Registration Now Open for Matrix School of Theatre's Fall Classes

Registration has begun for classes at the Matrix School of Theatre where young artists, ages 5 - 18, have the opportunity to engage in play writing, puppetry, and performance. "With this year's theme of Leadership, we'll explore leadership roles, characters - real and fictional, and create plays based on students' ideas of leadership and how they would like to lead Detroit into the future," said Andrea Scobie, Matrix Theatre Company's Director of Education. One of the classes will give young artists the chance to lead younger community members to engage with reading in fun new ways by selecting several children's books, creating hand, rod, and glove puppets of the characters, and then performing their shows at local library branches. "Our Matrix Teen Company is going strong," said Scobie. "This dedicated troupe of young actors, playwrights, dancers, musicians, and technicians will begin their season by preparing for the annual Haunted Theatre performance in late October. They will also perform in as many as three additional shows throughout the year. Auditions are required for the Teen Company which is fully funded by the Skillman Foundation. Prices for classes range from $50 - $100. Inquire about discounts if your child is enrolled in multiple classes, or if you have multiple children attending a class. Scholarships are also available. To register your child for the Matrix School of Theatre, call the Education Department at (313) 967-0999, ext. 3. For further information, visit us on Facebook or go to www.matrixtheatre.org.

Fall Classes 2013: Building Leaders

Acting and Playwriting -
Ages 5-7: Now LEADing
DATES/TIMES: Saturdays, 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m., September 28 - December 7, 2013
COST: $50
Our youngest actors will be learning about what it means to be a leader in their families and schools. Students will learn introductory acting skills like projection, stage directions, and characterization as they work together to create a new play about what being a leader looks like to them. Their short production will be presented at the School of Theatre showcase on December 7th, 2013.

Ages 8-11: Taking the Lead
DATES/TIMES: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4.00 - 6.00 p.m., October 1 - December 7, 2013
COST: $100
Students in this class will focus on small service projects each week in order to grow as leaders in their community. In addition to building their skills in improvisation, monologue work, and character analysis, they will create an original script based on their ideas of how and where they want to lead Detroit into the future. Their new play will be presented at the School of Theatre showcase on December 7th, 2013.

Ages 11-14: Leadership Is...
DATES/TIMES: Saturdays, 12.00 - 2.00 p.m., September 28 - December 7, 2013
COST: $50
Students in this class will have the chance to take positive action and engage with the community as they create a new play focused on how they can grow as leaders in their peer groups, their schools, and their cities. Through poetry, monologue, movement, and scene work, students will gain confidence in new-found skills both as artists and emerging community leaders. Their original work will be presented at the School of Theatre showcase on December 7th, 2013.

Ages 14-18: Matrix Teen Company
DATES/TIMES: Mondays/Wednesdays, 4.00 - 6.00 p.m., September 23 - December 7, 2013
COST: FREE, thanks to the generous support of the Skillman Foundation
The Matrix Teen Company is a dedicated troupe of young actors, playwrights, dancers, musicians, and technicians who produce four (or more!) shows each year. This fall, Matrix teen artists will be preparing their annual Haunted Theatre performance in October, and will then begin writing a new play for production in April of 2014. Members of the Matrix Teen Company will have the opportunity to explore various forms of music, theatre, and performance. Membership in the Matrix Teen Company is by audition only.

Puppetry and Visual Arts
Ages 5-7: SuperLeaders! Puppets
DATES/TIMES: Saturdays, 12.00 - 1.30 p.m., September 28 - December 7, 2013
COST: $75
Beginning puppeteers will learn about leadership roles, both real (Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks) and fictional (Spiderman and Wonder Woman) as they explore the qualities of leadership. Every week they will make a new finger or hand puppet of each SuperLeader they learn about, and will display their puppets at the School of Theatre showcase on December 7th, 2013.

Ages 8-14: Leading and Libraries
DATES/TIMES: Saturdays, 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m., September 28 - December 7, 2013
COST: $75
Young artists will have the opportunity to lead younger community members to engage with reading in fun new ways. Students in this class will select several children's books and create hand, rod, and glove puppets of the characters. At the end of the semester, participants will lead a Family Day at local library branches where they will perform their chosen stories in a puppet show for families, and then present brand new books and the accompanying puppets to the libraries for use in their Permanent Collections.

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