Cabaret Program

Welcome to A.C.T.’s YC Cabaret Program. This pre-professional program offers the highest level of musical theater training offered in the Young Conservatory. This program is designed for dedicated students seeking a rigorous program with specific training around voice, acting, dance and the synthesis of these skills into the unique art of musical theater performance. As part of the Conservatory at the largest regional theater company in the Bay Area, students in our Cabaret program have access to many opportunities connected to our larger theater company and conservatory artists and staff.

In the YC Cabaret program, students build more than performance skills and confidence. Through the rigor and scope of the program, we aim to create resilient and disciplined artists who:

Understand how to collaborate
Appreciate the history of the art form through exposure to material
Take feedback constructively
Advocate for themselves in a professional manner, and
Develop the self-discipline and time management skills needed in competitive performing arts college programs and beyond in the industry.

YC Cabaret alumni include 2025 Tony Award-Winning Actor Darren Criss (Glee, 2025 Tony Award for Leading Actor in a Musical for Maybe Happy Ending), Erika Henningsen (original Cady in Mean Girls, Just in Time, Four Seasons on Netflix), Adam Jacobs (original Aladdin on Broadway), Lucas Babcock (current Laurens/Philip in national tour of Hamilton) and many admitted into notable programs including: Carnegie Mellon, University of Michigan, Juilliard, NYU, USC, Boston Conservatory, Berklee School of Music, UCLA, Emerson, The New School, Pace, Marymount Manhattan, Chapman, Oklahoma City University, Fullerton, Irvine, Otterbein, Syracuse, Manhattan School of Music, The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and more.

Participation in the YC Cabaret Program includes:

Weekly group rehearsals
Culminating performances on one of our four A.C.T. stages
Additional private coaching slots throughout the season
Support with creating your audition book using knowledge of the musical theater canon and industry-standard requirements
Invitations to panels with YC alumni, A.C.T. staff and guest artists from mainstage shows
Comp and discount tickets offers
Performance opportunities for A.C.T. special events and other community engagements