Upstage Theatre Schools
San Gabriel Valley, 10508 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
About
Upstage Theatre Schools offers acting, singing, dancing, acting/improvisation, and musical theatre sessions built around specific themes and shows such as High School Musical, Jr., On Broadway, Singin’ in the Rain, Jr., SING Your Heart Out, Stranger Summer: The Upside Down, Dance & Shine: K-Pop, Defying Gravity, and The COMPLETE School Musical: 1, 2, and 3. Certain sessions include a fully realized show with sets, lights, sound, and costumes, along with final presentations and performances on specified dates.
• Ages: 5–16 years old
• Schedule: Summer day-camp sessions run on specific date ranges, including Monday–Friday options such as June 8–12, June 15–19, June 22–July 3, June 15–27, July 13–25, and July 13–August 1, with camp days commonly running from 9:00am–3:30pm or 12:00pm–4:00pm.
• Price: Sessions range from $320.00 to $1,495.00 per camp, depending on the specific program.
Since 1999, Upstage Theatre Schools has been serving the greater Los Angeles community and notes that it is celebrating 25 years. Upstage provides after-school performing arts education for young people, along with enrichment programs in schools and year-round community programs. The program states that it is founded on the principle that theatre should be fair and fun, with productions that feature ensemble casting, reasonable rehearsal hours, and a safe environment for each child to find their own level in their own time, and that the goal is not to create stars but to build an experience (the statement is presented in the source with incomplete text). Upstage also notes that many students return year after year and describe the group as their theatre family, and that it uses “fair play” casting and does not play favorites.
Upstage teachers are described as highly trained, skilled professionals with a passion for theatre, with the knowledge and sensitivity to understand and work with any child’s personality, and they are fully background checked to teach in classrooms. The organization states that its teachers are fully vetted and Covid safe, and that highly trained staff travel to area schools to offer in-school programs with outstanding, fully realized productions on school premises. General questions are directed to Adrian Cohen.
Upstage describes its camps as a way for kids to have fun, make friends, and express themselves creatively, and states that its theatre programs help kids make new friends, speak more clearly, move more easily, and, by creating together, break out of their shell. The program also describes itself as fun and supportive, with less stress and more confidence, and highlights standout performances through fully realized shows.
Parent and student testimonials report that a student who had attended about five different performing arts schools only wanted to return to Upstage and described everyone there as a family, with fantastic memories. Another parent reports that Upstage has been a fun place for their kids’ confidence to grow, noting a change from being a little shy to receiving the highest marks in oral presentations. One parent thanks the program for the joy and confidence it gave their child, and another notes that their son had a fantastic time at Upstage Summer Camp, has not stopped singing since, and has more confidence performing in front of people. A parent of a long-time participant states that their child, who has attended for five consecutive years, has learned acting, singing, and dancing skills and gained self-confidence and leadership skills, and describes the teachers as wonderfully supportive and knowledgeable. Another parent says their daughter loves Upstage so much that the family schedules summer vacations around the camp schedule. A further testimonial describes a situation where a child did not receive a hoped-for lead role, and staff responded by recognizing her dancing experience and giving her a funny part, which the parent says turned the experience around and increased their appreciation of the program.
For certain San Gabriel Valley sessions, an Upstage staff member picks up any SPEF Summer School students at 11:45am and walks them from Marengo Elementary or South Pasadena Middle School to the program site.
Last updated March 27, 2026.
• Ages: 5–16 years old
• Schedule: Summer day-camp sessions run on specific date ranges, including Monday–Friday options such as June 8–12, June 15–19, June 22–July 3, June 15–27, July 13–25, and July 13–August 1, with camp days commonly running from 9:00am–3:30pm or 12:00pm–4:00pm.
• Price: Sessions range from $320.00 to $1,495.00 per camp, depending on the specific program.
Since 1999, Upstage Theatre Schools has been serving the greater Los Angeles community and notes that it is celebrating 25 years. Upstage provides after-school performing arts education for young people, along with enrichment programs in schools and year-round community programs. The program states that it is founded on the principle that theatre should be fair and fun, with productions that feature ensemble casting, reasonable rehearsal hours, and a safe environment for each child to find their own level in their own time, and that the goal is not to create stars but to build an experience (the statement is presented in the source with incomplete text). Upstage also notes that many students return year after year and describe the group as their theatre family, and that it uses “fair play” casting and does not play favorites.
Upstage teachers are described as highly trained, skilled professionals with a passion for theatre, with the knowledge and sensitivity to understand and work with any child’s personality, and they are fully background checked to teach in classrooms. The organization states that its teachers are fully vetted and Covid safe, and that highly trained staff travel to area schools to offer in-school programs with outstanding, fully realized productions on school premises. General questions are directed to Adrian Cohen.
Upstage describes its camps as a way for kids to have fun, make friends, and express themselves creatively, and states that its theatre programs help kids make new friends, speak more clearly, move more easily, and, by creating together, break out of their shell. The program also describes itself as fun and supportive, with less stress and more confidence, and highlights standout performances through fully realized shows.
Parent and student testimonials report that a student who had attended about five different performing arts schools only wanted to return to Upstage and described everyone there as a family, with fantastic memories. Another parent reports that Upstage has been a fun place for their kids’ confidence to grow, noting a change from being a little shy to receiving the highest marks in oral presentations. One parent thanks the program for the joy and confidence it gave their child, and another notes that their son had a fantastic time at Upstage Summer Camp, has not stopped singing since, and has more confidence performing in front of people. A parent of a long-time participant states that their child, who has attended for five consecutive years, has learned acting, singing, and dancing skills and gained self-confidence and leadership skills, and describes the teachers as wonderfully supportive and knowledgeable. Another parent says their daughter loves Upstage so much that the family schedules summer vacations around the camp schedule. A further testimonial describes a situation where a child did not receive a hoped-for lead role, and staff responded by recognizing her dancing experience and giving her a funny part, which the parent says turned the experience around and increased their appreciation of the program.
For certain San Gabriel Valley sessions, an Upstage staff member picks up any SPEF Summer School students at 11:45am and walks them from Marengo Elementary or South Pasadena Middle School to the program site.
Last updated March 27, 2026.
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