Special Actors – Musical Theater classes for special needs.
Come to The Center and be yourself!
For over 44 years, the Center has offered performing arts classes for students with special needs of all kinds, ages 7 – adult. These classes are offered on Friday evenings throughout the school year and are intended to spark creativity, self-confidence, social interaction, and positive self-esteem through singing, acting and dancing.
Reach high. Never stop.
Join our warm, inclusive group of actors, singers, and dancers with special needs. You’ll be surrounded by friends, family, and caring, professional teachers and student aides who will help focus on your abilities and help them grow. Each ensemble will perform at our year-end performance – a joyful night of fun and entertainment for the community that showcases all you’ve accomplished!
MUSICAL THEATER: Ages 7 – ADULT
Working in age-appropriate groups, you will work with a team of teachers and student aides, following a musical theater format. You will learn through vocal warm-ups, songs, dance, interpretive movements, and theatrical games. And then you’ll bring it all together at a year-end performance that’s open to family, friends and the community.
Accolades for Our Special Actors Program
GLOW What a Night!
Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us for our annual Friday Night “Fun”Raiser – Here We GLOW Again – and to all who helped to make the night a success! We were thrilled to welcome close to 300 guests for a night of delicious food, dancing, raffles, live auction and MORE – all in support and celebration of our Special Actors’ Program!
Thank you to our 2024 Friday Night “Fun”Raiser Event Sponsors:
Marci & Dave Heckler
Fort Pitt Capital
The Stang Family
Special Thanks to Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church, Committee Co-Chairs Christine Schipani and Sadie Stang, Lyla Bartman, Amy & Matt Bartman.
KDKA Kidsburgh Highlights Special Actors Program
The Special Actors Program at CTA received a visit from the local CBS affiliate, KDKA, who interviewed the dedicated parents and their children. The weekly segment, Kidsburgh, highlighted the significance of this important curriculum to our students and their families. Check out the full story for more details.
Class Notes
- Tuition for school-year classes is per semester.
- Classes run for 2 semesters over the school year.
- We recommend enrolling in both semesters. This will allow them to participate in the end-of-year showcase and ensure that they have a spot in Semester 2. Payment plans are available.
2026-2027 Important Dates
- Semester 1: Tuesday, September 8th – Saturday, December 19, 2026
- FALL BREAK Tuesday, November 24 – Saturday, November 28, 2026
- Monday classes will meet Monday, November 23, 2026 (to make up for Monday, September 7)
- Visitors Week – December 7-19, 2026
- FALL BREAK Tuesday, November 24 – Saturday, November 28, 2026
SEMESTER BREAK: CTA CLOSED DECEMBER 20, 2026 – JANUARY 10, 2027
- Semester 2: Monday, January 11 – Saturday, May 1, 2027
- WINTER BREAK – Monday, February 8 – Saturday, February 13, 2027 (for our High School Musical production week; All CTA students are given a FREE ticket to attend the show!)
- High School Musical Performances – Thursday, February 11 – Saturday, February 13, 2027
- SPRING BREAK Monday, March 22 – Saturday, March 27, 2027
- Showcase Week at Mellon Middle School for select classes – Tuesday, April 27 – Saturday, May 1, 2027
- All School Musical Performance Day – Saturday, June 5, 2027
CULMINATING EXPERIENCES
- Semester 1 culminates with Visitors’ Week – a chance for family and friends to attend class and gain insight into the process and see a small in-class performance.
- Semester 2 culminates with Showcase Weeks. Each class will have a performance for family and friends. Voice, Performance Workshop, Special Actors’ programs, all Junior Division classes, and all dance classes will perform their showcases at Mellon Middle School during our final week of class. Acting and Musical Theater classes will have their performances at the CTA during the second to last week of class.
- Performance Workshop Semester 1 students are guaranteed a spot in Semester 2, unless they notify us. Students wishing to only enroll in Semester 2 for Performance Workshop are subject to availability and may be joining a class where rehearsal for the final performance has already begun.
Available Special Actors Classes
Be sure to register for Semester 1 & 2 under sessions to ensure your child can participate for the full school year.
Grants that fund our Special Actors programs:
- Earl Knudsen Charitable Foundation
- The Edith Trees Foundation
- The McSwigan Family Foundation
- The Dollar Bank Foundation
- The FISA Foundation
- The United Way contributions
- Broadway Cares-Quality of Life Grant