Paper Mill Playhouse Announces New Theatre School Classes for Adults

Paper Mill Playhouse has announced a wide array of classes and performance opportunities for adults. There is still time to sign up for the diverse adult class Theatre School offerings. For more information or to register for Paper Mill Playhouse Theatre Classes, call Mickey McNany at 973-315-1669 or fill out a registration form on Paper Mill's website www.papermill.org.

A new SENIOR PLAYERS ACTING WORKSHOP emphasizing positive reinforcement will be offered on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., April 9 through May 21 at the Paper Mill Playhouse under the guidance of stage, television and movie veteran Ed Schiff. The Senior Players Workshop will see the actors work through basic acting exercises and evolve into monologue and scene work through positive guidance from Mr. Schiff.

"The 'reality of doing' is one of the basic tenets of truthful acting and the participants in the Senior Players Workshop will find great fun and stimulus in the six weeks of 'doing' stage presentations," said Mr. Schiff. Mr. Schiff's philosophy of teaching, directing and acting is "always stay positive. The good director and acting teacher never says anything negative - he has to find a positive way of improving things or just keeping quiet until he finds a way to improve the elements."

Mr. Schiff is a veteran with over 200 professional credits in film, television and movies as an actor, director and producer. He has also taught acting, directing and theater history in conservatories and universities, most recently as the Resident Professional Theatre Associate at Cornell and as the Distinguished Artist at Bergen Community College. Mr. Schiff's professional acting credits range from Broadway (i.e., "The Black Picture Show") to major motion pictures (i.e., "War of the Worlds") to daytime television (i.e., "One Life to Live") to primetime TV (i.e., "Grapevine") and most recently to documentary work as Andrew Carnegie on the History Channel's "The Men Who Built America" and the Biography Channel's Ernest Hemingway. He has directed more than 50 professional productions on stages from ranging from Off-Broadway ("I Hate Hamlet") to regional theater ("The Redwood Curtain") to university theater ("The Good Doctor") to local professional productions featuring the likes of Tovah Feldshuh, Broderick Crawford and Robert Morse. Mr. Schiff is also an award-winning playwright ("How Many People Have You Slept With - Teen AIDS Awareness" and "A Eulogy for Vincent".)

There will be limited enrollment, so students are urged to reserve spaces in the Senior Players Acting Workshop as soon as possible.

Another new offering is the Broadway Workout class. This class is a great way to move to your favorite Broadway show tunes and get in shape while doing it! Get your "jazz hands" ready to combine simple Broadway steps to this gentle aerobic workout.

For those who find inspiration in song, Paper Mill Playhouse's Theatre School offers a Community Chorus that meets for six weeks on Monday evenings from 7:45-9:15pm, and culminates in a showcase performance as well as touring opportunities. This past season The Paper Mill Playhouse Community Chorus performed for nursing centers, civic associations and sang the national anthem in front of 2,000 people at a community event.

THE Paper Mill Playhouse COMMUNITY CHORUS will be directed by Meg Zervoulis. Zervoulis is an Arranger, Pianist and Music Director. She has worked off-Broadway on Chuckleball at the Snapple Theatre. Regionally, Zervoulis served on the music team for Rated P...for Parenthood at SOPAC (Midtown Direct Rep). Workshops and concerts include: Kooman and Dimond's Dani Girl in the ASCAP/Disney Workshop with Stephen Schwartz. Zervoulis provided musical direction for many special events including collaborations with Ms. Lauryn Hill, Max Weinberg and Christine Noll among others. Zervoulis also arranges and accompanies many Paper Mill Playhouse special events including master classes, New Voices concerts and benefit galas. Zervoulis is also a Musical Director and Adjunct Keyboard Professor at Montclair State University. Zervoulis attended Carnegie Mellon University for piano performance and conducting. Meg was selected internationally as one of 20 musical directors for the inaugural Goodspeed Opera House Musical Direction Intensive.

Back by popular demand is ADULT ACTING, an six-week course held on Saturdays from 10:00am-11:15am, suitable for those from all walks of life. The Paper Mill Playhouse Theatre School also offers a MUSICAL THEATRE AUDITIONS class that meets for six weeks on Saturdays from 11:30am-12:45pm. No auditions are necessary for either class."Paper Mill's Adult Theater Classes are perfect for those who have always wanted to give acting a try, to those simply seeking to polish presentation skills and gain experience and comfort in front of audience," says Mickey McNany, Paper Mill Playhouse Theatre School Director. "Surprise yourself!"

The Adult Acting and Musical Theatre Audition courses will be taught by Tom Frascatore, a theatre coach and director with twenty years' experience in the theatre including such productions as The Taming of the Shrew at the Homdel Theater Co. in Holmdel, NJ, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, RENT, The Producers, and High School Musical at Phoenix Productions in Red Bank, NJ, and The Misanthrope and Woyzeck at the Serious Stage Company in New York, New York.

Seniors can enjoy the popular BREAKFAST AT Paper Mill Playhouse that gives participants an inside look at Paper Mill, complete with visiting guests, lively discussions, and a backstage tour. The breakfasts are held on the first Monday morning of each month from 10:00-11:30am.

In 2011, Paper Mil Playhouse was voted favorite place to take and arts class in the Discover Jersey Arts People's Choice Awards. "It's not surprising considering Paper Mill's inclusive nature, its commitment to education, and the caliber of professionals that devote their time and passion to Paper Mill Playhouse," stated Lisa Cooney, Paper Mill's Education Director.

For more information or to register for Paper Mill Playhouse Theatre Classes, call Mickey McNany at 973-315-1669 or visit Paper Mill's website www.papermill.org for the registration form.

CLASS LIST:

ADULT ACTING
(ages 18 and up)

Whether you are taking your first acting class, looking to polish your presentation skills or seeking more comfort in front of an audience, this class is for you. Working to develop basic acting and communication skills that can be used in any walk of life, this class creates a fun and safe environment for you to explore your creativity.

6 weeks - $200

Saturdays
10:00am
-
11:15am

MUSICAL THEATRE AUDITIONING
(ages 18 and up)

Learn the actor's tools beyond musical phrasing that will help you connect with a song, develop the point of view that makes your performance compelling ,assess a song both in and out of show context ,and help you pick and develop the 16 or 32 bars of a song that showcase you best.

6 weeks - $225

Saturdays
11:30am
-
12:45pm

PAPER MILL COMMUNITY CHORUS
(ages 18 and up)

Members of this company will participate in ensemble singing as they explore the unparalleled world of American popular music. Holiday, contemporary songs, standards and Broadway tunes will be part of the repertoire. Semester will end with a showcase performance.

6 weeks - $60

Mondays
7:45pm
-
9:15pm

BROADWAY WORKOUT
(ages 18 and up)

This new class is a great way to move to your favorite Broadway show tunes and get in shape while doing it! Get your "jazz hands" ready to combine simple Broadway steps to this gentle aerobic workout.

6 weeks - $100

Mondays
7:00pm
-
8:30pm

BREAKFAST AT Paper Mill Playhouse
(ages 18 and up)

Start the week off right with this lively discussion group! You'll meet new friends and celebrate the joys of theatre each week as a Paper Mill staff member or visiting guest artist leads the discussion on a unique aspect of the live theatre experience. Backstage tours and special performances highlight the sessions! A continental breakfast is served.

8 weeks - $10 per week (payable weekly)

Mondays
10:00am
-
11:30am

SENIOR PLAYERS WORKSHOP
(ages 18 and up)

This once-a-week seminar provides seniors with the opportunity to explore and discuss all aspects of theatre performance and production. The group will select a one-act play to use in class and will analyze the script, develop characters, and rehearse the piece for an informal performance at the end of the session.

6 weeks - $160

Tuesdays
10:00am
-
11:30am

PRIVATE VOICE LESSONS
(ages 18 and up)

Individual attention helps students learn breath control and vocal placement in a nurturing one-to-one environment. Exercises are used to strengthen and protect the voice, and both popular and theatre songs are rehearsed. Lessons are for one half-hour and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis.

6 weeks - $265

Mondays
4:00pm
-
8:30pm
Tuesdays
4:00pm
-
8:30pm
Wednesdays
4:00pm
-
8:30pm
Friday
4:00pm
-
8:30pm

PRIVATE COACHING

(ages 18-adult)

Individual coaching sessions for the actor wanting to enrich his or her personal process for plays, performance and other artistic goals.

6 weekly half-hour lessons - $265
(lesson times are scheduled on a first come, first served basis)

Thursdays
30 mins. between 4:00pm
-
8:30pm

Paper Mill Playhouse, a not-for-profit arts organization, is one of the country's leading regional theatres. Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, A Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support is provided by generous contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of Theatre Communications Group, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.