Workshop Title: STORYTELLING FOR THEATRE
1
Duration: 2 hours
Fee: €35 per facilitator per hour (€70 for this workshops
if using one facilitator)
Group Size:
No more than 25 if the age is under 12 (Primary School pupils).
No more than 15-17 if the age is older (Secondary School pupils).
If the group is larger then they should be separated and extra
facilitators hired.
Materials: None
Preferred venue:
Large secluded room with space sufficient for movement and
noise-making.
Content:
Pupils are introduced to the form of drama, using their own bodies
to communicate images and ideas (via sculpting, visual composition,
posing etc). They are then reminded of the essential skills of
story-telling, of constructing a short three part story in images,
and of showing this story to an audience (themselves). Acting
skills such as clarity, focus, narrative logic, expression and
presentation are the subject of the work.
Workshop Title: STORYTELLING FOR THEATRE
2
Duration: 2 hours
Fee: €35 per facilitator per hour (€70 for this workshops if
using one facilitator)
Group Size:
No more than 25 if the age is under 12 (Primary School pupils).
No more than 15-17 if the age is older (Secondary School pupils).
If the group is larger then they should be separated and extra
facilitators hired.
Materials: None
Preferred venue:
Large secluded room with space sufficient for movement and
noise-making.
Content:
After the initial warm-up and confidence building exercises the
pupils are shown how to make/act 'masks' of their true situations
(i.e. demonstrate in sculpted forms the key emotions felt during
an episode from their recent experience). Then they are shown
how to develop frames for stories based on their own experiences
and to perform these for the rest of the class. They are encouraged
to experiment with narrative, voice and performance techniques
(e.g. voice-over, flashback, slow motion, etc).
Workshop Title: STORYTELLING FOR THEATRE
3
Duration: 2 hours
Fee: €35 per facilitator per hour (€70 for this workshops
if using one facilitator)
Group Size:
No more than 25 if the age is under 12 (Primary School pupils).
No more than 15-17 if the age is older (Secondary School pupils).
If the group is larger then they should be separated and extra
facilitators hired.
Materials: None
Preferred venue:
Large secluded room with space sufficient for movement and noise-making.
Content:
For groups already familiar with drama this workshop explores
improvisation techniques such as status games, 'give and take',
sharing the focus, keeping a narrative alive, and creatively concluding
an episode. Pupils work with material which comes from or is adapted
from their own experience and which is performed for each other
at the end of the workshop.
Workshop Title: SHAKESPEARE MASTERCLASS
1
Duration: 2 hours
Fee: €70 per group of 20
Materials: Extracts from play being studied by class.
Preferred venue:
Large secluded room with space sufficient for movement and noise-making.
Content:
Initial warm-up and imaginative-release exercises followed by
an improvisation based around the essential conflict/tension found
in two key scenes from Shakespeare. This is followed by smaller
groups working on the actual scenes themselves, being directed
by the facilitator(s) and performing the scenes to each other.
The masterclass concludes by examining the group's understanding
of the dramatic/performative qualities inherent in the scenes
and in the play in general.
Workshop Title: SHAKESPEARE MASTERCLASS
2
Duration: 2 hours
Fee: €70 per group of 20
Materials: Extract from play being studied by class.
Venue: Large secluded room with space sufficient for
movement and noise-making.
Content:
Warm-up and release exercises followed by textual analysis
of extract chosen. The analysis is designed to explore the scene
from all of the major staging viewpoints (set design, costume
design, lighting, direction, movement and action). The group is
divided into two sub-groups each of whose members are assigned
various roles (director, actor, action/fight director, etc). The
class is shown how to bring the piece to life, by rehearsing it
and then staging it for classmates. The masterclass concludes
with a discussion / evaluation of the play from a staging perspective
informed by the company's experience.
Workshop Title: BEHIND THE SCENES
Duration: 1 hour
Fee: €30
Materials: None
Venue: Riverbank Arts Centre, Main Street, Newbridge.
Content:
An introductory workshop with tour for those who have never
been to a professional theatre production. It is also suitable
for those who have little or no understanding of what happens
in a theatre. Pupils are taken on a tour of the theatre, backstage
area (and gallery spaces) with a discussion about the process
of staging a play. They are given an understanding of the key
roles and functions involved in the production process. Some exercises
and games are performed with the group - these are designed to
increase an awareness of performing, of being an actor, a director,
and being in the audience.
Workshop Title: DESIGN FOR THEATRE
Duration: 6 hours (three two-hour workshops)
Facilitation Fee: €210 per group of 15 - 20
Materials:
Card (mounting board or art-card, or cardboard show boxes),
glue, scalpels or scissors, rulers, poster paints, brushes, blue-tack
(one pack per person), foil, string. Materials can be provided,
if the school wishes, at an extra cost (simply the cost of purchase).
Preferred venue:
Large bright and ventilated room, with table or surfaces
for art work.
Content:
This workshop explores the process of designing for a live
performance. Part One introduces basic design concepts and analyses
the playscript for design ideas. Sketches and scale drawings can
be made of the model, time permitting. Part Two shows how to construct
a model box of the set. Each student will make their own and incorporate
their own ideas into the finished product. Depending on time and
detail, students may likely have to complete the box on their
own or with their teacher at a later stage.
Workshop Title: MASK MAKING
Duration: 6 hours (three two-hour workshops)
Fee: €210 per group of 15 - 20
Materials:
Gum-paper, tissue, papier mache, sellotape and fixing tape, poster
paints and brushes. Materials can be provided at an extra cost.
Preferred venue: Large bright and ventilated room, with table
or surfaces for artwork.
Content:
Pupils are taught how to explore their own characters, and
fantasy characters using their own features. They make basic head-moulds
with the materials and then elaborate these by decoration and
emphasis of facial features. The mask type is the one familiar
to people from Macnas street parades.
