Acting Academy for Kids

It’s time to watch your star shine!

When Stephen and Maggie Zygo opened Acting Academy for Kids in 2008 at the Camino Real Playhouse in San Juan Capistrano, they wanted to create a fun, positive environment for kids where they felt like part of a family. For Stephen, acting has always been a family business. He performed in his first musical, Peter Pan, with his brother, J. Michael Zygo, in elementary school. As the Zygo family grows, with the birth of their 2nd child, Jesse, on March 19th, so has the success and expanded offerings at the Academy.

The Zygos both have Masters Degrees in education and use their substantial experience as educators to inform their teaching philosophy. Acting Academy for Kids (AA4K) only employs teachers who have spent significant time in a classroom setting, with professional credentials in the industry. According to Stephen, “Other schools will bring in high-profile performers from Broadway or West End musical theater gurus, but that does not necessarily translate into competency in the classroom.”

Acting Academy for Kids is a full-service, performing arts academy for kids ages 4 to 17, with classes in acting, voice, musical theater, and its newest addition, film. This year’s Spring Film Project, the restaurant-themed Family Style Dinner, introduces students to “the vernacular of being on set,” complete with auditions, callbacks, and time on camera. Young actors are supported by a Hollywood crew led by
writer/director Brian Stevens, and receive professional Internet Movie Database (IMDB) credits, along with their own acting reel. The movie premieres at a red-carpet extravaganza at San Juan Capistrano’s Regency Theater on the silver screen.

The film program extends into the summer with the launch of AA4K’s four-week Film Academy. Kids in each week-long camp will have a blast producing their own short film that will be showcased at a gala screening at the Regency Theater in front of family, friends and the SJC film community.

In addition to the new film camp, every summer the Academy hosts its popular ten-week Musical Theater Camp, featuring weekly themes such as Be a Star War, Jungle Book Adventure and Minions. Students ages 4 to 13 take multiple classes in music, acting, and dance, culminating in a Friday afternoon performance on the Playhouse mainstage.

The musical theater program continues throughout the school year and is currently  taking registrations for a family-friendly version of Alice in Wonderland. AA4K presents four Broadway musicals a year, allowing students to perform in an authentic playhouse equipped with professional sets, lighting, and sound.

Acting Academy for Kids is fast becoming a hub for the arts in South Orange County, while still remaining an integral part of the local scene. The Academy has even added a professional recording department, Academy Voice, where sound engineer Kevin Spiro assists students in creating professionally produced music.

As AA4K is in the midst of exciting new developments and opportunities, Stephen reiterates that his focus will always be on the kids. “Most of the fourth graders who started with me back in 2008 are now graduating from high school,” says Stephen. “It’s so awesome to watch alumni graduate and come back to the Academy either as employees or volunteers. That’s incredibly fulfilling. This Academy is about the joy we bring into their lives. At the end of the day, it really needs to be fun.”

Whether kids have a passion for acting or are just testing the waters, Acting Academy for Kids creates a supportive, fun environment where students of all ages can gain confidence, build teamwork skills, and discover the joy of performing.

For more information on Acting Academy for Kids’ summer camps, film academy, classes, satellite programs, and participation in the musical Alice in Wonderland, visit ActingAcademyForKids.com.

Acting ACADEMY for Kids   |   Ages 4-17   |   ActingAcademyForKids.com   |   949.427.0072