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Humboldt Light Opera Company's children program to offer small, in-person classes starting Monday
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For the first time in many months, Humboldt Light Opera Company’s KidCo program will be offering inperson classes where children can learn about the wonderful world of musical theater.
During much of the pandemic, KidCo has been bringing online sessions to local youth, with small, inperson courses taking place last fall before the county plunged into the most restrictive purple tier.
“We had put all of our safety protocols in place for the session, including an online video of our procedures for classes,” said Carol Ryder, HLOC artistic producing director. “We built in time to clean thoroughly before, between and after classes. We feel good about the safety procedures we have in place to protect both the students and teachers.”
In November 2020, classes shifted back fully to an online format via Zoom.
“It’s been a waiting game for KidCo,” Ryder said. “We did not want to open up to really small classes in red (tier), so we did a small series of online classes and kept extending the length of classes. Thanks to an amazing staff of teachers, we had everything in place so we could open as quickly as possible. There is nothing as satisfying as watching young people gather together to learn about theater and working as a team. We are so happy to get back to in-person classes on April 19.”
Classes — each with a limit of eight students — begin this Monday and run through June 10. The spring schedule includes:
• Broadway Brilliance (ages 8 to 11), seven-week session taking place Mondays from 4 to 5 p.m. The cost is $70.
• Musical Theater Workshop (11 and older), sevenweek session Mondays from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. $70.
• Tiny Twinklers (ages 3 to 5), eight-week session Tuesdays from 2:45 to 3:15 p.m. This class is offered either in person or via Zoom. $45.
• Shining Stars (ages 5 to 7), eight-week session Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. $80.
• Broadway Bound (ages 8 to 11), eight-week session Wednesdays from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. $115. This class is available in person or via Zoom and is an auditiononly class. To get more information, email info@hloc. org.
• Production Workshop (11 and older), eight-week session from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays. This class — which costs $142 — is available in person or via Zoom and is an audition-only class. For more information, email info@hloc.org.
• Shining Stars (ages 5 to 7), eight-week session Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. $80.
• Production Workshop (11 and older), eight-week session from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursdays. This class is available in person or via Zoom and is an auditiononly class. $142. To get more information, email info@ hloc.org.
All in-person classes will be held at The SPACE, 92 Sunny Brae Center, Arcata. Required COVID-19 protocols are in place for the safety of students and teachers.
“Our classes are much smaller … than usual and all in the larger studio,” Ryder said. “We also have lobby volunteers to watch over the door and to help the instructors if a student needs to take a personal break.”
Humboldt Light Opera Company’s KidCo was established in 1998 as a way to further fulfill the company’s mission to educate both adults and children.
“KidCo started 22 years ago to teach young people skills in musical theater,” Ryder said. “It was started by Valerie Bourne, Tracey Barnes Priestley and myself, because we saw that our young children were thirsty for a combination of music, theater and dance instruction. Of course, the added benefit of musical theater classes is the confidence the kids build and the ability to be in front of an audience. In the 22 years, we have seen hundreds of youngsters mature into amazing adults, many of who teach themselves.”
Humboldt Light Opera Company as a whole has been around since 1973 and has presented myriad major productions over the years, from “Guys and Dolls” and “Fiddler on the Roof” to “The Pirates of Penzance” and “Peter Pan.”
Like many, Humboldt Light Opera Company has faced major challenges during the COVID-19 health crisis, including canceled shows and modified programs.
“The pandemic has been a roller coaster. That it would have lasted this long was inconceivable last year at this time,” Ryder said. “I think that as a company, once we accepted that we had to be patient it was easier to think of the future without panicking. With the help of our community fundraising in late 2020, we were able to relax about rent on The SPACE for a while and know that we wouldn’t have to leave our beautiful facility. It was a huge weight lifted off our shoulders.
“We have continued to learn more about online and in-person teaching, new producing information and keeping our company moving forward in a new ‘normal,’” she said. “Our biggest company hurdle will be the challenge of an enormous loss of valued producing team members and finding new artists to fill their shoes.
“On a broader perspective,” Ryder said, “I think the challenge that faces all of our local performing groups will be getting audiences to feel comfortable in theaters. There are a tremendous amount of ideas out in the world of producing at the moment, but patience is needed.”
Ryder says HLOC is not yet sure about when its adult singing classes or choirs will begin meeting at this point, “because singing is hard in a mask.” Likewise, the company’s next big summer musical, “Elf,” has been postponed until 2022, she said.
“We will be curious to see what changes when ‘fully vaccinated group’ protocols will be developed. … Melissa Hinz, our artist-inresident dance instructor, is able to offer small in-person classes. We have some of our private teachers using The SPACE to do their Zoom lessons,” Ryder said.
She added: “We have a Boomer Troupe Show set for a ‘live’ online performance on the first week in June, ‘The Year that Was!’ We are tackling what we learned, how we adapted and thoughts about the past year with a combination of serious reflection and a good deal of humor. Although the group of 12 is fully vaccinated, we are rehearsing online until midMay, then outside. We are following the outdoor performance guidelines being developed. It’s been a fascinating piece to write.”
Ryder says she does look forward to the day when live shows are finally able to take place again.
“It will be wonderful to once again get to rehearse and prepare a show for the public,” she said. “The creativity of designing costumes, sets and graphics, combined with staging, music preparation and just getting to work as a group towards a common goal will be so refreshing and rewarding when this pandemic is managed. For those of us that like the process of getting to the stage or concert, the family of performers and, of course, the rewards of entertaining an audience, this has been a long year. I think when we can begin it will be a joyous experience and perhaps not something we will ever take for granted again.”
To pre-register for KidCo classes, go to https://www. hloc.org/registration.html. To watch a video about KidCo’s safety protocols, visit https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=2rmGzna1BZU. For more information, contact the Humboldt Light Opera Company at info@hloc. org or call 707-630-5013.