Primary Stages School of Theater To Offer Specialty Workshops in Spring 2010

The Primary Stages School of Theater (PSST) continues its highly successful specialty workshops as a way for students to quickly jumpstart new projects and refine important skills in a shortened amount of time. The spring workshop instructors include David Adjmi, Joanna Gleason, David Grimm, Itamar Moses and Leigh Silverman.

Spring 2010 Workshop Schedule

Writing

The Petri Dish: Or, How to Grow a New Play with David Adjmi

Writing a new play can be amazingly daunting and difficult. So often writers get excited by the
initial impetus for a new piece but can't figure out where to go next. How does one move from the Idea of a new play to the Thing Itself? This intensive two-day workshop will be a series of conversations, experiments and exercises designed to kick-start the birthing of a new play. Students will leave the class with new scenes, new ideas for structure, new tools, and a new energy to sit down and write the play. This class is designed for those who have the beginning of something-- a cluster of dialogue, an image, a character, even just a strong intuition. Participants must come to this workshop prepared to think, write and create a lot.

March 6th and 7th from 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Getting Started with David Grimm

This two-day intensive character-based workshop is for all playwrights focused on generating new
material and discovering different ways of approaching the work. This is not a lecture, this is not theory -- writers learn by writing, so come prepared to write and share.

March 13th and 14th from 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Everything is Action with Itamar Moses

I don't know about you, but if someone asked me to list the different elements or building blocks of a scene or of a play, I would ramble about character, and setting, and stakes, and ideas, and then I would change the subject, and hope the person didn't ask me to explain these things any further. But when discussed further, we'll recognize how all of these things are, in a way, simply manifestations of the most fundamental building block of playwriting: dramatic action. This workshop will explore the ways in which "action," like a vibrating one-dimensional string, creates all of the illusions that summon a complete theatrical world.

April 10th and 11th from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Performance Technique

Acting the Song with Joanna Gleason

This is an acting class with music. If you fear singing, it's for you. If you sing and are stiff on stage, it's for you. The goal of the workshop is not to refiNe Your smile as a chorus boy or girl - it's about acting. Period. Text, context, subtext. Each student needs to have memorized two ballads from musical theater or old standards. No jazz, no rock. Bring sheet music for those songs. The accompanist can adjust keys etc. No recording devices will be permitted. Students are encouraged to attend multiple sessions.

Section A: Saturday, March 20th from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Section B: Saturday, April 24th from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Primary Previews with Tessa LaNeve

This three-night seminar offers an advance look at Primary Stages 26th season of exciting new plays by some of today's most prominent playwrights. Each night of the seminar is dedicated to reading and discussing one of the upcoming plays with Primary Stages Literary Manager, Tessa LaNeve. Participants will deconstruct the texts, conjure up their dream casts, discuss design and production elements, and place these three plays within the larger NYC landscape of American theater. The classes will be invited to special performances of each play for post-show talkbacks. Be the first New Yorkers to experience the Primary Stages 26th Season <http://primarystages.org/shows#upcoming>: the New York Premiere of Jonathan Tolins' Secrets of the Trade, the World Premiere a cappella musical In Transit, and the World
Premiere of A.R. Gurney's Black Tie.

Section A: Wednesdays, February 24th, March 3rd & 10th from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. 

Section B: Wednesdays, March 17th, 24th & 31st from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Section C: Wednesdays, April 7th, 14th & 21st from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Directing Intensive with Leigh Silverman

This intensive weekend will offer two full days geared towards gaining significant directing experience and confidence. There will be challenging class work and personalized feedback from 16 hours of hard work, group participation, focus and learning.

April 17th & 18th from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Private Coaching with Andrew Leynse

Having problems with a monologue? Nervous about a big upcoming audition? Let's schedule a private session for you to bolster your confidence! These private, one-on-one acting sessions are geared to meet your individual acting needs whether they be for film, television, stage, or audition preparation.

Primary Stages School of Theater (PSST) is an interdisciplinary performing arts institution where
students may hone their skills and develop their careers in a nurturing and collaborative environment. The School provides extensive opportunities for emerging artists, professionals, and life-long learners to collaborate with working professional artists while building strong relationships within the New York theater community.

Special guest instructors for the Spring 2010 semester include Karen Braga, comedian Denny Dillon, Gary Donatelli, Sarah Elliott, director Carl Forsman, Tony-Award winner Randy Graff, lyricist Kait Kerrigan, Michael Laibson, Brad Lemons, Lucas Caleb Rooney, Kim Weild and Walton Wilson who join returning PSST Faculty members Casey Childs, Andrew Leynse, Michelle Bossy, Linda & David Laundra, Betsy Aidem, Lisa Rothe, Jackson Gay, Mark Blum, Mary Louise Wilson, Sheri Wilner, Julian Sheppard, Cusi Cram, Rogelio Martinez, Blair Singer, Tessa LaNeve and Leigh Silverman

Photo credit: Walter McBride