Willow Bay Theater, Arts Council For Chautauqua County and Reg Lenna Civic Center are teaming up to present a series of theater workshops for the continuation of education in theater arts. Geared toward actors from their teens through adulthood, these workshops will help you develop characters through movement, voice, action and song. Whether you¹re a performer preparing for a college program or a veteran of regional theater, you¹ll find these workshops to be beneficial to the work you do on stage. The series opens May 4 at 11am with “Physical Characterization” ($35) at the Reg Studio Theater. Elmira College’s John Kelly will present this hour-long workshop intended to supplement traditional actor training. This hands-on experience seeks to employ concepts of Asian theatre, the work of Michael Chekhov, and the use of body centers to introduce participants to other tools employed by performers in their craft. “Physical Characterization” will be followed by a one hour Q&A for students interested in studying college theater. The Reg Studio Theater is located at 108 East Third Street in Jamestown, NY. At 7pm in the same space, Kelly and his Elmira theater students will present a live theatrical performance. “Short and Sweet” is a collection of four short plays, two dramas and two comedies, created to be performed by and for young adults in almost any setting. “Mandala” tells of four young women seeking to come to terms with the loss of friends due to texting while driving. “Tim, Dirk, and Haley” follows an odd threesome as they shoot ducks photographically speaking. “Choices” concerns two young women¹s life choices at the beginning of their college careers, while “Ohio Navy” is merely an inspired bit of farce. These plays, directed by a first year student, an advanced student, an alumna, and a faculty member, provided needed opportunities for our actors to spread their wings onstage while entertaining audiences in an unusual, off-off-broadway Café La Mama style setting. “Short And Sweet” is offered free of charge and is open to the public. The workshop series will continue with “Stage Combat” in July, “Songwriting For Stage and Song Interpretation” in the fall, “Voice And Speech” in January of 2014 and “Storytelling Through Song” in the winter/spring of 2014. Instructors include Steve Vaughan of Buffalo State University and SUNY Fredonia, Shawn Clerkin of Gannon University and Broadway veterans, John Reid Gealt and Tituss Burgess (pictured). For registration and complete descriptions of the series visit www.artscouncil.com or call 716-664-2465, extension 227.
