Lion's Acting Troupe (2-8)

Create. Perform. Belong.

Lion’s Acting Troupe is Meridian’s after-school theatre program for students in Grades 2 - 8, offered in partnership with Village Theatre.

Our program gives students the opportunity to build confidence, develop theatre skills, collaborate with others, and experience the excitement of creating a live production together.

Students explore acting, improvisation, character development, voice, movement, storytelling, and the rehearsal process before presenting a fully staged performance for our community. Because theatre is about much more than acting, students may also have opportunities to explore directing, design, technical theatre, playwriting, and other elements of theatrical production.

Why Lion’s Acting Troupe?

We believe theatre should be a place where students can:

Build confidence
Take creative risks
Develop their own artistic voice
Learn collaboration and responsibility
Create meaningful friendships
Experience the joy of performing
Find a place where they belong

Parent Testimonials:

"My kids absolutely love the program and it's clearly a feeling shared by their peers based on the joy each of the performers brought to the stage. Mrs. Chapman and Mr. Franklin have produced a rare gift for the Meridian community: a true touchstone educational moment. I have no doubt the lessons my children learned in teamwork, self-confidence, and goal realization will carry far beyond the stage."

"Even between the fall shows and spring shows, I saw a difference in the students' skill and confidence on stage. I know it will make a difference for these students as they move into secondary theatre classes."

"It was beyond any expectations I had. Great experience."

"We are so thankful for this program."

"This semester was so artfully done and the children had the freedom to create their own character."

Fall 2026 Season

This fall, Lion’s Acting Troupe expanded to two separate classes, allowing students to work with peers at developmentally appropriate levels while participating in a full theatrical production.

Class 1 (Grades 5 - 8)

Dr. Experimentor and the League of Evil

Performances

Thursday, October 22, 2026

8:15 PM - Primary School Gym

Friday, October 23, 2026

7:00 PM - Primary School Gym

Students should follow the class 1 rehearsal and performance schedule provided to participating families for all call times and additional rehearsal information.

Class 2 (Grades 2 - 5)

Twice Upon a Time

School Day Performances

Wednesday, October 23, 2026

Public Performances

Thursday, October 22, 2026

7:15 PM - Primary School Gym

Friday, October 23, 2026

6:00 PM - Primary School Gym

Students should follow the class 2 rehearsal and performance schedule provided to participating families for all call times and additional rehearsal information.

Coming Spring 2027

Lion’s Acting Troupe returns for another season in Spring 2027! We will again offer two classes for Meridian students:

Class 1 (Grades 5 - 8)
Led by Molly Chapman and Corey Franklin

Class 2 (Grades 2 - 5)
Led by Becca Ramirez and April Rodriguez

The addition of new instructors allows Lion’s Acting Troupe to continue growing while providing students with more focused instruction, individual support, and opportunities to develop as performers and collaborators.

Spring rehearsals begin in February, with final productions planned for May 2027.

Registration information, production titles, tuition, rehearsal calendars, and additional details will be announced soon.

Meet the Instructors

Molly Chapman

Molly Chapman is a 3rd Grade teacher at Meridian and a former Theatre teacher. She has taught Theatre at Indiana University, Ball State University, Austin Community College, and Georgetown High School.

Molly earned an MFA in Acting from Indiana University and a BA in Theatre from Bloomsburg University and is a SITI Company alum. Before transitioning to elementary education, she worked as a professional regional theatre actor and performed with companies including Williamstown Theatre Festival, Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, Passage Theatre Company, and Indiana Festival Theatre. She is a member of Actors' Equity Association.

Molly believes theatre gives young people opportunities to develop confidence, empathy, creativity, collaboration, and a sense of belonging.

Corey Franklin

Corey Franklin has taught at Meridian since 2022 and currently teaches 3rd Grade. He has worked in education internationally and in the United States as an elementary teacher, music teacher, English language teacher, and IB Primary Years Programme Coordinator.

Corey earned a bachelor's degree in Music Composition from the University of the Incarnate Word and an MBA through Regent's University London and Webster University.

His performing arts experience includes directing choirs, concerts, student productions, and school performances. He is passionate about creating opportunities for students to develop confidence, creativity, and community through the performing arts.

Becca Ramirez

Becca Ramirez joined Meridian as a 3rd Grade teacher in 2025 after previously completing her student teaching at the school. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education from Southwestern University and began her teaching career in 1st Grade.

Becca first became involved with Lion’s Acting Troupe in Fall 2025 and Spring 2026, working as a contractor supporting choreography. In Fall 2026, she stepped into a larger leadership role as one of the troupe’s directors.

She is passionate about supporting students with a wide range of behavioral, language, and academic needs and creating environments where every child can participate and succeed. Outside the classroom, she enjoys reading, video games, drawing, crafting, and finding new creative ways to engage students.

Becca is excited to continue helping Lion’s Acting Troupe grow while supporting students as they build confidence, creativity, and a love of performance.

April Rodriguez

April Rodriguez has been part of the Meridian community since 2017 and currently teaches 5th Grade. She is proud to call Meridian her “forever school” and is known for bringing creativity, patience, and care to everything she does with students.

April loves finding new ways to make learning engaging and meaningful. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, listening to audiobooks, and spending time at the baseball and softball fields.

She is excited to bring her creativity and love of working with children to Lion’s Acting Troupe and to help students grow in confidence, collaboration, and self-expression.

Lion’s Acting Troupe + Village Theatre

Beginning with the 2026 - 2027 school year, Lion’s Acting Troupe is offered in partnership with Village Theatre. Village Theatre was created by Meridian teachers Molly Chapman and Corey Franklin with a simple belief:

Theatre should be a place where people can create, perform, and belong.

What began as an after-school program at Meridian has grown into a theatre organization focused on creating performing arts opportunities for young people in our community.

Lion’s Acting Troupe remains the heart of Village Theatre's work at Meridian and the program where it all began.

As the program continues to grow, our goal remains the same: to create a supportive theatre environment where students can challenge themselves, discover their creativity, build lasting friendships, and find their place both onstage and behind the scenes.

Late Pick up Fees

Late pick-up from Arts/À la carte/After school programs will result in additional fees to accrue at the rate of $5 per 5 minutes starting with the first minute.
Students who participate in Arts/À la carte activities will be charged $5 per 5 minutes with a 5 minute grace period from the activity's dismissal time to allow for transition from the classroom.
For full-time after school students end-of-day, "late" begins at 6:01 p.m.

1 – 5 minutes = $5

6 – 10 minutes = $10

11 – 15 minutes = $15

16 – 20 minutes = $20 ...

How to Withdraw

To withdraw, please complete the Triple A Withdrawal Form.
Please note, all fees paid for Lion's Acting Troupe are non-refundable. Review the Triple A Terms for Participation for more details.