Gulfshore Playhouse Announces New Broadway Masterclass Series And June Artful Distancing Line-up

Gulfshore Playhouse, Naples' premier professional theater, is expanding its virtual offerings through a new series, as well as a continuation of their successful virtual Artful Distancing series.

Beginning June 15, Gulfshore Playhouse will offer the Broadway Masterclass Virtual Series, which will give participants the opportunity to receive direct training from professional theater artists. Limited participant spots are available for the masterclass, which will include live feedback from the instructors. Alternatively, viewers will have the option to audit the masterclass, enabling them to observe rather than directly participate. Auditors who watch live will have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A with the teaching artist at the end of the session. This past April, Gulfshore Playhouse brought on a new director of education, Steven Calakos, who is spearheading this brand-new initiative. The June line-up includes:

-June 15 at 4 p.m.: Broadway Dance Masterclass with Anna Aimee White - Participants can brush up their dancing skills by learning the choreography to the hit song "Dancing Queen" from Broadway's "Mamma Mia." Broadway and television actor and professional choreographer, White, will lead participants through the steps during this fun and energetic masterclass. White choreographed season three of the Netflix series "On My Block" and served as the Associate Choreographer for Stephen Schwartz's "The Secret Silk" for PrincessCruiseLine, "Mamma Mia" at Bucks County Playhouse and "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at 3-D Theatricals. White has performed on Broadway in "White Christmas," "Grease" (Original 2007 company) and in multiple Encores! productions at New York City Center.

-June 22 at 2:30 p.m.: Acting for the Screen Masterclass with David Whalen - Gulfshore Playhouse favorite David Whalen, who has dozens of credits on the screen as well as the stage, will teach a masterclass about the essentials of acting for the screen. Having starred in both television and film, Whalen brings years of industry knowledge and secrets to success. Whalen has appeared in over 100 AEA productions across the United States, and starred on screen in the Showtime series "The Loudest Voice," and in feature films such as "American Pastoral" and "The Fault in Our Stars."

-June 29 at 2:30 p.m.: Musical Theater Masterclass with Broadway's Laura Osnes - Two-time Tony Award nominee and Broadway star Laura Osnes will teach a masterclass on telling a story through musical theater. Drawing on her expertise as a leading actor in Broadway's "Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella," "Bonnie & Clyde," "Anything Goes," "South Pacific," and more, Osnes will provide participants with exclusive one-on-one feedback on a prepared audition song. For this event, participants must prepare a musical theater selection. For this masterclass, registration will be capped at five participants. Registration for this session will be capped at five, and will be offered on a first-come, first serve basis; a waitlist will be available.

Tuition for each masterclass is $75 and can be purchased online at https://www.gulfshoreplayhouse.org/broadway-masterclass-virtual-series/. A limited number of audit spots will be available for $25.

In addition, Gulfshore Playhouse will continue its Artful Distancing series through June with four new programs. Artful Distancing is a free virtual series occurring every Wednesday at 3 p.m. via Zoom Webinars. Although participation in Artful Distancing is free, registration is required to receive information to watch live or receive the recording link. The June line-up includes:

-June 3: The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword, The Playwright's Forum - Bringing a new play to life is a challenging and rewarding process. Join playwrights Deb Hiett, who wrote the 2018 world premiere "Miss Keller Has No Second Book," and Jacqueline Bircher, whose play "Another Revolution" will have its premiere in spring 2021 at Gulfshore Playhouse, as they discuss their creative process, the life of a professional playwright, and how they cope creatively in difficult times.

-June 10: The Lunatic, the Lover, and the Poet - A Midsummer Night's Dream Renowned Shakespeare scholar Dr. Gail Kern Paster returns to dive into the fanciful world of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Dr. Paster, director emerita of the Folger Shakespeare Library and editor of "Shakespeare Quarterly" will bring audiences into the world of one of Shakespeare's most beloved works. This is the perfect opportunity to get excited about Gulfshore Playhouse's upcoming 2021 season and learn more about Shakespeare from one of the foremost experts in the field.

-June 17: Setting the Stage: A Scenic Designer Panel - Participants will have a chance to get to know the designers behind the stunning displays created for the stage at Gulfshore Playhouse. David Arsenault, Kristen Martino and Steve TenEyck, three scenic designers, will discuss their approach to design and reminisce on the shows they have designed for Gulfshore Playhouse including "Native Gardens," "Skylight," 'In the Next Room or the vibrator play," and more. Tune in to learn how scenic design combines artistry and architecture to help create the beautiful productions on stage.

-June 24: From the Hot Seat: The Producer's Point of View Part II - From "August: Osage County" to "Hamilton," Tony Award-winning producers Patty Baker and Jeffrey Richards have been behind some of Broadway's biggest hits. Combined, the two have produced over 50 productions on Broadway and worked with the industry's best. Join Patty Baker and Jeffrey Richards as they share stories from their vast experience producing on Broadway.

Participants can register online at www.GulfshorePlayhouse.org/artful-distancing.

Gulfshore Playhouse is passionately committed to enriching the cultural landscape of our region by producing professional theater to the highest artistic standards and providing unique educational opportunities to diverse groups of people in a spirit of service, adventure, and excitement. The Playhouse's work is inspired by a belief in the magic of theater to expand the imagination, challenge the senses, provoke discussion, and revitalize in its audiences an understanding of our common humanity. This belief drives the care with which Gulfshore Playhouse treats its artists, audiences, students, staff, and members of the greater community.

For more information about Gulfshore Playhouse, visit www.gulfshoreplayhouse.org

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