CTG's The Shop Offers Free Theatre Workshops, Starting Today

Center Theatre Group's The Shop program will provide free theatre workshops to community members at the CTG costume and prop shop located at 2856 E. 11th Street. Center Theatre Group staff will teach crafting techniques with activities that range from block printing to fabric marbling to lantern making.

The workshops will kick off with a community event that is led by Angeleno artist Dewey Tafoya today, March 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees will be encouraged to "make their mark" on the wall of the costume and prop shop, helping Tafoya to create a wall mural titled "All Roads Lead to Boyle Heights."

The subsequent workshops are as follows:

March 12 - Block printing: A workshop where participants will learn how to use potatoes, corks, erasers, wood and other household objects as instruments for block printing.

March 26 - Life casting: Attendees will learn how to make a cast of their own hand to create an art piece.

April 9 - Fabric marbling: A workshop where attendees will create a colorful silk piece using paint and household tools.

May 7 - Furniture building: Attendees can take part in a furniture building workshop where they will build and paint their own foot stool.

June 4 - Shibori: A workshop that teaches the ancient Japanese art of shibori. Shibori is the folding, gathering, pleating and binding of cloth, which is then dipped in dye to create unique patterns.

June 11 - Lantern making: The last workshop will show attendees how to make hanging lights and lanterns out of household objects.

All workshops will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and are bilingual in English and Spanish. The workshops are suitable for ages 15 and up. Snacks and beverages will be provided.

Due to the complexities of certain activities, each workshop will have a specific limit on how many can attend. To learn what workshops are still available and reserve a spot, contact Jesus A. Reyes at jreyes@centertheatregroup.org or call 213-972-8028.

Center Theatre Group began The Shop programming in the fall of 2013 with a pilot series of workshops and events that offered opportunities for Boyle Heights residents to express creativity, build community and connect the craft of theatre with their daily lives.

The Shop is a program of CTG's Education and Community Partnerships department, led by Leslie K. Johnson. One of the most active theatre education programs in the country, the Education and Community Partnerships Department reached more than 20,000 students, teachers and community members throughout Southern California in the most recent season. The department is dedicated to the development of artists, educators, community members and young people's skills and creativity through the exploration of theatre, its literature, art and imagination.

More information on CTG's The Shop initiative can be found at www.centertheatregroup.org/TheShop.