Newton Public Schools families with aspiring actors in 4th and 5th grade have a new after-school option this fall: a 15-student performance troupe that ends with a public show of "Hello, Dolly!" on Saturday, December 12.

Newton Theatre Kids, the youth program run by Newton Theatre Company, announced the NTK 4th/5th Grade Troupe on Sunday, July 19, calling it a new class exclusively for NPS students with a strong interest in acting and singing. As of July 19, it is the only NTK class still open for Fall 2026 registration; all other sessions and waitlists are full.

Unlike the standard NTK program, which meets weekday afternoons and includes scenery-making, the Troupe focuses entirely on performance. Students will audition on the first day of class, and every student will receive a role, with assignments based on audition results and what NTK's class listing calls "collaborative attitude."

Who's teaching

Abby Strayer, Newton Theatre Company's director of digital outreach and programs, will direct the Troupe. Strayer holds a BA in theatre and history from Bucknell University and an MA in history from Boston University, and has worked in educational and regional theatre for more than a decade.

Alex Taylor, the company's director of operations, serves as music director. Taylor is a Berklee College of Music graduate with degrees in contemporary writing and production and music business.

Schedule and cost

The Troupe meets Wednesdays from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Saint John's Episcopal Church, 96 Otis St., Newtonville. Classes begin Wednesday, September 9, and run weekly through a dress rehearsal on Wednesday, December 9. The final performance is Saturday, December 12, at 7 p.m.

Tuition is $525, according to Newton Theatre Company's website. A non-refundable $50 cancellation fee applies, and no refunds are issued within one week of the first class.

Registration is first-come, first-served and open online through the HiSawyer platform.

Financial aid

Newton Theatre Kids offers scholarships through the Rebecca Pomroy Foundation. Families seeking financial assistance can email [email protected].

Students may enroll in only one NTK class per session. Classes begin Wednesday, September 9, at Saint John's Episcopal Church in Newtonville.