Performing Arts | Theater, Dance & Speech at Milton Academy

Two young women in light-colored, striped clothing are on a dark stage.

ACADEMICS

Opportunities to SHINE

Milton holds 10 to 12 theater productions every school year, including musicals, plays, student-directed pieces, sketch comedy, and dance. Auditions are open to all students, whether they are taking a performing arts course or not. Recent productions include Hadestown, A Doll’s House, Clue, Silent Sky, and No Exit.

Performing Arts Courses

All students entering the Upper School before Grade 11 take an Arts Program course to introduce them to visual arts, performing arts and music at Milton. After completing this graduation requirement, students have a world of course options to dive deeper and expand their creative minds.

Milton's performing arts curriculum supports both exploration and advanced study. Courses emphasize:

Acting and performance technique
Dance technique and choreography
Directing and playwriting
Technical theater and design
Public speaking and debate

Whether students are stepping on stage for the first time or refining years of training, classes are collaborative, rigorous, and rooted in creative risk-taking. Faculty mentorship and performance opportunities allow students to grow steadily over their Milton years.

Upcoming Performances

Sep 9

US Performing Arts auditions begin

all day

test

Co-Curricular Opportunities in Performing Arts

Theater

A play is always in production in the Kellner Performing Arts Center. Milton’s theater program spans a broad cross-section of classical and contemporary works, offering students the opportunity to engage deeply with dramatic literature and live performance.

The Ruth King Theatre, modeled after Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, hosts performances throughout the year. Signature events include the Class IV Production, Studio Theatre productions, dance concerts, sketch comedy and improv shows, and student-directed one-acts—ensuring rich and varied experiences for performers and audiences alike.

Behind every production is a talented team of technical theatre students who build sets, design lighting, incorporate media, manage sound, and run performances. Guided by a full-time technical director and costumer, students develop professional-level skills in stagecraft, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.

Technical Theatre

Technical theatre students are essential collaborators in every Milton production. From scenic construction and lighting design to costuming, sound engineering, and multimedia integration, students gain hands-on experience in the craft and technology that bring performances to life.

Working alongside a full-time technical director and costumer, students learn professional standards of design, safety, and execution. Whether backstage, in the booth, or in the scene shop, technical theatre students are artists, problem-solvers, and leaders—ensuring that every performance reflects the excellence and ambition of Milton’s performing arts program.

Dance

Through dance, students challenge their imaginations, strengthen technical foundations, and discover powerful new ways to express themselves.

Each winter, an ensemble of Milton dancers presents the beloved Winter Dance Concert to sold-out audiences for three consecutive nights. Featuring choreography by students, faculty, and professional guest artists, the concert highlights a wide range of styles and showcases the creativity and discipline of dancers from Class I through Class IV.

Dancers and choreographers also collaborate in school musicals, produced jointly by the performing arts and music departments. Additional performance opportunities—including an informal spring dance concert, Arts Night, assemblies, and special events—allow students to share their artistry throughout the year.

Speech and Debate

The Speech and Debate Team at Milton Academy is more than a team—it is a community. Students and coaches work together to cultivate public speaking, critical thinking, and performance skills through collaboration, mentorship, and competition. With consistent practice and tournament experience, students grow as confident communicators who compete with passion, integrity, and respect.

Milton’s program is the only boarding and day independent school speech and debate team in the country and boasts a decades-long legacy of excellence. The team has achieved distinction in categories such as Dramatic and Humorous Interpretation, Prose and Poetry Reading, Extemporaneous Speaking, and Congressional Debate.

Milton students compete and earn honors at the highest levels, including through the National Speech and Debate Association and the National Catholic Forensics League, as well as at the state level. Coaches bring deep experience and leadership within the broader speech and debate community, strengthening both the team and the activity nationwide.

The Upper School Speech & Debate Team focuses on developing: