GTA's Repertory Company Members Try Their Hands As Storytellers, Educators And Innovators

Storytelling has been used for generations to bring people together and bridge the gap of conversation between otherwise divided groups. Theatre is being used more and more as a way to integrate patrons as a community into the stories they need to hear. Even from a young age, there is a power behind the stories we are told, the stories we tell and the stories uncovered that were lost over time.

Combining the importance of storytelling with the literary education of northeast Georgia's youth, beginning Oct. 15, the Gainesville Theatre Alliance Repertory Company, travels the region through March performing two short plays, Dragon Flights and Shakespeare in Action, for school and community groups

The Gainesville Theatre Alliance is a nationally acclaimed collaboration of the University of North Georgia, Brenau University, theatre professionals and the northeast Georgia community.

Gay H. Hammond's play Dragon Flights, directed by Ann Demling, is an anthology of stories for young children, all revolving around dragons. Five actors portray dragons who tell stories through melodic transitions and swiftly changing characters. Based on the dragon mythology found in numerous ancient cultures and myths, the Rep Company actors substitute the power of their bodies and vibrant rhetoric for elaborate casts and sets to ignite the imaginations of their young audiences.

Director Ann Demling notes the importance of believability, stressing that the show leads children to see "that the imagination can be as vivid and affecting as anything in the real world."

With large, colorful puppets, a high energy style and an intense rehearsal process, the actors involved in this show truly have their work cut out for them. Expressing the changing stories and elevated characters to a young audience while keeping them engaged and imaginative is a difficult task, but Demling explains that this highly-focused problem solving and ensemble-building experience will not only strengthen their Rep Company, but also in their future endeavors as artists.

Repertory Company performs as a gift to the northeast Georgia community, traveling to schools, libraries, community centers, and even a children's hospital to give free performances. Combining their acting skills with their leadership and devotion to craft, these five students work to bring art to life in created spaces and use it not only to tell stories, but to teach young and adult patrons about important themes in the plays.

And patrons age 14 through adult, Shakespeare in Motion is a dynamic collaboration of scenes from Shakespeare's most known works. Moving quickly between Shakespeare's classic tales, the performers shift and change from one character to another in a completely new story. Exploring "Romeo and Juliet," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Hamlet," "Macbeth" and "Julius Caesar," then intertwining the stories together, this brings the classic stories that are relatable to everyone to life in short, manageable chunks, highlighting important plot points and themes.

Director Amelia Fischer employed many different techniques of advanced actor training such as scansion, viewpoints, circus gymnastics, personalization and action/objective work to prepare the actors not only for their professional future, but to fully envelop themselves in the heart of Shakespeare's work. This is reflected in the Shakespeare in Action master classes offered to the high school audiences, where the students are invited to be up on their feet as young Shakespearians, exploring the themes and characters as Rep Company members curate an experience for students to form a personal connection to classic script.

Company Manager Savannah Cathers has working on promotion and study guides since this past summer, and is booking dates for the company and performing as a liaison between the cast, faculty, directors and community. This has brought her into the professional world by allowing her, like the cast, to do demanding professional theatre work while making an impact on the community around her.

The Gainesville Theatre Alliance's Repertory Company is touring northeast Georgia from mid-October through March, offering free performances. For more information on the company or for booking inquiries, check the Rep Company page on the GTA website, www.gainesvilleTHEATREalliance,org. Questions can be directed to Repertory Company Manager Savannah Cathers, GTAsRepCo@gmail.com.

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