Lakewood Theatre Company Offers Fall 2012 Classes, Beg. 9/17

Lakewood Theatre Company at Lakewood Center for the Arts announces its fall term of classes for visual and performing arts, beginning the week of September 17th.

Two new and very unique classes of note begin Thursday, September 20, INSIDE OUT: VISUAL STORYTELLING FOR TEENS and WRITING MOVIES: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE. Instructors are film and graphic industry veterans Mark Fearing and Randall Jahnson.

INSIDE OUT: AWESOME VISUAL STORYTELLING FOR TEENS.

Picture books, comics, graphic novels, animation, video games, and film - what do they have in common? All tell their stories visually. Illustrator/author Mark Fearing and screenwriter Randall Jahnson are combining their decades of professional experience to focus on the core skills necessary to make entertaining stories for visual media. Young artists, writers, and directors will learn character development and depiction, narrative structure, and how to create drama using dynamic images as they adapt a classic story into a script and storyboard. Drawing skills are not necessary but imagination is!

The six-week session Sept. 20 - Oct 25 is designed for students ages 13-18 $150 and meets Thursdays, 4:30-6:30 at Lakewood Center. Cost for the class is $150.

WRITING MOVIES: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE with Randall Jahnson.

Everyone has a story to tell - and most see it as a movie. But for the story in your head to become one on the screen, some heavy lifting has to occur: writing the screenplay.
This 6-week course focuses on the basics of writing a dynamic and entertaining script. Topics include formatting, story conception and structure, character development, and the essence of drama: conflict and its resolution. Students will apply their skills to two short assignments. Screenwriting software is recommended.

Geared for ages 12-18, Thursdays, September 20 - October 25, 7:00-8:30 and the fee is $150.

INSTRUCTORS:

Randall Jahnson has been a working screenwriter for more than 26 years. Among his film credits are Dudes, The Doors, The Mask of Zorro, Sunset Strip, and episodes of the HBO cable series, Tales from the Crypt. He has worked closely with such filmmaking talent as Steven Spielberg, Jonathan Demme, Alec Baldwin among others. He also wrote the epic Western video game, Gun, which was voted Best Story at the 2005 IGN Video Game Awards.

Mark Fearing has been production manager for Walt Disney Television Animation, art director for Sony Online Entertainment and a creative director of new media for Pearson Television. Along the ways he's also worked as a graphic designer for Apple Computer, Microsoft and Adobe and writes and draws award winning picture books and graphic novels. His newest graphic novel, Earthling! was just released by Chronicle Books.

Other classes in the fall term include the following:

Youth Classes

KIDS CREATE - ADVENTURES THROUGH THE WATERFALL

Ages 4-7 8 weeks
Instructor: Liz Hayden $150
Saturdays, Sept. 22 - Nov. 10 2 - 5 PM
Ages 4 - 7 2 - 5 PM

Children will step into the world of creating, designing and making their own show from pure imagination. Through games, play, art, music and dance students will create an exciting show. Remember to bring a snack and get ready to have a wonderful time. Performance on the last Saturday class. Through games, play and art we devise whereever our imagination leads us!

GRIMM TALES TV/FILM ACTING - New

Ages 8-12 8 weeks
Instructor: Sandra Peabody $165
Tuesdays, Sept. 25 - Nov. 13 4:30 - 6:00 PM

Have fun while practicing on-camera acting skills. Become a star and create an episode for kids from the NBC television series, Grimm, based on The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales. Lots of villains, heroines and monsters. Throw in some comedy and have a blast while learning television production! Parents are invited to observe the last class in action! Class limited to 8 students.

TV/FILM ACTING

(Ages 10-16) 8 weeks
Instructor: Sandra Peabody $165
Tuesdays Sept. 25 - Nov. 13, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Gain confidence while developing your acting and presentation skills through on-camera experience. Practice improvisation, presentation and audition skills using commercial, film and TV scripts (both comedy and drama). Parents are invited to observe the last class in action! Class limited to 8 students.

MAGIC FOR EVERYONE

ALL Ages 6 weeks
Instructor: George Herkert $95 (which includes Magic Kit)
Mondays, Sept. 17 - Oct. 22 4:30 - 5:30 PM

Learn from a master magician the art of sleight of hand magic. George Herkert has over 25 years experience as a professional magician and teacher of magic. Learn the art of magic with a variety of tricks and presentational skills, as well as dramatic presentation, comedy, manual dexterity and positive ideals. Classes are designed to be age and skill-appropriate. Each student will be provided with their own Magic Kit, included in cost of class. The kit will include: deck of bridge size cards, a paddle effect, a set of cups and balls. The student will need to bring 5 quarters or 50-cent pieces.

Adult Classes

COLLEGE & ADULT MASTER YOUR SELF CREATIVITY

(Ages 18 Adult) 6 weeks
Instructor: Sandra Peabody $140
Tuesdays Oct. 2 - Nov. 6, 7:30 - 9:00 PM

Enhance creative development while having fun! Maximize "Self Expression" through active participation exercises that will enliven your ability to communicate creatively and expressively. Enjoy the freedom of following your instincts and impulses. Open yourself up to more possibilities in life; embrace your passions and becoming a better communicator and creative thinker. Build confidence by expressing yourself without reservation, see more clearly what others are projecting, step out of your comfort zone and take chances. Instructor Sandra Peabody has worked over 25 years coaching students in various professions to become more powerful communicators.

ACTING FOR NON ACTORS: THE COMEDY CLASS

Ages 18 - Adult 8 weeks
Instructor: Nancy McDonald $150
Mondays, Sept. 24 - Nov. 12 7 - 9 PM

Make them laugh in this fun exploration of comic acting. Using improv and some of the best written comic scripts around, you will discover your own sense of humor and comic timing, all the while developing skills that will help you lighten the mood and brighten your world. Find out how the pros do it and try it out yourself with an instructor whose comedic experience includes the theatre, sketch comedy and standup.

HOW TO TELL YOUR STORY

Ages 18 - Adult 8 weeks
Instructor: Nancy McDonald $150
Thursdays, Sept. 27 - Nov. 15 7 - 9 PM

We are the stories of our lives, but how we tell that story requires our own unique recipe. Start with story circle, add improv, a pinch of standup, a smidge of story theatre and a bit of drama and you have a true and rewarding concoction. Whether it's storytelling, presentation, theatre, comedy or public speaking, learn to tell your story using the art of the actor in a welcoming, creative environment.

BACKYARD BIRDS - New

Ages 16 - Adult 8 weeks
Instructor: Misty Stromme $80
Tuesdays, Sept. 18 - Nov. 6 3 - 4:30 PM

Have you ever wondered what kind of birds live in your neighborhood? Or how exactly birds can fly? Birds are unique in the animal world in that they are beautiful creatures and they are easy to observe. You don't have to travel to Africa to see interesting exotic birds. They are all around you! From the earliest times, people have been inspired by birds. In fact, some of our greatest art and inventions have been drawn from them. In this class, you will learn how to attract birds to your backyard and how to observe and identify them, as well as appreciate their natural beauty. You will need a notebook, field guide, and binoculars for this class. Contact the instructor for suggestions.

INTRODUCTION TO NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY - New

Ages 18+ 8 weeks
Instructor: Jesse Hampton $95
Tuesdays, Sept. 18 - Nov. 6 4:45 - 6:45 PM

Whether it's walking on the beach at sunset, seeing a mother deer care for her fawn, or watching a hummingbird sipping nectar from a flower, the beauty of nature captivates and inspires us all. While not everyone can work for National Geographic, you can capture the beauty of nature in your own backyard, from butterflies and flower blossoms to scenic landscapes and wildlife. Learn the basics of nature photography and find out how to take advantage of your camera's settings in this introductory class. We will go outside as weather allows and may walk across the street to George Rogers Park for photographic opportunities. You will need a digital camera with manual settings. Contact the instructor to see if your camera is appropriate for this class.

REGISTRATION: Class size is limited. Call 503-635-3901 to pre-register. All classes are at the Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S. State Street in Lake Oswego. For more information, visit www.lakewood-center.org.

Founded as a not-for-profit organization in 1952, Lakewood Theatre Company is a professional theatre dedicated to the study and presentation of drama in all its forms; the training and development of actors; and the creation, maintenance and operation of a theatre in which to present plays and other forms of entertainment. Lakewood Theatre Company is the oldest continually operated, not-for-profit theatre company in the Portland Metropolitan area. It annually provides more than 400 theatre artists the opportunity to learn and display their craft and attracts more than 40,000 people to its shows.

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