Dreamcatcher Rep to Offer Free Intro Workshop This October

Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre, professional Theatre in Residence at the Oakes Center in Summit, will offer two levels of Fall Scene Study classes for adults and teens beginning October 19, with a free introductory workshop on October 5.

Film and theatre director and acting instructor Alex Craig Mann (Summit) will teach the six-week Scene Study for Teens and Adults classes. Level 1, for students who have little or no formal acting training, runs from October 19 through November 23 on Wednesdays from 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm at the Oakes Center, 120 Morris Avenue in Summit. Level 2, for students with acting training and experience, runs from October 20 through December 1 on Thursdays from 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm (no class on Thanksgiving) at MONDO, 426 Springfield Avenue in Summit.

As an introduction to the instructor and his methods, Dreamcatcher will offer a free workshop on Wednesday, October 5 from 7:00 - 10:00 pm at the Oakes Center. This workshop is an opportunity to get to know Alex and his approach to the craft of acting and training actors, as well as to begin the hands-on process of working on your prepared material. After an introductory conversation, you are invited to get up and perform monologues, scenes or audition sides that you've selected and rehearsed for the workshop. Alex will then work with students on their pieces, directing them on the spot and seeking input from the rest of the group. Registration is required by emailing info@dreamcatcherrep.org, or by calling 908-514-9654.

The six-week scene study classes are primarily designed as a collaborative endeavor in which the actors learn to direct themselves. Alex will guide the actors to create a scene that adheres to the story dictated by the writer and incorporates as dynamic a performance as possible. Alex's philosophy as an acting teacher is: "Attitude monitors Talent". The attitude of the artist is paramount to their growth and success. Attitude is like the aperture of a camera. If it is closed, negative, and filled with self-invalidation, then only a fraction of their talent will manifest. If it's open, giving, and positive, then all their talent, like light, can shine through.

These classes are designed for the New Jersey actor who is looking for professional instruction without the cost and inconvenience of travelling to New York. Alex Craig Mann has a long career both in front of and behind the camera. He has recently relocated to the east coast after having taught at the Beverly Hills Playhouse for many years. More information can be found on his website, www.alchemistmann.com. The cost for either Scene Study class is $315.

Municipal and street parking is available for the class held at MONDO, including a garage directly behind the building. At Oakes, parking is available in the lot behind the theatre on Ashwood Avenue and at the Summit Recreation Center on Morris Avenue. Both facilities are wheelchair accessible. To register for the classes or for information on any of Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre's programs, visit www.dreamcatcherrep.org or contact Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre at The Oakes Center, 120 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901, 908-514-9654.

Dreamcatcher was founded in 1994, and is a non-profit professional ensemble of actors who build community with the audience by sharing life-affirming stories in an intimate environment. We seek to expose theatregoers to ideas and lives like and unlike their own, to awaken their imaginations and create empathy for others. The company focuses on deepening the experience of our patrons by supplementing the performances with personal contact through receptions, talkbacks, and interactive programs.

Dreamcatcher's core company of professional local actors performs contemporary work that entertains and challenges, and has at its heart a belief in the essential goodness of people. The company's activities include mainstage productions, improvisational comedy and cabarets, new play readings and a variety of educational and senior outreach programs.

Dreamcatcher's programs are funded by the New Jersey State council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Dramatist Guild Fund, The Summit Area Public Foundation, the Manley-Winser Foundation, and many other corporations, foundations and individuals. Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre is a senior member of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) corporation, incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey.

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