About the Acting Classes
Mary Beach’s children’s acting classes focus on creativity, imagination, and confidence building combined with skills and knowledge of theater and production. In the classes, we feature a wide range of activities which help to activate the children’s imagination and engage in activities which challenge the children to think out side of the box and evoke the creativity within them. The classes are divided into two separate classes, with the first class consisting of children ages 4 to 6 years old, and the second of children ages 7 to 14 years old. In each of the classes, lessons in acting and basic theater production are taught according to age group. For the fall session we will work on skits, commercials, and small performances with the older kids and reader’s theater plays with the younger kids. In the spring session we will do a major production that involves both age groups and have multiple performances to showcase our work to parents, friends, and the community.
Four to Six Year-Old Class
This is an absolutely delightful class for these youngsters who are so full of imagination and wonder. They get a fabulous opportunity to express themselves here. Voice and diction are taught on stage so they can learn to speak loudly and clearly. This will help them in school with oral speaking like you wouldn’t believe! Creative stage movement is learned hrough acting as different characters such as animals, royalty, pirates, super heroes, and more. Musical theater is also taught to these fine thespians. The children love to finish out the class each week with a costume parade outside in the front courtyard of the library. They follow it up with a curtain call inside the theater. Auditions are held for the major spring production. Every student will get a part. They prepare for the production by learning storybook theater.
Seven to Fourteen Year-Old Class
This is an extremely popular class. This class has been a mixture of talent. Some of the actors have done a lot of theater and some television or film work, while there have been others who are just giving acting a try. There is a wonderful combination here where everyone seems to be challenged to meet their needs at their own pace. The actors learn many drama games which help them to develop the idea of creating rich characters whether through scene work or working on our spring production. Audition techniques are learned to prepare the kids for casting in theater and television and film. This fall we will film the actors in commercials and show them at a showcase for the parents as well as live performances of short scenes. This session will be new and exciting! Reading scripts with feeling and performing will help the actors with public speaking and school presentations. I found the shyest of students emerge from my classes speaking louder, prouder, and with great confidence!
To sign your child up for acting classes please send an email via the Contact Mary page.
