Berkeley Rep Begins Enrollment

Today, Berkeley Repertory Theatre begins enrollment for spring classes at its School of Theatre and a summer intensive for middle- and high-school students. The 10-week spring schedule includes courses for all ages and abilities in acting, directing, movement, voice, and playwriting. Among its highlights is a two-day workshop on physical theatre for professional actors taught by renowned clown Geoff Hoyle. The Summer Theatre Intensive offers two four-week sessions for middle-school and high-school students while school is out. All classes meet in the Nevo Education Center at 2071 Addison Street next door to the Theatre in downtown Berkeley, and are taught by instructors who are nationally recognized teaching artists and theatre professionals.

Spring classes begin April 7 – shortly following the end of the School's winter session, which saw record-breaking enrollment. Hoyle's workshop on physical theatre occurs the first week of May; other offerings for kids (kindergarten through grade 8) feature two classes focusing on storytelling – Superheroes and Acting Up – as well as Musical Theatre (beginning and intermediate), Performance Workshop, private vocal instruction, and the Emerging Artist Series which focuses on integrating movement, vocal, and improv techniques.  Classes for teens (grades 9-12) include Acting Violence, Teen Performance Lab, and Voice Workshop, as well as private voice lessons.  Classes for adults include Acting (beginning through advanced), Acting for Film, Acting Shakespeare, Acting Violence, British Dialects, Combat for Couples, Improv (beginning and intermediate), Playwriting I and II, and Voice for Emerging and Working Actors. Local cabaret musicians Billy Philadelphia and Meg Mackay team up to teach Cabaret: A Performance Workshop and, in addition to Hoyle's class, single-weekend courses this spring include a Performance Workshop for Actors and Directors with Artistic Director Tony Taccone and Persuasive Communication Skills for Business Professionals with Stephen Barker Turner.

The fun continues when summer comes. During the Summer Theatre Intensive, teens immerse themselves in the craft and artistry of theatre. Participants enjoy courses in six core storytelling disciplines, classes in production design, and electives in theatrical topics such as directing, hip-hop, musical theatre, and playwriting. Students use the skills learned in these classes to create their own plays, which receive a public performance at Berkeley Rep at the conclusion of the program. The first session, for students entering grades 6-8, takes place on weekdays from June 23 to July 18. The second session, for teens in grades 9-12, is held July 21 through August 15. Tuition is $1,050 for session 1 and $1,150 for session 2; a limited number of financial-aid scholarships are available for both sessions.

The Berkeley Rep School of Theatre provides a wide array of programming for individuals of all ages. In addition to classes for youth and adults, the School offers Target® Story Builders, a drama workshop for elementary-school classrooms; the Student Matinee Series for middle- and high-school students; the Playmaking Project for high-school students and incarcerated youth; in-school residencies; teacher training; and a variety of outreach activities that encourage lifelong learning. The School also hosts the Teen Council, which allows youth to participate in all aspects of the dramatic process: on stage, backstage, and in front of the stage. Housed in the Nevo Education Center, the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre is supported by the Mosse Foundation for Arts and Education. For complete details – including schedules, faculty bios, course descriptions, and registration information – call 510.647.2972 or visit berkeleyrep.org.  

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