Ashland Center for Theatre Studies

Past Elective Course

Voice and Movement for the Actor

A week-long 3-credit graduate level course geared toward high school and community college theatre educators, covering voice and movement for the stage and strategies for teaching young actors:

• Discover how to incorporate voice and movement work during rehearsals
• Explore improvisational exercises to enhance physical creativity
• Develop vocal strength and flexibility, as well as easy projection for the stage
• Learn basic, all-purpose physical and vocal warm-ups adaptable to the classroom, rehearsals, and performances
• Increase awareness of the physical self and neutral alignment
• Improve diction and articulation
• Learn how to create spontaneity and play in the classroom
• Speak the language of Shakespeare
• Investigate the creative physical process in acting and creating character
• Work with professional artists
• Attend Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) productions of The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, and Tracy's Tiger
• Come away with lesson plans you can use in your school

Faculty

Maggie McClellan, SOU acting and movement faculty
David Kelly, OSF actor and SOU adjunct voice faculty

Here's what our students say:

• "David and Maggie set up a safe environment for us as we did activities, modeling the kind of classroom space we work to create."
• "It exceeded my expectations with a nice balance of challenging pace for body, soul and mind."
• "The instructors really met our needs as teachers. I loved the practicality of all the lessons! Everything I learned is useful and will help me in my work."
• "Any theatre teacher would love and kill for the info and experience we have had this week."
• "Geared towards classroom use, useful handouts, active and practical, great flexibility to give us what we needed."

Daily Schedule

Evening Schedule 2007