Education through Theater

Classes in the Theater

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:06:52 -0400

During the school year

Our main goal as educators is to introduce basic acting techniques, but more importantly to express and explain the significance of working together as a group. We want to demonstrate that everyone is important to making a show or a class a success. For us, it’s not about the product, it's about the process. Using well-known books as a vehicle to introduce theater games and exercises, each class will come up with their interpretation of the stories.

Storytelling Classes: For students in 1st through 5th grades. These classes offer very young actors opportunities to work in the theater with stories they know, and stories they make up themselves. They learn how to turn these stories into short plays. Our emphasis in these classes is on process and socializing, not on a finished product. These very young actors learn how to work together, how to use their imaginations together to make a favorite story into a play, and how to use their inclination to pretend to act out a story. We often informally show what we’ve been working on to family and friends at the end of the class.

Production Classes: For students in 6th through 8th grades. Our production classes start with an introduction to improvisational techniques for "making theater”. We then apply these techniques to a story to create a production. At the end of six weeks with three meetings a week, production class participants present a short production that is costumed and performed on a simple set. Again, the emphasis is on process, but there is a product. Students learn to work together, to take responsibility for their work, to problem solve together, to use their imaginations creatively, and to take pride in their work.

Other Classes: On a less regular schedule, we offer classes in mime, clowning, theater and foreign languages.

Adult Classes: For adults, we offer an eight week Introduction to Acting class that meets one evening a week. Members of the class are introduced to improvisation and other theater techniques, and then work on scenes and monologues to present to the class.

During the Summer

Morning Classes for Young Actors: For children from six to eight years old, we offer a one week class. For children from eight to twelve years old, we offer a two week class. These classes meet only in the morning. The two week class focuses on a topic such as personal stories or humorous incidents and develops short theater pieces based on the topic.

Teen Theater Camp: For students twelve to eighteen yeas old. This camp hosts local and international students for a four week theater experience. These young actors produce a show at the end of three weeks that plays for two weekends. The class is comprised of young people from across mid-coast Maine.

The Vitelli Scholarship Program
Several years ago, the Vitelli family set up a scholarship to honor Mr. and Mrs. Vitelli, Sr. The Vitelli scholarships enable young people to take classes at The Theater Project and receive financial aid for tuition. Funds available for scholarships for each class are limited and will be awarded equally to students who are approved for scholarship aid.

For more information about classes and scholarships, please CONTACT us.

Classes 2011 - 12

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:44:45 -0400

Our main goal as educators is to introduce basic acting techniques, but more importantly to express and explain the significance of working together as a group. We want to demonstrate that everyone is important to making a show or a class a success. For us, it’s not about the product, it's about the process. Using well-known books as a vehicle to introduce theater games and exercises, each class will come up with their interpretation of the stories.

Storytelling Classes: For students in 1st through 5th grades
These classes offer young actors opportunities to work in the theater with stories they know, and stories they make up themselves. They learn how to turn these stories into short plays. Our emphasis in these classes is on process and socializing, not on a finished product. These very young actors use theater games and improvisational techniques to learn how to work together, how to use their imaginations together to make a favorite story into a play, and how to use their inclination to pretend to act out a story. We often informally show what we've been working on to family and friends at the end of the class.

Production Classes: For students in 6th through 8th grades
Our production classes start with an introduction to improvisational techniques for "making theater”. We then apply these techniques to a story to create a production. At the end of six weeks with three meetings a week, production class participants present a short production that is costumed and performed on a simple set. Again, the emphasis is on process, but there is a product. Students learn to work together, to take responsibility for their work, to problem solve together, to use their imaginations creatively, and to take pride in their work.

Wombat Divine
November 1st – December 18th
Tuesdays, 4:00 – 5:00
3rd – 5th Grades
This class will culminate in our holiday show MIRACLES ON SCHOOL STREET.
Show dates: December 9th – 18th, Fri. & Sat at 7:30, Sun. at 2:00
Tech. rehearsal December 7th & 8th – time to be announced
Wombat loved Christmas. He loved the carols and the candles, the presents and the pudding, but most of all he loved the bush Nativity play. For as long as he could remember Wombat had wanted to be in the Nativity. Now at last he was old enough to take part
$75

The Elf Rebellion
November 2nd – December 18th
Mon./Wed./Thurs. 4:00–6:00
6th – 8th Grades
The Young People’s Theater Production Class
(No Class, Wednesday, November 23rd)
This class will culminate in our holiday show MIRACLES ON SCHOOL STREET.
Show dates: December 9th – 18th, Fri. & Sat at 7:30, Sun. at 2:00
What would happen, if two days before Christmas, Santa’s elves went on strike? Filled with colorful characters see who will save Christmas.
$200

Green Eggs and Ham
January 10th – February 14th
Tuesdays, 4:00 – 5:00
1st – 2nd Grades
“I would not like them here or there. I would not like them anywhere. Do you like green eggs and Ham? This class is an introduction to the way we create theater. This class will culminate in a brief presentation for friends and families.
$60

The Frog Prince
March 7th – April 11th
Wednesdays 4:00 – 5:00
3rd – 5th Grades
Based on the classic fairy tale - what would you do if you met a frog prince? This class is the next step for young actors. This class will culminate in a brief presentation for friends and families.
$60

Fantastic Mr. Fox
March 26th – May 6th
Mon, Tues, Thurs 4:00 – 6:00
6th – 8th GRADES
The Young People’s Theater Production Class
(No class during April vacation)
Show Dates: May 4th – 6th (Friday & Saturday at 7:30, Sunday at 2:00)
"Boggis and Bunce and Bean/One fat, one short, one lean/These horrible crooks/So different in looks/Were nonetheless equally mean." And so begins another enchanting Roald Dahl tale concerning the extraordinary adventures of three nasty farmers, two curious creatures, a family of foxes, and our hero—a most fantastic fellow!
$300

For more information, call 729-8584.

The Vitelli Scholarship Program
Several years ago, the Vitelli family set up a scholarship to honor Mr. and Mrs. Vitelli, Sr. The Vitelli scholarships enable young people to take classes at The Theater Project and receive financial aid for tuition. Funds available for scholarships for each class are limited and will be awarded equally to students who are approved for scholarship aid.

Summer Camps 2012

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:59:58 -0400

Storytelling Classes: For kids age 5 to 8
These classes offer young actors opportunities to work in the theater with stories they know, and stories they make up themselves. They learn how to turn these stories into short plays. Our emphasis in these classes is on process and socializing, not on a finished product. These very young actors use theater games and improvisational techniques to learn how to work together, how to use their imaginations together to make a favorite story into a play, and how to use their inclination to pretend to act out a story. We often informally show what we've been working on to family and friends at the end of the class.

Production Classes: For kids age 9 to 12, 13 - 18
Our production classes start with an introduction to improvisational techniques for "making theater”. We then apply these techniques to a story to create a production. At the end of six weeks with three meetings a week, production class participants present a short production that is costumed and performed on a simple set. Again, the emphasis is on process, but there is a product. Students learn to work together, to take responsibility for their work, to problem solve together, to use their imaginations creatively, and to take pride in their work.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
une 25th – 29th
9:00 – 12:00
6 – 8 year olds
What dwarf would you be? Happy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Bashful, Doc, Grumpy or everyone’s favorite, Dopey. This camp is an introduction to the way we create theater. This class will culminate in a brief presentation for friends and families.
$150

Diary of a Wimpy Kid
July 9th – 22nd
9:00 – 3:00
9 – 12 year olds
Show times: July 20th & 21st at 7:30, July 22nd at 2:00
The Young People’s Theater
Come see our adaptation of the popular book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Through acting exercises and games we will create our own wimp diary.
$400

Boxers, A Collection of Shorts
July 23rd – 28th
9:00 – 3:00
13 – 18 year olds
Show times: July 27th & 28th at 7:30, July 29th at 2:00
This is the opportunity for you to see our Young Company in comedic short pieces directed by Young Company alumnae. Together they come up with an evening not to be missed.
$200

For more information, call 729-8584.

The Vitelli Scholarship Program
Several years ago, the Vitelli family set up a scholarship to honor Mr. and Mrs. Vitelli, Sr. The Vitelli scholarships enable young people to take classes at The Theater Project and receive financial aid for tuition. Funds available for scholarships for each class are limited and will be awarded equally to students who are approved for scholarship aid.

Outreach

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 18:16:55 -0400

The Theater Project offers performances, workshops, residencies and school matinees in its Outreach program. Our main goal as educators is to introduce basic acting techniques, but more importantly to express and explain the significance of working together as a group. We want to demonstrate that everyone is important to making a show or a class a success. For us, it’s not about the product, it's about the process. Using well-known books as a vehicle to introduce theater games and exercises, each class will come up with their interpretation of the stories.

Performances: The Theater Project prepares customized performances comprising stories from cultures that schools are studying. With sufficient notice, actors from The Theater Project's professional ensemble will develop a program based on a school's curriculum. This may include one or more performances, workshops with students and teachers, and a study guide.

Workshops and Residencies: The Theater Project has been conducting workshops and residencies throughout Maine and New England and beyond for thirty-five years. The focus of our workshops is always based on the needs of a school or classroom. Our theater workshops help develop initiative, cooperation, communication, risk-taking and problem solving, all attributes that are essential in a learning environment.

The Theater Project is available for single workshops, a day of workshops, as well as for residencies lasting from one to several weeks. Residencies may be concentrated or spread over a school year. We are available all year for these interactive programs. Our goal is to tailor our programs to meet the needs and objectives of your school. Al Miller has been doing this outreach work for over thirty years, and Wendy Poole has been doing it for over ten years. In that time they, and the others who work with them, have discovered a myriad of ways theater works as an educational resource. They seldom encounter a student who isn't engaged in these workshops.

Matinees: The Theater Project also offers school matinees of productions on our season schedule. We can seat 80 in our theater on School Street in Brunswick. Our Young Company (high school actors) productions are available for a limited number of matinees, as are our Company productions (profession ensemble). Bring your students to a production with all the trimmings: lights, sound, costumes, set, and most important, action!

For more information, please CONTACT us.