Theater in the Woods is a place where Staten Island teens can express themselves through the dramatic aspects of the theater thanks to founder and director Jo Anna Petrouleas. Mrs. Petrouleas, mother of two teenager girls and a former model/actress, saw the need for teens to have a place to belong to, learn every aspect of the theater, to express themselves through the arts in an environment where they share a common passion with other teens, and a place to have fun while learning!
Mrs. Petrouleas and her husband purchased a home on the road in which they live and converted the home into a school by building a small stage in one of the rooms, turning another into a dance studio, and another into a voice studio. In a short period of time she has grown the home into a recognized school for teens and will continue to grow to be able to make Theater in the Woods a place for students to grow and learn their craft.
Mrs. Petrouleas started the school with a free pilot program for nine weeks that consisted of one acting class back in 2004. She wanted to see how the children would respond to it. It ended up being a big success.
In January 2005 she formed a corporation that started offering 12 week classes on Saturdays. Currently it is in the process of becoming a non for profit organization. In April of the same year she was also able to offer her students a one hour voice/speech class and a one hour dance/movement class. That summer she offered a three week summer camp where she added an on-camera class and has continued to do so every summer since.
The summer camp ends with a Broadway revue-show at an outside stage located on the school’s property that she had built. Performing in this type of venue gives the children a true Shakespearean feel for theater. In 2007, she decided to produce a feature film with the help of teacher Nick Caccese who holds a Master’s in Film and Media Studies and wrote and directed a film upon the approval of Mrs. Petrouleas.
Both Nick and Jo Anna cast the film using the students of Theater in the Woods. After working on the project for a year and a half, the film was completed and submitted to the 2009 S.I. Film Festival. The film was accepted into the festival and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Featured Screenplay (Won), and Best Actor.
Jo Anna’s goal for her students is to install self-esteem and, self-confidence in each child and give them the tools they need to succeed.
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