Mike and Laura Present: Magnetic Attraction!

Freestyle Rep's directors, Mike Durkin & Laura Livingston present:

Magnetic Attraction:
Collaboration and Responsibility in a Group

Using engaging, non-threatening, theatre exercises this active workshop for educators and parents requires gradually accelerated, listening comprehension and vocal articulation. The exercises gently deepen trust of individual instincts while reinforcing the skills and benefits of teamwork and collaboration. Simple physical and vocal exercises lead to group exercises, to partner exercises and finally to a merry-go-round of trios working together, one member observing and giving feedback on the success of the exercise. Adaptation and implementation of exercises to core curriculum will be discussed.

Magnet Schools of America Conference May 17th, 3:30pm Saturday, May 17th Breakout Session #9, 
3:30-4:45pm Connecticut Convention Center

“Learning to listen and “think on your feet” are essential as we prepare students for college and career. It’s imperative that high quality speaking and listening skills are a regular practice in Rotella's daily work. Freestyle Rep provided a framework that gave our staff and students new pathways for listening and responding instantaneously.” - Meg Harrigan, Integrated Arts Coordinator, Rotella Magnet School, Waterbury CT

To learn more about Magnet Schools of America and to register for the conference, go to:

http://www.magnet.edu/conferences-and-events/2014-msahartford

He's as lovely as a ____________.

He's as lovely as a ____________., originally uploaded by freestylereporg.

Improv is like writing in three dimensions. A character is drawn by a gesture, articulated by a tone of voice. A setting comes to life through a mimed door or a shudder.

As improvisors, we like to sit down at the table with writers, and dig into the literary buffet. Two of our favorite dishes are similes and metaphors. A game we play in our school shows, Simile and Metaphor Fill In the Blank, is as fun as pies in the face, as compelling as a banana peel waiting for the unsuspecting, as challenging as flipping a pancake and landing it back in the pan.

We get audience volunteers - who know what nouns are and are not afraid to use them! - to come up on stage. We begin improvising a scene, co-creating characters, setting and story. But, at any moment, we will stop in the middle of a sentence and point to one of the volunteers, who's job is to spontaneously say a noun. It could be anything, maybe just whatever they happen to be looking at that moment. Then we take that noun and turn it into a simile or a metaphor that supports the scene.

"He's as lovely as a

Even Shy People Can Do Great Improv

Even Shy People Can Do Great Improv, originally uploaded by freestylereporg.

Sometimes people don't feel like they can go on stage and speak in front of an audience. But the kid's playing Rodney and Laura V.'s arms in this scene are doing some wonderful improv without talking - or even showing their faces. They're just listening to Laura and Rodney, and focusing on making arm gestures that help their partners create their characters. Great teamwork makes great improv.

Why we do Family Improv at the Gallery Players

Why we do Family Improv at the Gallery Players, originally uploaded by freestylereporg.

Over the many years that Freestyle Rep has performed in schools, we had become concerned that many children, and even adults, seemed to think theatre was just for kids and happened only in schools. So we decided that teaching theatre should include encouraging people to see theatre outside of school.

The Gallery Players, which is very near two schools we teach in, is helping us with that goal, by co-producing our Family Improv shows. Every month, students from P.S. 321 & P.S. 124, along with all the other kids in the neighborhood, have the opportunity to bring their parents to a professional theatre and see their theatre teachers on stage.