Village Players Training Center Announces Master Class With VPT Artistic Director Dan Taube

Village Players Training Center, the education wing of Village Players Theater in Oak Park, is pleased to announce their Masters Class in New American Classics. The Masters Class in Scene Study compliments Village Players Theater's Mainstage Theme "New American Classics" taught by Dan Taube, Artistic Director, Village Players Theater. The class begins January 30, 2010.

Students will immerse themselves in the work of contemporary American masters, such as John Guare, Sam Shepard, John Patrick Shanley, Wendy Wasserstein, Lanford Wilson, Paula Vogel and many others. This is a class for theatre professionals only, where the same level of discipline, dedication, imagination and emotional availability required on the professional stage. It is also a creative gymnasium where students will be allowed to stretch their casting range, work on their style technique and develop rehearsal and performance methods that will help to serve their craft in the professional environment.

Taube is a Chicago Theatre veteran having worked as an Actor and Director with such Chicago companies as Trap Door Theatre, Circle Theatre, Signal Ensemble, Mary-Arrchie, Prop Theatre and Irish Rep, among many others. He has a BFA in Acting from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts where he studied with both Circle-in-the-Square Professional Training Workshop as well as Playwrights Horizons Theatre School. He was also mentored at The Directors Company NYC. He has 15 years teaching experience as adjunct faculty at DePaul University's The Theatre School, head of the Directing Program at Act One Studios as well as Artistic Director of Chicago Styles Workshop - a acting workshop devoted to the training and study of different acting styles from Shakespeare and Moliere to Mamet and Shepard.

The VPPTC Masters Class is not a beginning acting class. It requires that the student already have a number of tools in their acting belt. Auditions are required. The Masters Class meets on Saturdays from 1:30 to 4:30pm and runs from January 30th to March 20th. Cost for the class is $275.

To schedule an audition for this class, please contact the instructor directly at trainingcenter@village-players.org, with a copy of your headshot and resume. The Masters Class meets once a week and students are expected to be prepared for each and every class with a minimum of 2 hours of outside rehearsal.

The Village Players Training Center is run by Jacque Lueken who has worked with Steppenwolf Theatre Co as the Assistant Coordinator for their summer acting intensive ‘The School at Steppenwolf.' She has also served as a mentor with Redmoon Theatre Co's Dramagirls Program and is a director who's favorite shows include The Giver (TYA at Apple Tree Theatre) and Bat Boy (Village Players Theatre). She recently directed the Noble Fool Theatricals Performing Arts Academy's It's A Wonderful Life: A Radio Play. You can see her work this winter in Village Players Studio Series production of Savage in Limbo.

All classes will be held at the Village Players Performing Arts Center, 1010 Madison St., Oak Park. The theater is near the Harlem exit of I-290 and is also accessible by the CTA Green and Blue lines. Plenty of parking is available on the street. The theater is handicapped accessible. You can find more information by calling 866-764-1010 or visiting www.village-players.org.