CREATIVE DRAMATICS CLASSES
New to theatre and performing arts? Stages classes are a great opportunity to experience a collaborative, supportive environment with other students who share an affinity for performance! Classes are designed for all experience levels.
FALL 2024
Intro to Devising:
Crafting the Collective Story
Saturdays, September 21 - October 12
9 am - 11 am
Grades 6 - 8
Led by Rory Willats
Do all plays begin with a playwright? What if we could write a play together? Does a play have to begin with writing at all? This four-week workshop series is aimed at students from sixth to eighth grade, and is a deep dive into the world of devising: the process of making theatre that begins from experimentation and collaboration within a group.
Through guided exploration of the following, participants will learn techniques for collaborative playwriting and storytelling.
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Creative movement
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Scene work
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Theater games
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Character exploration
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Group writing
Tuition: $120
Rory Willats (MFA) is a director and theatre-maker raised in Indiana. His practice focuses on collaborative making and emerging technologies. With over 40 shows under his belt, his work has been seen in opera houses, theaters, galleries and on TV around the US and UK.
The following classes have already happened, but these are a SAMPLE of what we offer in a typical year.
Check back with us for new classes and programs (always at the TOP of this page)! Sign up for our newsletter, too!
Seussical JR.
February 7 - April 24, 2022
Open to participants grades 3-8*
When: Monday/Wednesday/Saturday rehearsals begin on February 7th.
Public performances the weekend of April 22nd..
What: Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat and all of your favorite Dr. Seuss characters spring to life onstage in Seussical JR., a fantastical musical extravaganza from Tony-winners, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. Stage Direction by Rachel Hoey and Musical Direction by Rachel Morrow.
Production Class - Fall 2021
All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten
Ages 12 - 18
When: Rehearsals begin on Tuesday, September 21st, performances on the weekend of November 4th.
What: Based on Robert Fulghum's best-selling books, Kindergarten takes a funny, insightful, heartwarming look at what is profound in everyday life. This tightly woven adaptation has earned standing ovations from Singapore to Prague— from L.A. to D.C. It's an evening of theatrical storytelling in revue format directed by Liam Castellan.
Cost: $250
Registration is Closed
Original Work! - Spring 2021
Grades 6-8
When: Wednesdays March 24, 30 April 7, 14, 21, 28 (Six Sessions)
6:15 -7:30 PM EST (1 hour, 15 minutes)
Where: Virtually on Zoom!
What: A collaboration in creating a new play to be recorded for showcase performances! Actors will journey together through the process of creating a play together - storytelling, plot, dialogue, and improvisation to find characterization, rehearsing, and fine-tuning the play until its online debut!
Cost: $75
Instructor: Rachel Hoey
Registration is now closed
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Monday Club:
Teen Play Reading Group
Grades 8-12
When: Mondays March 29, April 5, 12, 19 (4 sessions)
7:15 - 8:45 PM EST (1 hour 30 minutes)
Where: Virtually on Zoom!
What: Young actors will experience three plays within the theatre canon, the exercise of reading/discussing through plays as a group while getting further context and acting tips along the way. It's a great way to familiarize teens with important works, great monologues, and re-usable content, as well as lending itself to audition preparation. The plays include: Almost Maine by John Carini (Contemporary Dramatic and Comedic play), Hay Fever by Noel Coward (1920’s British Farce) and Wiley and the Hairy Man, by Susan Zeder (Award-winning theatre for youth play).
Cost: $55
Instructor: Liam Castellan
Registration is closed.
Dance for Musical Theatre
Grades 3-6
When: Tuesdays March 23, 30, April 6, 13 (four sessions)
6:30-7:30 PM EST (1 hour)
Where: Virtually on Zoom!
What: Lively combination of movement, dance, and creative physical collaboration. Each week students will explore choreography through the musicals: Hamilton, High School Musical, Shrek the Musical, and Seussical. Warm-ups and exercises featuring age appropriate pop music from tv, film, and radio.
Cost: $50
Instructor: Adi Mullen
Registration is now closed.
Improvisational Acting Workshop
Grades 6-8
When: Saturdays March 27, April 3, 10 (three sessions)
11:00AM-12:00PM
Where: Virtually on Zoom!
What: New and fan-favorite ensemble-building, improvisational acting, and scene exercises for middle schoolers! Delve into character creation, thinking on your feet, and honing in on improvisational acting skills.
Cost: $40
Instructor: Tess Cunningham
Registration is now closed.
Improvisational Acting Workshop
Grades 3-5
When: Saturdays March 27, April 3, 10 (three sessions)
12:20 PM -1:20PM
Where: Virtually on Zoom!
What: Creativity at its core! This class caters to both new-comers and kids who’ve experienced theatre! A mixture of age appropriate ensemble games. It's a great practice of creating as a group. Collaborative, fun, on your feet, acting and reacting!
Cost: $40
Instructor: Tess Cunningham
Registration is closed.
Stages Two-Day Virtual 5-Minute Play Festival!
Grades 6-12
Registration Now CLOSED
When: Monday, December 28 and Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Where: Virtually on Zoom!
What: An opportunity to create, rehearse, perform, and record 5-minute plays for a premiere on Stages YouTube Channel on December 30!
Cost: $60
Creative Workshop:
Solo & Ensemble Writing & Characterization
Grades 5 - 8
You are invited to discover playwriting through solo and group creation: experiment with improv, writing prompts, character games, etc. Stages instructor Liam Castellan will lead you through a variety of exciting exercises and techniques to spark endless ideas and dynamic characterization! Class size is limited.
Registration is now CLOSED!
New to Stages classes? Visit our FAQ page or sign up for our newsletter
Creative Workshop:
Solo & Ensemble Writing & Characterization
Grades 9 - 12
You are invited to discover playwriting through solo and group creation: experiment with improv, writing prompts, character games, etc. Stages instructor Rachel Hoey will lead you through a variety of exciting exercises and techniques to spark endless ideas and dynamic characterization!
Registration is now CLOSED!
Fall Teen Acting Studio
Grades 7 - 12
Hone your acting (and reacting), scene study, and monologue skills, and get an inside look at the world of theatre with instructor Rachel Hoey! This studio also includes a guest artist collaboration that focuses on audition preparation. Join us for a lively and collaborative studio experience! Class size is limited.
Registration is now CLOSED!
PRODUCTION CLASSES
Take the stage! With Stages, you are not just in a show, you are in a fully staged production which is also a class taught by experienced theatre professionals - directors, instructors, performers - who have a talent for creating good theatre as well as coaching and mentoring young actors. Shows involve four or more performances and are promoted and open to the public.
She Kills Monsters
Virtual Realms
A virtual performance
Grades 8 - 12
First performed in 2011, She Kills Monsters earned high acclaim as a love letter to the nerds, the geeks, and the queer community. Qui Nguyen’s script follows Agnes Evans on her journey to connect with her deceased sister, Tilly Evans. As she packs away Tilly’s room, Agnes discovers that her sister lives on in the whimsical world of Dungeons and Dragons, a fantastical role playing game. Agnes befriends and battles demons, elves, and fairies in her quest to meet the most authentic version of her sister.
Directed by Rory Willats
Audition information available here.
Cost: $175
Virtual Performances April 16 & April 17
Could You Hug A Cactus?
A New Musical
A virtual performance
Grades 3 - 7
Based on a collection of whimsical poems by Phillip Van Wagoner, Could You Hug A Cactus? is a musical revue that follows a group of kids as they come together to create a show that’s bursting with poems and creativity. One by one, they each share their imaginative creations, until a nervous performer panics and refuses to contribute a poem. Can the cast help him shed self-doubt and ignite a creative spark?
Directed by Rory Willats
REGISTRATION IS CLOSED
Please email info@stagesbloomington.com to be added to the wait list.
Cost: $125
Performance Premiere: Friday March 12, 2021
Super Happy Awesome News!
A Virtual Musical
Grades 3 - 8
Performers in grades 3rd-8th are invited to join us for a silly, heartfelt musical written to be rehearsed and performed from the safety of home! Super Happy Awesome News follows a sibling rivalry to create “good news” networks and the honesty that producing news entails. The show features a variety of songs and monologues with both humor and heart, giving young performers a chance to be in the virtual spotlight. Each cast member will have the opportunity to work one on one with the director, honing their acting skills and focusing on translating those skills to the webcam. The final production of Super Happy Awesome News will premiere on YouTube so that friends and family from afar can enjoy the performance! Cast size is limited.
Time Commitment: The virtual musical class includes both full cast meetings and one-on-one scene work. Participating in the musical requires that students memorize their material outside of scheduled rehearsal times.
Registration is now CLOSED!
Performance Premiere October 23, 2020.
Watch for great performance opportunities like these as soon as we're live and on stage again!
2019-20 Production Classes and Shows
Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp
Grades 5-12
Get in on the magic of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp! Actors in grades 5-12 are invited to join this exciting production class featuring a classic non-musical version of this well-loved tale. It's the perfect show for actors who love acting!
Performances: November 8 - 10, 2019
John Brown's Body
Grades 9-12
Part of Stages' "American Mosaic" series, John Brown's Body is an oratorio from the poem by Stephen Vincent Benet, which delves into the many stories from the Civil War. This production will be performed by Stages' Artists in Residence, with a limited number of teen actors accepted after auditions with Executive Director
Performances: February 14-16, 2020
Matilda - The Musical
Grades 5-12
Meet Matilda, a precocious little girl who is ignored by her parents and bullied by the headmistress at school. With a wry sense of humor and a penchant for justice, she will win your heart.
A "Best Musical" Tony winner based on Roald Dahl's popular children's novel, Matilda is a triumphant tale - exuberant, quirky, and over-the-top fun!
Performances: March 5-8, 2020.