Summer Musical Theater Intensive
The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that launched the Golden Age of Broadway comes to Northern Stage! Set in the Oklahoma Territory in 1906, Oklahoma! explores the conflict and opportunity that arose as the country expanded west. A revolution for the artform, the show reflected political and social changes in a way no other musical had dared to before . Laurey’s journey of independence and agency immortalized by the iconic “Dream Ballet,” solidifies the show as a beacon of change, not only for musical theater, but for the country as a whole.
2026 SMTI Details
PROGRAM DETAILS
Age:12-18, cap of 30 students. (This rigorous training program is designed for high school students, but actors 12 and up are welcome to audition.)
Program Dates: June 29 – August 9, 2026; Calendar HERE
Program Cost: $2,500
Non-refundable Deposit of 25% of tuition due after acceptance into the program (April 2026)
Financial Assistance: Tuition Assistance & Scholarships are available, please read more HERE.
For more information, please contact Co-Director of Education, Sam Empey at sempey@northernstage.org.
Creative Team:
Directed by Kevin David Thomas
Choreography by Kyle Brand
Stage Management by TBD
AUDITION DETAILS
Please read the following information carefully for the audition process for the 2026 Summer Musical Theater Intensive.
Date: Sunday, March 15th, 10am – 5pm
Location: R2 in the Northern Stage Admin Building (76 Gates St, White River Junction)
Please prepare the following:
- 1 uptempo song from golden age musical theater (Before 1970)
- 1 ballad any style/time period
*No song should be longer than 2 minutes.
Actors will be singing with a live accompanist. Please bring your sheet music with your cut clearly marked in a three ring binder with easy to turn pages.
To select an audition time, please email Lily Easter at leaster@northernstage.org with your top 3 times that say “Available” in the document HERE. Once your time has been confirmed, you will receive an audition form to complete your audition registration.
NEXT STEPS AFTER AUDITIONS
By Wednesday, March 18th, you will hear from Northern Stage with one of two results: WAITLIST or YES.
- WAITLIST: You have not been accepted into the program at this time. You will be added to the waitlist and contacted if space becomes available.
- YES: You have been accepted into the program.
If you are accepted into the program from the initial audition, you have until Wednesday April 15th to register and reserve your spot with a non-refundable 25% deposit. After April 15th, that spot will be offered to the next student in line on the waitlist.
Full tuition must be paid by June 1. Please make sure you are committed to the program, regardless of role, before paying tuition, as Northern Stage does not offer refunds. To register, call the Northern Stage Box Office at (802) 296-7000.
CHARACTER CALLBACKS
Date: Sunday, May 24th, 10 am – 4 pm
Location: TBD
This callback audition will determine which parts will be assigned to the actors who have been accepted into the Summer Musical Theater Intensive. Please note that this is a different process from previous years.
The creative team will inform actors which role(s) they are called back for via a list that will be emailed by April 15th. The callback list will indicate which role(s) actors are being considered for. There will be additional materials associated with each role that will need to be prepared in advance.
Callback materials will be ready by April 15th to allow plenty of time to prepare. Piano tracks will also be available to assist with learning song cuts. Character callbacks will be held in the morning and a group dance call will be held in the afternoon. Everyone accepted into the program will get a callback. Please plan to be available for the entire day.
The final cast list will be posted on or before May 26th.
VIDEO AUDITIONS
If you need to know your summer plans before the auditions in March or are unable to attend in person, you are welcome to submit a video audition via a private YouTube link or on Google Drive with the required material to kthomas@northernstage.org and sempey@northernstage.org before March 14, 2026, and we will give you an answer shortly after receiving it. This video audition will determine whether or not you have been accepted into the program. Your video audition will be given equal weight to those auditioning in person. You will still need to attend Character Casting Auditions in May.
HEADSHOT & RESUME
Headshot requirements (click HERE for an Example Headshot):
- No sunglasses or hats may be worn
- Should include face and torso
- Photo should be vertical, not horizontal
- Must be high resolution – any camera or smartphone will take a quality photo, please send us the original photo as copying from social media will be a lower resolution.
- We highly encourage sending a recent photo
Past SMTI Productions
Check out what our students have done in the past!
2025
Amélie
2024
Cabaret
2023
Twelfth Night
2022
Urinetown
2021
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
2019
Legally Blonde
2018
James and the Giant Peach
2017
The Drowsy Chaperone
2016
School of Rock
2015
13: The Musical
2025 SMTI: Amélie Highlight Reel
SMTI FAQ
Click on the questions to learn more
We welcome students of all experience levels.
SMTI is an intensive and immersive theater program, students can expect to be at the theater six days a week for rehearsal. We do not recommend signing up for the SMTI if you have significant additional commitments during the span of the program.
A 25% deposit is required to reserve a space in all Northern Stage programs. Payments must be made in full by the program start date. In an effort to ensure theater education is accessible to all, Northern Stage offers sliding scale tuition, need-based scholarships, and payment plans for our education programs. Please click HERE to learn more.
Northern Stage’s refund policies for Education programs:
– Cancellations 60+ days before the classes begin: 75% refund
– Cancellations 30-59 days before the classes begin: 50% refund
– Cancellations within 30 days: No refund
For additional information contact Director of Education Robert David Grant at rgrant@northernstage.org or the Box Office at boxoffice@northernstage.org.
SMTI is a rigorous program designed for high school students, including graduating seniors. Ages 12 and up are welcome to audition, but acceptance is not guaranteed.
We no longer require Covid testing to participate in Northern Stage programs. Students experiencing coughing, sore throat, fever or gastrointestinal distress must contact program administrators to determine whether they can come to rehearsal/performance days.
If your child has a fever of 100 degrees or greater or if they have vomited two or more times in the past 24 hours, they may not return to Northern Stage. They are welcome back once they have been fever free for 24 hours without the aid of fever reducing medication. For further questions you can contact Sam Empey at sempey@northernstage.org.
The Northern Stage Education department will typically cancel rehearsals and classes when a majority of surrounding school districts cancel school or have an early release due to inclement weather. We will reach out through email and/or phone to alert families to any cancellations. A make-up rehearsal or class will typically be scheduled to make up for any lost time, schedule permitting.
Weather-related performance cancellations are very unusual but do sometimes occur. If we are experiencing inclement weather on the day of a student performance, Northern Stage will determine if a cancellation is necessary and alert students’ families to the situation as quickly as possible.
For further questions you can contact Sam Empey at sempey@northernstage.org.
You will receive confirmation from the Northern Stage Box Office, and will be contacted by the Education department closer to the start of the program with a detailed schedule and an Online Student Intake Form. This form must be completed before the start of the program or the student will be unable to participate.
SMTI is an audition only program. Initial auditions determine acceptance into the program, followed by a second round of auditions for roles in the show.