ICA is committed to providing high-level arts programming while engaging students in a comprehensive academic education. We believe that creativity and the quest for innovation fosters individuality–allowing the holistic development of each student.
At Illinois Conservatory for the Arts, our students will engage in a practicum of pre-professional arts training balanced with rigorous academics.
Applications will open Early Spring 2025 for a limited number of spots. Selected applicants will audition for ICA with placement for those accepted in Late Spring 2025.
There are two 14-week sessions each year–one in the Spring, one in the Fall–which offer a variety of Individual Courses and curated Conservatory Tracks.
IMPACT brings top professional artists–from Broadway, TV & Film, and beyond–to work with students on growing their skills. The week includes a trip to see a show in Chicago and wraps up with a showcase and reception for family and friends.
Illinois Conservatory for the Arts is committed to community engagement, outreach, and fundraising. Events include concerts, workshops, and community outings.
With their combined decades in arts education, our founders recognize that young artists often learn differently because they are multifaceted. ICA believes that fostering creativity in all areas of their school experience benefits a creatively-driven child, whether they aim for a profession in the arts or land in a fulfilling career outside of the arts.
PAST FACULTY
PAST FACULTY
PAST FACULTY
PAST FACULTY
PAST FACULTY
These organizations are significant supporters of Illinois Conservatory for the Arts and the work we do.We appreciate your commitment to our students and furthering arts education for our community.
Illinois Conservatory for Arts employs staff and admits students of any race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, gender, religion, and sexual orientation to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It doesn’t discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, and ethnic origin, gender, religion, and sexual orientation in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school-administered programs.
TYLER MCKENZIE has been a part of Hamilton since 2017. Other credits include – Broadway & National Tours: Matilda, Mamma Mia. He has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Western Carolina University and has served on many faculties and teaching staff around the country, including the Musical Theatre Faculty at Penn State University. IG: @tylrmckenzie
Melissa Foster is a Professor of Instruction in the Department of Theatre at Northwestern University, specifically teaching voice and topics in musical theatre such as Pop/Rock Vocal Style, and Pop Rock Musical Theatre. At Northwestern, she is the recipient of both the 2021 Galbut Outstanding Faculty Award and the 2022 Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Professor of Instruction Award. She values her time inside the classroom just as much as she does outside, and simultaneously serves as 1 of 5 Faculty in Residence on Northwestern’s campus, mentoring students via their residential experience. When not at Northwestern, Melissa has been a Resident Vocal Consultant for LYRIC UNLIMITED (a division of the Lyric Opera of Chicago), and teaches for the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute at Shenandoah University. She has been guest faculty for Broadway Evolved, Artsbridge, Broadway Breakthru, IHSTA, ArtsLink and NATS. She has also taught countless masterclasses around the world. Highlights include: co-teaching a live-streamed, sold out masterclass with world renowned opera legend Renee Fleming and recent talks at schools and conferences in San Diego, San Francisco, New York City, Ithaca, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Madison, South Bend, Goshen, Milwaukee, Detroit, Chicago, Birmingham, Palo Alto, Xi’an, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Foster has consulted for the companies of numerous National Tours, including Miss Saigon, Fiddler on the Roof, and A Bronx Tale, and has recently enjoyed consulting for pop/rock projects like working with the NPR Tiny Desk series and for the multi-Grammy winning band Coldplay. Her book, “Don’t Sweat the Technique; A Performers Guide to Hip-Hop and Rap” (Rowman and Littlefield Publishers) was released in November 2023. Foster currently lives in Evanston, IL, with her husband Matt Boresi, their daughter Vivian, and their 2 adorable bunnies, Cinna and Rue.
Broadway: Wicked
Brittainy joined the Gray Talent Group as an Associate Agent in July of 2015. She now heads up the Chicago tv/film/commercial/VO departments. After earning degrees in Theatre Arts and Psychology from the University of Iowa, she began her career in theatre, working in the fields of fundraising and production and stage management. In tandem with her work in the field of performing arts, Brittainy worked in the aviation industry, during which time she learned that there truly is no place like sweet home Chicago. Brittainy is delighted to be part of the performing arts community and is thrilled to help showcase the amazing talents of the actors at Gray Talent Group.
