Saturday Arts Program
Introducing the Bucks County Playhouse
Saturday Arts Program (SAP)
A Training Ground for Passionate Young Performers
Winter 2013 Session: January 19- March 23
This conservatory-style program is perfect for those middle and high school students who want to take their skills to the next level. They will be supported and mentored by top instructors, who will help each emerging artist gain the technique and artistry needed to give them an edge in their art form. Each discipline will focus on encouraging participants to become better performers, to be more comfortable with themselves, and develop a wider range of artistic interests. BCP “SAP” participants are sure to leave with new skills and a better understanding of their artistic area of choice, but most importantly with the confidence to continue their training.
In addition to our highly trained local instructors, “SAP” will invite guest artists in the various disciplines to visit during the 9 week run in order to enhance the overall experience for each student.
Pricing: $450 for a 9 week course
Location: Courses will take place at the Bucks County Playhouse and the Solebury School. Exact location TBD.
Important Date: An orientation will take place on January 12, 2012 at the Bucks County Playhouse. The event begins at 4pm and doors open at 3:30pm.
The program will culminate in an onstage performance for friends and family!
For additional information and to enroll please email sap@bcptheater.org or call 609-460-4630 x114.
Available Courses
Course # 1: Musical Theater Dance
Grades: 4-8
Instructor: Rebecca Summers-Wilschutz (Ovation Award-winning choreographer)
Course Description: Put it all together: acting, singing and dancing as you learn to be a triple threat! Classes will study the choreography of such greats as Bob Fosse, Gower Champion, Jerome Robbins and Jerry Mitchell, to name a few! Dancers will reproduce some of their award winning numbers incorporating the genres of tap, jazz and ballet to produce Tony award winning dance routines! This class is for beginners to seasoned dancers who want to perfect their musical theatre dance technique and performance.
Course #2: Musical Theater Voice
Grades: 4-8
Grades: 9-12
Instructor: TBD
Course Description: This high energy class will break down the importance of the performance in singing for musical theater. Students of every level will benefit by working in groups, duets, trios and individually to bring out the “show” in their show tunes. Musical Theater Voice teaches fun and innovative ways to tell the story of the song and sound fantastic while you are doing it. We will be singing some Broadway favorites as well as some hidden gems that could serve the student well in an audition situation. Students will each perform at the final presentation to present what they have learned to friends and family!
Course: Acting
Grades: 4-8
Grades: 9-12
Instructor: TBD
Course Description: Class focuses on analyzing characters, scenes, monologues, and improvisational skills from Broadway shows old and new. The topics covered include bringing characterization to a scene, creating a back story, helping you shape the character you need to portray, vocal techniques, and mastering different styles. Both ensemble and solo performance work is fostered and encouraged, as well as audition techniques that will help students show off their very best. At the end of the class, students will utilize the skills they have mastered in a final performance of their classwork for friends and family.
Course: Introduction to Stage Combat
Instructor: JaQuinley Kerr (Actor/Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors)
Grades: 5-8
Course Description: This stage combat class works to engage actors in movement, while teaching them the basics of unarmed stage combat. In class, focus will be put on safety, technique and characterization. The class will culminate in a presentation in which each actor, with a partner, will perform the techniques learned in class.
Course: Improvisation
Instructor: Bill McLaughlin (Instructor of Improvisational Performance at Bucks County Community College)
Grades: 5-8
Course Description: In this class, students will learn the basic improv concepts of agreement, assumption, listening. and risk- taking that make the performance of improvisational comedy possible. Students will learn the skills used for creating scenes, stories, and characters, as well as collaborative techniques, which they will be able to showcase to friends and family in a group performance at the final presentation.
Instructor Bios
Erika Lupo (Acting) is the CEO, and Owner of Acting-A-Part® Theater Company (AAP), which was founded in 2002. Erika launched her successful company after completing 15 years as a certified English teacher in Ramsey and Maplewood, School Districts of New Jersey. While teaching, she developed and established the Middle School Theater Program in both NJ School Districts. Her efforts earned her a nomination for the prestigious NJ “Best Practice” Teaching Award in 2001. Her Acting-A-Part® program can best be summarized by the registered slogan of her company: “Bridging the Gap from School Play to Broadway.” Whether the purpose of a student is to turn professional, or simply the enjoyment of stage or filmacting, the exposure to an Acting-A-Part experience will bring out his or her theatrical skills, and self confidence. Erika has directed and produced numerous theater productions: Bye Bye Birdie, Sound of Music,Footloose, Guys and Dolls, Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof, The Wizard of Oz, Our Town, Annie,High School Musical, Grease, Lion King, Peter Pan, Little Shop of Horrors and Beauty and the Beast to name a few. Acting-A-Part has evolved into a creative force in New Jersey and has grown to include “Original AAP Short Films”. Erika has her own film crew and film editors. Her first student-produced Film Festival at the Sussex County Technical School was a big hit in 2012, well received by a large crowd of acting enthusiasts. One of the AAP student films, “Very Different Times,” was featured at the 2011 Garden State Film Festival. AAP hosts Acting Birthday Parties and produces Interactive Mystery Dinner events designed for restaurants and private parties, called “Mystery-A-Part.” Erika chairs the Sparta New Jersey Film Commission designed to establish her region as a premier film location for Movies and Television. She can be found on the International Movie Data Base (IMDB). actingapart.com
Shawn Rowley Wright (Musical Theatre Voice) has been a musical theater director and teacher for over twenty years. Currently she is Theater Director for The Solebury School inNew HopePennsylvania. Prior to this Shawn was the Theater Director for Central Bucks West High School as well as directing musical theater productions in several other middle and elementary schools. Shawn has worked with children each summer as well, running the Theater Department of Southampton Summer Day Camp for thirteen years. She created student summer programs for theCentralBucksSchool District as well as Town and Country Players and is devoted to helping students find all the “play” in the play. Shawn studied Fine Arts, Drama and Musical Theater atRiderUniversity.
Rebecca Summers-Wilschutz (Musical Theatre Dance) teaches dance, drama and musical theatre at Solebury School. A former professional dancer in West Virginia and Germany, she holds two degrees from Davis and Elkins College and Hiram College in theatre education. She is the former Artistic Director of a community theatre in Ohio where she spent 16 years before stepping in the education field. As a choreographer, she is currently working on a TV show in development for Nickelodeon and has won numerous Ovations awards for her work with high schools in Ohio. Rebecca also has worked as a director and a producer on many shows including Chicago,Cabaret, Once on This Island, Song of Survival, West Side Story and A Streetcar Named Desireto name a few.