Zach Performing Arts Academy
ZACH ACADEMY
Zach Academy is a full-time pre-professional training program built inside one of the most respected professional producing theaters in the country. We cultivate confident, versatile, and highly skilled performers in grades 6 through 12, with the unique opportunity to train inside a nationally recognized professional organization from day one. Zach has premiered new works by some of the most celebrated playwrights in American theater, including Pulitzer Prize winners Suzan-Lori Parks and Robert Schenkkan and four-time Tony Award winner Terrence McNally. Academy students train daily alongside the same professional artists who perform on our stages, participate in masterclasses with working performers, and are part of an institution that has shaped American theater for decades.
Students earn their high school diplomas through accredited online schools while training daily at Zach Theater's downtown campus alongside working professional artists. They audition for Zach's professional productions. They perform on professional stages. They see what a rehearsal process really looks like. They understand what it means to open a show. They learn the rhythms of a working theater company not from a textbook but from being present inside one every single day.
This is what makes Zach Academy different. Our students do not just learn about the craft. They grow up inside it, surrounded by artists who love it as much as they do.
OUR MISSION
Zach Academy trains young artists through full immersion in a working professional theater, placing them inside the life of a producing company from day one. Through rigorous, personalized training and direct access to professional production processes and performance opportunities, students don’t just study the craft—they live it. We develop disciplined, resilient artists who are prepared to step confidently into the industry of which they are already a part.
academics
Academics are provided by an accredited online program and overseen by a dedicated Academic Supervisor at Zach. We are forming an official partnership between UT High School and UT Charter School which will offer stronger academic cohorts, additional cohesion between online school and performing arts demands and additional support. Zach Academy provides a structured on-campus learning environment Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Academic Supervisor guides students in time management, goal-setting, and self-directed learning so they can excel academically without sacrificing their artistic development.
PERFORMING ARTS TRAINING
Zach Academy offers two focused tracks: musical theater and acting. Students train Monday through Friday in intentionally small classes led exclusively by professional teaching artists and working performers. These artists are actively working in the industry, bringing that experience into the room every single day.
Our classes include acting technique, audition preparation, ballet, tap, jazz, performance lab, commercial singing, vocal workshop, ensemble singing, music theory, and more. Classes are leveled based on each student's ability and are designed to meet them where they are while challenging them to grow.
WHO WE're LOOKING FOR
Zach Academy is built for students who show up fully, are dedicated to growth, and are curious about how they can contribute to the broader landscape of the performing arts. While always looking for talent, the key factors we look for in every student we admit are dedication, work ethic, and potential. We cultivate curiosity, discipline, and resilience that transform raw talent into true artistry.
At Zach, we believe every student thrives differently. Our faculty works alongside each student to chart a path that is personalized and designed for long-term success.
LEVELING & PLACEMENT
When students join they are thoughtfully placed based on their current skill set, experience, and artistic potential. Our faculty continuously evaluates each student giving verbal and written feedback so they always know where they stand, where they are headed, and what they are working toward. Students who bring dedication, curiosity, a willingness to ‘fail-forward’, and a strong work ethic will always find room to rise here.
ZACH ACADEMY ONSTAGE
Every year, Academy high school students perform a full-scale musical on a professional Zach stage. This musical is a fully realized production held to the same standard as the work happening in our professional seasons and supported by the same production teams.
In 2025 our production of Into the Woods received the Heller Award for Best Musical. Other productions include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Alice by Heart, each one a testament to what young artists can achieve when their training happens inside a company that demands the best.
Our middle school students compete in a private school one-act festival as well as have other performance opportunities.
READY TO AUDITION?
Admissions are rolling and auditions are required. Start by submitting an inquiry form to schedule an info session with our team. A staff member will follow up to schedule your in-person audition.
Zach Academy is for students who are serious about the craft and ready to train at an institution that is serious about them.
For any questions about Zach Academy, please contact Kristin Burritt at [email protected]
