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30

October 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28

November 2, 4, 9, 11, 16 (Dress rehearsal), 18 (Tech rehearsal), 20 (Show), 21 (Show)

SHOWS: Students must be able to attend both shows - please note the weekend dates

  • Friday, November 20 - 7:30 pm

  • Saturday, November 21 - 5:00 pm

HOW MUCH: $695

  • We offer a 10% sibling discount (automatically applied at registration)

  • Payment plan options (payments are automatically deducted)

    • 2 payments: Registration & August 15 ($15 fee)

    • 3 payments: Registration, August 15 & October 15 ($25 fee)

  • Financial assistance available (please complete the request form)

NEW - TICKETS: All registrations will recieve 2 complimentary show tickets

  • Additional show tickets will be available for purchase about 4-6 weeks prior to the show

New - Volunteer: Closer to show time, we will ask for a few volunteers to help with show weekend (dinner, hair, makeup, front of house, strike) - As a thank you for volunteering, we will offer an additional complimentary ticket

REFUND POLICY:

  • Up to one week before class starts: Full refund (minus $35 admin fee)

  • From one week before class until casting announced: 50% refund (minus $35 admin fee)

  • After casting announced: No refunds

QUESTIONS? Feel free to contact us

REGISTER: June 15 - 8:00am

ADDITIONAL INFO:

NEW PARENTS please note: Our production classes are a huge commitment! Please be aware the purpose of this class is putting on a show for which we can be proud. All kids will be asked to work hard to memorize lines, songs, and dances for the performance (sometimes outside of class as homework). We believe theater is a discipline to be respected and practiced. This is not just an after school child care class! Attendance is extremely important as your child is bonding with their cast each time they are present. Whether we are learning necessary songs, dances or blocking or playing games that strengthen our technique your child's presence is necessary. When casting we must take into consideration kids who have a history of not attending class. Please be sure your child truly wants to participate before registering.

ABSENCES: Attendance is very important. If you know in advance your child will miss a certain class because of an out-of-town absence, please let us know as it will help us plan our schedule. If you know of more than 2 rehearsals where your child will definitely not be available, do not register your child. We have a limited number of weeks to learn a whole show. Putting on a show is a lot of work for kids and staff and absences create problems for everyone. Please remember the end result is a show your kids can be proud of and confident with onstage. If your child misses a great number of rehearsals, we reserve the right to recast their role. Of course, we know we can’t plan illnesses. Please try to plan appointments and play dates for other days of the week. We take theater seriously. It is possible that if your child misses a crucial blocking or choreography day they may be removed from that scene or number.

WAITLIST: There is no charge to be on the waitlist. If you do not hear from us by the 3rd week of class there will no longer be spots opening up for the semester. We don’t reach out to waitlisted families unless a spot opens up.

CELL PHONE POLICY: Many kids have their own cell phones or smart watches. We don’t think they are needed in theater and can distract us from creating special bonds with our cast mates. Once class has begun kids are instructed to put their electronics away in their bag/backpack. If you need to get a message to your child during class time please know they can not check their phones until the end of class. If you have an emergency message for your child or for the instructor during rehearsal please TEXT us. We will be able to see a text right away, but may not answer a ringing phone during instruction. 

CLASS CANCELLATIONS: If it is necessary for our classes to be canceled we will prorate each class as a refund at $25/class canceled OR move to Zoom for as long as we need to. If we choose to do zoom classes there will be no refunds. There is no refund for classes you choose to pull your child from or if your child is absent for any other reason.

General CASTING Info: Typically, the larger roles will go to kids who have been in the program a while and have proven their abilities to be a good leader, memorize lines, learn songs, etc, and the ensemble/chorus roles will go to the younger or new kids. In the case of newer programs at schools older kids are usually considered for larger roles before young ones. Younger kids will learn by the older kids' example and have many more chances to work toward large roles. Of course, sometimes there are exceptions. Sometimes it depends on the show we do or the individual kids we have attending class. Each class dynamic is different. Some kids are eager for a large role and some kids would like to be a supporting member no matter their age. Sometimes all of our students have been in our programs and have equal abilities. We want all kids set up for success. We want them to feel comfortable and finish the show feeling proud and having had a fun time. We start immediately on Day One doing assessments to see how kids interact, how they treat other kids, how willing they are to jump in, and whether they want to sing something in a small group or stay quiet. We understand that some kids shine on stage who typically are shy and reserved in a large group. We also know some kids can not sit still for two hours straight, but have a strong interest in performance and also deserve to shine. All kids deserve a “win”. Ultimately, decisions need to be made. We are not interested in casting stars, but in developing a strong cast as a whole. With such a short class time, we move quickly to cast the show and get to practicing our parts within the first 2 or 3 weeks! Since we have been at this for quite some time both as teachers and directors, but also as actors ourselves, we ask that you respect our final casting decision. Your child will have a better time with your full support at home.