Classes
~The greatest legacy is not what we leave for people but what we leave within people.~
Toddler Time! (Age: 2-5)
In partnership with Branford Parks and Rec
Saturdays, 9:00 AM-9:30 AM, April 25, 2026 - May 16, 2026 (4-week session)
Location: Joe Trapasso Community House, 46 Church Street, Branford, CT 06405, Fitness Room, Second Floor
Instructor: Chelsea Dacey
A joyful introduction to music, movement, and imagination for our youngest performers. Each week features a playful theme, incorporating scarves, ribbons, shaker eggs, solfège bells, simple choreography, and creative movement. This class supports motor skills, language development, confidence, and social connection in a fun and nurturing environment. Note: This is a non-performance based class.
Parents/caregivers must stay in the classroom!
See the Weekly themes below:
Winter Session Themes:
Week 1 (April 25): Disney – Wear your favorite costume, ears, or anything magical, just come ready to have fun!
Week 2 (May 2): Space Adventures – Astronauts, aliens, and sparkly stars welcome as we blast off into space-themed activities.
Week 3 (May 9): Flowers & Nature – Florals, garden colors, or anything nature-inspired as we explore a springtime theme.
Week 4 (May 16): Fancy Day - Bring out your sparkles, bows, and fancy outfits for a fabulously fun class.
It’s not time to register yet. Check back here for the special “Register Here” button, coming on or about March 12th!
Dipping Our Toes Into Theatre – Mermaid Musical! (Ages 5–7)
In partnership with Branford Parks and Rec
Saturdays, 9:30 AM-10:00 AM, April 25, 2026 - May 30, 2026
Location: Joe Trapasso Community House (Fitness Room, 2nd Floor), 46 Church Street, Branford, CT 06405
Instructor: Chelsea Dacey
A gentle and imaginative introduction to theatre. Students learn a few songs and simple lines while exploring character work, acting basics, musical storytelling, and working together as an ensemble. The session concludes with a showcase of our Mermaid Musical to celebrate their work.
The final two sessions (May 23 & 30) take place at The Legacy Theatre. May 30th will be a free Showcase for family and friends!
Parents/caregivers do not remain in the classroom but may wait in the hallway or within the building. Please sign up with an email that is frequently checked, as weekly updates with songs, scripts, and information will be sent.
It’s not time to register yet. Check back here for the special “Register Here” button, coming on or about March 12th!
Showcase Class – Alice in Wonderland (Ages 7–15)
In partnership with Branford Parks and Rec
Saturdays, 10:00 AM-11:30 AM, April 25, 2026 - May 30, 2026
Location: Joe Trapasso Community House (Fitness Room, 2nd Floor), 46 Church Street, Branford, CT 06405
Instructor: Chelsea Dacey
A more advanced and collaborative performance experience designed for focused or returning students. This class blends acting, singing, and simple choreography as students work on scenes and songs from a new twist on the story Alice in Wonderland. The process includes character development, musical theatre technique, ensemble work, and the use of simple scenery, costumes, and props. The session culminates in a fully staged showcase on the Legacy stage.
Auditions will be held during the first class, and every student will be cast. Audition information will be sent by April 1 via email, so please register with an email that is frequently checked. Weekly updates with songs, scripts, and class information will also be sent.
The final two sessions (May 23 & 30) take place at The Legacy Theatre. May 30th will be a free Showcase for family and friends!
Parents/caregivers do not remain in the classroom but may wait in the hallway where there is seating or within the building.
It’s not time to register yet. Check back here for the special “Register Here” button, coming on or about March 12th!
Intro to Improv (Age: 18+)
In partnership with Branford Parks and Rec
Saturdays, 9:00 AM-10:30 AM, March 21, 2026 - May 2, 2026 (6 sessions)
Location: Joe Trapasso Community House (Bonus Room, 1st Floor), 46 Church Street, Branford, CT 06405
Instructor: Mary Lou Lauricella
Want to learn the art of improvisation? Join instructor Marylou Lauricella this Spring where classes will involve short form exercises and games that improve your spontaneity, listening skills, and ability to be more present through the art of improvisation. The final class will take place on-stage at The Legacy Theatre!
It’s not time to register yet. Check back here for the special “Register Here” button, coming on or about March 12th!
Long Form Improv (Age: 18+)
In partnership with Branford Parks and Rec
Saturdays, 10:45 AM-12:15 PM, March 21, 2026 - May 2, 2026 (6 sessions)
Location: Joe Trapasso Community House (Bonus Room, 1st Floor), 46 Church Street, Branford, CT 06405
Instructor: Mary Lou Lauricella
Join instructor Marylou Lauricella this Spring where classes will explore Long Form Improvisation. These classes will focus on sustained scene work, character development, thematic connections, and ensemble building, moving away from the rapid-fire game structure of short-form improv. (Prior improv experience required.) The final class will take place on-stage at The Legacy Theatre!
It’s not time to register yet. Check back here for the special “Register Here” button, coming on or about March 12th!
Acting for Adults (Age: High School-Adult) - 6 Sessions
In partnership with Shoreline Adult Education
3/25/2026 to 5/6/2026
Location: Branford High School, 185 East Main Street, Branford, CT 06405
Instructor: Julie Fitzpatrick
Explore the wide world of acting, escape into other characters, build performance and presentation skills and play a little! Adult Acting will broaden your horizons with scene work and improv exercises designed to ignite your creativity and grow confidence in a new way. The class will explore the basics of acting technique focusing on communication, authenticity, physicality, humor, vulnerability, and passion. The class is open to high school students and above. Very little experience is necessary!
Create Your Own Solo Show (Age: High School-Adult) - 6 Sessions In partnership with Shoreline Adult Education 3/25/2026 to 5/6/2026
Location: Branford High School, 185 East Main Street, Branford, CT 06405 Instructor: Julie Fitzpatrick Create Your Own Solo Show is a six-week creative lab for actors, writers, and storytellers ready to shape a deeply personal piece of theatre. Through guided writing prompts, improvisation, movement, and ensemble feedback, participants will uncover and sculpt a pivotal moment from their own journey into a compelling ten-minute theatrical presentation. Join us!
Wheel Life Theatre Troupe (Age: All Ages)
In partnership with Branford Parks and Recreation
Information for 2026 will be posted here once available.
Performance troupe for those who use mobility devices and their friends/family.
Please call the Box Office with any questions - (203) 315-1901
We believe arts education shouldn’t be considered a luxury. If you would like to take a class but are unable to register due to finances, please reach out. Scholarships are available; everyone deserves access to arts education.
Instructors for Legacy Classes
Chelsea Dacey — Chelsea Dacey is an actor, director, choreographer, and teaching artist whose work spans children’s theatre, regional theatre, and original musical development. Chelsea is passionate about arts education, original musical creation, and building fun, inclusive theatre spaces for every performer!
Chelsea has been instructing with Legacy Theatre since 2022, where she has taught Toddler Time, Fairy Tale Musical, Audition Preparation, and the Rising Stars Summer Intensive, among other programs. Her broader directing and teaching experience includes numerous youth productions, including Frozen Jr., The Lion King Jr., Finding Nemo Jr., The Little Mermaid Jr., Shrek, Singin’ in the Rain Jr., The Addams Family, and more.
Her Legacy Theatre performance credits include: (Spirit Guide) Scrooge and Marley, (Wendy) Peter and Wendy, A Christmas Carol, (Ensemble) The Great American Mousical, directed by dame Julie Andrews, (Co-Writer) Sweet Dreams, (Princess Penelope, Book/Lyrics) The Princess and the Pauper, (Rapunzel, Book/Lyrics) A Princess Tea, (Piglet) Winnie the Pooh, (Belinda) Tales of Custard the Dragon, (Performer) Silly Dilly the Musical, and Choreographer (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown). Additional performance experience includes Off-Broadway (Piggy Nation) and various regional theatre productions, as well as narration work on Audible.
Julie Fitzpatrick —Julie Fitzpatrick is delighted to be teaching Acting and Writing Your Solo Show with Legacy Theatre. Julie is a poet, playwright, performer and teacher who has worked locally with St. Martin de Porres Academy in New Haven, Madison Arts Barn, GreenStage Guilford Live Arts, Moses Gunn Theater Company, Drama Works, Shoreline Arts Alliance and Wheel Life Theatre Troupe. Her acting credits run the gamut from Off-Broadway to regional theater and her Film/TV work includes Law & Order and The OA. Julie is a member of the Guilford Poets’ Guild, The Playwrights Circle and Ensemble Studio Theatre in NYC. Her play 77 U-Turn is published by Next Stage Press and can be purchased here. More info can be found at juliefitzpatrick.com. Julie lives with her favorite guys: her husband Pete and her sons, Fitz, Gracen and Hudson.
Mary Lou Lauricella — Mary Lou Lauricella has worked as a professional actress in regional theatre before becoming a registered drama therapist. She holds a B.A. in Theater and English from Washington College and a Masters in drama therapy from NYU. She is trained in both Meisner (Neighborhood Playhouse) and Method acting techniques. She has been the director of the Veterans’ Homefront Theater at VA Connecticut, an outpatient PTSD theater group for over 20 years. The group was an improvisational theater group creating original works that were performed within the veteran and civilian communities. The group was the subject of a documentary film “No Unwounded Soldiers” created by award-winning filmmaker Rebecca Abbott. The film was screened at the Vail Colorado Film Festival, the Connecticut Film Festival and was aired on Connecticut Public Television. She has partnered with Quinnipiac University’s Theater for Community, the Clifford Beers Clinic and the Connecticut Coalition for End of Life Care facilitating theater workshops at the MacDougal maximum security prison and the prison Volunteer Bereavement and Hospice program. She has co-chaired the North American Drama Therapy Conference, presented at the Expressive Therapies Conference, NER-AMTA Music Therapy Conference.
Past Classes
Toddler Dance, Storytime, and Drama
Emerging Actors Acting Class: Ages 7-9
Young Apprentice Class: Acting (Ages 6-11)
Young Professionals Acting Class: Ages 10-12
Young Professionals Class: Acting (Ages 12-17)
Acting for Teens
Shakespeare for Teens
Shakespeare Pops!
Shakespeare and the Veteran’s Journey
Adult Acting
Adult Improv
Intro to Improv
Improv: Advanced Performance Workshop
Cabaret Class for Adults
Musical Theatre Performance
