Fall Classes at QCT!
Quincy Community Theatre has announced its lineup of theatre education classes for the Fall 2023 semester.
A total of six classes and three workshops were announced for students ranging kindergarten aged through adulthood. Each class aims to develop a specific set of skills, such as characterization, improvisation, teamwork, acting, set design, and script analysis.
This semester sees the addition of a class specifically for senior adults to get them engaged in theatre and performance in ways they may not have been in a while, or ever at all.
“I am really excited about the variety of theatrical forms and skills we’re going to be exploring, learning and performing this fall semester. I am especially delighted by the opportunity to teach (and play!) with such a wide range of ages and experience levels in such a talented community!” – Deb Currier, Quincy Community Theatre’s Director of Student Theatre/Head of Education
Classes consist of four sessions, meeting once a week throughout October and November, with one class running in November and December. The workshops are one day only. Unless otherwise noted, all classes and workshops are led by Deb Currier (Deborah.Currier@1qct.org). Tuition ranges from $40 to $70, depending on the class, and includes all necessary material fees.
QCT volunteers may use accumulated credit from volunteer hours against tuition. Prospective students may also apply for scholarship opportunities with the organization.
For more information and to enroll in classes, visit 1qct.org/classes or call QCT at 217-222-3209.
CLASSES
QCT Kids Company – It’s Elemental!
Grades K-2 | Fridays | Oct 27 – Nov 17 | 4:00 – 5:00 PM
Join us for creative dramatics fun as we explore Wind, Fire, Earth and Water through improvisational movement, music and character creation. Each class will focus on playful, interactive acting/performing activities designed to highlight one of the four elements. Kids Company members will engage their bodies and imaginations while learning about acting a character through physical movement!
A Little Bit Naughty…
Grades 3-5 | Thursdays | Oct 26 – Nov 16 | 5:30 – 6:30 PM
Ever wonder why actors love playing the ‘baddies?’ Come and find out! We’ll learn about physical and vocal acting techniques as we explore creating the villain characters in our favorite (age-appropriate) books and stories!
We’re Revolting!
Grades 6-8 | Wednesdays | Oct 25 – Nov 15 | 5:30 – 6:30 PM
A devising class where we’ll learn about acting, staging, and dramatic writing through creating and performing short, original scripts. Our prompt? Have you ever had an event, a conversation, a situation, or a dream just not go the way you wanted? Well, what would it look like if you had it your way? Let’s have fun exploring what would happen if you had the power to change the whole outcome!
Scenic Painting
Adults and Kids age 12+ | Mondays | Oct 23 – Nov 13 | 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Instructor: Harrison Clarke, Assistant Technical Director at QCT
Learn various painting techniques that scenic designers use to bring worlds to life on stage. Assistant Technical Director Harrison Clarke leads this hands-on class. Make sure you wear clothes that you don’t mind getting messy!
Scene Study: A Classical Romp!
Adults 18+ | Tuesdays | Oct 24 – Nov 14 | 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Think the classics are dusty? Lacking humor and passion? Just…weird? Think again! Come hone your acting chops by diving into a short partnered scene from the incredible plays of hilarious, saucy French Renaissance playwright Molière (Tartuffe, The Imaginary Invalid, The School for Wives). You will practice and play with physical comedy techniques, performing text believably in rhyming couplets, comedic timing, and ultimately surprise yourself with how much you learn about acting and directing in the process!
BRAND NEW! The Emeritus Players
Adults: Seniors & Retirees | Tuesdays | Nov 28 – Dec 19 | 2:00 – 3:30 PM
We are creating a new troupe celebrating the performing talents of our community retirees! Join us to have some fun preparing short, holiday-themed reader’s theatre pieces to be performed by our senior actors for audiences around Quincy December 19th and 20th of this year. We will spend the first three sessions learning reader’s theatre techniques, creating fun characters, making some silly props and costume pieces, and then we’ll take it out “on the road” December 19th and 20th to local Quincy venues to share the holiday joy!
WORKSHOPS
Improvisation Fundamentals
Grades 6-8 | Saturday, Nov. 18 | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Get your, “Yes…and” on and join us to learn (or get a refresher) about the principle rules of improvisation through playing various improv games!
Outside In or Inside Out? Creating Your Own Acting Method!
Grades 9-12 | Saturday, Nov 18 | 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Stanislavski, Strasberg, Adler, Meisner, Laban, Viewpoints, Grotowski, Yakim… the list goes on of teachers and methods that often claim to be The Key to Being the Greatest Actor Ever (cue fanfare). Although many practitioners will tell you theirs is the best (or only) way to go, it is really all about you finding what works for you – by trying a variety of methods on for size! Let’s play with different approaches to creating believable characters, great physicality, moments of connection on stage … and how to keep only what works for you!
Auditioning – Finding, Choosing, and Editing Your Material!
Grades 9-12 | Saturday, Dec 16 | 12:00 – 1:30 PM
Quite often, a director will ask for actors to have a 1-minute monologue (or even two contrasting 1-minute monologues, back-to-back) prepared for an audition. For a musical, you may be asked to prepare 16 bars of a song in addition to a short monologue. Actors should always have these pieces ready to go! But, how do you find, choose and edit the best possible choices for you that showcase your talents in less than 3 minutes?? Join us for a fast-paced, informative, fun workshop on how to maximize your short, first-impression audition time!
Feel free to bring any audition materials you are considering or working on, though it’s not necessary!
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