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Ashland Center for Theatre Studies

Past A La Carte Courses

Stage Combat

A week-long, 3-credit, graduate level course geared toward high school and community college theatre educators, covering an introduction to stage combat basics and choreographic techniques:

  • Learn physical warm-ups from akido, yoga, and other disciplines
  • Discover trust, safety, partnering, and distance exercises
  • Develop basic hand-to-hand combat skills
  • Get a taste of partnered, armed-combat work
  • Explore how to act a fight and add realistic vocalizations during a stage fight
  • Build choreography skills while creating your own stylized and non-realistic fights
  • Investigate ways to use a fight director as part of the design team
  • Discuss special issues such as young performers, red-light fever, kills, mass battles and brawls, blood, and specific contemporary and period plays
  • Address safety, liability issues, weapon selection and maintenance, and qualifications and certifications of fight directors
  • View and analyze Oregon Shakespeare Festival productions of The Servant of Two Masters and Macbeth
Faculty

Chris Duval, OSF Actor and Fight Captain
Maggie McClellan, SOU Acting and Movement Faculty

Here's what our students say:

  • "Exceeded my expectations. I especially liked the idea of stylizing combat concepts."
  • "I loved the practicality and the emphasis on safety and creativity."
  • "Amazing amounts of information that I can take directly into the classroom and feel confident and comfortable."
  • "Both teachers were well prepared, supportive, energetic, fun, and passionate about what they do."

Stage Combat Hand to Hand

Stage Combat with Jugs

Daily Schedule
7:00-8:00 am Breakfast
9:00-11:30 am Morning session
11:30 am-12:30 pm Lunch
12:30-2:30 pm Afternoon session 1
3:00-5:00 pm Afternoon session 2
5:00-6:30 pm Dinner
Evening Schedule 2009
Sunday 7/26 7:00pm Welcome reception, orientation 8:30pm OSF play - The Servant of Two Masters 
Monday 7/27 Evening session 7:00-9:00pm
Tuesday 7/28 Evening session 7:00-8:30pm Practice and coaching available 8:30-10pm
Wednesday 7/29 Work on presentations
Thursday 7/30 Evening session 7:00-9:00pm
Friday 7/31 8:30pm OSF play - Macbeth


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Southern Oregon University
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1250 Siskiyou Boulevard
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