Steel Beam offers acting workshops for kids
Submitted by Steel Beam Theatre
Young aspiring actors, ages 6-14, will fine-tune their acting skills at Steel Beam Theatre’s Fall 2011 Children’s Acting Workshops.
Instructor Lori Holm will focus on core aspects of performing essential to an actor’s development. “These workshops are a unique opportunity,” Holm said, “because they are not performance-based, but a series of skill-building lessons. Each student, regardless of experience, is taught through acting games, movement and script-work.”
Students will focus onstage presence/direction, voice projection, movement, building a character, working with a scene partner and creating a story. Each six-week session will end with an informal showcase for family and friends.
Lori Holm begins her fourth year as a Steel Beam Theatre children’s instructor this fall. She is a Chicago-area actor who appeared in Steel Beam’s MainStage production of “Corpse.” She is a member of the Janus Theatre Company and founding member of Troupe Strozzi. Holm’s directing credits include “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Side Walk Tales,” which she also wrote.
The workshops will be held at the Steel Beam Theatre Rehearsal Space, Cedar Avenue Business Center, 125 N. 11th Ave.
Class sizes are limited to 12 students. The fee is $105 per session. Register online at www.SteelBeamTheatre.com or call (630) 587-8521.
Acting workshops will include the following.
Ÿ In “Audition,” they will take the mystery out of what can be expected during the audition process. Students will work through “cold” readings and prepare monologues, as well as learn the best ways to prepare for auditions. The session will end with an informal showcase that family and friends are welcome to attend. Workshops for youth ages 9 to 14 will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays, Sept. 12, 19, 26, Oct. 3 and 10.
Ÿ Fairy Tale Theatre — Rumpelstiltskin. FTT continues to be the most popular class. Students will bring some of their favorite fairy tale characters to life with movement, voice and stage presence games they will enjoy, and learn from. The session will end with an informal showcase that family and friends are welcome to attend. Workshop will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 13, 20, 27, Oct. 4, 11 and 18 for youth ages 6 to 11.
Ÿ In “Improvisation,” students will learn a series of acting games to help them think on their feet and shine through their creative sides, all in the name of comedy. The session will end with an informal showcase family and friends are welcome to attend. Workshop will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, Sept 15, 22, 29 Oct. 6, 13 and 20.
Steel Beam Theatre guides audiences and actors in shared experiences that help the participants more fully understand humanity. Its mission is to bring high quality theatrical entertainment, training and arts awareness to the Fox Valley community at an affordable price. Visit Steel Beam on Facebook, at www.SteelBeamTheatre.com, or call (630) 5878521.