Acting & Theater: Small-Group Play Reading Class! (13-18)
In this 12-week course, student actors will read a minimum of 3 plays out loud in order to practice cold-reading, play a variety of characters, get to know some contemporary stage plays, and of course, have fun!
Janet B Milstein
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(270)
What's included
12 live meetings
12 in-class hoursAssessment
There is no formal or informal letter grade. The student will receive feedback during the course and parents/students may request further feedback if desired.Grading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
PLEASE NOTE: *Students must be willing to read out loud and act in front of and with others. *There is no pre-requisite to join. *This class will be limited to 6 students maximum to allow for a great deal of performing/reading time and individual attention given to each student. *I will be sharing the scripts on my screen during class, so there is no need to purchase the plays, though of course, you can if you'd like to. Purchasing scripts is optional. *If there are occasional curse/bad words in the scripts that you rather not say, you may just omit that word or substitute an acceptable one. *I will choose scripts that are frequently performed in high schools and or are Pulitzer Prize/Tony/Critics Circle/Obie/Drama Desk/Susan Smith Blackburn award-winning plays. There may be some content with adult language or themes, but I will choose plays listed for high school audiences. In this 12-week course, we will read 3-4 contemporary stage plays out loud together. We will switch characters as we go and discuss the plays as well. All students will read for characters of varying age, gender, personality, and speech patterns. Students will become familiar with the formatting and structure of plays, as well as the playscripts we read. Reading plays out loud in class will improve students' cold reading ability, confidence, and general knowledge of plays, playwrights, and script formats. I will provide the scripts via Zoom sharing for reading during class. The course schedule will roughly be as follows: Week 1 - Play 1, Act 1 + discussion. Week 2 - Play 1, Act 1 + discussion. Week 3 - Play 1, Act 2 + discussion. Week 4 - Play 1, Act 2 + discussion. Week 5 - Play 2, Act 1 + discussion. Week 6 - Play 2, Act 1 + discussion. Week 7 - Play 2, Act 2 + discussion. Week 8 - Play 2, Act 2 + discussion. Week 9 - Play 3, Act 1 + discussion. Week 10 - Play 3, Act 1 + discussion. Week 11 - Play 3, Act 2 + discussion. Week 12 - Play 3, Act 2 + discussion. Depending on any variance from the schedule, we may be able to add a fourth full-length or short play to read. I will choose the first play so we can start on the first day. However, the remaining plays can be suggested by the students. In terms of my teaching style, I am a fun, high-energy, motivational teacher. I like to entertain my students while educating them and to create a friendly, supportive class environment. I love helping students gain confidence and move in the direction of their goals.
Learning Goals
Students will become familiar with play structure, as well as the particular scripts we will read. Reading plays out loud in class will improve students' cold reading ability, confidence, and general knowledge of plays, playwrights, and script formats.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
We will be reading several play scripts that I will provide for reading during class. I will chose scripts that are frequently performed in high schools and or are Pulitzer Prize/Tony/Critics Circle/Obie/Drama Desk/Susan Smith Blackburn award-winning plays. There may be some content with adult language or themes, but I will chose plays listed for high school audiences.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
We will be reading several plays, published by either Dramatists Play Service, Concord Theatricals (A.K.A. Samuel French), Dramatic Publishing, Applause Books, Pioneer Drama, Smith & Kraus, or Playscripts.
I will chose scripts that are frequently performed in high schools and or are Pulitzer Prize/Tony/Critics Circle/Obie/Drama Desk/Susan Smith Blackburn award-winning plays. There may be some content with adult language or themes, but I will chose plays listed for high school audiences.
Joined August, 2020
5.0
270reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from SUNY Binghamton
I am an award-winning acting coach, actor, writer and filmmaker with over 15 years of experience, 16 books published, an MFA in Acting, and a BA in Theater. The students I have coached have booked hundreds of projects including:
TV - Even Stevens, One Tree Hill, One Life to Live, Gilmore Girls, Carnivàle, Chicago Fire, Pleading Guilty, Chicago PD, APB, The Exorcist, Chicago Justice, Patriot, Empire, Girl Meets World, Chicago Code, Web Girl, Chicago Med, The Event, Timeless: Live in Concert (starring Barbra Streisand), Habla más, The Giggle Club, Prison Break, ER, Roaring 20’s, The Blue Marble Gang, Reels, PrankStars, Bimbo, In an Instant, You, Me and Johnny, The Voice, The First Family, All That, and many more!
FILM - Contagion, Stranger Than Fiction, Payback starring Mel Gibson, The Even Stevens Movie, Barber Shop, Barber Shop 2, Spirited starring Will Ferrell, Soul Food, Chain Reaction starring Keanu Reeves, Just Visiting starring Christina Applegate, The Lake House, One Missed Call starring Edward Burns, The Last Airbender, The Dark Knight, An American Crime, Blood Deep, Codename: Simon, Malibu's Most Wanted, Serenity, Ancient Evil: Scream of the Mummy, The Brotherhood, Mrs. Hobbes' House, D.I.N.K.S., Merry Gentlemen, Meet the Browns, Eagle Eye, Awaken the Dead, Beyond the Soul, Roll, Bounce, Let's Go to Prison, Cover, Dedicated, Chicago Heights, Leaving Atlanta with Ben Vereen, Converging with Angels, RiffRaff, The European Kid, Iris, Blindsided, The Kari Files, Power Singles, Not Scene, The Turndown, Beyond the Soul, Playing Dress-up, Jaded, The New Detective, Pirates, Last Stop, Iodine Ink, Fallen, Turtle, The Big Fish Story, Rough Start, Parallel, Happily After, Two Days in Limbo, Henchmen: At Dr. Death’s Door, Voice of the Vespers, Ephemeralbliss.com, 72h, She Wolf! Paddy's Bar, The Box, Delirium, Roadside, So Will Smiling, Fall(ing), A Penny For Your Thoughts, More Than Friends, Danny's Day Trip, Late Rush, The Whisperer, Late Rush, The Cyber Kid, Pen and Paper, The Pass Out Game, Through His Eyes, Meredith's Magic Wand, It's Always Cloudy, Ms. Lucky, Nighthawks, The Giver Should Be Thankful, Made in Chiraq, Counterfeit Luck, Dry, Chinese Jesus, Riding 79, Homecoming, Spud, Number One Dad, Glamour, The Salesman, Denied, Pandemonium, Sam I am, The Sleepover, Where There's a Will, Sick Smelly Dirty Politics, Grading Curves, Fractured, Tweet Revenge, Normal, L.A. Storm Zombie, Chiraq, Sick Day, Fading, Alice: The Hatred, and many more!
THEATER- performing with theaters such as The Goodman Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens, Court, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago Dramatists, Raven, A Red Orchid Theatre, Second City, Timeline Theater, The Chicago Theater, Stage Left Theatre, Bailiwick Repertory, Teatro Luna, The Birmingham Children's Stockyards Theatre Co, Collaboraction, Free Associates, Steep Theatre Co, Sandhill Theatre Co, Piccolo Theatre, Appetite Theatre, Point of Contention, Pegasus Players, Village Players, Oak Park Festival Theater, Hubris Productions, The Side Project, Nothing Without A Company, Congo Square Theatre, Teatro Vista, Greenhouse Theater, The Poor Theater, ETA, Black Ensemble Theater, Emerald City, Cuckoo's Theater, Theatre Evolve, Towle Theater, Women's Theatre Alliance of Chicago, and more!
COMMERCIALS - for clients such as McDonald's, Pepsi, Bounty Paper Towel, Chevrolet, Miller Light, Harris Bank, Footlocker, Mercedes Benz, Jordan’s, State Farm, PSP, U.S. Cellular, Toys R' Us, Virgin Mobile, UI Hospital, Wisconsin Dells, Denny's Restaurant, Tyson, Bright Start College Savings Fund, Humira, Kmart, Kenmore, Ford, Humana, Frontera Foods, Time Life, Ms. Mary's Restaurant, PBS, American Girl Doll, Home Chef, Moen, Payless, T-Mobile, Texas Tourism, and more!
INDUSTRIALS - for clients such as United Airlines, Kohls, ComEd, American Heart Association, Seimans, Accenture, CVS, Allstate, American Medical Association, Trinity Services, Firestone, Sears, Glade, BMO Harris, GE, Kelloggs, Visa, Allstate, Bank of America, Citi, Straight Talk Wireless, and more!
VOICE-OVER - for clients such as Marriot, McDonald's, Razer, Cellular One, Commonwealth Edison, Lunchables, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Six Flags Great America, Farmers Insurance, Janssen, AT&T, National Louis University, USAA and many more!
PRINT - for clients such as McDonald's, Sears “Canyon River Blue Jeans”, JC Penney, JC Penney Bridal, Abercrombie & Fitch,Coca Cola, Montgomery Ward, DeVry, V-Tech, Triton College, CNA Insurance, Roosevelt Collection, USAA, Man Alive, Miller Lite, Staples, Real Faith in Life Magazine, Home Depot, Purina Chat Chow, Walgreens, Vein Clinics of America, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Hamricks, Velveeta, Tyson, Proffitt's Department Store, American Girl Doll, Groupon, IHOP, Genomic, Otis Spunkmeyer, Corona, Illinois Lotto, Protect-A-Bed, Snapper, Kohls, Trunk Club, Cadence Physician Group, AT&T, Eaglewood Resort & Spa, Ginny's, Unity Health, The Dump, Hefty, Demco Catalog, Avery Products, Mercedes, and many more!Reviews
Live Group Class
$258
for 12 classes1x per week, 12 weeks
60 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-18
3-6 learners per class
