Blackfriars Theatre Summer Intensive (BTSI)
BTSI (pronounced Bitsy) was launched in the summer of 2016. The goal of the program is to provide professional level actor training to the next generation of artists. Focused on rising juniors in high school through newly graduated seniors in college, BTSI offers continued training for students who are interested in or are currently studying to pursue a career in the field.
BTSI offers students a 6-week program culminating in a musical theatre performance. Over the course of the program, students focus on ensemble building, actor training and performance process (acting, voice and dance). The BTSI program begins at the end of May and runs through the middle of July. Auditions are open to the public and typically take place around the mid-end of May.
While this program is primarily intended for performers, there may be opportunities available for student stage managers, assistant stage managers, stage crew and assistant designers. These opportunities are unpaid and do not include housing or other forms of reimbursement. Interested acting and technical candidates should email info@blackfriars.org for more information. Rehearsals take place five times a week, during the evenings on weekdays, and also on weekends. Student artists are not paid and the final schedule is developed around the final cast.
RENT
book, music & lyrics by jonathan larson
Based on Puccini’s beloved opera La Bohème, Rent follows the ups and downs of a year in the life of a group of impoverished, artists living in Manhattan’s East Village. The group’s dreams, losses, and love stories weave through the musical’s narration to paint a stunningly raw and emotional portrait of the gritty bohemian world of New York City in the late 1980s, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. With an original Broadway production that won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama as well as the Tony Award for Best Musical, “this show restores spontaneity and depth of feeling to a discipline that sorely needs them. People who complain about the demise of the American musical have simply been looking in the wrong places.” - Ben Brantley, The New York Times
PLEASE NOTE: This add-on is not part of our regular season and is not offered with senior or group discounts. Student discounts are available by calling the Box Office.
SEASON SUBSCRIBERS should contact the box office to receive a discounted rate on tickets (585.454.1260).
TICKETS: $35 Regular | $30 Subscriber | $20 Student
BLACKFRIARS THEATRE
SUMMER INTENSIVE 2023
Music & Lyrics by John Michael Trebelek | additional songs & lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
From the musical genius behind the Broadway blockbusters Wicked and Pippin comes this exuberant take on the Gospel According to Matthew. An offbeat group of disciples helps Jesus bring his enduring parables to life through games, stories, and unforgettable songs by Grammy and Tony Award winner Stephen Schwartz. Having touched the hearts of theatregoers throughout the world, this timeless tale of friendship, loyalty and love grapples with the eternal question: How can spirituality survive in a stubbornly material world? Rejoice and prepare ye for a legendary show that “never stops bopping, bouncing, bounding” (The New York Times).
Click image for Seussical, The Musical photo gallery
BLACKFRIARS THEATRE
SUMMER INTENSIVE 2022
Music and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty
Horton the Elephant hears a noise coming from a speck of dust on a clover and commits himself to protecting it and the Whos who live on it; Jojo, a misfit Who who “doesn’t think normal thinks,” struggles to find his place in the tiny Who society; Gertrude McFuzz tries to catch the attention of her love – the kind and compassionate Horton. Through mishaps and adventures, these unique characters finally find what they seek – their places in the world.
BLACKFRIARS THEATRE
SUMMER INTENSIVE 2021
Music by Andrew Lloyd Weber | Lyrics by Tim Rice
From the creators of Evita, Phantom of the Opera and Cats, comes the story of Joseph and his brothers. Filled with great music, costumes, laughter, joy, and heart and utilizing many different styles of music from pop/rock to country to musical comedy, this sparkling show follows young Joseph as he faces adversity and triumphs through his dreams and his strong, unwavering faith.
Click image for The 25th Annual Putnam Count Spelling Bee photo gallery
BLACKFRIARS THEATRE
SUMMER INTENSIVE 2019
Conceived by Rebecca Feldman, Music & Lyrics by William Finn
Book by Rachel Sheinkin, Additional Materials by Jay Reiss
An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming "ding" of the bell.
Click image for A Chorus Line photo gallery
BLACKFRIARS THEATRE
SUMMER INTENSIVE 2018
Music by Marvin Hamlisch. Lyrics by Edward Kleban, Book by James Kirkwood Jr. & Nicholas Dante
A CHORUS LINE is a stunning concept musical capturing the spirit and tension of a Broadway chorus audition. Exploring the inner lives and poignant ambitions of professional Broadway gypsies, the show features one powerhouse number after another.
Click image for Grease photo gallery
BLACKFRIARS THEATRE
SUMMER INTENSIVE 2017
Book, Music and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey
BTSI 2017 offers up the iconic musical about the duck-tailed, hot-rodding "Burger Palace Boys" and their gum-snapping, hip-shaking "Pink Ladies!"
Click image for The Wedding Singer photo gallery
BLACKFRIARS THEATRE
SUMMER INTENSIVE 2016
Music by Matthew Sklar
Book by Chad Beguelin & Tim Herlihy
Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Based on the New Line Cinema Film written by Tim Herlihy
BTSI 2016 kicked off the inaugural summer with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore's love letter to the 1980s, The Wedding Singer.