About MoonSchool

Mission Statement

42nd Street Moon has a 20-year history of exclusively producing musical theatre for the entertainment of the greater San Francisco Bay Area, and preserving this distinctive American art form that has long added to the richness of our culture.

42nd Street Moon’s position is that training for musical theatre must be taught in an integrated way, with an emphasis on combining three disparate practices: acting, singing,and dance.

This three-prong technique is highly specialized and unlike any other training program one might receive at other San Francisco institutions. MoonSchool will provide this high-level, professional musical theatre training for a diverse student body of all ages and levels in a safe and trusting environment.

It will be taught by leading experts and educators in the field. MoonSchool will combine a curriculum of contemporary musical theatre, as well as classical musical theatre from early to mid-20th Century Broadway — a hallmark of 42nd Street Moon’s identity.

About MoonSchool

42nd Street Moon, the San Francisco theatre company that presents uncommon musicals in intimate productions, proudly launches its first year of formalized musical theatre training. Under the banner of MoonSchool, 42nd Street Moon will bring professional training to students from age eight through adulthood.

Unlike other theatre training, MoonSchool will focus primarily on the study of musical theatre and its components. Curriculum will be taken from the rich canon of musicals presented in the 20th and 21st century. Courses will share similar components and will be tailored to the class as talent permits.

All classes will work on sight-reading, music theory, ear-training, vocal technique, acting, dance (primarily musical theatre jazz, tap and ballet), stage composition, scene work/choreography and will culminate in performance. The performance will be a collection of songs, scenes and group numbers thematically linked.

The summer session features two specialized conservatories for school-aged students-- one for elementary and one for middleschool and high school.

All students will be welcome, however the course demands teamwork and dedication; therefore these courses are not for the casual student. The goal of this format is to introduce students to the rigor required to become a musical theatre actor, thereby increasing their appreciation and interest in the art form.

Courses will be taught by leading actors, theatre teachers and music directors from the Bay Area. All instructors are working professionals; most are members of AEA and hold degrees in theatre. All instructors will devise their courses with the education director and they promise to be diverse, upbeat, organized and inspiring.

MoonSchool will also hold periodic musical theatre workshops taught by artistic directors, Broadway actors, casting directors and California professionals.

Education Director

Dyan McBride is an actor, director, singer and teacher.  As an actress and director she has worked with such companies as 42nd Street Moon, Ray of Light, Marin Theatre Company, Solano College Theatre, Laguna Playhouse, Golden State Productions, New Conservatory Theatre Center, Pacific Alliance Theatre Company, Actors Theatre of Sonoma, Broadway By the Bay, Willows, Napa Rep, Mondavi Center, Utah Musical Theatre and Performance Riverside to name a few. As a live performer, she has had the opportunity to perform all over the United States and in Europe.

She currently serves on the acting/musical theatre faculty at NCTC, Solano College and 42nd Street Moon, where she has been a company member for 15 years. She has also taught at Live Oak School, U.C. Davis, The Academy of Art and coaches privately as well.

In the world of TV-Film-Voiceover she has done work for Comcast Sports Net, Yahoo! Progressive Auto Insurance, Nintendo, Intuit and many more. She also does short films and web based projects. Check her out in the award winning webseries Lien on Me. Dyan has her BA from California State University at Fullerton (musical theatre) and her MFA from U.C. Davis (acting). She is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, Actors Equity Association and The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. She is represented by Boom Models and Talent in San Francisco.

More Information

 For more information on classes for 8 - 17 years of age click here.

For more information on classes for 18 - 88 years of age click here.

or download a PDF of our brochure.

To register click here.