CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

1. super silly & serious plays
2. masterful monologues
3. creative expression

COURSE GOALS

1. to voice their ideas

2. to allow group mind to lead

3. to collaborate within a thriving ensemble

4. to trust their creative impulses will lead them into a gold mine

5. to discern the juiciest and richest course of action from the flat safe choice.

SUPER SILLY AND SERIOUS PLAYS

You are waiting for the ancient amazons to arrive in their invisible plane to deliver brownies for your birthday party. But what happens to them? You live on Mars. You have a bad cold and your best-friends, the amoebas from Saturn are flying in for a sleep-over. You can't find the kleenex. What do you do? Your Chinese food restaurant gets spun back in time. So you go to Las Vegas to win a fortune and find your way home. We write the play. We perform it.

Super Silly and Serious Plays introduces students grades K-12 to play writing, acting and ensemble skills through the writing, rehearsal and performance of an original play or monologue.

This class exposes students to several aspects of theatre: from theatre games and improvisation to create the characters, to movement improvisation and vocal technique, to technical aspects which supplement the rehearsal and performance process. The class finishes with a performance of the work in progress for friends and family.

GRADE ADAPTIONS

K-2nd
Their play has more narration and lots of ensemble movement. The movement and lead in to their dialogue are written into the narration. This makes it easier to remember. Sound and a photo slide show used behind the play.

3rd-8th
The final performance is a staged reading with minimal movement. Once the play is written and characters decided upon the focus is on distinct physical and vocal character choices vs the staging of the whole play; sound and photo slide show behind show. Longer programs include a full production.

9th-12th
The plays follow an environmental theme chosen by the group. Topics include: the end of oil, water desalination, alternative energy, deep psychology. All tech and marketing is done by the group and the class finishes with a full production.

MASTERFUL MONOLOGUES

GRADE 3 - 8
This class is a wonderful lead in to Super Silly and Serious Plays. The writing comes from the student's own experience. Theatre and ensemble games are touchstones throughout the class. Ensemble movement improvisation skills: viewpoints, laban, movement ritual and theatre improvisation tools will be used to weave the monologues together. The monologues are then brought to life through the physical improvisations of the other students. The performances are an ensemble experience.

GRADE 9-12
This class allows for one to one assistance on activating the students writing for the stage, developing a clear voice, integrating solo performance and acting skills, and supporting the students as individual artists. The performances are solo.

CREATIVE EXPRESSION

All Ages
This class begins it all. Support your child's thriving imagination and healthy physical expression by giving them the opportunity to improvise movement, delve into various movement techniques and play out character. Some of the improvisatory techniques we will explore are: Laban, Viewpoints and Movement Ritual. We will play as solo performers and as an ensemble. A delightful class for all ages who like to wiggle.