Press Release

Multi-award winning Pacific Resident Theatre, in their 34th year as one of the top regional companies in the country, is now offering a brand new resource FREE to children in the Los Angeles area. The PRT Youth Conservatory is a full-time year-round program serving students up to 18 years of age, and completely free of charge for all students.

The work that is done by the Conservatory is made possible in part by a grant from the Mose J. and Sylvia Dilman Firestone Charitable Trust. Registration is open now and interviews are being scheduled for the summer session as well.

Spring Session Begins April 22, 2019
701 Venice Blvd. in Venice, CA 90291
(424) 228-5790 or prtconservatory@earthlink.net

A variety of classes will be available for children in grades 1 – 12, including:

• Acting/Storytelling
• Puppetry
• Improvisation
• Acting Technique
• Commercial Acting
• Shakespeare

Pacific Resident Theatre Youth Conservatory was founded to inspire young people to discover and express their artistic voices through the study of theatre. The mission of the Conservatory is an extension of Pacific Resident Theatre’s overall commitment to instilling an appreciation for literacy and humanity in our audience and the audiences of the future. The company believes that the study of theatre, and the related crafts of acting, directing, dramatic writing, and design, will give young people tools that will empower them to tell stories that can change their lives and impact the world.

Pacific Resident Theatre is nationally recognized as one of the top regional theaters in the country. The company presents works of the highest quality, in order to entertain, inform and educate its multicultural community. In addition to the company’s commitment to rediscover the rarely performed classics, PRT is focused on fostering and developing new works through the collaboration of an artistic ensemble influenced by societal relevance, past, present and future. Pacific Resident Theatre promotes the theatre arts by providing opportunities for artists and craftsmen to develop and enrich their skills.

Spring 2019 Session Grades 1st – 8th:

Thursday: Acting/Storytelling
Grades: 1st – 3rd
Class Begins: Thursday, April 25, 2019
Time: 4:00 – 5:30PM
Instructor: Peter Kors

Class Description: Peter will share a folk tale or fable with the students, then lead them in songs and age-appropriate theatre games. Toward the end of the class, everyone joins in a short performance of the story. The students will discover how teamwork and artistic self-expression can culminate in a joyful sharing of a performance. Students will pick their favorite stories and share them with an invited audience on the last day of class.

Teacher’s Bio: Peter Kors is an actor, director and master teaching artist. He currently serves as Conservatory Director for Pacific Resident Theatre Youth Conservatory, and is on the artist roster of Los Angeles Opera, the Music Center Education Division, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Peter co-founded Dell’Arte International, a school for physical theatre studies in Northern California and teaches mask, movement, and acting workshops in Los Angeles and New York City. Acting credits include, among others, performances at the Mark Taper Forum, “The West Wing,” and “Bram and Alice.”

Monday: Puppetry
Grades: 4th – 5th
Class Begins: Monday, April 22, 2019
Time: 4:00 – 5:30PM
Instructor: Ellen Schulze

Class Description: Explore the wonderful world of Puppetry with Ellen Schulze, “the Puppet Lady!” Students will build a variety of puppets, including their very own “muppet-style” hand/rod puppet. An informal culminating performance will be presented during the last session of the 5-week workshop session.

Teacher’s Bio: Ellen Schulze began her theatre training as a mime but her interest was captured by puppets. Since 1986, Schulze has worked exclusively in puppet theatre. Her experience reflects almost every variety of puppets including hand puppets, mask and rod puppets, Bunraku, shadow puppets and marionettes.

Wednesday: Improvisation
Grades: 4th – 5th
Class Begins: Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Time: 4:00 – 5:30PM
Instructor: Donna DuBain

Class Description: Donna DuBain will be teaching the Improv games of Viola Spolin, the Mother of Improvisation. Students will learn fun improv games that can be used a tool for auditioning, performing, writing, or handling social or school situations with grace, humor and confidence.

Teacher’s Bio: Donna Du Bain has spent most of her life on stage. After over 25 productions on the San Francisco stage, she moved to LA to begin her notorious career as a “serial” improvisational actor where she trained under Viola Spolin herself. She is a founding member of The Groundlings and then later found her Improv home with The Spolin Players.

Wednesday: Acting through Improvisation
Grades: 6th – 8th
Class Begins: Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Time: 6:00PM – 7PM
Instructor: Donna DuBain

Class Description: Donna DuBain will be teaching the Improv games and concepts of Viola Spolin, the Mother of Improvisation. Students will learn improvisational skills that will provide a strong foundation for those who are interested in further pursuing acting.

Teacher’s Bio: Donna Du Bain has spent most of her life on stage. After over 25 productions on the San Francisco stage, she moved to LA to begin her notorious career as a “serial” improvisational actor where she trained under Viola Spolin herself. She is a founding member of The Groundlings and then later found her Improv home with The Spolin Players.

Spring 2019 Session Grades 9th – 12th grade:

Improvisation (Tuesdays, 6:00PM – 7:30PM)
Acting: The Creative Actor (Thursdays, 6:00PM – 8:00PM)
Commercial Acting (Mondays, 7:00PM – 9:00PM)
Evolution of Acting: Shakespeare (Saturdays, 11:00AM – 2:00PM)

Monday: Commercial Acting
Class Begins: Monday, April 22, 2019
Time: 7:00PM – 9:00PM
Instructor: Ava Himmel
Class Description: Navigating the world of commercials can be very intimidating. Let Ava help demystify the whole process! In her class you will see behind the curtain to better understand the casting/audition process and your place in it. You will discover how to bring your true essence to each performance, work your audition muscles in front of the camera, and discover the tools needed to deliver a great read, every time! We’ll even discuss the “business side” of commercials – agents, headshots, etc.

Teacher’s Bio: Ava Himmel has a serious passion for commercials! It probably started around the age of 3 when she would force family members to watch her perform shampoo commercials with her juice-boxes. And while her mother didn’t appreciate having to wash cherry juice out of her hair, it was pretty obvious Ava’s course was set. Since then, she has spent over 15 years working in front of and behind the camera, learning everything she can about how commercials are made.

Tuesday: Improvisation
Class Begins: Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Time: 6:00PM – 7:30PM
Instructor: Donna DuBain
Class Description: Donna DuBain will be teaching the Improv games of Viola Spolin, the Mother of Improvisation. Students will learn fun improv games that can be used a tool for auditioning, performing, or writing. Students will gain experience working with scene partners, thinking on their feet, and creating a believable world for the audience.

Teacher’s Bio: Donna DuBain has spent most of her life on stage. In San Francisco, she was a lead actress with the prestigious Circus theatrical family that did west coast premiere’s of many successful productions such as Tom Paine and Futz. After over 25 productions on the San Francisco stage, she moved to LA to begin her notorious career as a “serial” improvisational actor where she trained under Viola Spolin herself. She is a founding member of The Groundlings and then later found her Improv home with The Spolin Players.

Thursday: Acting: The Creative Actor
Class Begins: Thursday, April 25, 2019
Time: 6:00PM – 8:00PM
Instructor: Peter Kors
Class Description: Taught by Conservatory Director Peter Kors, this class will explore what makes an actor a dynamic and creative performer. Modeled after a combination of Stanislavsky’s “scientific” method and Michael Chekov’s “emotional” approach, we also will implement the British system of “Actioning,” giving the actor tools to take their acting to “the next level.”

Teacher’s Bio: Peter Kors is an actor, director and master teaching artist. He currently serves as Conservatory Director for Pacific Resident Theatre Youth Conservatory, and is on the artist roster of Los Angeles Opera, the Music Center Education Division, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Peter co-founded Dell’Arte International, a school for physical theatre studies in Northern California and teaches mask, movement, and acting workshops in Los Angeles and New York City. Acting credits include, among others, performances at the Mark Taper Forum, “The West Wing,” and “Bram and Alice.”

Saturday: Shakespeare
Class Begins: Saturday, April 27, 2019
Time: 11:00AM – 2:00PM
Instructor: Abigail Marks
Class Description: Shakespeare is the best! He’s silly, sarcastic, full of rage, and rife with humor. Will truly understood the human condition. His poetry is a map with some seriously cool treasure at the end of the journey, so knowing Shakespeare allows actors to be more facile with any script they encounter. In this workshop, we will play with Shakespeare’s language, work as an ensemble, and find the joy of playing with scenes and monologues.

Teacher’s Bio: Abigail Marks is one of the most versatile actors and teachers working in LA today. A jack of all trades, Abigail has been privately coaching actors for over a dozen years, and teaches workshops in everything from Shakespeare and Dialects, to On Camera Acting and Interview Skills. Selected theatre credits include: South Coast Repertory, Pasadena Playhouse, The Shakespeare Theatre, The Studio Theatre, LA Theatre Works, A Noise Within, Coeurage Theatre Company, and the Echo.

Pacific Resident Theatre Youth Conservatory inspires young people to discover and express their artistic voices through the study of theatre. The mission of the Conservatory is an extension of Pacific Resident Theatre’s overall commitment to instilling an appreciation for literacy and humanity in our audience and the audiences of the future. The company believes that the study of theatre, and the related crafts of acting, directing, dramatic writing, and design, will give young people tools that will empower them to tell stories that can change their lives and impact the world.

Where:

Pacific Resident Theatre
701 Venice Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
(Parking is free in the lot behind the theater and on the street)

A variety of classes will be available for children in grades 1 – 12, including Acting/Storytelling, Puppetry, Improvisation, Acting Technique, Commercial Acting, and Shakespeare.

Photos by Jeff Lorch: PRT Free Youth Conservatory