A quarter century ago, three 13-year-old friends decided that they wanted to stage a production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” over the summer. Combining their first names, Becky, Allie, and Melanie, they called their company BAMtheatre.
Beckie and Allie eventually left the company but Melanie Lamoureux kept it going.
Now, as it concludes its 25th anniversary season. BAMtheatre is a year-round, acclaimed, prize-winning youth theater conservatory, with its own building in Westmont, and has almost 3,000 students each year.
“We’re competing on national stages and winning the top honors,” Lamoureux said. “It’s incredible and awesome and I’m so proud.”
Lamoureux is also proud of the students who have gone on to have professional careers after training at BAMtheatre. That includes Berwyn native Max Cervantes, who is currently in the national touring company of “Chicago!,” playing the role of Billy Flynn—a role that he played in a BAM production of “Chicago!” in 2010, directed by Lamoureux.
Cervantes began working with BAM when he was 16, performing in their mainstage productions. “The first show that I did was ‘Grease’ and that same summer, Melanie (Lamoureux) invited me to be part of the internship program that helped direct the second show of the summer. I was able to perform and then I got to direct a little bit as well and that’s what started my relationship with BAMtheatre.”
Now at 33, Cervantes is still involved with BAMtheatre.
“I went back for their winter cabaret in December,” he reported.
He credits BAM for his development as both an actor and an artist. “The opportunities that BAM provided allowed me to explore and research and dive into the craft and artistry,” Cervantes explained.
He has performed with the Lyric Opera, Paramount Theatre, and Theo Ubique in Chicago, among others. Now based in New York, “Chicago!” is Cervantes’ third consecutive national touring production, preceded by “On Your Feet! — The Musical” and “Pretty Woman — The Musical.”
This season, the three competitive BAM Conservatory Ensembles for elementary school, middle school, and high school-aged students, competing against ensembles from around the world, achieved top honors at the National Performing Arts Festival, Junior Theater Festival West, and Junior Theater Festival Atlanta, respectively.
The BAM Conservatory Ensembles are “audition-based, advanced-training, competitive theater troupes,” Lamoureuz explained. “Every year, we travel out of state to compete in a different theater competition. They’re very competitive events with thousands of people in attendance.”
All three Conservatory Ensembles will present a segment of their winning shows at the annual free BAM Block Party, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. May 30, at BAMtheatre’s Performing Arts Facility, 520 N. Cass Ave., in Westmont. RSVP at bamtheatre.com.
Visitors will also have a chance to tour the Performing Arts Facility that opened last May and see its 191-seat theater, professional-grade dance studio, rehearsal rooms, and wing of studios for private instruction. In addition, there will be food trucks, a beer tent, games, and activities in the parking lot.
The Conservatory Ensembles are only a small part of the offerings at BAMtheatre. The schedule includes classes in acting, improv, dance, Broadway voices, technical theatre, and piano, summer camps and private lessons.
More Top Picks Amazon New Year Sale
“We’ve grown our programing substantially over the past two-and-a-half decades,” Lamoureux said. “We’re gearing up for an epic summer season. We’ll probably have over 40 teachers working for us and then we’ll also have a team of high school and college level interns.”
Over the summer, they will produce two mainstage musicals. “One that is geared more towards high school-college age and one that is more elementary and middle school age,” Lamoureux said. The musicals are “Urinetown” for the older students and “The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition” for the younger students.
Owning its own building has contributed to the growth of BAMtheatre. Lamoureux said, “Having a permanent home has grounded our reputation a little bit more because everyone knows where we are. Prior to the past year, we were producing theater at the same level that we are now but in so many different places. People know where we are all the time.”
Lamoureux admitted that “The majority of what I do day-to-day is managing the business but I usually direct one of the shows in the summer and then I oversee and direct the two higher-level Conservatory Ensemble groups so I feel like I get my artistic fulfillment in those programs.”
Lamoureux praised the encouragement that BAMtheatre has received through the years.
“I am so thrilled that we are in a community that supports the arts and that has a hunger for youth to pursue creative passions,” she said.
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.