Take the Stage!

Theatre Workshops for Greenwich Students Ages 7-18

A message from Co-Artistic Director Jon Stancato:

I remember the first time I stepped on a Greenwich stage, as Touchstone in the 9th grade Drama Club's production of Shakespeare's As You Like It. Wearing all black and a court jester's hat and knowing even less about acting than I did about Shakespeare, I must have been perfectly awful. Nevertheless, I was immediately struck with a head-over-heels love for the theatre, one that led me to co-found Stolen Chair in NYC 8 years later. As we approach our 10th anniversary, it is with great excitement (and maybe a little bit of nostalgic stage fright!) that I return to Greenwich to offer kids an opportunity to have fun while learning the fundamentals of a thrilling craft from NYC professionals who will share both their expertise and their passion.

Sign up below for Monologue coaching from Gossip Girl's Zuzanna Szadkowski, Stage Combat from a Sherlock Holmes stuntman, Improv Comedy, Musical Theatre, Playwriting, and even Puppetry! I'm so excited to be offering today's Greenwich students some of the theatre classes I wish I'd had when I was their age!

Sincerely,
Jon Stancato, Co-Artistic Director

Workshops:

TURN JUNK INTO GENIUS
May 21, 10am - 12pm, $65
(Grades 1-3)
Use everyday household objects to create fantastical puppets of all shapes and sizes. With professional director Jon Stancato, students will work alone and in groups to breathe life into their inanimate creations.

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ACTING THROUGH SONG
May 22, 2pm - 5pm, $120
(Ages 8-12)
Emily Otto, a Broadway vocal coach, and director Jon Stancato will offer 3rd-6th graders a chance to sing, move, play a variety of musical theatre games, and explore how music can shape feelings on stage. No experience required.

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PLAYWRITING 1
June 4, 2pm - 5pm, $95
(Grades 9-12)
Critically acclaimed playwright Kiran Rikhye guides students through the fundamentals of character development, conflict, and dialogue. Students will conclude this class by beginning work on short 1-act plays and will be asked to continue work on these plays independently, in preparation for Playwriting 2. All experience levels welcome.

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PLAYWRITING 2
June 11, 10am - 1pm, $95
(Grades 9-12)
Students will receive individualized feedback on their short plays and use self critique and collaboration with their peers to refine their work. Prerequisite: Playwriting 1.

NOTE: Students are expected to register for both Playwriting workshops. Students wishing to take one class without registering for the other are asked to email edu@stolenchair.org for permission of the instructor.

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WHAMM, BAM, KA-POW: Stunts, Fights, and Action Movie Magic
May 22, 10am - 1pm, $120 AND June 12, 10am - 1pm, $120
(Grades 3-6)
If you’ve ever watched an action movie and asked how they make the fights looks so real, this workshop is for you! Professional stuntman Mike Yahn will teach students how to (safely!) pull hair, yank ears, slap, punch, kick, choke, run into walls, drag, push, fall, slip, and roll. We’ll even create fights between super-powered characters! No experience is necessary. Just come ready to work up a sweat and laugh until your sides hurt!

NOTE: Students in the June 12 workshop will be invited to perform at the evening gala.

May 22 class:

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June 12 class:

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INTRO to IMPROV
June 11, 10am - 1pm, $120
(Grades 5-8)
Professional improv comedian James Rich will help students find their funny bones with a basic introduction to the games and techniques of improvisational comedy. No experience required.

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GO LONG
June 11, 2pm - 5pm, $120
(Grades 9-12)
James Rich will take intermediate improv comedians to the next level through an introduction to the art of long-form improv, extended improvised scene work which goes beyond the traditional improv games to open up new opportunities to develop comic characters and scenarios.

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MONOLOGUES with Gossip Girl's "Dorota"
June 12, 10am - 1pm, $170
(Grades 8-12)
Receive one-on-one coaching from actress Zuzanna Szadkowski (best known as “Dorota” on the CW's Gossip Girl) and director Jon Stancato. This masterclass will give students the tools to create compelling and unique interpretations of text and character. Students will be asked to bring in a memorized monologue of their choice and will receive a DVD of their work, suitable for inclusion in long-distance auditions or college portfolios.

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Join us at the June 12 Gala, Hosted by Gossip Girl's Zuzanna Szadkowski! Share your work alongside professional New York actors, writers, and directors at a gala performance in honor of Stolen Chair's tenth anniversary season. Students from Acting Through Song, June 12's Stunt Workshop, and Monologues with Gossip Girl's "Dorota" will be invited to perform, and excerpts from the works of Playwriting 1 and 2 students will be performed by professional actors from New York. The evening will include refreshments, a silent auction, and a slide show of the work of students from Turn Junk Into Genius, Intro to Improv and Go Long, and the May 21 Stunt Workshop.

Participants in all workshops will receive two tickets to the gala. Additional tickets can be purchased at a cost of $25 for adults, $10 for ages 18 and under.

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