In the fall of 2023, sophomore Elana Ernst opened her inbox to an email she’d been waiting for. She couldn’t see the whole subject line, but the first word was “IStage.” She clicked, heart pounding, and was filled with happiness when the first thing she saw was the word “congratulations” in bold. She knew this meant that she was selected to be a part of the IStage Performance Ensemble (ISPE), and she was ecstatic for the semester to come.
This semester, Ernst and fellow sophomores Lindsey Shapiro and Sami Goldin are in ISPE at Imagination Stage in Bethesda. The program aims to help performers in grades 7-12 further their skills and apply them towards a performance.
“[ISPE is] a space where I get to put on a show,” Goldin said. “I get to learn all these things about dancing, singing, from different people who I would not get to work with necessarily in my everyday life, in school or in other places. And I get to see people here at Imagination Stage who I don’t really see anywhere else.”
The process starts with a round of auditions to determine the general ensemble of the production. The casting process for individual roles then takes place during the next three rehearsals, once the whole cast is selected.
Ernst first auditioned for the program when she was in 7th grade but didn’t get selected. She then took classes at Imagination Stage for that year, did a year of school theater in 8th grade and when she auditioned again as a freshman, she was accepted. She was especially happy about getting into this program because it was one of the only ones she could find that would accommodate her being Shomer Shabbat.
Now, Ernst is in her second year of participating in ISPE. Last year, along with Ellie Levine (‘24), Ernst, Goldin and Shapiro were a part of ISPE’s production of “Pippin.” Ernst, Goldin and Shapiro were in the ensemble.
“Overall, last year was great,” Goldin said. “We had an excellent artistic team, and I did a lot of dancing, which was not my normal thing.”
Rehearsals are held on Wednesdays for two and a half hours and on Sundays for four and a half hours. There are also additional Friday rehearsals. At rehearsals, the actors do different things to prepare for their performances such as blocking and dancing, and when they’re not needed they are able to hang out with their friends on the side. They also have “tech week,” where they will practice using their complete set of technology, such as lighting and mics.
“It elevates their work, because they are performing in a big theater with excellent design and production values,” Director of Education at Imagination Stage Nikki Kaplan said. “Most of all of the design and production is supported by adults and adult professionals.”
This year, Ernst will play the lead role of Winnie Foster in “Tuck Everlasting,” which will have shows on Jan. 10, 11 and 12. Goldin will play the toad and along with Shapiro, is in the ensemble. The musical is about eleven-year-old Winnie who longs for adventure, but gets more than she bargained for when she becomes involved with the Tuck family with a magical secret. Ernst described her character as a sweet and innocent girl that is growing into herself.
“I think I see maybe some of my younger self in her,” Ernst said. “It’s not like the kind of character where you have to work super hard to get into it for me, at least, because it feels pretty natural with her.”
Goldin has been in the program since she was in 7th grade, although she has been doing theater since she was 4 or 5-years-old. She has been involved with Imagination Stage since she was seven. She was “so excited” when she first learned she got into ISPE, partly because friends she knew from previous shows would be in it with her.
A large appeal of the program is getting to make friends. It is open to both middle and high schoolers, and both Goldin and Ernst appreciate the variation in ages.
“I definitely feel like I’ve become pretty close with a lot of people who are different ages,” Ernst said. “I’m close with some middle schoolers, and I’m also really close with the seniors and that’s cool.”
Ernst and Goldin have both enjoyed their time so far with ISPE, and look forward to this year’s production.
“I make new friends every time I do the program and I have some friends who I’ve known since my first shows and years at Imagination Stage,” Goldin said.
