Westminster College Hosting "Dramatic Directions" Teacher Workshops
Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006
The Westminster College Drinko Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Center is hosting a series of "Dramatic Directions" teacher workshops Monday, July 31-Thursday, August 3, beginning at 9 a.m. each day.
"We hope to reach teachers in Trumbull, Mahoning, Mercer, Lawrence, and Crawford counties," said Cynthia Snodgrass Jones, arts coordinator for the Drinko Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and an adjunct communications faculty member at Westminster. "Join us for a day, or four days, in exploration of the creative process. Exercises will be focused on you as creator, designer, performer, and director. By improving your skills, you will be able to then improve your students' skills for your school's art programs and theater productions."
Monday's session is "Dramatic Storytelling," which explores the creative process for kindergarten through sixth grade through folktale, mythology, puppetry or media arts. Tuesday's session is "Dramatic Designs," which will explore the creative process for kindergarten through 12th grade in conceiving aesthetic aspects through exercises. Wednesday's session, "Dramatic Performances," will explore the creative process for creating characters through exercises in voice and diction, movement and rhythm, and believable honest acting as practiced by legendary actress/teacher Uta Hagen. Thursday's session is "Dramatic Directing" and explores the creative process through "invisible directing" and scene study to inspire the creative spark in others to help them move toward powerful performances.
The program features three professional artists.
Clarabelle E. Van Neikerk, the founder of London Puppet Theatre, director of several children's television productions, Grammy award winner for best album in South Africa, paintings published by Cottage Editions and exhibited in galleries internationally, she can create props and three-foot rod puppets, compose songs, combine mixed media, assemble it, transport it, and present it.
Cynthia Snodgrass Jones, adjunct theatre faculty at Westminster College, and as guest artist, has offered many workshops to teachers and students in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania Schools. As a performer or director, she worked with the Cleveland Repertory Theater, Lakeland Civic Theater, The Phoenix theater, Peter Pan Book and Audio Productions and Kenley Players, where she toured as an understudy to Katherine Helmond of "Who's the Boss" fame in "Same time Next Year."
Mike Slane, instructor of theatre at Westminster College. Also serves as scenic designer and technical director at Westminster. He has also worked with Ohio Valley Summer Theater, The Contemporary American Theatre Company, and others. His recent design credits include Brecht's "Caucasian Chalk Circle," "Becket Circus," "The Miracle Worker," "Grease," and "Lysistrata."
"Whether you're a musical director, art/language arts or drama teacher, theatre director or a wanna-be' creating something and striving for quality, this program is for everyone," Jones said.
Participants are invited to attend all four or just one or two sessions, depending on their interest. All workshops are Act 48 approved for three credit hours each. Contact Jones at (724) 946-7234 or e-mail jonesc@westminster.edu for more information.
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