Fall Classes for Adults, Teens and Tweens Announced at Dreamcatcher

Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre, professional Theatre in Residence at the Oakes Center in Summit, is offering a variety of classes this fall for students from 5th to 12th grade and for ages 18 and up. The current plan is to hold small classes in person at the Oakes Center using social distancing and other protocols. Should it become necessary to change course, or if participants prefer, the company will pivot to online classes.

Dreamcatcher Junior classes for students in grades 5-12 include Improv and Playwriting in sessions of eight weeks each. These classes can be taken separately or together, and provide an opportunity to delve deeper into these two art forms. Playwriting will focus on using dialogue, character, theme and plot to bring ideas to life. Students will write their own short play while helping their classmates to create their own. Improv students will learn through games and exercises that focus on skills such as agreement, teamwork, character creation, emotional work, object/environment work, confidence, and presentational skills. Both classes are an excellent way for students to unlock their creativity in a small group environment.

Improv for Teens and Adults is offered at two levels, beginner (six weeks) and intermediate (eight weeks). Dreamcatcher partners with Rocket Improv to provide students an introduction to improv comedy or a further exploration of what they've previously learned. Students will think on their feet by freeing their mind, body and imagination through group exercises and games in a safe and supportive atmosphere. Those who are returning students will learn more complex games that require keeping multiple balls in the air while maintaining connection with scene partners. These classes provide a fun creative outlet while honing skills such as teamwork, spontaneity and careful listening that will enhance any professional pursuit.

Laura Ekstrand (Livingston), Dreamcatcher's Artistic Director, will teach DRT JR. Playwriting and Beginner Improv for Adults and Teens. Playwriting will be held Tuesday evenings, September 29 through November 24 (no class on Election Day) from 6:00-7:30 pm. The cost is $210. Beginner Improv for Adults and Teens will be held Tuesday evenings, September 29 through November 10 (no class on Election Day) from 7:30-9:30 pm. The cost is $210.

Laura Ekstrand was one of the founding members of Dreamcatcher's house team, The Flip Side (formerly Multiple Personality Disorder) in 2002. Laura is the Artistic Director and founder of Dreamcatcher Rep, where she has appeared in Be Here Now; What Stays; Sister Play; Rapture, Blister Burn; Motherhood Out Loud; and Shakespeare in Vegas, among many others. She has also performed on various New Jersey and New York stages and in film and television. Laura is a playwright, director, and a private monologue and public speaking coach and holds a BA from Yale University and an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. Laura is a member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA and the Dramatists Guild.

Lulu French (Maplewood), founder of Rocket Improv, will teach DRT JR. Improv and Intermediate Improv for Adults and Teens. DRT JR. Improv will be held Saturdays, October 3 through November 21, from 2:15-4:15 pm. The cost is $280. Intermediate Improv for Adults and Teens will be held Saturdays, October 3 through November 21, from 11:00 am-1:00 pm. The cost is $280.

Lulu French first took improv classes at Gotham City Improv two decades ago and has been improvising ever since. In addition to being a graduate of GCI, she has also studied improv under Amy Poehler, Matt Walsh, and Matt Besser, various Second City alumni such as Todd Stashwick (12 Monkeys), and improv masters Michael Gellman, Dave Razowsky, and Aretha Sills. She has appeared in numerous improv performances in NYC improv theaters such as Gotham City Improv, the Magnet Theater, and Upright Citizens Brigade, as well as with Dreamcatcher's own The Flip Side. Lulu has been teaching improv since 2000 and has recently opened her own business, Rocket Improv.

To register for the class or for information on any of Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre's programs, please visit www.dreamcatcherrep.org or contact Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre at The Oakes Center, 120 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901, 908-514-9654.

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