The Mel O’ Drama School of Acting for kids started in a basement of a friend’s house in Milton in 2011 with 8 children participating. It has since grown into a multi-faceted school of arts offering classes from traditional drama to character development, improv, musical theatre and expressive movement. With new workshops and camps popping up in every season, Mel O’Drama has something fun and exciting to keep imaginations healthy! The Drama School holds three 10-week sessions a year in Winter, Fall and Spring and also provides fabulous Summer camps all Summer long!
Melanie Gillespie, founder and owner of the school was born and raised in a theatrical background in Ireland. The program of Mel O’ Drama actually started out in Dublin, Ireland many years before it surfaced in Milton, MA. Having met with a director of a theatre in Dublin, Melanie was commissioned to write and direct a short theatrical piece based on the history of a town in Ireland called Ballymun. After the successful piece was presented, Melanie started teaching drama in local schools around Dublin both in English and Gaelic. Her drama program was a hit in schools and she knew that one day she’d like to reignite her teachings. But the acting bug wouldn’t simmer down until she fed it!
A graduate of Boston’s own Emerson College with a BFA in theatre training, Melanie went on to perform in theaters in Boston, Dublin and South Florida. In 2006 she landed the role of AnnMarie Murphy on Ireland’s only Gaelic soap opera, Ros Na Run. ‘One of the best roles of my life! The cast and crew of this show were (and still are) a wonderful bunch of people and my time with them will always be a cherished one. Besides tv, I’ve always landed the character/comedic role in shows and I’ve enjoyed each and every one! My favorite stage role might have been Mrs Clackett in Noises Off in Boston!”
Mel O’ Drama introduces children as young as 5 years old to the stage and Mel encourages kids to enjoy that feeling of being on stage rather than fear it! In a typical drama class at Mel O’Drama, a student can expect a combination of theatre warm-up games which are great icebreakers and vital for class bonding, stage work such as voice projection and articulation, and the memorization of lines in a script during each session. Students perform for family & friends in the last class of the session.
Something else that has become a local hit at Mel O’ Drama are Mel’s DRAMA BIRTHDAY PARTIES! The birthday child chooses a theme from Mel’s list and he/she rehearse a show with the birthday party guests and the parents return as audience members to see the drama unfold! It’s the most creative and productive birthday party in town and Mel is usually booked 2 months in advance as a result! Click here to learn more about Mel O’ Drama Birthdays! http://melodramakids.com/index.php/more/drama-birthday-party
Having sold out 6 weeks of Summer camps, Fall registration is now well under way! With something to offer every elementary school aged child, Mel and her teachers offer traditional drama, character development, improv, songwriting, voice lessons, expressive movement and the newest and most exciting addition to the program list is our MUSICAL THEATRE INTENSIVE that meets Saturdays morning starting this October for 2 hours weekly over 10 weeks and ends in a musical production!
Mel O’ Drama is in a very exciting phase this year with an expansion of the program happening into Quincy, MA this Fall where drama classes will be offered to Quincy kids under the guise of the very talented Brittany Rolfs. Mel O’ Drama has also just become a FRANCHISE this year with interest in Braintree and Charlestown!
For more information, visit Mel’s website www.melodramakids.com and be SURE to like both
her Facebook pages to stay in the loop!
