[NEohioPAL] Still a few slots for ACTING SHAKESPEARE WORKSHOP!

[Michael Dempsey]

* Have you always been curious about playing Shakespeare but are intimidated
by the language or style?

* Have you performed Shakespeare a little but still feel you haven’t cracked
the “code?”

* Are you an experienced actor of Shakespeare looking for new techniques and
approaches?

Whatever your level of experience, you’ll find a tons of valuable
information in this class, that you will gently and smoothly turn into
actual, on-your-feet acting experience. The goal is that you will walk away
not only understanding the works of Shakespeare, but become comfortable and
passionate about performing them. You’ll walk away with a toolbox full of
simple tips and techniques for analyzing, exploring and bringing to life
some of the most amazing characters in the English language.

*ABOUT THE WORKSHOP:*

Acting Shakespeare is a holistic endeavor—it requires mind, voice, body and
emotion, all working in harmony to bring the language and characters to
life.

For five weeks, actors will explore an approach to playing Shakespeare that
seeks to fuse these separate elements into a seamless whole.  This approach
is based on the philosophy and techniques of the National Theatre of Great
Britain and the Royal Shakespeare Company, who have produced some of the
greatest Shakespearean actors of the 20th century.

Through lecture, exercises, and monologue and scene work, actors will
examine:

*ACTING: * Good acting is good acting, whether classical or contemporary.
Learn how to integrate classical and modern techniques into your own
personal acting style to create characters that are both natural to you and
appropriate to Shakespeare.   We will examine acting in Shakespeare’s time,
“heightened” and “naturalistic” acting, and how the “Two Traditions”
actually seek to achieve the same end.

*VOICE:* Voice is critically important when performing Shakespeare.  You
will learn how to develop your resonance, diction and breath support, and
how to use your voice to express the emotion and meaning in the lines.  And
you will learn the connection between voice, text and emotion that makes
Shakespeare roar into life.

*MOVEMENT:** * What do you do with your hands?  How do you stand?  Learn how
to be physically at ease doing Shakespeare.  Learn what is physically
appropriate to acting Shakespeare, from absolute stillness to grandiose
gesture.

*SCANSION: * Scansion is the technique for analyzing the rhythms in the
verse lines. There is no mystery to scansion.  You will learn a simple and
easy method for correct scansion.   Discover how the choices Shakespeare
makes in the meter tell us hidden clues about how the play the text.  Learn
how to let the language, verse and the prose do all the work!

*SCRIPT ANALYSIS:* What does the text actually say?  What does it mean?  We
will explore the themes, motivations and thought processes within
Shakespeare’s material, examining his use of imagery and investigating the
cultural background that shaped his writing.

*MONOLOGUE & SCENE WORK: * Put your knowledge into practice!  Members will
begin with monologues and then move on to scenes as they incorporate their
new knowledge.

Here’s what actors have said about Michael Dempsey’s Shakespeare Acting
Workshop:

   - *I’m an experienced actor, but frankly, performing Shakespeare
   terrified me.  Michael’s workshop helped me to grow at ease with the
   language and the style, and helped me realize how exciting performing
   classical theater can be. *
   -  – Barry Stillman


   - *Michael Dempsey’s passion for Shakespeare sure rubs off!  I was wary
   coming in, but I not only learned a lot, I had a blast!  I highly recommend
   his workshops.*
   – Harriet Smith
   - *Whether you’re new to Shakespeare or have been doing it for years, you
   have something to learn from these classes.  Mr. Dempsey creates a
   supportive and challenging environment.  I was very impressed with how much
   he got out of the participants and how far we all came in relatively short
   period of time.*
   – Elizabeth Warren-Hastings

*WORKSHOP DETAILS:*

The cost is $85.  Classes will meet Tues, Thurs and Sunday evenings at 7
PM.  A small amount of summer conflicts can be accommodated.

All classes will be held at the Youngstown Playhouse, 600 Playhouse Lane,
Youngstown, Ohio.

* CLASSES:*

Begin Tuesday, July 6 and run through Thursday, August 5, 2010.

Classes are open to people of all levels of experience, age 16 and up.

* TUITION AND ENROLLMENT:*

Tuition is $85 for the entire workshop.  Register today—*only twenty
participants will be accepted.*

For more information or to enroll, please contact Michael Dempsey @
demzer at gmail.com, 330-397-3667 or call the Youngstown Playhouse at (330)
788-8739.

*ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:*

Michael Dempsey has performed and directed on the community and professional
level for almost three decades in New York, Los Angeles, Louisville,
Cleveland and other venues across the country.

Michael studied acting at Ohio State University before being one of eighteen
actors chosen nationally to attend the prestigious actor training program at
Actors Theatre of Louisville.  Michael was also one of twelve American
actors to be selected by the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain for
their Shakespearean Acting Progamme, where he studied with instructors from
both the National and the Royal Shakespeare Company, including Sir Ian
McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart.

Recent Ohio stage appearances include *The Seagull, 1776, *and *Fiddler On
The Roof * at the Beck Center for the Arts and *Fiddler On The Roof *at Cain
Park in Cleveland.  Most recently, he was Alan in *Baby* at TrueNorth
Cultural Arts Center in Sheffield.

As an writer, Michael’s written for network television (CBS’s
*Cybill*starring Cybill Shepherd). His plays have been produced in New
York, Los
Angeles, Washington, at ATL and regionally.  A member of the Writer’s Guild
of America, Michael’s a recipient of an Ohio Arts Council Fellowship for
playwriting and has twice been a finalist for ATL’s Heidemann Playwriting
Award.

**

In the fall, Michael will direct *Macbeth* at the Youngstown Playhouse.
For more information or to enroll, please contact Michael Dempsey @
demzer at gmail.com, 330-397-3667 or call the Youngstown Playhouse at (330)
788-8739.
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