On Tuesday, Sept. 11, New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.) announced its fall 2018 class schedule. Here is a press release verbatim.
JACKSON—New Stage Theatre, Mississippi’s professional theatre located in Jackson, Miss., announces its fall class schedule. The fall session begins Sept. 15 and runs through Nov. 17, 2018. New classes are available for first-graders through adults. To register for classes, please contact Education Director Sharon Miles at 601-948-3533 ext. 232 or [email protected].
For our first- through third-graders, our Story Theatre series presents “Sneetches” by Dr. Seuss. The Sneetches live on the beach, and there is a line drawn in the sand: Star Bellies on one side, Plain Bellies on the other. Star-bellied Sneetches are part of the “popular crowd,” while plain-bellied Sneetches are shunned. Will the arrival of Sylvester McMonkey McBean and his “fix it machine” help or harm this divided community? This is the story of Dr. Seuss’ powerful parable about the surface things that divide us. It will take a courageous friendship between an unlikely pair of Sneetches to find the answers. Students will be guided through the building blocks of theater technique within the framework of story. We will work on character development, acting and storytelling to create a showcase of an original script. This class takes place Saturdays, lasting 10 weeks total, from Sept. 15-Nov. 17. Class is from 9 am to 10:30 am. The cost of this class is $200.
Theatre goers in fourth-sixth grades will have the chance to experience the musical theatre production class, “A Year With Frog and Toad KIDS.” Adapted from the three-time-Tony-nominated Broadway hit, comes a story of a friendship that endures throughout the seasons. This musical follows two great friends, the cheerful and popular Frog, and the rather grumpy Toad through four fun-filled seasons. Waking from hibernation, they plant gardens, swim, rake leaves and go sledding, learning life lessons along the way, including an important one about friendship, and rejoicing in the attributes that make each of us different and special. A Year with Frog and Toad KIDS is a great choice for young performers, with plenty of ensemble roles, jazzy, accessible music! Students will be guided through the building blocks of theater technique within the framework of musical theater. We will work on character development, storytelling, movement and singing with a showcase at the end of the session. This class takes place Saturdays, lasting 10 weeks total, from Sept. 15-Nov. 17. Class is from 10:45 am to 12:15 am. The cost of this class is $200.
This season we welcome adults to our “Monday Night Live! at New Stage” series. This is a new six-week program designed to enhance our artistic community by providing quality acting classes for adults taught by local professionals. Included in this series we will offer “Movement for the Working Actor, Theatre for Social Change,” and “Beginning Acting.” The series takes place Mondays from 5:30 pm-9 pm, starting Sept. 24 and ending Nov. 12. Registration is open now!
Movement for the Working Actor will be from Sept. 24-Oct. 29, at 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Taught by Drew Stark, this class is $180. In this class, you will strive to gain a greater “kinesthetic awareness” of your bodies through basic dance technique instruction while moving organically through space. Open to all experience levels, this class will highlight certain goals: to become physically motivated and energized through an aerobic dance combination tailored for the musical theater actor, to introduce the concept of body-mapping, as well as demystifying the dreaded ‘dance-call’ audition. Mr. Stark will serve as choreographer for New Stage’s upcoming production of “A Christmas Carol.”
Theatre for Social Change will be from Sept. 24-Oct. 29, at 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Taught by Kate Woodley, this class is $180. Theater—with its roots in sound and movement, story-telling and ritual, enactment and improvisation—offers a unique opportunity to experientially process multifaceted societal problems. This class will train Citizen Artists—or social change “enActors”—to develop and hone their artistic tools through theater-based exercises focusing on improvisation, ensemble, community building, and experiential and embodied dialogue. Participants will learn how theater can be used to build community, explore complex issues, and problem-solve. This class is suggested for those ages 16 years or older.
Beginning Acting will be from Oct. 1-Nov. 12, at 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Taught by Malaika Quarterman and Jo Ann Robinson, this class is $200. This class is designed for adults who want to give acting a try, or who would like to revisit the basics in order to improve their technique! Students will participate in lively theater exercises designed to free up the voice and body, stimulate creativity, promote self-confidence and teach the fundamentals of acting.
The education department at New Stage Theatre strives to equip people interested in theater with the opportunity to develop and strengthen their acting skills, in a professional environment, taught by educated and experienced theater veterans. The emphasis of these classes is on the progression of theatrical skill, so that participants in the classes continue to enhance their skills and grow as actors.
New Stage Theatre accepts cash, check, Discover, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Payment is due by the first class session. Payment with a credit card will include a $3 processing fee. For more information, or to reserve a spot in one of the theater’s exciting acting classes, please contact Education Director Sharon Miles at 601.948.3533 ext. 232, or [email protected].
This has been edited for style.
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