Queens Theatre To Offer Virtual Performing Arts Classes For NYC Students During Spring Break

Queens Theatre (QT) will present a week of virtual performing arts classes to engage students during the New York City Public School spring break-from Monday, March 29th to Friday, April 2, 2021-to spark participants' imaginations and grow their natural performance skills through fun, targeted theater activities, and rigorous workshops.

"Queens Theatre continues to be a vital-and virtual-destination for creativity and innovation this spring," said Queens Theatre Executive Director Taryn Sacramone. "On the heels of the popular launch of our virtual classes during the mid-winter break in February, QT will expand our online classes so students can experience the arts and hone their skills - from the comfort of their homes."

Throughout the week, children ages 6 to 9 years old can participate in "Picture a Story" and refine their acting skills. For those a bit older, Queens Theatre will presents "Be Scene", where participants in two groups (ages 10 to 12 years old and 13 to 16 years old) can hone their acting skills. And, in the final workshop, "On the Page", older teens and emerging young adult writers can learn best practices of short playwriting.

Visit https://queenstheatre.org/online-performing-arts-classes-spring-break-2021/ for more details and fees.

Online Theatre Classes for Kids

Picture a Story - Kids exercise their creative imaginations and practice their acting skills in this fun weeklong program. Working with a director and a musical director, students in this workshop will select a wordless graphic novel to adapt and perform on stage. Kids will have great time working together to interpret the images in the books into storyline and inventing all the dialogue and song lyrics. Once the script and songs are written, they begin the rehearsal process to bring their adapted story to life on stage. At the end of the week, students present their play to friends and family.

Age Group - 6 to 9 years old

Monday - Friday 10am - 12pm

2 hour per workshop (10 hours total)

Fee - $150

Be Scene - Young performers hone their acting skills in this exciting intensive scene study workshop. Students work with a director improving their acting skills while learning to work with an acting partner. We begin each workshop with ensemble building theater games and then move on to learning the basics of acting with a partner through the rehearsal process. Students work toward a final showing of scenes for friends and family.

Age Groups - 10 to 12 and 13 to 17 years old (Limit 12 students per group)

Monday - Friday 1pm - 3pm

2 hour per workshop (10 hours total)

Fee - $150

On the Page - Aspiring playwrights learn best practices of short playwriting in this rigorous workshop designed to help you get your idea for a play on the page. Guided by professional playwrights, writers will examine the craft and inspiration involved in writing for the stage. Most playwriting considerations, including character, dialogue, structure, conflict, tone and theme, apply to full-length plays and one-acts, as well as short plays. But there are also aspects of playwriting unique to the short play, which our program will explore in detail. The short play is a great way for emerging writers to get "a foot in the door." On the Page will help you take the first step.

Age Groups - 14 to 19 and 20 and up (Limit 8 students per group)

Monday - Friday 4pm - 6pm

2 hour per workshop (10 hours total)

Fee - $150

Instructors

Willy Appleman (Picture a Story - Director)

Willy is an actor, comedian and producer based in New York City. Willy was featured on NBC's Bring The Funny in 2019 performing original characters. He has appeared in videos for Comedy Central, Sesame Street, Budweiser, TruTV and Google and has performed live at The Sundance Film Festival and Bonnaroo. In 2018, he appeared in "Our Town" at The Weston Playhouse alongside Christopher Lloyd. His writing, acting and directing have been featured on The Today Show, The Huffington Post, MLB.com, Elite Daily, Cosmopolitan and NPR's "All Things Considered". He is a member of The Story Pirates, Pipeline Theatre Company, Ten Bones Theatre Company and a performer at UCBT NY.

https://www.willyappleman.com/

Brian Feinstein (Picture a Story - Music Director)

Brian Feinstein began his career in entertainment at the USC School of Cinema & Television and completed his master's degree at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. His original compositions have since earned him rave reviews in The New York Times, six ASCAP Plus Awards, a Jonathan Larson Fellowship and the Anna Sosenko Trust Award.

His original musicals "GIRLSTAR", directed by two-time Tony Award nominee Eric Schaeffer, recently premiered at the Signature Theatre in addition to "THE DOLLMAKER'S GIFT" premiering at the prestigious 1,000-seat Rose Theater in Omaha, Nebraska. Other credits include: "MIMI LE DUCK" starring the legendary Eartha Kitt (Off-Broadway), "THE TOP JOB" (licensed throughout the US), "THE CIRCUS IS COMING TO TOWN" (awarded best family musical in Southern California), among others.

Most recently, Brian and his writing partner Eric Garcia, secured the rights from Paramount Studios and the Lancaster Estate to adapt his passion project: "THE BAD NEWS BEARS" into a stage musical.

Brian's compositions have been performed by the Boston Pops, the Indianapolis Philharmonic and a wide array of musicians and vocalists across the country, in Europe and on television. When not at the piano, he enjoys teaching theatre and songwriting to musical theatre students of all ages and volunteering with the Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue League. www.BrianFeinsteinMusic.com

Mary Archbold (Be Scene Tweens - Director)

Mary Theresa Archbold is an award-winning New York City-based performer who has appeared on Television (Law & Order: SVU, Bull) and Stage (most recently in the 2018 Pulitzer Prize winning Play Cost of Living). A prolific creator she blends her passions in a style uniquely her own - Dance Comedy. A narrative blend of laughter and professional level of dance that reveals a heartfelt human truth. A graduate of the University of Michigan she is an avid college football fan, as well as a soccer mom to two incredible little boys. https://marytheresaarchbol.wixsite.com/mysite

Allie Marotta (Be Scene Teens - Director)

Allie Marotta is a collaborative theatre maker, writer, and arts educator based in Brooklyn, focused on devised ensemble theater and immersive, participatory, and relational work. She is a healthcare and disability patient advocate, currently on the leadership team of grassroots patient advocacy group NY #insulin4all. Allie is a New York City staff correspondent for No Proscenium. https://www.allie-marotta.com/

Mel Nieves (On the Page Teens - Director)

Mel Nieves is an actor, playwright, screenwriter and arts educator based in New York City. He is currently a long time member of the award winning LAByrinth Theatre Company, artistic director Aaron Roman Weiner and The Actor's Studio Playwright-Director's Unit under the artistic leadership of Lyle Kessler.

Mel took his first acting class while attending John Jay College of Criminal Justice and became involved with The Criminal Justice Repertory Company aka John Jay Players in association with Cornell University and the department of Child Protective services. The group used structured improvisational scenes based on actual domestic violence situations to teach social workers, rape victim counselors and various law enforcement organizations across the country in violence prevention. Most recently his first pilot script, On The Boulevard was a semifinalist for the 2020 HollyShorts Screenplay Competition,

Rob Urbinati (On the Page Adults - Director)

Rob Urbinati is a freelance playwright, screenwriter, book author and theater director based in New York City. Rob was born in Framingham, Massachusetts and currently resides in New York City. He is also director of new play development at Queens Theatre where he curates New American Voices (formerly Immigrant Voices Project), a new play program which develops plays by writers who represent the diverse demographic of New York City.