Mickey Lubeck has taught the art of musical theater to children and teenagers for 22 years and brought many productions to the stage with her students. Despite that, she inevitably finds shocked people who tell her they’ve never heard of Musical Theater Workshops.
On Saturday, Lubeck will host an open house at her newly expanded studios on Martinez Boulevard, and next week, prospective students can get a taste for the classes she offers on site.
“We’ve doubled in size,” said Lubeck. “We have about 3,400 square feet.”
Prior to expanding into an empty warehouse next door to the space she’s occupied for nine years, costumes were stored in boxes, and sets were constructed off-site leaving two rehearsal rooms and a lobby which was often used for production-related concerns rather than a waiting room.
Now she has two large studios in which her students can take classes or rehearse two shows simultaneously without the sound from one bleeding into the other.
Also, she has another ample room that can be used to build sets and store set pieces.
“We’ll be building inside instead of on a farm or in a backyard,” she said.
The former space had a smaller studio part of which has been transformed into a costume room.
The move should allow Lubeck to get rid of two of her three storage units and bring her production pieces into one area.
Not only does she have more storage space, but she has more room to do what she’s done for two decades – teach choreography, provide singing and acting lessons and develop children’s musical theater talents.
Lubeck has about 135 students enrolled with a goal of 150. She hopes that through the open house and free class week that additional students will sign up.
Lubeck spent years on the stage. She worked professionally with the touring company of “Evita” and “Cats,” where she met her husband, Chuck.
The couple had their first son, Nathan, while Chuck was still on tour with “Cats.”
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They had family in the area and moved to Augusta to raise their children.
She started her musical theatre company 22 years ago with a dozen children meeting at a church. It was first known as Children’s Musical Theatre Ensemble. As it grew, she needed a designated studio.
“Our first space was 1,000 square feet,” she said.
At the time, it was more than adequate.
As her company began to grow, she needed to make additional changes including the name.
“I had children come up to me and say ‘Miss Mickey, when we turn 13 does that mean we have to leave?’”
Knowing teenagers didn’t want to be called children, she changed the name.
Lubeck said her dream has always been to have her own theater attached to her classroom areas, but that hasn’t come to pass yet. For now, she’s happy to grow with her students and is looking forward to a full season.
New class offerings this year include a preschool theater program for 4 and 5 year olds and a dance technique class for those who are 11 years old to adult.
This year, Musical Theater Workshops will perform “Peter Pan Jr.” in December at Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre. During the open house from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, people will have the chance to win tickets to the performance.
For more information, visit onwiththeshow.biz or call (706) 231-1759.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
