I've been teaching theatre since 1996 and have produced countless shows with cast after cast. There are a few basic lessons that every new actor must learn before they are ready to audition for a play and receive a script. This class will cover those basic lessons. 

In this class students will learn the basics of creating a character for stage. They will experiment with finding character voices, body movements and consider stories and emotions behind character movitations. It is a first step to performing on a stage.

Variety in Voice, Body Consciousness and Emotion:
We will learn about how to create a character from experimenting with voice: high/low, fast/slow and accent.
We will be learning to use one's body to convey a character. How does this person walk? What do they do with their hands? How would they stand/sit/move, etc?   We'll talk about how we FEEL when we're a particular character and we will add a story to explain who the character is. Students will get a chance to introduce a new character that they made up from their very own imaginations!

I will also will talk some about body consciousness on stage and basic stage manners like cheating out, not upstaging and how to always be seen to get children ready for when they get an opportunity to be on a stage!

Performing a Monologue:
Students will choose a monologue to perform and choose a voice for their character. Students will choose character body moments for their character and upload a video of their performance.

FLEX Class INTERACTION:
This class offers all the advantages of a FLEX class in that students can work at their own pace and don't have to remember when to log in for a live class or make changes to their schedule. This is the perfect class for students who want to learn and practice acting but feel anxiety about live videos. This class also offers the advantages of my regular classes in that they are able to perform for their teacher and classmates via uploading videos and learn from others by observing. They can add props, costumes and make up if they'd like!

Every Monday for five weeks Ms. Jackson will upload a new video teaching and modeling the steps in creating a character.
Week #1: Video, Character Voice
Week #2: Video, Body Consciousness
Week #3: Video, Character Emotion and Stage Manners
Week #4: Written Instructions, Creating an Original Character
Week #5: Monologue Choices, Performing a Monologue

Each week there will be a specific assignment that pertains to that week's lesson. Students will upload a video showcasing their proficiency of the lesson. Students are encouraged to respond to each other's videos and give feedback. What did you like best about the performance? Students can even piggy-back on one another's performances by creating a character or performing a monologue that reacts to their classmate's performance. Think of it like a "duet" on TikTok!