Village Theatre Guild offers summer workshops

Children interested in testing out or improving their acting skills and high school thespians eager to work on their craft can enroll in summer Kids on Stage workshops offered by the Village Theatre Guild.

Registration and orientation begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 13, at the theater, near the northwest corner of Park Boulevard and Butterfield Road in Glen Ellyn. The workshops are free for children in the Glen Ellyn community and $70 for children outside the Glen Ellyn school districts or whose parents are not members of the guild.

For children entering grades one through six, Creative Dramatics will meet Saturday mornings and will be taught again by Judy Laughlin, who has worked with theaters throughout the Chicago area and directed full-scale children's productions of "Robin Hood," "Treasure Island" and "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." Sessions run six weeks from Saturday, June 20, through Saturday, Aug. 8, with grades one to three meeting from 10 to 11:15 a.m. and grades four to six meeting from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Taking Your Acting to the Next Level meets Wednesday evenings, June 17 through Aug. 8, with sessions for middle school and high school students, and will be taught by Debbie Ruzicka, professional actress and high school speech team coach.

From 6 to 7:15 p.m., middle school students will focus on proper vocal and physical warm-ups, theatrical terms and jobs, and through games and exercises, how to make a complete three-dimensional character using their bodies and five senses.

From 7:30 to 8:45 p.m., high school students will work through exercises, scenes and monologues (both classic and contemporary) and learn how to go deeper into character analysis to make bold physical and internal character choices themselves.

For information, parents may call the Village Theatre Guild at (630) 469-5583, or email kidsonstage@villagetheatreguild.org. No reservation is needed to attend the orientation and registration.