Studio G's Fall Production Lineup is Announced!

Every May, something happens on that stage at Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center that tends to catch parents off guard. The costumes. The mics. The kid who spent September convinced they’d made a terrible mistake, now standing in a spotlight in Act Two looking completely at home…

That was the magic of the 2025-2026 season which featured the unforgettable productions Beetlejuice Jr., Shrek Jr., and Peter Pan Jr. — all of it built from scratch between fall enrollment and opening night.

If you were there, you felt it. If you weren’t, keep reading because Studio G’s 2026-2027 Production Season is shaping up to be something special and yes, enrollment is now open. It’s time to get excited, Napa!

TL;DR: Studio G’s 2026-2027 season is now enrolling! Several classes are already filling, and because class sizes stay intentionally small, enrollment is limited!

Learn More & Enroll at Studio G!

If “theater kid” conjures a specific personality — big energy, born for the spotlight — please hear us when we say: those are far from the only personalities that thrive in these casts (of course, we love them too!).

Studio G works for a wide range of kids and developmental psychology explains why. Erik Erikson’s framework for childhood development (which might be familiar; linked below) maps almost exactly onto what theater asks of kids at each stage:

• TK-1st grade: Learning to try — to take initiative without a guarantee of success. Ensemble movement, songs, and character work are structured empathy-building.

• Grades 2-5: The “am I good at things?” years. Every role is visible and essential. Meaning, the kid with three lines matters as much as the lead, and the audience doesn’t rank the cast, so everyone rises together.

• Grades 6-12: Adolescence is one long experiment in '“who am I?” Theater is one of the few places where trying on a different self is literally the assignment. Low stakes, high reward!

And for the kid with seemingly zero interest in setting foot on a stage? There’s a spot waiting for them too (really!). Many stage nay-sayers fall in love with the process and the people, whether that’s on stage or behind it — more on that below!

From first rehearsal to final curtain call, Studio G students experience what it really feels like to build something together and this season’s lineup gives them a lot to build toward.

Matilda is a story about a kid with extraordinary imagination, quiet courage, and more cleverness than the adults around her know what to do with. Big dance numbers. Memorable characters. A supportive cast where first time performers and seasoned students work side by side. Its the perfect production for kids who love to imagine, perform, and grow in confidence. This one tends to resonate with a lot more kids than families expect (especially the ones who’ve ever felt underestimated!). Performance: June 2027

The classic is back, but this is not the movie. This is a live production, built by real kids on a real stage. But don’t let the name fool you, it’s significantly more demanding than it sounds! Troy and Gabriella’s story about breaking out of the “status quo” hits differently with the performers are living their own version of it in real time. The mixed-age cast creates natural mentorship with seasoned returning students who’ve been through a production before naturally guiding the ones who haven’t. Performance: May 2027

Studio G’s signature year-round program: acting, voice, and dance — all three, every week. This is the foundation of everything. The majority of Studio G’s featured and lead performers come through Triple Threat, and the results speak for themselves year after year: stronger stage presence, sharper performance skills, REAL confidence.

Three tracks, complimenting where your kid is right now:

• G Minor (TK-2nd Grade): Your newest dance school alternative! This is where the love for performing arts begins. Imaginative play, storytelling, movement, and songs in a joyful, nurturing environment.

• G Major (Grades 3-12): This is often where their confidence takes a real leap forward. More challenging music, solo work, character development, and advanced choreography.

• G Select (Grades 6-12): A premier track for those who are ready to push themselves to the next level. Expect advanced repertoire, script analysis, professional-level rehearsal expectations. Audition required.

Triple Threat students may also enroll in Matilda Jr. or High School Musical Jr., but production enrollment is not required.

This one is for the kids who want to be in the room but not on the stage — and is every bit as essential as the cast!

This is an incredible program and opportunity! D/T students work in lighting, sound, microphones, backstage crew, set building, prop creation, and stage management. They’re not observers, they’re collaborators on the full MainStage production, working directly with professional designers and the Napa Valley College Technical Theater Team from concept to curtain call. If your kid is drawn to how things work behind the scenes, this is a wonderful program to lean into that packs an incredible valuable-set-of-skills punch.

Fall Programming

For families new to Studio G, a few things worth knowing upfront:

• Enrollment is the audition. No child stands alone on a stage hoping for a callback. You register, and the process begins from there.

• The director gets to know your kid first. Mrs. G has a genuine gift for seeing what a kid is capable of long before they see it themselves. She takes time to observe and understand every student’s personality, confidence level, and strengths before assigning roles. This stepping stone helps children feel comfortable instantly and grow into characters that individually challenge and encourage them. This is the magic 💫

• The commitment follows the school year. Enroll in fall, perform in May or June 2027. It can feel like a big commitment in September but that runway is exactly what allows kids to develop, bond, and do the hard work to become their characters, rather than rushing toward opening night.

• The production is the real thing. Professional college stage, every performer miked, costumes designed for each character and each child, full tech week. This is not your run-of-the-mill school auditorium situation, people!

• Financial assistance is available. Reach out directly to explore options!

There is a concept embedded in every theater production that is a bit unusual in children’s activities, and it’s worth naming.

In theater, every individual performance is in service of the show. Not your stats, ranking, or personal best — the show. Your timing in the wings affects the actor already onstage. Your energy in the ensemble sets the tone even when you have no lines. Every child, whether they’re center stage or calling cues from backstage, is a working part of something larger than themselves.

That’s the real impact: perspective-taking under real stakes, and it shows up in every team they’ll be a part of for the rest of their lives. Not to be dramatic for the sake of making a point or anything … but wow! 😉

Every production begins with one decision: to say yes. Fall is when the foundation gets built, and the kids who start now are the ones who walk into opening night like they own the place.

The marquee’s got room for one more name. Enroll today and discover the magic for yourself.

Yes, I'm Ready For The Spotlight!

Enrollment for the 2026-2027 season is now open. Several programs are already filling, so early registration is encouraged.

Napa Kids is grateful to partner with Studio G in sharing programs that support the growth and development of Napa Valley’s kids. We only feature programs we genuinely believe in.

_{*Read more: Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development}