 ANNOUNCING auditions for the upcoming production of Hadestown: Teen Edition, presented by the Iowa Conservatory, performed at The James Theater, and directed by Kathryn Van Meter - July 10–13!
🔻🔺🔻 AUDITION INFO: If you identify as a SINGER/ACTOR: please submit a video (2 minutes or less) singing a song of your choice from contemporary musical theatre, folk, pop, or rock. At the beginning of your video, please say your name and something that brings you joy before you sing! If you identify as primarily a DANCER: no need to submit a singing audition video ahead of time, just come to the dance call and we will sing you in small groups. If you identify as primarily a MUSICIAN: we are also interested in having live musicians in the show! Send us your video submissions playing your favorite tune! We are specifically looking for skilled piano/keyboard, guitar, percussion, violin, cello, bass, trombone, and accordion players, but show us what you can do if you are interested! We’re accepting video submissions now through Thursday, June 5. To audition, 🎥 Submit your video at https://bit.ly/iconhadestown (https://forms.gle/GpRo95giSyMLbc8f8) 🔻🔺🔻 IMPORTANT DATES: Today–June 5 – Submit your audition video at the Google Form above Sunday, June 8 – Callback list and sides sent out Friday, June 13 | 6–9 PM – All-Skate Movement Call (also open to late singers) Saturday, June 14 – Callback Day Thursday, July 10-Sunday, July 13 – Performance Dates Monday, June 16-Wednesday, July 9 - 4 week rehearsal schedule *musicians meet separately for the first two weeks and are not called every day 🔻🔺🔻 REHEARSALS: Mondays–Fridays, 6:30–10 PM Saturdays, 9 AM–4 PM Locations: Iowa Conservatory & The James Theater 🔻🔺🔻 ABOUT THE DIRECTOR: Kathryn Van Meter is thrilled to direct Hadestown: Teen Edition, bringing her passion for bold storytelling and youth empowerment to this reimagined mythic journey. An award winning director, choreographer, actor and educator, Kathryn has worked across theatre, film, and television, guiding young artists to find their voices through transformative performance. She is elated to return to Iowa after directing productions of Next to Normal for City Circle Acting Company and A Chorus Line for Cornell College. Her work has taken her from the Pacific Northwest to New Hampshire, from South Africa to Siberia. As an artist/activist with ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty), she created One World Through Theatre, a cross-continental student exchange exploring storytelling, identity, and connection. From March to June 2020, Kathryn served as Interim Artistic Director of Seattle Children’s Theatre, where she created Ghost Light Stories, a web series helping young audiences process fear and anxiety during COVID-19, and produced So Many Heroes, a National Song of Thanks featuring 75 youth from 16 cities. A passionate advocate for large-scale community theatrical adventures, she choreographed As You Like It for Seattle Repertory Theatre’s Public Works Program (multi-generational cast of 85!) and directed Matilda at Village Theatre, where she launched The Matilda Movement, honoring youth changemakers in the local community. On screen, Kathryn was the series choreographer for 13 Reasons Why (Netflix) and served as Intimacy Coordinator for Season 4 of Outer Banks (Netflix). She recently fulfilled a career dream performing The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, earning an Elliot Norton nomination for Best Solo Performance. Kathryn brings a lifelong belief in the power of story and a deep love of working with young artists to every room she enters. Her work is rooted in community, collaboration, and the belief that art can change the world. 🔻🔺🔻 Please note: We can only accept auditions from performers between the ages of 13 and 19. Musicians meet separately for the first two weeks and are not called every day.
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 This year marks the 25th anniversary of Nolte Academy. We’ve been celebrating all year long, and will cap off the festivities during our annual recital weekend.
All alumni students, faculty, staff, and families are invited to take part in the first-ever official Nolte Academy Alumni Reunion. Over the course of the weekend (May 23-26), we will welcome you back to reminisce, celebrate, and make new memories. Below is information about the various ways you can engage over the course of the weekend: • Take a bow All alumni are invited to join the company on stage for bows one more time. Simply let us know what show(s) you will be attending, and you’ll receive instructions on when and where to line up. Showtimes are: Friday, May 23, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 24, 1 p.m. Saturday, May 24, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 25, 1 p.m. • Raise a glass Following our Friday evening recital, join current students and families in Hancher’s Stanley Cafe for a reception and celebratory toast. Friday, May 23, approximately 9 p.m. • Dance it out On Saturday, May 24, you’ve got a chance to get back to class. Join us for an all-levels dance class from 10-11 a.m. in the Nolte Academy studios. Saturday, May 24, 10-11 a.m. • Check out what’s new Did you know that we recently launched the first performing and visual arts high school in Iowa? Take a tour of the Iowa Conservatory at 123 N. Linn St., Iowa City and chat with Leslie and other school leaders about how we are advancing arts education in the state. Sunday, May 25, 10-11 a.m. • Let’s party! We’ll close out the weekend with a casual party for all alumni students, faculty, staff, and families (including the class of 2025!) at 30-Hop. Food, drinks, dancing, and fun! Sunday, May 25, 5-9 p.m. Email [email protected] with your RSVP for any of the above events, or simply send us a message on Facebook or Instagram.  Nolte Academy Named Outstanding School at Youth America Grand Prix in Kansas City and Outstanding Studio at the Universal Ballet Competition in Iowa City
Leslie Nolte Honored as YAGP Outstanding Choreographer in Chicago CORALVILLE, IA – Nolte Academy, a premier performing arts school based in Coralville, Iowa, has been recognized with the prestigious Outstanding School Award at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) regional competition in Kansas City. This honor distinguishes Nolte Academy as a leader in dance education and performance excellence, affirming its commitment to developing the next generation of elite dancers. YAGP director Larissa Saveliev stated, “The Jury was very impressed with the overall level, quality, and versatility of the dancers from Nolte Academy. In addition to this remarkable achievement, Nolte Academy’s founder and artistic director, Leslie Nolte, was named one of only two Outstanding Choreographers at the YAGP regional competition in Chicago this past January. This accolade highlights her exceptional talent in crafting compelling and innovative choreography that resonates with audiences and judges alike. She has previously received this recognition in 2021 and 2023. The Youth America Grand Prix is the world’s largest and most prestigious ballet scholarship competition, providing students with unparalleled opportunities to advance their training and careers. Nolte Academy’s continued success at YAGP reinforces its standing as a premier institution for aspiring dancers. On March 23, Nolte Academy also received the Outstanding Studio Award from the Universal Ballet Competition hosted at Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City. Amongst some of the top studios in the midwest Nolte Academy consistently placed in the top scores across all age groups. UBC is a premiere competition founded by directors from the Joffrey Ballet and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. “We are incredibly proud of our dancers for this hard earned recognition,” said Leslie Nolte. “The Outstanding School and Studio Awards at these prestigious competitions reflects the dedication and artistry of our entire faculty and shows the kind of talent that our community produces.”   How can it possibly be our 20th year? In 2004, Mark and I were just getting Nolte Academy onto its feet as a dance studio and still struggling to make it, but we knew that our community deserved a Nutcracker. The Englert had just reopened as a performing arts venue, and with their leadership, we had a vision for the magic we could create. Our first stage effort was danced to canned music with narration. It wasn’t a bad start, but we knew it could be more.
That’s when we met the incomparable Carey Bostian, who believed in this shared dream. In 2007, our Nutcracker became the first production in Iowa with a live orchestra, and it held that unparalleled accolade for many years. The addition of the Sinfonia Nolte has truly made this production magical; we simply can’t thank Carey enough for his creative vision. He and his immensely talented musicians have brought the dancers and stage to life for each performance. In those first years, Nolte Academy didn’t have quite enough homegrown talent to handle the lead roles. We brought in guest artists, and sometimes even Nolte Academy faculty would don their tights and dance with our students! These days, we have multiple casts and understudies to accommodate the incredible talent and growth of our dedicated dancers. We give thanks to the generous support of our inaugural donors, Herb and Janice Wilson, and to Hills Bank for sponsoring this production for the past many years. Our mission from year one was to make The Nutcracker a little better every year. From rented backdrops and a very feeble tree made from outdoor turf from Menards to a professionally produced set that takes an army of stage crew volunteers to move along with a beautifully magical growing tree, we keep working to improve the production each season. Our current ballet has evolved to include a party scene featuring Nolte parents partaking in the festivities, the Snowflake Chorus — a group of singers from the Iowa City Youth Choir, under the direction of Beth Brown — bringing their voices to the hauntingly beautiful Snow scene and nearly 150 talented dancers under the direction of Loren Williams and Jere Hunt, who sacrifice their weekends for hours of rehearsals starting in August. From my vantage point, I see the faces of those who have progressed from a young dancer and baby mouse to a mature dancer pirouetting in their platter tutu, and I remember the faces of all the dancers who have come before. To witness this cycle each year is the true beauty of a tradition. It truly takes a village of people behind the scenes to pull this off each year: Parents who drive, feed, encourage, console and support their performers. Set builders, costume fitters, truck loaders and unloaders who have worked in wind, rain and snow in the middle of the night. The incredible Englert team that has been our partner since day one and makes the magic come together. For so many years, this was our week with The Englert’s house manager then operations director, Sarah Shonrock, and we miss her presence dearly. We have worked hard to bring the Iowa City community a professional tier production of this timeless holiday story for two decades, and with that effort has come the opportunity for our performers to experience performing with a professional stage crew … to a full house, show after show. For a handful of our students, this will be just the first of many such experiences. For others, this Nolte Academy production might be the experience of a lifetime. Regardless, the opportunity to be in a show like this is remarkable for all involved. I am humbled by the efforts of the dancers, directors, musicians, singers, actors, Englert team, volunteers and parents for making this all possible. My sincere appreciation also goes out to our audience, as you have rewarded this effort with your patronage and applause. We are fortunate to live in a wonderful and supportive community that understands the power of the arts to enrich our lives. Thank you for being with us this holiday season. My hope for you is to get lost in the story, the movement, the music and the moment. Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season, and we hope to see you again as we build on this tradition for years to come. With immeasurable appreciation, Leslie Nolte  bookmark our recital info folder:Our 2024 Hancher recital show assignments document is finalized! Tickets to The Great Escape! An All-Star Toy Box Adventure go on sale on Tuesday, April 23 at 10:00 am through Hancher. You can order tickets from their website or from their box office, either in-person or by telephone. The box office address is below. Tickets to Pure Imagination, our vocal and acting showcases, also go on sale on Tuesday, April 23 at 10:00 am through The James Theater's website.
Costume Flipbook: Peruse through our Costume Flipbook to see costumes for each class along with shoe/tights/makeup/hair requirements. Costume Care Tips: To ensure that costumes remain in pristine condition for the big day, we kindly ask that dancers refrain from eating or drinking while wearing them prior to the recital. When taking your costume home, please remember to hang it on a hanger immediately, preferably upside down by the crotch area, if applicable. Keeping all accessories (hairpieces, tap bows, gloves, etc.) with the costume ensures they'll be ready for those picture-perfect moments during recital! **Please write your student's name or initials on the tag of their costume**  We are finalizing our summer schedule, and plan to have registration open on Monday, February 12. In the meantime, please note some summer highlights for you to “save the dates” as you make your summer plans… Summer at Nolte offers something for EVERYone! More camps and classes are being added!
 We are excited for our performances that will take place at Hancher, The James Theater, and Nolte Academy. Additionally, we will be showcasing the work of our visual artists in the Hancher lobby this May. As we finalize show assignments, please refer to the important dates provided below and feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Students enrolled by Saturday, February 10th may participate in our year-end recital.
Also coming soon is our ‘Recital 101’ handbook for all things you need to know! Production Dates Sunday, May 19 - Thursday, May 23
Costume Fees: Creative Movement: $55 Children's Dance: $55 Kinder Combo: $60 1st Grade Combo (1st costume, tap: 2nd costume, jazz/ballet): $120 Levels 1-2 Tap/Jazz/Contemporary/HipHop: $65 Levels 3-4 Tap/Jazz/Contemporary/HipHop: $70 Levels 5+ Tap/Jazz/Contemporary/HipHop: $70 Acro (all levels): $50 Musical Theater: $60 Acting: No fee, found clothing at home/in our costume shop Voice: No fee, dress blacks or found clothing at home/in our costume shop Ballet/Modern 1-2: $55 Ballet/Modern 3-4: $60 Ballet/Modern 5+: Rental Fee of $35 Classical at Nolte - PrePro 1 Ballet and Modern (2 dances): Rental Fee of $70 Classical at Nolte - PrePro 2 Modern (1 dance): Rental Fee of $35 Classical at Nolte - PrePro 3 Modern (1 dance): Rental Fee of $35 *Select Classical at Nolte ensemble pieces will be included in the Hancher Recitals  After a five year hiatus, Nolte Productions Youth Theatre is making a BIG comeback in a BIG way! We are thrilled to announce our 2023-2024 season, which comprises three award-winning junior musicals directed by Devon Stone, touring Broadway actor. Devon is joined by our amazing musical team of Erin Taylor and Kristen DeGrazia. Auditions slots for our first production, Anastasia, are open now!  Fall Musical: Anastasia: The Musical (Youth Edition) for Grades 5-8 Performance dates: November 17-19, 2023 Performance location: ICON's Workshop Theatre
Stay tuned for additional details for our next two productions! *** Winter Musical: Matilda Jr. for Grades 4-10 Performance dates: February 2-4, 2024 Performance location: The James Theater Audition Dates: December 5-6, with callbacks as needed December 7 Sign up link + audition requirements soon *** Spring Musical: Shrek Jr. for Grades 4-10 Performance dates: May 3-5, 2024 Performance location: The James Theater
We have many wonderful items we are offering "for sale" as we transition out of our formal preschool program. Instead of pricing items, we ask that those who are interested in shopping our liquidation make a donation to our Nolte "New Artist Initiative" scholarship fund. In its second year, cholarships are made possible by monthly donations from families like you, and matched by Nolte Academy. The fund enables community members with limited resources to enroll in arts classes with us. If you would like to enroll our monthly New Artist Initiative program, please select an option through your JackRabbit account. To view a short video of the items for sale, please visit our website, and come shop Tuesday-Friday 9:00 am-4:00 pm THIS WEEK, or by appointment. There are no holds on items. There are a few photos attached to this email, too. We have many books, children's tables and chairs, cubbies, storage items, puppets, units, and more! Email us if you have questions or want to schedule a time to shop. And, please be as generous as you can! Our scholarship recipients are grateful!  |
