Summer With Shakespeare student enjoys stage combat lesson. Photo by Brian Feinzimer
A Noise Within (ANW) announces the company will take its renowned Summer With Shakespeare camp online for summer 2020 from June 15 through July 17. Students can access the dynamic and immersive classes safely while under the tutelage of professional artists working at California’s acclaimed classic repertory company.
“Connecting with our community has always been a key component of A Noise Within,” said Director of Education and Community Outreach Alicia Green. “With health and safety at the forefront of our strategy, we decided to transform our schedules and programming so we can engage with our students from their homes. The online program has been designed so that it can continue to provide unique exposure to a variety of classic plays and guide students through the intricacies of the world of theatre.”
The classes cover a wide range of topics to enrich students and teach them about all aspects of stagecraft and what goes into a stage performance. There will be classes on Swords/Stage Combat, Magic, Mask Work, Voice Work, Stagecraft and Design, and Movement. Beyond expanding traditional theatre skills, Summer With Shakespeare helps students with public speaking, builds their self-confidence, and connects them with pedagogically trained professionals.
“We’re offering several options for each of our tracks,” said Green. “It’s very flexible so that anyone can do it, and we make it work for every student. With everything being so unknown, we want to make sure to do what we can to provide top-tier theatre education while understanding that a full five weeks is not viable for everyone. Our program is structured so that families can choose what works best for their family, whether that be one week, or three, or attending our entire five-week camp. We want to give children, both local and across the country, the chance to be creative and collaborate with their peers while still being safe.”
There are three tiers of the program broken down into age ranges. Track 1 is for students aged 14 through 18, Track 2 is for students aged 10 through 13, and Track 3 is for students aged 6 through 9. Each track is curated specifically to the age group and can even offer class credit for certain schools. Summer With Shakespeare culminates in a final performance that will be livestreamed on YouTube to share with students’ friends and family.
Every year, A Noise Within enriches the lives of over 18,000 Southern California students in our theatre, online, and in their classrooms. After Summer With Shakespeare sold out last year, Green is excited at the chance to bring this program nation-wide in the digital age.
“We know that families and students want an opportunity that’s both fun and educational,” Green said. “Students will dance and have performances of shows, they will raise their voices and create characters all while dabbling in tech, magic, and improv. It’s an incredible experience to enhance their summer break.”
Learn more about A Noise Within’s Summer With Shakespeare at https://www.anoisewithin.org/sws. For more information about educational opportunities, contact Alicia Green at education@anoisewithin.org.
About A Noise Within’s Director of Education and Community Outreach
Alicia Green has been the Director of Education at A Noise Within for six years, overseeing all aspects of the development and implementation of ANW’s suite of educational programs. She directs community outreach, creates study guides, manages teaching artists, education staff, and professional interns, and schedules classes, student matinees, and educational events. Green is a classically trained actor and has worked as a teaching artist and arts administrator for nine years. She holds a BA in theater and music from Fordham University and an MA in educational theater from New York University.
About A Noise Within
A Noise Within has been called “an oasis for those who love classic stories” by the Los Angeles Times and is a leading regional producer based in Pasadena, Calif. ANW’s award-winning resident company practices a rotating repertory model at their state-of-the-art, 324-seat performance space. This venue, established in 2011, has allowed ANW to expand its audience, surpassing its previous box office, subscription, and attendance records year after year.
In addition to producing world-class performances of classic theatre, the organization runs robust education programs committed to inspiring diverse audiences of all ages. Helmed by Producing Artistic Directors Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, who hold MFAs from San Francisco’s renowned American Conservatory Theatre (A.C.T.), A Noise Within truly delivers Classic Theater, Modern Magic. www.anoisewithin.org
