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.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Why we do Family Improv at the Gallery Players
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Freestyle Rep teaches theatre at Spoke the Hub
Freestyle Repertory Theatre teaches after school theatre classes at Spoke the Hub in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Students learn about improvisation, basic stage craft, and vocal production and put it all together to work on a script from classical theatre. So far we've done Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, and "The Scottish Play." For information and to sign up, go to www.freestylerep.org or call 718-408-3234. (In this picture, we're working on the fight scene from Romeo and Juliet.)
Thursday, May 9, 2013
April 2013 Family Improv at the Gallery Players
Brand new company members Kristie Wortman & Rodney Umble make their debuts on the Gallery Players stage - and a great time is had by all.
April 2013 Family Improv at the Gallery Players
In a brave move, Rodney & Nikki's very first scene was the complex He Said/She Said game.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
March 2013 Family Improv at the Gallery Players
Nikki and Laura are doing a Tag Team Monologue, in which they both play the same character. Laura is mirroring Nikki before she tags in, to make sure she is in character before she starts talking.
March 2013 Family Improv at the Gallery Players
Laura is improvising the monologue now. Nikki is about to tag in, and will try to take over the character's gestures and body language, as well as what she is saying.
March 2013 Family Improv at the Gallery Players
That's not litter on the stage. Laura and Bones will stop several times during this scene (about Zombies in the garden), pick up one of those pieces of paper, and say whatever an audience member has written on it - AND they have to make it make sense in the scene! By the way, the Zombies won.
March 2013 Family Improv at the Gallery Players
Everyone got involved in this improvisation - the Red Team AND the Blue Team...
March 2013 Family Improv at the Gallery Players
All of the theatre games rely on close cooperation. In the Conducted Story, Laura, Bones and four audience members are working to make up a story together. Each one speaks as long as Mike is pointing to them. But when Mike takes his finger away and points to someone else, that next person will try to pick up exactly where the first person left off - even if it's in the middle of a word. It's great if they can do it, but mistakes are super fun, too!
March 2013 Family Improv at the Gallery Players
Laura and Nikki get to say whatever they think their characters would say, but they can't move unless one of the kids moves them.
March 2013 Family Improv at the Gallery Players
The girl in the chair gets to tell Laura and Nikki when they are on the right track (or when they are so far off they have to start over) as they attempt to improvise a scene from her life.
March 2013 Family Improv at the Gallery Players
Part of Freestyle Rep's mission is to encourage people of all ages to go to the theatre. So at every Family Matinee, we have a drawing for free tickets to the Gallery Players' mainstage shows.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
January 2013, Family Improv at the Gallery Players
Mike & Nikki get sucked into a black hole. Apparently black holes make your hands tiny!
January 2013, Family Improv at the Gallery Players
In an improvisation of great historical significance, Abe Lincoln and his Secretary of State discuss the Gettysburg address, while others eavesdrop.
January 2013, Family Improv at the Gallery Players
One person must be standing, one kneeling (thanks, Michael!) and one sitting - and oh, the drama that ensues.
January 2013, Family Improv at the Gallery Players
Bones and Laura attempt to tell the story of Julia's life, while Mike and Nikki are ready to get in on the act. Julia keeps a sharp eye, ready to ring the bell when they are right, and to honk that horn when they need to try something else.
January 2013, Family Improv at the Gallery Players
Mike Durkin and Nikki Plyem alternate the words of a story about tax problems (yes, the topic was suggested by a kid in the audience - a kid!)
January 2013, Family Improv at the Gallery Players
Laura Valpey and Bones Rodriguez tell how and why toothpaste was invented.
January 2013, Family Improv at the Gallery Players
Laura Valpey and the Archaeologist decude to look for dinosaur bones.
January 2013, Family Improv at the Gallery Players
Sometimes when you encounter mad scientists, it's hard to know what to do!
December 2012 show at the Gallery Players
Puppets - The adults talk and the kids have to figure out how to move them.
December 2012 show at the Gallery Players
Ian O'Keeffe, Laura Livingston and their arms (volunteers from the audience) keep all ages entertained.
December 2012 show at the Gallery Players
Bones narrates a story with a cast of thousands - or a lot, anyway! Everyone really has to work together with this many improvisors on stage.
December 2012 show at the Gallery Players
Conducted Story - When Mike Durkin, the referee, points to one of us, we make up the next part of the story. Ian O'Keeffe is keeping us all entertained with the stuff he's coming up with.
December 2012 show at the Gallery Players
Taking a bow. The thing about live theatre is, the actors and the audience can see and hear each other. The audience says, "We liked that scene," by clapping. The actors say, "Thank you," by bowing.
December 2012 show at the Gallery Players
People as props - The kids get involved, playing the objects in the scene.
December 2012 show at the Gallery Players
Bones Rodriguez and Laura Valpey Rodriguez have been working with Freestyle Rep for over ten years. In fact, they first met while working with us - and now they're married!
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