What if I told you that just a short drive from the Admirals Cove gates, there's a place where an 80-year-old can share the stage with an 18-year-old, both belting out Broadway classics they haven't sung in years? Or where you could peek behind the curtain of a professional rehearsal and watch Tony-nominated actors perfect their craft, then take what you learned and try it yourself an hour later?

It's all happening at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre's Goldner Conservatory at the Roe Green Education Center, and (unfortunately) it's the best-kept secret in South Florida that it's not just for kids anymore.

"For years we tried an adult program, and we just could not get any bites," admits Kim Cozort Kay, the Conservatory's Director of Education. "So now we are." In fact, they're doing so well that they've had to add sections to accommodate the demand. Adult scene study, Play Readers Club, jazz, tap, ballet, a Guys and Dolls showcase, and a Broadway Sings chorus on Fridays, the roster keeps growing as fast as the enthusiasm. The Encore Conservatory, as the adult program is officially known, welcomes anyone 18 and up to discover or rediscover their theatrical passions.

For Admirals Cove's own Peggy Katz, a board member at the Maltz, the Conservatory represents the fulfillment of a dream that began in her living room. "The whole theatre started in our home," she shares, reflecting on the journey she and her late husband, Rick, took alongside Milton and Tamar Maltz. "It really was a dream that we could never have thought would be fulfilled to the extent that it was." Rick served as a founding board member for 25 years, and Peggy has supported this remarkable institution from its earliest days, officially joining the board three years ago after Rick's passing.

Rick's love for the theatre was infectious. He'd shuffle down to thank the orchestra after performances, attend every tech rehearsal, and champion the education component that has now blossomed into the Conservatory. "I had a man working on our dock knock on the door one day," Peggy recalls. "He said, 'I just want to thank you. My son goes to the Maltz, and he's found a life for himself. The kids at school were rejecting him.' I can't tell you how grateful we are."

That spirit of welcome and belonging is precisely what makes the Conservatory special, especially for adults who might think their performing days are behind them. "I had one adult say to me the other day, 'I just never left the house because I didn't think there was a place for me to go,'" Kim shares. The classes are deliberately kept small, eight students or fewer, creating an intimate environment where members can rediscover forgotten talents or develop new ones.

But here's what truly sets the Goldner Conservatory apart from other theatre schools in the region: it's located inside the largest regional theatre in the lower half of the United States. Andrew Kato, the theatre's Producing Artistic Director and Chief Executive, explains that the Maltz is the only Lort B+ theatre in the country, a designation recognized by theatre professionals as the highest level of regional theatre. "It happens to be here in Jupiter," he says with justifiable pride.

hat does that mean for students? Everything. The professional rehearsal studios are located just around the corner from the classrooms. Kim can walk her class over to watch professionals rehearsing that evening's show, and the Broadway veterans performing on the Maltz stage regularly teach master classes for Conservatory students. "The director of Goodnight Oscar did a professional master class," Kim notes, listing Hunter Foster, Denis Jones, and the cast of Million Dollar Quartet among the professionals who've shared their expertise. "Nobody has access like that."

Students observe more than just talent; they see the etiquette, the protocol, the tools of the trade. They watch sound calls and fight calls, see how the stage gets swept, and props get set. "If they audition for a main stage show, they know what to expect," Kim explains. "There are no surprises."

That commitment to real-world learning extends beyond the classroom. Olivia Cornett, a recent Boston Conservatory at Berklee graduate majoring in musical theatre, is currently interning with Andrew to gain hands-on experience in theatre management and production. "To get that experience as somebody truly beginning their career as we speak," Olivia explains, "priceless to have this experience to see someone that is truly so incredible at what they do." Andrew's condition for the internship? Olivia must be there every time he's there, no picking and choosing the glamorous moments. From morning meetings with the board chair to late-night tech rehearsals, she's learning that running a professional theatre requires dedication, attention to detail, and the ability to move quickly between dozens of different responsibilities. It's the same immersive approach the Conservatory takes with all its students, showing them not just the spotlight, but everything it takes to make that spotlight shine.

For adults in the community, this means you're not just taking a class, you're stepping into a professional theatrical environment where your experience is shaped by the same standards that produce the shows you see on the main stage. The adult students currently enrolled range from their twenties to their eighties, and they're singing everything from current Broadway hits to what Kim affectionately calls "Oldie Goldies", the songs that defined their youth and now get a chance to shine again.

The current spring semester runs through May 23, and it's not too late to join. You can schedule a consultation or even try a drop-in class to see if it's the right fit. Tour the stunning 8,500-square-foot facility that opened this past October and meet Kim and her team. And here's something remarkable: the Maltz has never turned away a single student who couldn't afford tuition. Scholarships are always available for those who need them.

With summer just around the corner, now is also the perfect time to register for the Conservatory's summer camps, running from June 1 to August 7. Whether you're considering classes for visiting grandchildren or thinking about an immersive theatrical experience for yourself, the summer program offers daily opportunities Monday through Friday to dive deep into the performing arts.

Andrew emphasizes that the Conservatory's mission extends beyond stage performance. "Whether they want to be a patron, whether they want to be a singer, or if they just want to get some self-confidence speaking in front of people," he explains, the Conservatory is there to serve the entire community. Pre-professionals preparing for auditions study alongside retirees rediscovering their love of theatre, and everyone benefits from the blend of perspectives.

"With theatre, all are welcome," Kim says simply. "Everybody is welcome to participate, no matter how old, what color you are, or what your talents are." It's the same welcoming spirit that drew Rick Katz to champion the theatre's education program from the very beginning, and the same spirit that continues to guide Peggy's involvement today.

Getting started couldn't be easier. Visit jupitertheatre.org and click on the menu in the upper corner, then select Goldner Conservatory. You'll find complete information about spring classes, summer camps, and adult education offerings. Each listing includes full descriptions, schedules, and tuition information. You can also contact the Conservatory directly at conservatory@jupitertheatre.org or call (561) 593-ARTS (2787) to speak with Kim or her team, schedule a tour, or learn more about what might be the perfect creative outlet you've been missing.

The Conservatory also welcomes volunteers, those yellow-shirted ambassadors you'll see when you visit are part of a corps of over 400 volunteers who make the magic happen throughout the building. From the parking lot (which Andrew jokingly calls "the Versailles of parking lots") to the custom scent in the lobby to the careful attention to every detail of the patron experience, the Maltz understands that theatre begins the moment you arrive.

Students currently travel from as far as Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Wellington, and Boynton Beach to study at the Conservatory, but your community is just a short drive away. Rick Katz used to say he loved coming to tech rehearsals because he loved the process, the careful assembly of all the elements that create theatrical magic. Today, that same attention to process and craft is available to anyone who walks through the Conservatory's doors. Whether you're 28 or 80, whether you dream of the spotlight or want to understand what happens behind the curtain, there's a place for you at the Encore Conservatory.

After all, as Kim reminds us, "I've had so many parents say, 'Thank you for letting my son be who he is.'" At the Maltz Jupiter Theatre's Goldner Conservatory, that welcome extends to all of us—because theatre, at its heart, is about finding where you belong and discovering that you've had a place on stage all along.