Jeannie O’Meara knows how to put on a show.
As the young cast of Music Man Jr. goes through the paces of another practice, the longtime acting teacher seems to relish every moment.
O’Meara has been developing the skills of budding Seattle actors since 2004 when she opened the Magnolia Theatre School of Drama in the second floor of the United Church of Christ.
“I absolutely love it,” O’Meara said of the school. “The time has just flown by. It’s amazing.”
In this age of television shows such as “Glee,” it probably isn’t a surprise that students flock to O’Meara’s unorthodox school of drama from all over the area. With a penchant for musicals and a professional team that helps teach the students all aspects of theater production, O’Meara’s school attracts between 40 to 50 students for each of her three annual productions.
Each show has two productions and two casts. The first production is for younger students, grades 3 through 6. They had three performances in mid-April. The second production of older students, grades 5 through 8, is up to bat. They are preparing for three productions running from May 12th through the 14th.
The musicals are professionally designed for younger cast members, with an abbreviated story line and songbook.
O’Meara said the students in the program come from a variety of area schools, ranging from nearby public schools such as Catharine Blaine K-8 and Lawton Elementary, to private institutions such as St. Anne’s, Bush, Our Lady of Fatima School and Seattle Country Day school, to name a few.
“I like to stir it up and have kids from private, parochial and public schools,” O’Meara said of her students. “It’s great for the kids to meet students from other schools and other parts of the city.”
Students only attend the program for the two-month period when they are rehearsing for a performance and each cast meets twice a week, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. That type of flexible scheduling allows many of the students a chance to still play after school sports while also being part of the production.
There is a fee to attend the nonprofit school and it is based on the show being performed. For instance, this summer’s production of The Jungle Book costs $300 per student. But O’Meara said that she offers scholarships and she tries to never turn away a student who is interested in being part of the school.
For the tuition fee, O’Meara instructs the students on singing and acting. The students also receive instruction from professional choreographers. The sets and costumes are also professionally designed and constructed.
Magnolia has been the home for this self-described “Midwestern girl from Notre Dame” for the past 25 years. O’Meara said she spent 23 years teaching drama to students of all ages before launching her own school seven years ago.
While the troupe has performed such plays as “Charlotte’s Web” and “The Wind in the Willows,” O’Meara said the kids missed the music and so did she. So, for the time being, she plans to stay with musical productions.
However, she is looking into expanding the school’s repertoire and possibly offering an improvisation program for older students next year.
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