Geordie Theatre School (GTS) is all about jumping in, having fun, working together and finding your voice!
Our multi-level workshops, after-school classes, public classes, and now our new GTS à la Carte classes provide children and teens with the opportunity to build a solid foundation in acting by learning the craft from passionate and caring professional educators and artists.
GTS offers a variety of ways for young people to experience the impact of theatre while encouraging strong skills in Confidence, Creativity and Craft.
Children and teens explore how to create fascinating characters, build exciting stories, and present them to an encouraging audience of family, friends and community supporters.
Each year GTS offers two sessions with classes being offered on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Registration for the Fall Session begins in mid-May with classes running from late-September to early-December with an in-class final presentation. Registration for the Winter begins in late-November with classes running from late-January to early-May with a final performance at Moyse Hall.
GTS Public classes usually take place at the Greene Centre (1090 Greene Avenue) which is easily accessible by car or public transit, however we are currently offering all classes ONLINE due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
GTS JUNIORS
Each session involves the creation of a final group performance that comes from the imaginations of the students which is presented to family, friends and community members.
The Winter 2021 Session will remain ONLINE with shortened class times but will nevertheless culminate in an end-of-the-year Final Virtual Cabaret Performance.
Our hope is to return to IN-PERSON as soon as it is safe to do so.
Join in on the FUN!!
Register by January 18th 2021 and receive our Early Bird Discount!
Ages 6 & 7
Saturdays 10:30am – 11:30am ONLINE
Cost $225/session (Early Bird $202.50)
Classes run from February 6th to May 8th 2021
With a focus on encouraging creativity, working as an ensemble, exploring characters and playing with storytelling, students will learn how to share ideas and invent scenes through play and teamwork.
Maximum 12 students per class.
Ages 8 & 9
Saturdays 12:15pm – 1:15pm
OR Sundays 12pm – 1:00pm
ONLINE
Cost $225/session (Early Bird $202.50)
Classes run from February 6th/7th to May 8th/9th 2021
Students will channel their imagination, work as an ensemble, and dive into character and story creation while sharing their ideas and inventing scenes together through play and guided improvisation.
Maximum 12 students per class.
Ages 10 to 12
Saturdays 2pm – 3:00pm
OR Sundays 1:45pm – 2:45pm
ONLINE
Cost $225/session (Early Bird $202.50)
Classes run from February 6th/7th to May 8th/9th 2021
While working on building and engaging the imagination, students will explore the importance of ensemble, the development of more complex characters, story-building, and a deeper understanding of working with their impulses.
Maximum 12 students per class.
GTS TEENS
Teens
Thursdays 6pm – 7:30pm ONLINE – CLASS FULL
Cost $275/session (Early Bird $247.50)
Classes run from February 11th to May 6th 2021
While encouraging creativity and developing their acting abilities through a variety of theatre exercises, teens will explore character development, body/voice awareness, ensemble, and improvisation.
Each session involves the creation of a final group performance which will be presented to family, friends, and community supporters. The Fall Session culminates in an in-class presentation while the Winter Session ends with an end-of-year Cabaret Performance which will be virtual this year.
Maximum 12 teens per class.
Teen Ensemble NEW!
Sundays 3:30pm – 5:30pm with Dakota
Cost $825/year
Early Bird 10% off
The Teen Ensemble is a unique opportunity for teens who are interested in potentially pursuing acting and who want to grow as performers. The full-year program will bridge the gap between skill building and professional development providing teens with a more hands-on experience in performing for the theatre.
The program will include movement & vocal techniques, script & character analysis, audition techniques, regular guest artist teachers/speakers, and an outing to Montreal theatre.
The program will culminate in a final performance in front of family, friends, invited community members and agents.
A maximum of 8 teens will be accepted into the Teen Ensemble. Acceptance is limited to those teens who have done a teen class before, who have proven their commitment, and is subject to approval by the teacher and the GTS Director.
Please email the GTS Director, Jessica Abdallah, to express interest in the program.
What could be better than exploring all the fun theatre has to offer? Doing so in the comfort of your own school! With GTS After School students explore how to create fascinating characters, build exciting stories, and then present them to an encouraging audience of family, friends and community supporters.
GTS regularly offers after school classes during the Fall and Winter sessions at F.A.C.E. School in Downtown Montreal and Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School in Rosemount-Petite-Patrie . These classes are reserved for current F.A.C.E. or P.E.T.S. students. These classes are currently on hold until a time when schools can accommodate after school programming again.
Is your child’s school not on our current list? Let us know and we’ll reach out to see about starting your very own GTS After School program!
Geordie Theatre School is committed to bringing everyone a memorable Fall 2021 Session and are in discussions with F.A.C.E School about how we can work together to continue to offer GTS After School classes!
As we wait to see if we will be able to continue GTS at F.A.C.E, we are opening up a special SIGN-UP SHEET to gauge interest, help us in our planning, and to keep you informed so please fill out the form below!
Geordie Theatre School is committed to bringing everyone a memorable Fall 2021 Session and are in discussions with Pierre Elliott Trudeau School about how we can work together to continue to offer GTS After School classes!
As we wait to see if we will be able to continue GTS at P.E.T.S, we are opening up a special SIGN-UP SHEET to gauge interest for the Fall Session, help us in our planning, and to keep you informed so please fill out the form below!
Have you ever wanted to bring a puppet to life? Act for the camera? Execute an epic stage battle? Sing and dance to your favourite musical? Perform a Shakespearean monologue? Audition with confidence? Then join us for one of our GTS Specialty Workshops!
All our workshops are able to move online depending on the current COVID-19 restrictions.
Are you a school, community centre or day camp? GTS offers group specialty workshops to fit your needs, space and budget.
Can your child just not get enough GTS theatre training? Is your child eager to try theatre but can’t commit to a 12-week session? Are they excited to try something new and completely different? If yes, then one of our GTS Specialty Workshops might be just the right thing for them!
GTS Online
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Geordie Theatre School created GTS Online which offered a wide range of online workshops as our way to make things just a bit easier, creative and playful for kids and their families. As we move into our 2020-21 season, GTS will continue to offer GTS Online options when we are not able to physically come together as a way to remain connected to our GTS family.
On-Camera Workshop
April 17th & 18th 2021 NEW DATE!
$175/2-day in-person intensive plus footage
This 6-hour intensive workshop will introduce participants to the differences between theatre and on-camera performing, what to expect from a film set, and will jump into on-camera acting with short and long scenes. At the end of the second day everyone will sit and watch the footage on TV!
Sessions available for Ages 9 to 12 and Teens.
48hr Theatre Creation
POSTPONED until Spring or Summer 2021
$250/2-day Intensive
Inspired by the highly popular 48 Hour Film Project, GTS students will come together for one crazy weekend to create and stage their own play in less than 48 hours! Students will handle all areas of putting on a play from writing to directing to designing and acting – and then will share their final creations to an invited audience on the last day of the workshop. There will even be awards given out at the end!
This workshop is meant for Teens with at least one session of GTS under their belts.
Audition Technique Workshop
Spring Date TBC, 2021
$75/2-day in-person workshop
What exactly happens in an audition? What can an actor do to give themself a better chance? This introductory workshop will take participants through everything they need to know about how to audition – from the moment they walk in to their last impression. Students will then get to try it out for themselves in their very own mock-audition in front of Montreal directors.
Sessions available for Ages 9 to 12 and Teens.
Musical Theatre Workshop ONLINE
with Trevor and Jenny
November 7th & 14th 2020
$75/2-day workshop
Join Trevor and Jenny for an innovative ONLINE introduction to Musical Theatre. This 2-day workshop will introduce students to the triple joys of Musical Theatre – singing, dancing & acting! Students will receive one-on-one singing lessons, learn choreography, work on a scene from a popular musical, and even play some musical theatre games! Sessions available for Ages 6 to 12 and Teens.
Puppet Workshop
with Daniel
December 5th & 6th, 2020
$75/2-Day Workshop
A head. Two arms. A nose. A finger nail. IT’S ALL ALIVE!!!! In this workshop, we’re going to be using readily available and recycled materials to build a small human styled puppet. And then, we’re going to bring it to life!
Join Daniel for two days of puppet fun and walk away with your very own puppet! Sessions available for Ages 6 to 9 and 10 to 12.
At GTS, our classes are taught by some of Geordie’s favorite Montreal theatre professionals because we believe that kids deserve to learn from the best! Here are some of the talented people who are teaching for GTS this year.
Puppet Workshop – Dec. 2020
Teens – Thursdays 6:00-7:30pm
Musical Theatre Workshop – Nov. 2020
On-Camera Workshop
Ages 10-12 – Saturdays 2:00-3:00pm
On-Camera Workshop
Teen Ensemble – Sundays 3:30-5:30 pm
The GTS Bursary Fund offers full and partial scholarships to benefit youth from families in lower economic backgrounds, allowing access to engage in the performing arts with passionate and caring professional educators and artists.
Since 2017, over 50 young people have benefitted from this program that encourages potential through a dynamic exploration of theatre.
Applications are accepted throughout the year with decisions being made 2 weeks prior to the start of each session.
How to Apply
The GTS Bursary is easy to apply for! Simply fill in our GTS Bursary Application Form and return to GTS Director, Jessica Abdallah.
Why Donate
Each donation to the GTS Bursary Fund helps us to continue inspiring the next generation of theatre makers. A full scholarship covers the registration fee, GTS t-shirt, and tickets to all Geordie Theatre programming.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Geordie Theatre School created GTS Online which offers a wide range of online activities and has been our way to make things just a bit easier, creative and playful for kids and their families. As we look towards our Fall 2020 session, we are working on online options for all of our classes and workshops so that, in the event we still cannot physically come together, we remain connected to our GTS family.
All Public Classes take place at the Greene Centre (1090 Greene Ave). The Greene Centre is easily accessible by public transit and is a short walking distance from both the Atwater and Lionel-Groulx metros. If coming by car there is a designated drop off zone, as well as several options for free street parking. The Greene Centre has a seating area on the main floor where you can wait while your child is in class – or you can walk up Greene to any number of nearby cafes or restaurants.
Parents/caregivers are not allowed to attend the classes as we believe in the importance of encouraging children to participate in class independently from parents/caregivers so that they can have the time and space to develop their own relationships with their peers. We believe this allows them to gain more confidence and further develop their ability to create and express amongst an ensemble.
At the time of registration, you will be asked to pay either the full amount or a $100 deposit. If you choose to pay the deposit then the balance will be due during the first week of classes. Alternative payment plans are available and can be discussed with the GTS Director, Jessica Abdallah.
Yes, GTS is proud to offer full or partial bursaries to all our classes and workshops through the GTS Bursary Fund. For more information and to apply, please visit our GTS Bursary Fund section.
Unfortunately, we do not offer trial classes as we believe it is important for our teachers to know the number of students registered prior to the start of class. However, we do have a very reasonable cancellation policy in the rare instance that a child wants to quit the session after the first class.
We understand that sometimes children change their minds and so we offer the following Cancellation Policy:
FOR GTS WORKSHOPS: Cancellation in writing at least 2 weeks prior to the workshop – Refund minus $15 processing fee.
FOR GTS WORKSHOPS: Cancellation less the 2 weeks prior to the workshop – No Refund.
GTS is not a talent agency and does not seek out auditions for our students. However, whenever we receive audition calls from members of the Montreal theatre, film or voice communities, we are more than happy to pass them on to our students.
Our teachers are all professional artists, creators and theatre innovators from the vibrant Montreal theatre scene who have a passion for teaching the next generation. They all have extensive experience teaching children and youth and, whenever possible, will be accompanied by an intern. To learn more about our individual teachers you can visit our Meet Our Teachers section.
You can support Geordie Theatre School in a number of ways.
At the moment, GTS does not offer a regular summer camp. However, we do offer a variety of Specialty Workshops throughout the summer.
Yes! At the end of our Winter Session students will have the opportunity to perform in our Final Cabaret at Moyse Hall to an audience of family, friends and community supporters. The Fall Session ends with a smaller in-class presentation.
Yes, we accept new students into each class up until the third week of each Fall and Winter Session (pending availability).
We do not allow students to register in classes outside their grade. We believe students benefit from working with their immediate peers. This enables students to connect through common concerns and issues, which is especially important in the collective creation process, whereby they collaborate on stories they will tell through theatre.
At Geordie Theatre we believe in creating an environment where everyone of diverse abilities to feel welcome and comfortable. Please learn more about Geordie Theatre’s commitment to Accessibility. Our school encourages integrated classes where kids from a variety of needs are able to engage in theatre together. If your child would benefit from a particular support in an educational setting, we encourage you to reach out to the GTS Director, Jessica Abdallah, to discuss how best we can create a happy and successful experience for them.
For more information,
contact our GTS Director
Jessica Abdallah at jessica@geordie.ca
Geordie Theatre is located on the unceded Indigenous lands of the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. Tiotià:ke (known as Montréal) has existed as a meeting place of many First Nation peoples, including but not limited to the Abenaki , Anishinaabeg (Algonquin), and the Huron-Wendat. We extend our deepest respect to the elders of these communities and to all Indigenous peoples who carry the history of this island’s land and waters – caring for it and calling it home. We are honoured and privileged to share stories on this land.
We wish to also acknowledge that we are grateful to those seeking sustainable solutions to our global climate crisis, so that we may continue to inspire and challenge our audiences near and far.
