TEEN ACTING CLASSES.

Find Your Creative Community.

Brisbane's junior teen acting ensemble for Years 7 to 9.

Whether you’ve been on stage for years or you’re looking for a place where creativity is celebrated, The Next Act brings together Brisbane students in Grades 7 to 9 who love theatre, storytelling and performance. Throughout the year, you’ll develop your acting skills, perform in original productions and help bring brand new Australian plays to life alongside like minded young people.

A Place Where Creative Teenagers Belong

For many teenagers, finding people who share their interests can make all the difference.

Play on Stage’s Junior Teen Acting Ensemble for students in Grades 7 to 9, brings together young people from across Brisbane who enjoy acting, musical theatre, storytelling and creating original work in a welcoming and supportive environment.

Across the year, students build their performance skills through weekly workshops while working towards two productions and one creative development reading. Along the way they gain confidence, develop lasting friendships and become part of a creative community that encourages curiosity, collaboration and self-expression.

Whether you're hoping to perform more often, challenge yourself creatively or simply find a place where you feel at home, our Teen Acting Program is designed to help you take that next step.

REGISTER TODAY!

CLASS TIMETABLE IN PADDINGTON, BRISBANE

TERM DATES 2026

Term One: Week of Monday the 26th of January - Week of Monday the 23rd of March.
Term Two: Week of Monday the 20th of April - Week of Monday the 15th of June
Term Three: Week of Monday the 13th of July - Week of Monday the 7th of September
Term Four: Week of Monday the 5h of October - Week of Monday the 30th of November

If your young person’s class has a public holiday throughout the term, then we make up those lessons in week ten.

Our teen acting ensemble runs on Tuesday evenings from 5:30pm to 7pm. Doors open at 5pm.

WHERE: Our Paddington Studio. Rosalie Church Hall. Corner of Ellena St and Fernberg Rd, Paddington.

AGES: Grade 7 to 9

COST: $330 for the nine-week term.

Register now!
Six young Brisbane drama students on a stage, acting in a play, in front of a dark background. One in black with a pink mask, others in casual, colourful clothing.
Three Brisbane children actors sitting on the floor in a performance, with a girl standing in the background.
Two Brisbane actors seated across from each other at a small round table in an auditorium, facing each other and smiling, with a yellow curtain and wooden stage behind them.
Children performing in a play, dressed as characters from a fairy tale, with one girl holding a wand and wearing a tiara, a boy sitting on a chair, and a girl dressed as a witch with a pointed hat, on stage with dark background and stage lighting.
Two Brisbane teen actors sitting on a yellow sofa on a stage, with two small tables holding flower arrangements on either side, against a black background.
Three Brisbane actors sitting on stage with a small table and chairs, one wearing a safari hat and holding a phone, another with a red cape, and the third in a school uniform. A girl with curly blonde hair is on the floor, off to the side.

WHY TEENAGERS LOVE THEATRE

A young girl with long brown hair sitting on a chair, talking to a woman with short curly hair on a stage. The girl is wearing a light jacket, colorful skirt, and sneakers, with a sign hanging from her waist. The woman is wearing a black sleeveless top and black pants. The stage has a table with pillows and chairs, and a backdrop with dark curtains.

At the moment, our teen acting ensemble is designed for students in Grades 7 to 9, and we do not currently run a dedicated drama class for students in Grades 10 to 12. However, we would still love to hear from you!

Play on Stage is hoping to expand our teen acting opportunities in 2027 and beyond, with the goal of creating more pathways for older teenagers who want to continue developing their performance skills and be part of our creative community.

If you are in Grade 10 to 12 and interested in joining a future Play on Stage program, please send through an expression of interest. Hearing from families helps us understand where demand exists and plan future classes accordingly.

Our Brisbane Junior Teen Acting Ensemble offers much more than a weekly acting class.

It’s an opportunity to become part of an ensemble where every student’s ideas, creativity and individuality are valued.

Students have the opportunity to:

  • perform in two original productions each year

  • help develop brand-new Australian plays through creative development readings

  • build confidence in a supportive environment

  • explore improvisation, character work and script analysis

  • meet like minded teenagers from across Brisbane

  • develop communication and teamwork skills that extend well beyond the stage

WHAT IF YOU’RE IN GRADE 10-12?

Register now!

What Happens During Our Junior Teen Acting Class

Three women are kneeling on the floor in front of a stage, holding yellow flowers, with their heads bowed, during a ceremony or event.

Each Tuesday begins with time to catch up, reconnect with friends and settle into the evening before diving into energetic warm-up games that prepare students for rehearsal.

From there, every class is different.

Some weeks students are improvising scenes, exploring new characters or experimenting with movement and voice. Other weeks they're rehearsing scripts, developing original work or collaborating with their ensemble as performances draw closer.

Across the year, participants work towards two productions and one creative development reading, giving them the opportunity to perform for audiences while also helping shape new Australian theatre.

Every class is designed to challenge students creatively while ensuring they feel supported, included and encouraged to contribute their own ideas.

You’ll work with professional playwrights, actors, directors, musical theatre performers, and theatre educators who write original productions, publish plays for schools across Australia and create opportunities for young performers to help develop brand new Australian theatre.

The aim was to distinguish Play on Stage from other drama schools that mostly stage familiar licensed productions.

Create Original Theatre

One of the things that makes The Next Act different is our commitment to creating new Australian theatre.

Each year, students take part in a creative development reading, working with a brand new script before it reaches publication or production. Guided by professional playwrights, they explore characters, experiment with dialogue and provide valuable creative insight during the development process.

It’s a unique opportunity to experience how original theatre is created while contributing to the future of Australian storytelling.

Guided by Professional Theatre Makers

Register now!

Ready to Take the Next Act?

Whether yourjunior teenager dreams of performing professionally or simply wants a place to be creative, make friends and grow in confidence, we’d love to welcome them to Play on Stage’s Teen Acting Ensemble.

Registrations for our next term are now open.

Register now!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Not at all. The Next Act welcomes teenagers of all experience levels. Whether you're stepping onto the stage for the first time or have performed before, our facilitators tailor activities to suit each participant. The focus is on building confidence, developing performance skills and encouraging creativity in a supportive environment.

  • The Next Act is designed specifically for students in Grades 7 to 9. The program gives junior teens a space to explore acting, storytelling and performance with others at a similar stage of their creative development. Activities and productions are shaped around this age group while still giving every participant room to develop at their own pace.

  • Students build a broad range of acting and performance skills, including character development, improvisation, script work, voice, movement and stagecraft. They also strengthen communication, confidence, teamwork and creative problem solving, with opportunities to perform in productions and creative development readings throughout the year.

  • Yes. Participants work towards two fully realised productions each year, giving them the opportunity to rehearse, perform and experience the excitement of live theatre. Students also take part in one creative development reading, where they help bring new Australian plays to life as part of Play on Stage's commitment to original theatre.

  • Absolutely. While acting is the primary focus, many students also have a passion for singing and musical theatre. The program provides opportunities to develop performance skills that translate across stage acting, musical productions and other live performance experiences.

  • Yes. We understand that starting something new can feel like a big step. Trial classes may be available depending on vacancies, giving students the chance to experience The Next Act before committing to the term. Please contact our team to discuss availability.