Please join us for a special daylong series of workshops in theatre design, technical production and acting at Western Michigan University. We are pleased to provide this opportunity for high school students to advance their theatre training and learn about the program at WMU.
We are looking for artistic, creative students who have expressed an interest in pursuing theatre training at the university level. Prior theatre-specific experience is a plus, but not a requirement.
We are still accepting applications! These workshops are very popular and we always turn away applicants, so please apply as soon as possible using the links below.
What can you expect if you are asked to participate?
Workshop sizes will be kept small affording you the opportunity to work closely with our acclaimed faculty. Plenty of our students will be working with us, sharing their experiences and answering any questions while guiding you through our facilities and workshops. There will also be time for theatre games and some great performances by our stage combatants and the student improv group.
Workshops
- Puppetry—Students will build a rod puppet or simple marionette and then learn some basic movements for the puppet.
- Vector Works—Students will be introduced to Vectorworks and experiment with 3 dimensional modeling. Basic tools will be covered as well as modeling and texturing approaches.
- Introduction to Costumes—Students will learn about all of the different jobs and personnel that are part of creating a finished costume.
- Scenic Painting Techniques—An introduction to marbling and wood graining techniques. Students will learn how to achieve a basic marble for floors and walls. Students will also learn a simple and easy way to reproduce a wood grain for stage use.
- Creating Wire Headdresses—Students will learn basic millinery techniques to create a wired headdress.
- Acting for the Camera—This workshop will introduce you to the skills needed to adjust from “acting” for the stage to “acting” for the camera. You will have the opportunity to put those skills in action with actual scripts from some of television’s top series dramas.
- Vocal and Physical Warmup for Actors—Students will learn a fun and active physical and vocal warmup for actors. Please wear clothes you can move in and be prepared to play!
- Introduction to Improv—Students will learn the basics to beginning improvisation through exercises, games, and short scene work.
- Create a Scene—Take just about any random dialogue and create DRAMA! You and a partner will learn the basics of adding theatrical elements to an “open scene.”
- Audition Workshop—Insight and practical work on selecting and presenting the right kind of audition that will help you get noticed at the next level.
- Armed Stage Combat—An introductory class on armed stage combat with a focus on broadswords. This will be a hands-on workshop perfect for both beginners and those with previous stage combat experience.
Following the workshops, participants are invited to see The Mystery of Edwin Drood in the Shaw Theatre. There will be a pre-show talk with the director and an opportunity following the performance for your students to tour the set and chat with the cast and crew of the production.