This Friday concluded another successful season for the Arts Enter Academy of Theater Arts. The class met every Friday, and provided a safe haven for young actors to begin exploring the craft of stage acting. While there was some formal reading and script analysis, most of the classes focused on theater games and active improvisation.
This year’s class made great strides on the stage. At the top of the list is Allison Shockley, who scored the lead role in this spring’s The Clam-Digger’s Daughter. Last Christmas, student Ella Eder won the lead role of Rudolph in the winter production of the same name. In the Halloween show, Rosie Denny, Jada Crockett and Avery Hadden were superb in Dracula’s Boarding House.
Other success stories include:
Jaynie Guinan – Charlie in the box in Rudolph (also Anansi in Anansi the Spider last season)
Wynn Neville – King Moonraiser in Rudolph, Splinter Cat in Anansi the Spider
Caroline Boyd – Cub Reporter Evelyn in Clam Diggers Daughter
Lucy Watkins – Clarice in Rudolph, Cub Reporter Sally in Clam Diggers Daughter
McKay Shockley – Suds daughter Purgatory in Clam Diggers Daughter, Radio Alice in Anansi the Spider
Kai Watkins – Reindeer in Rudolph, Baptism Boy in Clam Diggers Daughter
Wynn Neville – Casey in Dracula’s Boarding House
Alexa Cobb – Vampire in Dracula’s Boarding House
Ronnie Guinan – Vampire in Dracula’s Boarding House
Macie Neville – Trance Girl in Dracula’s Boarding House
Savanah Lunger – Goofy Elf in Rudolph (she was hilarious)
Mayson Driscoll – Elf in Rudolph, Young girl and Rascal Kid in Clam Diggers Daughter
Josephine Koehler – Elf and Rascal Kid Clam Diggers Daughter
Jada Crockett – Rascal Kid in Clam Diggers Daughter, adult Rudolph, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel
Kaylen Fitchett – Katryn in Hansel and Gretel
Emma Philpott – Herme the dentist in Rudolph
Olivia Reid – Suds daughter Brevity in Clam Diggers Daughter, Elf in Rudolph
Katie Colson– Elf in Rudolph and Rascal Kid in Clam Diggers Daughter
Avery Hadden – Max the bodyguard in Clam Diggers Daughter
Wren Hadden – Young Billy in Clam Diggers Daughter, Elf in Rudolph
Nealy Guinan – Young Timmy in Clam Diggers Daughter
Tatum Watson – Elf in Rudolph
During the season, several students also had the opportunity to work in film. Experimental Film Virginia featured several students, and the Zombie film for the Halloween show featured the entire class. Avery Hadden, Caroline Boyd and Lucy Watkins played major roles in the Clam-Digger’s Daughter film segment.
The theater academy is closely tied to Arts Enter School of Dance. This relationship highlights one of the school’s main goals—to create performers that are a triple threat comprised of acting, dancing and singing. Two thirds of the actors in the theater academy are also in the dance program. Almost half were involved in the musical portions of Rudolph and The Clam-Digger’s Daughter.
The theater academy will resume the 2nd Friday in September 2017.
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