Scratching your head over a unique Christmas gift for your child? Is Santa looking for something extra special to place in a child’s stocking?

Why not give your child the opportunity to star on stage?

Starting on Jan 10, 2023, the Albany Museum of Art is presenting a new weekly workshop—Kids Take the Stage at the Museum. Vickie Knuckles, a longtime children’s theater teacher in Albany, will be in the director’s chair for the classes, which will be set up in a pair of theater troupes grouped by age. The Rising Stars group is for ages K-2nd grade, while the Shining Stars troupe is for ages 3rd-5th grade.

“We are always looking for new ways to broaden the arts experience in our community,” AMA Director of Education and Public Programming Annie Vanoteghem said. “Vickie has more than 30 years of experience as an educator and is terrific at working with kids. We are happy to be able to collaborate with her on this program.”

The workshops will be on six consecutive Tuesdays—Jan 10, 17, 24 and 31, and Feb 7 and 14. Rising Stars will take the stage each of those days from 3:30-4:20 pm. Shining Stars will make their stage entrances from 4:30-5:20 pm. Up to 15 young actors will be accepted for each troupe.

“I’m looking forward to developing this program with the Albany Museum of Art,” Knuckles said. “I do love kids and theater.”

A veteran of the music and theater arts classrooms, Knuckles has extensive theater and teaching credits. She recently completed a 30-year career at Sherwood Christian Academy. Knuckles has directed numerous stage plays with both students in K5-12th grade and adults, and for more than 20 years directed one-act plays and literary events. She founded the King’s Kids Production Company, a summer theater camp program, and leads the Albany Area Homeschool Theatre Company, which features homeschooled students in theater productions.

Knuckles plans for her students to show their parents what they learned when each six-class course is completed.

“That is my goal,” she said. “We want to do something for the parents at the end.”

Vanoteghem said parents who want to register their child in one of the two classes as a Christmas gift can get a gift certificate that can be wrapped up and placed under the tree.

“Everyone is busy looking for just the right present. The gift of a unique experience is something your child will always remember and treasure,” she said. “This is something kids will really enjoy, and who knows? Maybe some of our Rising Stars and Shining Stars will be movie or Broadway stars someday and they’ll say, ‘It all started when I took the stage at the museum.’”

The cost for the six-class course is $75. A secure registration link for both classes may be found at www.albanymuseum.com/kids-take-the-stage. You may email [email protected] to request a gift certificate.

You also may register your Rising Star or Shining Star at the front desk at the AMA, where gift certificates will be available.