MEDIA THEATRE EXPANDS CURRICULUM WITH NEW CLASSES FOR ALL AGES

With a New Year arriving soon, and spring not far behind, it’s time to become reacquainted with the performing arts at The Media Theatre while having fun during the learning process. Several new acting and voice classes for tiny tots all the way to adults have been added to the continuing popular acting classes, with a rejuvenated schedule starting up the weekend of January 9. 
SEE ENTIRE CLASS SCHEDULE HERE (Acting, Voice, Dance)

“Kids Cabaret” will meet on Tuesdays from 4:30-6pm beginning January 12. The Voice Class is specifically designed for children in grades 2-5. The high energy class is all about Singing, Dancing, Acting and Fun! Performers create a cabaret style concert which is performed at the end of the 8-week session in a Grand Finale Recital for family and friends. Performers discover healthy vocal technique, master basic dance steps and learn to bring their personality to the stage while working together as a group rather than maintaining solos.

Therese Walden Murphy, who will instruct and supervise four new classes for The Media Theatre

In the “Teen Cabaret” Voice Class, participants in grades 5-12 create a concert with all students performing a solo within the concert. The 8-week course meets Tuesdays beginning January 12 and culminates in a special Grand Finale Recital for family and friends. “Teen Cabaret” focuses on all aspects of performing a song: interpretation, healthy vocal technique, and breathing skills. Every performer receives individual vocal and acting instruction from instructor Therese Walden Murphy, a professional actress and singer who appeared in the National Tour of “Phantom of The Opera” and several Media Theatre productions. She holds an MFA from the Award winning Old Globe Theatre/U of San Diego program and was the 2nd Assistant Director for the 1997 Broadway Production of Annie.

In the new class “Theatre Magic” pre-school children ages 3-5 experience the joy of imaginative play through theater games, fairy tales, nursery rhymes, movement, music and singing. They’ll be encouraged and challenged to follow directions, learn listening skills, appreciate teamwork, and develop confidence, individuality, and social skills while having fun with new friends. “Theatre Magic” takes place on Wednesdays from 10:30-11:30am starting January 13, running for ten weeks.

The Media Theatre adds a new Adult Acting Class with instructor Therese Walden Murphy. The class will now meet on Tuesdays from 7:30-9pm for eight weeks. The class explores improvisation plus basic Meisner and Stanislavsky techniques. The new Adult Acting Class will be a fusion class for actors of all levels, assisting both beginners and those who have made acting a career. This class will be a new approach.  

These new classes join the three mainstay courses offered by the theatre: The Level 1 Children’s Class which meets Saturday mornings at 9am starting January 9, Level 2 Children’s Class which meets Tuesday afternoons at 4:30 starting January 12, and the Teen Acting Class which is on Sunday nights at 6pm starting January 10.

Remember: Acting , Voice, or Dance Classes make great gifts!

The Level 1 Children’s Acting Class meets one hour each week and is a ten week course designed for ages 5-8. It focuses on Stage Direction, Working Together, Partnering Exercises, Volume and Diction, and eventually creating scenes. Students enjoy acting and learning exercises such as “Mirror Image”, “Living Picture”, and “Dig Dig Dig!” which explores individuality and self-expression. New acting and learning exercises are added from time to time to keep the class exciting and fresh while maintaining its core-value that “Acting is living as truthfully as one can under an imaginary circumstance.”

The Level 2 Children’s Class for ages 8-11 or those with more stage experience builds upon the core values of Level 1. The course involves much more self-awareness than level one yet keeps its sense of fun. Everyone learns that ‘the character is on the page, but the role is on the stage’ in this class which means that the only actor is ‘you’ and you have the freedom to portray the role according to what the playwright puts on the page with the director or instructor’s guidance.

Being true to yourself is a main ingredient in the Teen Class as well. Students meet for 90 minutes per week for eight weeks with the option of doing scene work with a partner or a monologue. The class is broken up into time sections which also include improvisation, scene creation and study, and dialogue within the class about the work being done. The final week is an Open House in which family and friends are invited to see the work being done by the teens. Roger Ricker, a Media Theatre veteran who has worked with Artistic Director Jesse Cline for over 20 years, instructs the Teen Class as well as the Level 1 and Level 2 Children’s classes.

“Kids Cabaret”, “Teen Cabaret”, “Theatre Magic”, and the four acting classes are $400 for the Winter session. 90 minute classes run for 8 weeks, with the hour long classes meeting for 10 weeks. The “Cabaret” classes and “Theatre Magic” must have at least ten registered students each in order to successfully fulfill their mission.

Along with these new and returning classes, Dance Classes are ongoing at the theatre’s School and Dance Studio. Tap 1 and Tap 2 continue in the New Year, with Ballet being available for both youth and adults. New Dance Classes will be announced soon. Dance Cards are available for $120 (good for 10 classes) and may be used anytime during the week for any dance class.

CLICK HERE FOR ENTIRE CLASS SCHEDULE (Acting, Voice, Dance)

For information, call 610-891-0100 or email rer764@gmail.com. You may also visit mediatheatre.org