For Immediate Release: February 7, 2005
Media Contact: Jayme Powers, Arden Theatre Company, 215.922.8900 x22

Arden Theatre Company announces its spring/summer semester of fun and exciting theatre classes for kids in grades 1-6. Classes include everything from learning how designers build the sets to learning about character development. Favorite classes, such as Make-up and ACT: Movement and Character return. New ones, including Toad-ally Cool Improv taught by A Year with Frog and Toad lead Ben Dibble, have been added to the schedule. The spring and summer semester of classes includes one-day workshops, four- and eight-week classes, and two week-long summer camp sessions - a perfect offering for any schedule. Classes are taught by some of Philadelphia's most talented and experienced theatre artists. "Our classes are energetic, inclusive and confidence building. We work with kids to ignite their dramatic imagination and to develop their innate performance skills," says Amy Dugas Brown, Arden's Associate Artistic Director, who spearheads the program.

All classes and workshops are held at Arden Theatre Company, located at 40 N. 2nd Street in Philadelphia. Participants can register online at www.ardentheatre.org or by calling the box office at (215) 922-1122.

One-Day Workshops - Grades 1-5

Sampler Acting Class - Grades 1-6
Saturday, March 19, 10 am - 12 pm
Children sample an 8-week acting class (Story Crafters, ACT or ACT 2) in just one morning. Tuition: $30.

Set Design - Grades 1-5
Saturday, March 19, 1 - 4 pm
Get a close look at the sets at the Arden and then design your own! Tuition: $40.

Shakespeare - Grades 3-6
Saturday, June 4, 1 - 4 pm
Kids explore monsters and fairies, princesses and clowns, dogs and bears through the world of Shakespeare. Tuition: $40.

Make-up - Grades 1-5
Saturday, February 26, 1 - 4 pm
Saturday, March 26, 1 - 4 pm
Learn make-up techniques that show you how to look as beautiful as a princess, or as gruesome as an ogre. You will get your own make-up kit to use and take home! Tuition: $40 plus $15 material fee.

Toad-ally Cool Improv Taught by Toad - Grades 2-5
Monday, February 28, 3:30 - 6:30 pm
Saturday, March 26, 10 am - 1 pm
Share an action-filled day of improv at the Arden with Ben Dibble (your friend Toad). Learn about improvisation, a fun and imaginative acting technique used by all actors and directors. Tuition: $40.

Four-Week Classes - Saturdays, April 2 - April 23

Costume Design
Grades 3-5 • 1 - 3 pm
Kids learn how to design and build costumes! Learn the whole process from rendering to sewing and completing a costume piece of your own. Tuition: $100 plus $10 material fee.

Eight-Week Classes - Saturdays, April 2 - May 21

Story Crafters
Grades 1-2 • 10 - 11:30 am
Star in your favorite book! Kids read their favorite stories with their teacher and work together to retell the story dramatically. Learn how to create a character and be a great storyteller! Tuition: $175.

ACT: Movement and Character
Grades 3-4 • 10 am - 12 pm
What roles have your favorite actors played? For each of these roles they have developed a rich and interesting character. Each character thinks, walks, speaks and acts differently. Learn to create an interesting character from the inside out. Scene work included. Tuition: $175.

ACT 2: Character and Story
Grades 5-6 • 10 am - 12 pm
Kids work on scenes and specific acting techniques while still working on voice and movement techniques. An energetic approach to acting! Tuition: $175.

Summer Camp 2005

Camp #1: Monday, June 20 - Saturday, June 25
Camp #2: Monday, July 11 - Saturday, July 16
Grades 1-5 • 11am - 4pm daily
Kids enjoy one full week of theatre with the fun teachers at the Arden! There will be tons of acting classes, some creative design classes and a surprise for parents at the end of the week. Tuition: $300.

Go to News Releases»