
Instrument of Self: Musical Theater Summer Program Gives Students a Sense of Agency Joy Lamberton Arcolano, the programs director, discusses her collaborative approach to teaching theater to middle-school aged students.
By
Darry Madden
April 12, 2023
Joy Lamberton Arcolano
Joy Lamberton Arcolano loves her Youth Musical Theater summer program. For one or two weeks each summer, students ages 11 to 14 sing, dance, and act, of course, but also develop what she calls their instruments of self in service to greater personal agency in everything they do.
An award-winning actor and voice actor, Arcolano brings decades of experience in theater education and a deep conviction to her program. With a master's degree from Harvard in arts in education, she developed a curriculum that challenges students to be collaborative artists and meets middle schoolers where they are developmentally.
What makes the Youth Musical Theater program unique? What we are trying to do is have each person grow in their understanding of their instrument of self. How do they play themselves as an instrument to share a story with an audience? We do instrument-of-self work every day. And then we also incorporate that with the nuts and bolts of a high-level arts education camp. We have some of the best teachers in the country. Isaac Leaverton is amazing, and Kristen Katsimpas is our choreographer on staff. Theyre both Boston Conservatory faculty and theyre top of the game.
You are cognizant of the nature of theater being a group of individuals within an ensemble. The average theater program goes, Lets put on a show. Yes, of course. But I'm also very specifically thinking about the development of the individual artist within the collective. Im holding a space for the whole group, but I am more interested that every single person gains some skills and some agency over the course of the time that I spend with them than there being a fancy show at the end.
Could you describe what the practice of teaching artistry means for you? A teaching artist is not an artist who happens to go teach and not a teacher who happens to do art. The art that I am making is a collaborative endeavor with the learners that Im working with. Ive brought that into the Youth Musical Theater program. It's different than other theater programs, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
There is a mental health awareness component to your curriculum. Can you talk about that? Middle school is a big, transitional time. Its the separation from the parent and family community into valuing the peer group a little bit more. Youth Musical Theater is a place where the peer group is being shaped around how do we develop? and how do we celebrate what we already know?
Which levels of experience can students expect to find in their fellow campers? Our youngest are as young as 11, and some of them are just kind of trying musical theater for the first time. Other kids have been on national tours.
Is it challenging to have such a range of experience in the students? The more experienced students bring this really lovely level of dedication and professionalism that they model for the other students. And they are in with a group of people that are just excited to run around and sing and dance because this is cool and new-that level of enthusiasm is infectious and reminds some of those older kids why they loved it in the first place.
There is also an age differential at work. We use proximal development to our advantage.
Our goal throughout the week is that everybody gets a line of solo. We do that with 60 kids. Its definitely not a place where we are oriented around That one person is so amazing. Instead it's Wow, look at this ensemble. Thats a really important part of why I think mixed skill groups are really, really useful.
What is feedback you hear from alumni of the program? That the students feel included and they feel heard.
We educate all of the faculty and staff about judgmental language, and that means we do not offer empty praise either. We work towards observation-based language only when providing feedback.
A huge thing when I direct shows with students: I dont block anything. A lot of directors come in and say, Heres all the blocking. This is where you stand. Do this, do this, do this. Thats the experience that my students are coming in with. Its that theyre puppets. This program is my love letter to the death of puppetry. I really would like the students to actually be collaborating artists.
To be collaborating artists, they both need to develop their understanding of their instrument of self so that theyre making informed decisions about how they can or cannot be in a space and whether they can speak or sing or meet the note. But then I also am giving them this space where they understand what a collaborative relationship is like.
What can a student expect to take away from a week in Youth Musical Theater? Confidence in the agency they currently have. And new friendships.
Related Categories
News
Most Popular
Berklee President Erica Muhl
Image by Kelly Davidson
Berklee to Hold Inauguration of President Erica Muhl in April Muhl is the fourth-and first female-president of Berklee.
Latest
Berklee Today Honored in Prestigious Design Competition The alumni magazine makes the Society of Publication Designers Print Merit Winners list.
Instrument of Self: Musical Theater Summer Program Gives Students a Sense of Agency Joy Lamberton Arcolano, the programs director, discusses her collaborative approach to teaching theater to middle-school aged students.
Symon Dice
Image courtesy of the artist
Berklee to Host Business of Latin Music Symposium Featured guests include RichMusic producers Symon Dice and Animal.
Read All
Subscribe The latest sounds, stories, and ideas, sent to your inbox weekly.
More from Berklee
08/05/2025
Student Spotlight: Grigori Balasanyan The Armenian composer, who was named Boston Conservatory at Berklees 2025 student commencement speaker, talks about his ...
02/05/2025
Students, Alumni, and Faculty Represent Berklee at International Computer Music ...
02/05/2025
Four Boston Conservatory Alumni Nominated for Tony Awards Fifteen alumni from Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Berklee College of Music contributed to nomin...
30/04/2025
Tania Le n and Kelli O'Hara to be Honored at Boston Conservatory at Berklee&...
30/04/2025
Andr 3000 and Sara Bareilles to Receive Honorary Doctorates at Berklee College ...
25/04/2025
Listen to Kim Perlak and Francisco Mela's New Album, Recorded in a Single Af...
24/04/2025
Berklee in Puerto Rico Program to Host 30th Anniversary Concert The event will feature Grammy- and Latin Grammy-winning artist Miguel Zen n BM '98, cuatro...
24/04/2025
Detach Yourself from the Herd': Fito P ez Inspires at Berklee In a session hosted by the Mediterranean Music Institute, the influential Argentine musician...
23/04/2025
Berklee Abu Dhabi's Jazz Night Kicks off Global Celebration of Music and Cul...
19/04/2025
Berklee NYC and NYC Media Launch Season 3 of Inside Power Station @BerkleeNYC This season features faculty member Arun Pandian as the new host and interviews ...
18/04/2025
Berklee Student Yukai Yang Named 2025 Yamaha Young Performing Artist The drummer secured a spot among the elite winners in this years competition.
By
Maddie...
18/04/2025
Boston Conservatory Alums Bring Real Women Have Curves to Broadway The Latin American immigrant community takes center stage in a new musical featuring Tatian...
17/04/2025
In Return to Berklee, Lucius Looks Back and Moves Forward From mood boards to live demos, the alumni band gave students an exclusive look at the process behin...
17/04/2025
Edward J. Lewis III Named Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement Lewis has more than 20 years of industry experience, leading fundraising initiati...
16/04/2025
Charlie Puths Homecoming Was Also a Victory Lap The pop star, songwriter, and producer talked about his career and shared stories behind his biggest hits, inc...
12/04/2025
Career Jam 2025: Insights, Images, and Inspiration Charlie Puth, Tiny Desk, top A&Rs, and more came together for a day of professional development and energet...
11/04/2025
Electronic Music Genres: A Guide to the Most Influential Styles Discover some of the many types of electronic music and how they've shaped contemporary mu...
05/04/2025
Students to Perform with Earl Slick in David Bowie Tribute Concert Known for his work with Bowie and John Lennon, the influential guitarist will also visit cl...
04/04/2025
Boston Conservatory at Berklee to Present Beloved Works and World Premieres at S...
03/04/2025
Berklee's Ty-Juana L. Flores Appointed Board Chair of the Boston Cultural Co...
03/04/2025
Berklee's South Asian Scholar Association to Host All-Ages Concert The student-led event, Mehfil, will feature songs in eight different languages and blen...
03/04/2025
Berklee Announces Paul Dworkis as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial O...
02/04/2025
Music Therapy Students Awarded First Internship Stipend from Children's Musi...
28/03/2025
Student Spotlight: Ava Della Pietra The singer-songwriter enrolled in the Harvard-Berklee Joint Studies Program talks about her love of medicine and music, ov...
28/03/2025
Berklee's Africana Studies to Host Gospel Extravaganza 2025 The Signature Series event will celebrate over 40 years of gospel music at Berklee.
By
Colet...
28/03/2025
Berklee Online CEO Debbie Cavalier Recognized for Extraordinary Leadership Cavalier receives the rare Julius M. Nolte Award from UPCEA.
By
Colette Greenstein
...
26/03/2025
New Music USA and Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Announce 2025 Nex...
22/03/2025
Antonio S nchez, B la Fleck, and Edmar Casta eda Push Boundaries on BEATrio The trio's debut album drops May 16, but you can hear the first single, Archi...
21/03/2025
Neil Leonard's Matanzas Sound Map Turns Sound into Place at Tate Modern The Berklee professor's immersive installation transports visitors to Matanzas...
21/03/2025
Berklee to Host Annual Jazz Composition Festival Performances will feature modern jazz masters Sean Jones, Ayn Inserto, Miguel Zen n BM '98, and Christine...
21/03/2025
PARADEs National Tour Is a Procession of Boston Conservatory Talent Michael Tacconi BFA '12 and fifth-semester musical theater major Olivia Goosman talk a...
21/03/2025
Neil Leonard's Matanzas Sound Map Brings Immersive Sonic Cartography to Tate...
21/03/2025
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Presents the Tony Award-Winning Musical Natasha, ...
20/03/2025
Berklee's Trailblazing Music Inclusion Ensemble Debuts at Berklee Performanc...
19/03/2025
Music Marketing: 5 Proven Strategies to Engage and Grow Your Fanbase Find out how you can get your work in front of more people with these music marketing str...
19/03/2025
Watch Berklee Valencia Alum Wow the American Idol Judges with an Otis Redding So...
17/03/2025
BPMI Presents 2025 Festival Artists at 23rd Annual Showcase The Berklee Popular Music Institute will showcase eight artists performing at this summer's ho...
15/03/2025
Student Spotlight: Rachel McFarlane The Canadian composer talks about being drawn to the storytelling power of scoring for film and video games, working with ...
14/03/2025
Singaporean Singer-Songwriter JJ Lin on Craft, Courage, and Creativity The artist shared candid insights into his musical evolution, personal challenges, and ...
13/03/2025
Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice The songwriting major sang Stars by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals during the blind auditions.
...
12/03/2025
Berklee Awards Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant to Four Organizations A total of $17,000 will be distributed among the Boston-based nonprofits.
By
Madd...
11/03/2025
New Book Explores How the Quiet Storm Shaped Modern R&B In The Quiet Storm, Berklee Online alumnus Amani Roberts explores how the radio format defined America...
11/03/2025
The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Presents the Grand Gathering The Signature Series concert will feature performances by all nine of the instit...
10/03/2025
Berklee and FIFA World Cup 26 Debut Official Boston Host City Theme Boston is the only host city to work with an educational institution to create its unique,...
06/03/2025
Boston Calling and Berklee Partner to Showcase Student Talent When Boston Calling comes to Allston this May, student performers will light up the festival'...
06/03/2025
Building a Home Studio? Start Here. Berklee professors and alumni break down the basics of setting up your home music studio, and share tips on how to get the...
03/03/2025
The Art of Connection Alums Melanie Bacaling and Gabriella Reyes share a deep bond that's carried them to the heights of the opera world.
By
Sarah Godch...
03/03/2025
Scripting Her Path Writer Alexis Scheer takes on a wide range of subject matter, from the stage to the screen.
March 3, 2025
Alexis Scheer
Photo by Gabriel...
27/02/2025
Student Spotlight: Manuela S nchez Goubert The vocalist from Bogot , Colombia, talks about releasing and touring her album, RA CES (roots), and how Berklee ha...
26/02/2025
Berklee College of Music and Red Bull Collaborate for Red Bull Scoring Challenge The challenge encourages Berklee students to push creative boundaries in orch...