Children’s Theatre Classes

The Children’s Theatre of Western Springs, or CTWS, offers after school classes in Musical Theatre, Acting, Improv, Technical Theatre, Specialty Classes, and more for students in grades K-12. Classes at CTWS meet weekly for 1- to 2-hours, depending on the class and age group. Each week, students will work on learning age-appropriate theatre skills, ensemble building, group communication, problem solving, teamwork, and critical thinking with our wonderful teachers, directors, and faculty members. Studying theatre in this format encourages students to grow as young people in new ways, helps foster a strong community, and of course, gives students the ability to HAVE FUN together!

Each semester ends with an Observation Week where family members are invited to sit in on the final class day and watch what your students have been working on! Some classes may have a formal showcase at the end of the semester.

Enrolled students in a CTWS class are able to audition for or crew backstage for our full-scale productions each semester at no additional charge! Auditions take place at the beginning of each semester. Parents of cast members are expected to volunteer in various roles throughout our productions; it's always fun to see all of the hard work of our cast, crew, and families when the final shows come around each semester! Production information can be found by clicking on "Production Details" below.

Besides the skills that your student will learn, they also have the opportunity to see lots of theatre right here in our building! Every CTWS student can claim 1 free ticket to any production we do here, both at the Children's Theatre and the adult shows at the Theatre of Western Springs. And if you are a parent, you also get the benefit of seeing these shows! Each parent can claim 1 ticket at a 10%-off discount to see the adult shows at the Theatre of Western Springs. While some shows will be fun for the whole family, some will be great for a parent's night out, so we encourage all parents to take advantage of this offer!

  • 1-hour classes: $280
  • 2-hour classes: $390
Spring Mainstage: The SpongeBob MusicalSpring High School Rep: Little Women

Open to registered students in grades K-12

General Rehearsal Schedule: Mondays 7-9, Wednesdays 4:00-7:30, Saturdays 9-1

Tech Week: April 5-9 (begins at the end of Spring Break)

Performances: April 10-13, and April 16-19 (This is different than usual!)

Audition info coming soon! - Tentatively planned for January 18-19

Open to registered students in grades 8-12

General Rehearsal Schedule: Tuesdays 7-10, Wednesdays 7-10, Sundays 5-8

Tech Week: March 8-13

Performances: March 14-16

Audition info coming soon! - Tentatively planned for January 18-19

We will work around your class schedule and extra-curriculars, so sign up for whatever class you want!

Regular attendance in class is expected. If a student is going to be absent on a particular day, please notify the office at 708-246-4043 or by emailing ctws@theatrewesternsprings.com. Extended absences should be notified early in order to be communicated to the teachers so they can best prepare their lesson plans. Regular attendance is also a requirement in order to participate in any of our semester productions, both with CTWS and HSR.

Payment is due at the time of registration in full. $30 is non-refundable upon registration. The remainder can be refunded until 2 weeks before the semester begins. A 75% refund can be requested through the first week of classes. Registration is closed and no refunds will be given after the end of the first week of classes.

No refunds or credits will be given for missed or canceled classes due to sickness, weather, or other uncontrollable events.

Students at CTWS can claim 1 free ticket for each CTWS and TWS performance during the semester they are enrolled. Parents can claim 1 ticket to each TWS performance at a 10% discount. To claim these tickets, please call or visit our Box Office.

Click Here to view our Financial Aid and Scholarship details.

Enrollment opens Monday, November 18 at 12pm

Spring 2025 Semester Details

Class Dates: January 13 - March 27

Class Observations: March 24-27

No Class Dates: January 20

Click Here to view a list of all Spring 2025 classes and their descriptions! CLICK HERE to Register! Class full? Join the waitlist here.

Kindergarten thru 2nd Grade

Class TimeMonday ClassesTuesday ClassesWednesday Classes
4-5pm Musical Theatre: Disney Songs Musical Theatre: Sing, Dance, Act! Acting: Theatre Games
5-6pm Musical Theatre: Broadway Favorites  Acting: Creative Movement Acting: From Story to Stage
CLICK HERE to Register!

3rd Grade thru 5th Grade

Class TimeMonday ClassesTuesday ClassesWednesday ClassesThursday Classes
4-5pm Musical Theatre: Kids in the Spotlight

4th-7th: DIY Theatre A

Acting: Story Creations: Magical Worlds Musical Theatre: Movie Musicals
5-6pm Dance: Happy Dances from Broadway Musical Theatre: Disney Favorites
6-7pm Acting: Comedy Club

4th-7th: DIY Theatre B

Tech: Props and Crafts 5th-8th: Stage Makeup - NEW CLASS!
CLICK HERE to Register!

6th Grade thru 8th Grade

Class TimeMonday ClassesTuesday ClassesWednesday ClassesThursday Classes
4-5pm 4th-7th: DIY Theatre A JR High Improv
5-6pm 6th-12th: Technical Theatre (5pm-7pm)
6-7pm 4th-7th: DIY Theatre B Musical Theatre: Golden Age of Broadway

6th-12th: Acting on Camera

5th-8th: Stage Makeup - NEW CLASS! 6th-12th: Technical Theatre (5pm-7pm)
CLICK HERE to Register!

9th Grade thru 12th Grade (High School Rep)

Tuesday ClassesThursday Classes
Acting on Camera(6pm-7pm) Directing and Acting (5pm-7pm)
Technical Theatre (5pm-7pm)
Improv (5pm-7pm)

All High School students are invited to participate in our weekly HSR Power Hour on Thursdays from 7pm-8pm. Power Hours are a great opportunity to hang out with your fellow HSR students, create the set for the show, plan ahead for tech and performance weeks, go hang posters, and more!

CLICK HERE to Register!