FALL 2024 FREELANCE PLAYERS PROGRAMMING
PURCHASE TICKETS FOR FALL PERFORMANCES HERE!Brookline Troupe (Ages 8-12)
Fridays 3:30-5:45pm
Rehearsals & Performances @ Driscoll School, Brookline
Start Date: 9/6/24
Production Week: January 18, 2025, 9am-12pm. January 20-24, 3:30-5:45pm.
Performances Dates: January 24, 2025 @ 6pm. January 25, 2025 @ 2pm
Show: “Something Good” by Alissa Darsa and Ian Lao
Director – Alissa Darsa, adarsa@rehearsalforlife.org
Music Director – Ian Lao
Choreographer – Taylor Paine
Needham Troupe (Ages 8-12)
Fridays 3:30-5:45pm
Rehearsals & Performances @ Congregational Church of Needham, Needham
Start Date: 9/6/24
Weekend Rehearsal: November 10, 2024, 2:00-5:00pm
Production Week: January 26, 2025, 2:00-5:00pm. January 27-January 31, 3:30-5:45pm.
Performance Dates: January 31, 2025, 6:00pm. February 1, 2025, 2:00pm and 6:00pm
Show: “Realms Collide” A new student work
Director – Mary Torpey, mtorpey@rehearsalforlife.org
Music Director – Kelvyn Koning
Choreographer – Mike Healey
Spotlight Troupe (Ages 12-16)
Thursdays 5:30-7:45pm
Rehearsals & Performances @ Congregational Church of Needham, Needham
Start Date: 9/5/24
Weekend Rehearsal: November 17, 2024, 1:00-5:00pm
Production Week: January 12, 2025, 1:00-5:00pm. January 13-17, 2025, 5:30-8:30pm
Performance Dates: January 17, 2025, 7:30pm. January 18, 2025, 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Show: “Hamletta” by Tom Evans and Faith Soloway
Director – Mary Torpey, mtorpey@rehearsalforlife.org
Music Director – Cooper Evello
Choreographer – Katy Harnish
*NEW* Bellforge Troupe (Ages 8-12)
Mondays 3:30-5:45pm
Rehearsals @ UCC Church in Medfield
Performances UCC Church in Medfield
Start Date: 9/16/24
Production Week: February 2-7, 2025, 3:30-5:45pm
Performance Dates: February 7, 2025, 6:30pm. February 8, 2025, 2:00pm
Show: “Shakespeare’s Daughters” by Tom Evans and Cooper Evello
Director – Max Moline, mmoline@rehearsalforlife.org
Music Director – David Girardin
Choreographer – Katy Harnish
SPRING 2025 FREELANCE PLAYERS PROGRAMMING
Brookline Troupe (Ages 8-12)
Fridays 3:30-5:45pm, starting February 7, 2025
Rehearsals & Performances @ Driscoll School, Brookline
Production Week: Sat, May 3, 2025, 9am-12pm, May 5, 2025 – May 9, 2025, 3:30-5:45pm
Performances Dates: May 9, 2025 @ 6pm, May 10, 2025 @ 2pm
Director – Alissa Darsa
Choreographer – Taylor Paine
Music Director – Ian lao
REGISTER FOR BROOKLINE HERE
JP Troupe (Ages 8-12)
Tuesdays 4:30-6:45pm, starting February 4, 2025
Rehearsals @ Hope Central Church, JP
Performances @ Eliot Hall, JP
Production Week: May 27-May 30, 4:30-6:45
Performance Dates: May 30 at 6:30pm & May 31 @ 2pm & 7pm
Director – Mike Casey
Choreographer – Taylor Paine
Music Director – Cooper Evello
REGISTER FOR JP TROUPE HERE
Needham Troupe (Ages 8-12)
Fridays 3:30-5:45pm, starting February 6
Rehearsals & Performances @ Congregational Church of Needham, Needham
Weekend Rehearsal: May 10, 1-5pm
Production Week: May 12-16, 3:30-5:45
Performance Dates: May 16 at 6:30pm & May 17 at 2pm & 6:30pm
Director – Mike Healey
Choreographer – Camille Cappello
Music Director – Kelvyn Konig
REGISTER FOR NEEDHAM TROUPE HERE
Players Troupe (Ages 12-16)
Wednesdays 4:30-6:45pm, starting February 5, 2025
Rehearsals @ Eliot Hall, JP
Performances @ Eliot Hall, JP
Weekend Rehearsal: Sunday, June 1, 1-5pm
Production Week: June 2-June 6 5:30-7:45
Performance Dates: June 6 @ 7pm & June 7 @ 2pm & 7pm
Director – Mary Torpey
Music Director – Cooper Evello
REGISTER FOR PLAYERS TROUPE HERE
Newton Troupe (Ages 8-12)
Mondays 3:30-5:45pm, starting February 3, 2025
Rehearsals @ St. Paul Church, Newton
Performances @ Lasalle University, Yamawaki Art and Cultural Center
Production Week: TBD
Performance Dates: TBD
Director – Mike Casey
Choreographer – Amaal Ladha
Music Director – Ian Lao
REGISTER FOR NEWTON TROUPE HERE
Spotlight Troupe (Ages 12-16)
Thursdays 5:30-7:45pm, starting February 6, 2025
Rehearsals & Performances @ Congregational Church of Needham, Needham
Production Week: May 4, 1-5pm & May 5-9 5:30-7:45
Performance Dates: May 9, 7pm & May 10, 2pm & 7pm
Director – Mary Torpey
Music Director – Cooper Evello
REGISTER FOR SPOTLIGHT TROUPE HERE
Bellforge Troupe (Ages 8-12)
Mondays 3:30-5:45pm, starting February 10, 2025
Rehearsals @ UCC Church in Medfield
Performances @ UCC Church in Medfield
Production Week: May 27-May 30, 4:30-6:45
Performance Dates: Friday, May 30 at 6:30pm & Saturday, May 31 @ 2pm
Director – Mary Torpey
Choreographer – Katy Harnish
Music Director – David Girardin
REGISTER FOR BELLFORGE TROUPE HERE
What is Freelance?
“Even though it wasn’t a traditional class, Freelance was the most influential learning experience I’ve ever had. Through the program, I learned not only how to act, improvise, and sing, but also how to manage stress, navigate social conflict, and make friends.”
Liam, Former Freelance Player
About The Freelance Players
The Freelance Players engages youth in the creation and performance of original, issue-oriented musical theater performed for audiences of all ages. Participants gain skills in acting, singing, dance and improvisation while working collaboratively and discovering empowered self-expression. Five Freelance Troupes each produce two original musicals a year, performed throughout Greater Boston.
Our ensemble-approach fosters imagination, artistic growth and self-confidence. Freelance programs uphold our organizational values of social justice, creativity, respect, cooperation, empathy and positive social change. Students leave the program with a greater knowledge and practiced skill in the holistic study of theater, performing arts and drama. They will have exercised their social-emotional muscles through collaboration, discussion and exploration of the play’s story and characters, which results in a greater awareness of the self, their community and beyond.
Since 1974, The Freelance Players teaching artists, music directors and directors have been writing and publishing original musical theater shows – many of which are available for purchase and licensing for teaching artists and educators everywhere. Themes include climate crisis, gender identity, self-esteem, othering, power dynamics and capitalism. The Freelance Players original musicals are appropriate for ages 8-16, can accommodate large or small casts of any ability, are gender and color-conscious, and explore issues relevant to school-age students and their communities.
For more information about The Freelance Players – including volunteer, internship opportunities and our catalog of available plays – contact Mary Torpey, Creative Director.
The Freelance Players are supported in part by grants from local agencies, including the Boston Cultural Council, Brookline Commission for Arts and Culture, the Dover Cultural Council, the Needham Council for Arts and Culture, and the Newton Cultural Council which are supported by their respective towns and the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
The Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation
Freelance Players Tuition Refund Policy
100% refund up until the first day or rehearsals
50% once the session starts
0% once the show has been cast
*In all cases, Rehearsal for Life will retain the $50 registration fee