Berkeley Repertory Theatre Celebrates Ten Year Of Theater Classes

Ten years ago this month, Berkeley Repertory Theatre opened the Nevo Education Center – and the nonprofit's education programs for children, teens, adults, and seniors flourished during that decade. Now, as The Wild Bride takes audiences on a joyous ride on Berkeley Rep's stage, its School of Theatre unveils a winter session of 35 wonderful classes for people of all ages and interests. And everyone, from beginners to seasoned performers, can check out the School's courses at a free Sunday Sampler that starts at 1:00 PM on January 8.

"The breadth and depth of our programming really has grown over the last 10 years until you can truly say there is something for everyone," remarks Rachel Fink, director of the School of Theatre since 2001. "Children will love inventing and wearing costumes at Fashion Funway, and middle school kids can let loose with Monty Python's Flying Circus. We help teens find the fun part of preparing for college interviews and auditions, while seniors can discover storytelling with Robert Ernst. Experienced performers won't want to miss The Art of Auditioning with local director Ken Kelleher or A Physical Approach to Acting with Steven Epp, who returns to Bekreley Rep in February to star in another Moliére comedy. And even adults who aren't theatrical can benefit from classes like Improv for Mental Health Practitioners and Say What You Mean: Voice in the Professional World. Why not give it a try?"

The 10-week winter session, which begins on January 9, features the following activities:

· Classes for kids (preschool through grade 6) include Acting Up: Make 'em Laugh, Make 'em Cry; Balinese Shadow Puppetry & Theatre; Celtic Mythology; Fashion Funway; and a performance workshop focused on a Romanian fairy tale entitled The Enchanted Pig.

· Classes for middle-schoolers (grades 6 through 9) include an Acting Intensive, Glee Club: Grease Audition, and Monty Python's Flying Circus: Examined, Rehearsed, and Performed! – as well as private voice lessons.

· Classes for teens (grades 9-12) include an Audition and Dialect Lab: Prepare for College and High School Auditions, Demystifying the Interview Process, and Improvisation, as well as two certification classes in stage combat called Acting Violence: Level 1 Single Rapier and Acting Violence: Level 1 Unarmed. Teens can arrange private voice lessons or one-on-one audition coaching too.

· Performance classes for adults include Acting (beginning through advanced), Acting Shakespeare (intermediate/advanced), The Art of Auditioning, Cold Readings/Script Analysis, and Scene Study: Pinter and Albee. The session also includes Improvisation (beginning and intermediate), Improv for Mental Health Practitioners, Improvisation Performance Lab, and Your Brain on Improv.

· Physical theatre classes for adults include Acting Violence: Level 1 Single Rapier, Acting Violence: Level 1 Unarmed, A Physical Approach to Acting, Physical Archetypes: Embodying the Hero with a Thousand Faces, and Physical Comedy.

· Other classes for adults include Adaptation, Alexander Technique, Directing, Dramaturgy, Playwriting, Say What You Mean: Voice in the Professional World, and Voice for Emerging and Working Actors. One-on-one audition coaching is available as well.

· Finally, a special storytelling class for seniors called Fact Creates Fiction: Finding the Form is offered with accomplished local actor Robert Ernst.

The Berkeley Rep School of Theatre is committed to working with local schools and community members to reinforce arts education as a community value and an integral part of the cultural fabric. By providing access and opportunities for participation in the arts, Berkeley Rep uses theatre as a means to challenge, thrill, and galvanize what is best in the human spirit. Major support for the School of Theatre's education programs is provided by Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Target Corporation.

For more information about classes at Berkeley Rep – or affordable outreach programs for local schools – call (510) 647-2972, e-mail school@berkeleyrep.org, or visit berkeleyrep.org/school. Courses in the winter session are offered in and near Berkeley Rep's School of Theatre, next door to the Thrust Stage at 2071 Addison Street in downtown Berkeley, or at Berkeley Rep's new campus located at 999 Harrison Street in West Berkeley. Financial aid is available for youth and teens.

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