Penobscot Theatre Company Now Offering Adult Improv Theatre Class

Penobscot Theatre Company is now registering adults and older teens for a new class on improvisational technique and performance. Classes begin January 7, 2015, and will run every Wednesday from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm through February 25. Director of Education Amy Roeder designed the program for beginners and those who have some experience with improvisation, building on the company's earlier adult improv offerings and recognizing burgeoning interest in the community.

"Deft improvisational skills are essential to the craft of acting certainly, but they're also critical in the business world and the game of life. Improv is all about thinking and acting effectively on your feet, so the applications are limitless," says Roeder.

Leading the theatre's first session of adult improv classes will be Jennifer Shepard, co-owner, resident performing artist, and instructor at ImprovAcadia in Bar Harbor. For the last 11 years from Memorial Day weekend to mid-October, Shepard has improvised almost nightly at ImprovAcadia. She also teaches at The College of the Atlantic. She has performed in Chicago at iO (formerly Improv Olympic), The Annoyance, and The Playground; and on Norweigan Cruise Lines for The Second City Theatricals. Since moving to Maine she has taught at the Beth Wright Cancer Center, on the outer islands for the Sea Coast Mission, Maine Storytellers Muster, and the Rainbow Meeting. She also performs with Capital City Improv in Augusta.

"We're very pleased to be offering courses in improvisation again at Penobscot Theatre Company," said Roeder, "and thrilled to give Bangor-area residents the opportunity to work with Jennifer Shepard. Jen brings a wealth of experience and professionalism to our program and students will definitely benefit from her expertise!"

For more information or to register, please call (207) 947-6618 or email education@penobscottheatre.org

Please visit www.penobscottheatre.org to learn more.