I would pick the school that is the best fit for your kid and then sign up for something like https://www.youngartistsamerica.org/

How is the musical theatre/drama at Potomac?

I would not recommend St. Johns College High School for theater. The school is more focused on athletics than the performing arts. Otherwise it is a great school.

Girl or boy? I was just at Norwood’s BTSN last night and the drama teacher was making the point that there are usually about 10 or more girls for every boy who keen to do theatre. I imagine that is magnified at public high school just by sheer numbers?

I second and third the ones who suggest Bullis. We love their theater and music program - it’s excellent!

Consider programs in DC that support teen theatre on a pre-professional level like The Theatre Lab.

Bullis has a very strong middle and high school musical theater program.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree public schools are best bet.

GDS for private.

I disagree that public is a better as a general rule. Ours does 1-2 shows a year, and while the quality is awesome, that's a handful of good roles a year for a school with 1000+ kids – and no guarantee that you get any role at all, especially if you're not a singer. GDS may do twice as many shows for a school that's half the size. (Don't have a kid there, so rough guess based on the website) Point being, if you love theater, you want to actually be able to do it. I wouldn't make a judgement call on which school has the absolute best musical.

Most kids are not into theater. Even in our large HS, they don't have that many kids trying out for parts. However, there are several people in ensemble roles.

If you have a tiny cast, that will limit what type of show you can put on. Our large public put on a show that had a good size ensemble cast and the dance numbers were fantastic. Having only 10 kids in a dance ensemble is not visually as entertaining as having 20 kids on the stage. It also makes it more fun to have a large ensemble cast for the kids. There is also a less likely chance of having really great performers in a smaller school. If you don't care about the quality of the production, then I guess the quality of the performers doesn't really matter.

My kid loves the theater and does both school and outside of school theater.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree public schools are best bet.

GDS for private.

I disagree that public is a better as a general rule. Ours does 1-2 shows a year, and while the quality is awesome, that's a handful of good roles a year for a school with 1000+ kids – and no guarantee that you get any role at all, especially if you're not a singer. GDS may do twice as many shows for a school that's half the size. (Don't have a kid there, so rough guess based on the website) Point being, if you love theater, you want to actually be able to do it. I wouldn't make a judgement call on which school has the absolute best musical.

Agreed. I know OP asked about MS and HS, but I know that at Norwood at least, every grade does a play. The opportunities are just much more extensive and, with smaller grades than at public school, pretty much every kid who wants to have a role will get one.

Anonymous wrote:Agree public schools are best bet.

GDS for private.

I disagree that public is a better as a general rule. Ours does 1-2 shows a year, and while the quality is awesome, that's a handful of good roles a year for a school with 1000+ kids – and no guarantee that you get any role at all, especially if you're not a singer. GDS may do twice as many shows for a school that's half the size. (Don't have a kid there, so rough guess based on the website) Point being, if you love theater, you want to actually be able to do it. I wouldn't make a judgement call on which school has the absolute best musical.

We were really impressed with Bullis’s drama program when we looked at schools.

Duke Ellington

Agree public schools are best bet.

GDS for private.

I have a musical theatre kid. Honestly, public schools are usually your best option. That said, GDS would be my pick for the private schools. In Virginia, Bishop Ireton has a great program.

Looking for strong musical theater or drama in MS and HS. Prefer coed in the DC or Bethesda area and not too religious but trying to keep open mind