Blue Heron Youth Theater expands program

Physical theater, stage combat and contact clowning will be integrated into Blue Heron Youth Theater’s new spring program, Teen Stage Company.  Designed for 6th grade and up, participants with previous stage experience will benefit from additional instruction from professional performers, Mik Kuhlman, Steffon Moody and Amber Rack in addition to “The Rules of Comedy” Director, Lisa Breen.

Movement and conceptual artist, Mik Kuhlman, will teach a session of physical theater and improvisation.  In addition to her highly-acclaimed one-woman show Split Second, Kuhlman was Associate Artistic Director for Seattle Mime Theater for nearly a decade.  She also worked with UMO Ensemble, received grants from King County Arts Commission, helped establish the first U.S. fringe festival and worked with One Reel’s Teatro Zinzanni (Seattle and San Francisco).  See more at www.mikkuhlman.com.

Steffon Moody, a founding member of UMO Ensemble, will teach a segment on contact clowning.  The quintessential performer, Moody has 25 years of professional theater experience as performer, writer, director, teacher, musician and scenic artist.  He now heads his own production company, Chameleon Performance. Check out his website: www.chameleonperformance.com.

Since earning her degree in Arts and Humanities at Evergreen State College, VHS graduate, Amber Rack will teach stage combat, one of her many areas of theatre expertise.  She has performed in film and on stage, most recently in Civic Light Opera’s production of Seussical the Musical.  In addition to acting, voice and dance training, Rack has worked extensively with Society of American Fight Directors Master Geoffrey Alm and taken sword and stick workshops with Anthony DeLongis.

Blue Heron Youth Theater Teacher Profile

Lisa Breen lives and breathes theater.  Former Drama Dock President, Breen has acted on stage in nearly a dozen plays herself; she has taught Blue Heron Youth Theater’s K-5 theater classes for several years, worked with Youth Theater Project (teens) and special needs students in expressive arts therapy.  She says, “I believe drama is about discovering ourselves and if we can learn something in the process then it becomes fun and enriching at the same time!”

Breen will direct the spring production for Blue Heron Youth Theater’s new Teen Stage Company.  They will perform “The Rules of Comedy,” a one-act play that deftly combines side-splitting comedy and Shakespeare’s tragic drama “Hamlet.”  New this spring, the Company will also benefit from a Master Teacher Series, an opportunity to pick up more tricks of the trade from other professional performers.  “We’re going to focus on physical comedy, improvisation and stage combat this time,” says Breen.  “I’m really looking forward to working with middle school and high school age actors again.  Come join us!”

VAA is committed to developing theater experiences for younger children.

We hope to offer a continuum for children interested in drama so they have classes and events to carry them through their whole school career, from 1st grade to senior year of high school.

This first VAA arts class session of 2008 we offered two classes for younger children but were not able to bring them to life due to low response.  We are wondering if we just need to get the word out farther/faster/sooner/better or if the demographics of Vashon are changing or...

Please contact us if you are interested in drama classes for young children and having an ongoing drama program for your children as they grow.  Let us know what ideas you have, what you'd like to see, what we can do to encourage your family to participate in this wonderful, creative outlet for our energetic Island youths.  We know the older kids enjoy it a lot; let's get the wee ones involved!

Thank you,

The staff of VAA