PA 2020-21 VIRTUAL STATE thespian
​Conference WORKSHOPS

  • We will have 5 workshop session, during which there will be 4-6 different workshops offered. Some will be recorded, some will be live. All the workshops that are live will be recorded and posted to view at a later time. You may view any recorded workshop at any time during the conference window. You may also come back on Sunday to view workshops and performances.
  • Workshops are open to any student or adult registered for the conference.
  • If you are running for an STO position, you must attend the STO Selection workshops
  • Each Troupe must have a least 1 member attend the STO leadership workshops. Students attending this workshop need to be signed up for both sessions. Troupes may have more than 1 student attend (up to the Troupe limit), however each troupe only gets 1 vote.
  • You do not have to sign up for workshops this year and there is no limit to the number of workshops students from any particular troupe may attend. 

 
The Broadway Dance Experience: combination 1 - Come and learn a fun combination from a Broadway-style show in this interactive session. Grab your confidence, make space in your room, and get ready to dance! Dress comfortably and be prepared to move. Open to all levels: students and teachers. Brian Curl

Approaching Accents Level 1: British and NYC - Accents are everywhere in the worlds of theater, film, TV, voiceover and improv. Being able to master an accent can sometimes feel overwhelming—but there’s always room for fun in the learning process. Join LA-based dialect coach Adam Michael Rose in this introductory dive into TWO very popular accents: Standard British and NYC. This interactive workshop will introduce you to the world of these two accents, as well as a unique system for breaking down other accents! Michael Rose

From Tomato to Marinara: Theatre from Scratch  - No Script? No Problem! In Devised Theatre, a group of actors work together to make Theatre from scratch. This process can get messy—how do actors work together effectively and avoid feeling like “there are too many cooks in the kitchen?”. In this workshop, students create a script from scratch, incorporating helpful strategies for effective group collaboration. Venus-Tyané Kuya

Introduction to Straight Makeup for Theatre - All actors need to know how to do their own makeup. In this workshop, Gordon explains tips for the application of “straight” makeup for stage. Topics include color selection, application, highlight and shadow, finishing techniques, health & safety, and removal. Gordan Hensley

Ten Minutes to Glory: Writing the Ten-Minute Play - Ever since the Actors Theatre of Louisville launched the National Ten-Minute Play Contest, the ten-minute play has become one of the theatre's most popular forms. The haiku of the playwriting world, it's great for festivals and competition, popular with audiences, a great calling card for a new playwright—and it's the easiest play to finish! Ready to write one? This workshop will have you well on the way to creating your new mini-opus. Jonathan Dorf

Approaching Accents Level 2: British and NYC - Join LA-based dialect coach Adam Michael Rose for a deeper dive into the worlds of Standard British and NYC accents. This interactive workshop will explore key features of these two popular accents. You’ll also walk away with strategies for connecting the accent work to the ACTING. Michael Rose

The Sonnet Man --- Hip Hop Shakespeare Writing Workshop - Students will be introduced to Shakespeare's sonnets in a modern innovative way: through hip-hop. We will study the structure and make up of a Shakespearean sonnet: their components, values, and meaning, as well as write our own. Open to all levels: students and teachers. Please come prepared with pen, paper, and an open mind. Devon Glover

Story-Telling Through Violence: Technical Fighting - Jabs, Crosses, Hooks, & Upper-cuts. In this workshop thespians will learn, rehearse, and perform a variety of stage combat techniques useful for depicting trained hand fighters. Movements will draw from Western (boxing) and Eastern (Karate, Kung-fu, Taekwondo) styles. The session will focus on safety(proper technique, partner communication, performer comfort) and story. The lesson will culminate with participants blocking an open scene incorporating learned techniques. Mike Catron

The Meisner Technique & The Keys To Great Acting!** - Through a series of exercises grounded in the Meisner technique, students will learn what it means to “Live truthfully under imaginary circumstances,” and have an opportunity to experience first hand the practices that lead to 1st rate functioning as an actor. Utilizing the technique, they will grow and deepen in their craft, and come away from the workshop present to what makes great actors GREAT! Robyn Cohen

STO Selection/Student Leadership - Every Troupe should have at least 1 person participating in the STO Selection process. This will be a double workshop and students should plan on attending both sessions. Campbell/Thornton

1 Button Down = 30 costumes - Transforming 1 button down shirt into 30 different costumes. Shirlee Idzakovich

The Broadway Dance Experience: combination 2 - Come and learn a fun combination from a Broadway-style show in this interactive session. Grab your confidence, make space in your room, and get ready to dance! Dress comfortably and be prepared to move. Open to all levels: students and teachers. Brian Curl

Impulses Through Viewpoints (level 1) - During this workshop, we will explore the Viewpoints theory, as created by Mary Overlie, and its influence on impulse and imagination. We will start with the basics of Viewpoints - specifically time, shape, & shape - to discover the body's natural impulses, both internal and external. You will need movement clothing and available space to explore physically. Erin Carr

Projections 101: Getting Started in Your Theatre Program - Would you like to get rolling with digital projections in your shows? This workshop hits all the fundamentals, with a collection of tips and tricks—all in non-techie, simple speak that will inspire you to dream big! Learn what gear to buy or rent, where to place it, the kind of screen you’ll need and more. Your scenic storytelling is about to take a grand leap! Mitch Stark

Live and On Camera!** - This interactive virtual workshop will enable each actor to learn basic on camera techniques and create on camera presence. Matt Burke

Sewing with Shirley - Costuming Your Show from A to Z. We will learn to costume a show from the very beginning to seeing it on stage. This workshop teaches you the core elements of how to start and touching on every step along the way. If you are a beginner or an advanced costumer, this is for you. I have combined all my experiences as a professional costumer to guide you on how to do this. This workshop covers four parts: 1. Forming your plan, envision 2. Prepare, Developing your book 3. Evaluate, Research - Artistic 4. Evaluate, to the stage! Shirlee Idzakovich

Student Leadership - Isabelle Snyder

Discovery Within Viewpoints (level 2) - This workshop will delve into the Viewpoints technique, as created by Mary Overlie, to reexamine character creation and story structure. You will be given the tools to develop your own work through movement. We will use shape and topography to create characters, along with time and space to reexamine movement and story. Erin Carr

Voice Recording - Do you need a pre-show announcement or vocal sound effect in your show? In this workshop, you'll see and learn the components of a real recording setup, watch the process of voice recording, see real-time editing of a recording in free Audacity software, and learn tips and tricks to become more proficient at the voice recording process. Gordan Hensley

Improv on Camera - Today, directors demand actors to be part-time writers while in front of the camera on location or inside the studio. Improv is the most effective way to create authentic characters transported into fully developed situations. It makes for successful performance. Students will discover acting techniques rooted in truth and honesty. This workshop will reshape the way you look at creating a screenplay or virtual performance. Ed Reggi

Who You Are, What You Do & How You Find It - This workshop is designed to show you how to determine your type, what you have to offer and how take advantage of multiple online resources leading you to your next best piece. You'll leave with practical tips, resources and a better sense of what's right for you. Suzanne Maguire

Laban and the 8 Human Efforts - This simple and effective system will show the actor 8 distinct and dynamic ways to create character through moving and speaking. Matt Burke

STO Selection/Student Leadership - Every Troupe should have at least 1 person participating in the STO Selection process. This will be a double workshop and students should plan on attending both sessions.Campbell/Thornton
What’s Your Blend of Spices?Character choices can be hard, and it can seem difficult to make your character unique to others. Except is it? What happens when you bring you into your character? This workshop is all about diving into you and your story to create the most interesting character on stage. Venus-Tyané Kuya

Puppetry Playshop: Do The “Q”! - A deeper dive into “Avenue Q”/”Muppet-style” puppets! After reviewing puppetry basics, we’ll play with the voices, scenes, gestures that bring these fun and fabulous puppet characters to life! Aretta Baumgartner

Hip Hop Theatre --- Finding Your Voice Though Verse - Students will learn different methods of creative writing (poetry, hip-hop, storytelling, etc.) and how they can be incorporated when writing a story or adapting a play. We will discuss several topics, including the difference between verse and prose, and the different ways they could be used when writing a play. We will also discuss the process of writing a script that connects to the writer, writing a role perfect for them. Please come prepared with pen, paper, and an open mind. Devon Glover

Comedy Brainstorming ! - Who doesn’t need a laugh these days! This course will introduce comedy brain techniques. Brooklin’s experience in multiple forms of comedy will cover various ways to create comedy material for sketches, punch ups, stand-up, and headline jokes. Let your brain play. Teachers and students welcome. Brooklin Green

Waiting In The Wings: Swinging, Broadway and My Shot with Hamilton - Ever wonder what it takes to perform on Broadway and how we make sure the show always goes on? Want an inside view of what it takes to audition for or perform in Hamilton? Well, ….I’m here to help. In this workshop I’ll explain my journey from High School Thespian to Broadway Artist, answer questions about why swings are theater’s unsung superheroes and talk you through a typical casting process for some of theaters biggest shows. Come spend time with me and ask questions about the business of show. Christopher Henry Young