Sam LaFrage and Martha Hearn to Teach Advanced Workshops at CCT, June 2013

New York actors Sam LaFrage and Martha Hearn will return to Columbia in June to teach workshops in Advanced Acting and Improvisation for the Actor at Columbia Children's Theatre. Mr. LaFrage's Advanced Acting Workshop will run from June 3 - 14 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Ms. Hearn's Improvisation for the Actor will run from June 3 - 7 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon. For online registration, go to columbiachildrenstheatre.com.

Taught by Columbia native and Chicago and New York actor and improviser Martha Hearn, Improvisation for the Actor will take young performers through the basics of creating short and long form improvisational scenes. Often described as "using one's imagination without any preparation," the art of "improv" is as old as performance itself. Historically used in actor training and as a rehearsal tool, more recently improvisation has become recognized as an art form unto its own in which the dialogue, the action, the story and the characters are created collaboratively by The Players as the improvisation unfolds. Such television series as Saturday Night Live, Whose Line is it Anyway, and Mad TV all have their roots in improvisational comedy. Using techniques developed by Chicago's Second City, the workshop begins the process of teaching young actors how to work together responsively to define the parameters and action of a scene, in a process of co-creation. Often building scenes around audience suggestions, the actors learn to create environment, character, plot, conflict and resolution all while thinking on their feet.

Building on last summer's highly successful Advanced Acting Workshop taught by New York actor/director Sam LaFrage, this two week intensive training workshop is designed for the serious actor and closely follows much of the curriculum of The American Academy of Dramatic Art. (You do not have to have taken last year's workshop to register for this. A thorough review will take place at the beginning of the class.) This session will further explore and expand on The Meisner Technique, yoga, Viewpoints (Anne Bogart), and even the ever popular breath work (Jerzi Grotowski). The aim of this workshop is to free the actor and broaden his/her awareness. Through different acting exercises and movement work, the class will build on what it means to be living truthfully in the moment on stage. There is a world of difference between the actor who is caused authentically to do what his character must do and the actor who only indicates or self-generates his actions/emotions. This second session will also introduce the emotional prep, and will touch on monologue selection and how to build a successful resume. Students will need to present a one minute memorized monologue on the first day of class.

About the Instructors:

Martha Hearn is a New York- based improviser, educator and writer. She currently performs with Upright Citizens Brigade and recently completed the Second City Conservatory in Chicago and the UCB improv program in NY (and served as an intern at both theatres). A graduate of the SC Governor's School for the Arts and USC's Honors College, she is now earning her masters in Educational Theatre at City College of New York. Martha has performed improv at Comedy Sportz, Annoyance, Chemically Imbalanced Comedy, pH productions (all Chicago), People's Improv Theatre (NYC) Out of Bounds Festival (Austin), Toronto Improv Festival, Chicago's Sketchfest, and Del Close Marathon (NYC). She starred in the short improvised film "As We Go Along" which was accepted into the Cannes Film Festival's student series. Martha can sing all the counties of SC in alphabetical order to the tune of Yankee Doodle. And yes, she'll sing it if you ask nicely.

Sam LaFrage, a native of Camden, SC and a graduate of The Palmetto Center for the Arts is a 2012 graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, and was selected as a member of the 2013 New York Academy Company where he recently completed a year of Off Broadway work and a showcase that was hosted by two-time Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole. His Off-Broadway credits include "Palm Tree in a Rose Garden" (Jim Strong), "Happy in the Poorhouse" (Stevie), "The Rivals" (Bob Acres), and "Improbable Fiction" (Brevis). Other NYC credits include: "Blithe Spirit" (Charles). "The Wake of Jamey Foster" (Wayne), "Am I Blue?"(John Polk), "The Bear" (Smirnov), "The Loveliest Afternoon of the Year" (He), among others. Sam has worked alongside of and collaborated with George Heslin (Founder of the Origin Theatre Company, NYC), director/playwright Derek Ahonen (Founder of The Amoralists Theatre Company, NYC), Barbara Rubin (Market Theatre in Joannesburg, South Africa) and Denis Reid (Yale School of Drama). Last season Sam wrote and directed our highly-acclaimed audience favorite "The Commedia Cinderella" and directed the CCT YouTheatre production of "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." In addition to teaching the Advanced Acting Workshop, this summer Sam will also be writing, directing and starring in "The Commedia Rapunzel."

More Classes, Camps and Workshops at CCT:

In addition to the Advanced Acting and Improvisation Workshops, CCT will offer a full slate of summer camps and workshops, including: Broadway Bound Tap Camp 1 June 10 - 14, Glee! Camp June 17 - 21, Broadway Bound Tumbling Class (Tuesdays &Thursdays) June 18 - July 25, Fantasy Fun Camp July 8 - 12, Acting Up! Theatre Boot Camp July 15 - 19, You Ought'a Be In Pictures! Independent Film-making Class July 15 - 19, Broadway Bound Tap Camp 2 August 5 - 9, and Broadway Bound Jr. Tap Camp August 5 - 9.

Columbia Children's Theatre is a professional resident not-for-profit theatre dedicated to providing quality live theatre experiences for families and young audiences, and is supported in part by the City of Forest Acres, The Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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