Every child shines at Mr. V’s Spring Musical Theater Class! Under the guidance of the esteemed children’s music educator and composer, Bill Vaananen, and the experienced instructor and director at Gorton Drama Studio, Madison Kisst, each student secures a role in the captivating original production “Joe Creek,” a spellbinding tale that celebrates the sound of birdsong, the scent of wildflowers, and the view of a winding stream. Whether you’re stepping onto the stage for the first time or you’re a seasoned theater enthusiast, there’s a place for everyone in this class. The class culminates with a fun and low-pressure performance of “Joe Creek” at Gorton’s intimate black box theater. Don’t miss this opportunity to shine alongside Mr. V, Madison, and Gorton Drama Studio! Grades K – 3rd

Public Performance on May 11 at 2 pm

Joe Creek – You Are Nature’s Guest, Written and directed by Bill Vaananen, Mr. V.

Check out footage from Mr. V’s class this spring.

Bill Vaananen is an award-winning music educator and composer who has taught and directed elementary-aged students for over 45 years. Originally from Oklahoma, “Mr. V.” was general music teacher at Wescott School in Northbrook for 37 years. He has written hundreds of songs and dozens of original theater works that have been performed across Chicago’s northern suburbs. Recipient of the Golden Apple Award, IEA Human Rights Award, National-Louis Distinguished Alumni Award for Social Justice, and Star of Teaching Award for the State of Illinois, Vaananen continues to perform classes and presentations for children, weaving his original music into inspiring lessons on Nature, history, culture, and adventure.

Instructor Madison Kisst: Madison is an actor, director and theatre teacher. She has taught for professional theater companies across the country and for the undergraduate acting program at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Madison has extensive training in physical and classical theatre, voice and movement, and devising. She has her BA in Theatre Arts and Masters of Fine Arts in Performance.

About Our Artistic Director: Jeremy Kruse, Artistic Director of Gorton Drama Studio is the author of “The Young Actor’s Handbook” (Applause Acting Series, 2017).The book was published in Korean and Chinese in 2022. Jeremy is a professional actor, published playwright, award-winning screenwriter, and award-winning filmmaker. Some of the classes he taught at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York include Method Acting, Comedic Improvisation, Sketch Comedy Writing, and Acting for Film and TV. He graduated from The Strasberg Institute at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where he majored in drama. Jeremy also teaches privately, one on one  www.jeremykruse.com and www.jeremykruseactingtraining.com