Red Mask shows fun side of theater

BY BARBARA GREENBERG
Commercial-News

DANVILLE August 09, 2007 11:40 am

— A single individual stands on a stage under a spotlight. The eyes of the entire audience focus on that actor — who just forgot the lines.
Community theater is far less intimidating than that scenario. And just as with any unreasonable fear, knowledge can dispel stage fright. That’s one of the reasons that Red Mask Players began a series of workshops last year to make acting techniques accessible to all.
This summer, those workshops have been expanded. Five adult sessions recently ended and five more for children in grades 3-8 began Wednesday night and continue through Sunday. No registration is required for the two-and-a-half-hour sessions that are offered free of charge.
Hannah Sliva, a seventh-grader at North Ridge Middle School, plans to attend as many of the sessions as she can. Sliva considers herself a veteran performer with several Red Mask Children’s Theater and Danville Light Opera children’s shows al-ready on her resume. She’s also been in church plays and some as a student at St. Paul’s School.
“I used to be nervous in front of an audience,” Sliva said. “I used to not want to do stuff like that.
“But since I got into theater, I’ve found I really enjoy those kinds of things.”
Jamey Coutant, Red Mask’s children’s theater representative, knows that scenario. Her daughter Amanda, now 21-years-old and with many community theater credits, froze up at her first live performance.
“She had been taking baton lessons. It was time for her first recital,” Jamey said. “She freaked out. I couldn’t believe it. No daughter of mine was going to be shy like that.”
So when Amanda was 9-years-old, her mom encouraged her to try out for community theater children’s productions. Since both Red Mask and Danville Opera require parents’ participation with their children’s shows, Amanda had the reassurance of her mother’s presence.
Jamey’s game plan worked.
“She opened up, had more confidence, almost from the start,” the proud mother said about her daughter. “Her self-esteem went up in all areas.
“I’ve seen the same thing happen with other children,” she said.
Coutant’s 14-year-old son Brian went along to all Amanda’s rehearsals and performances. Now, he’s appeared in both children’s and adults’ shows with Red Mask and DLO.
Although Brian had no self-confidence issues, Jamey saw another benefit to the theater experience for both her children.
“They’ve both made friends from theater,” she said. “Those friendships have carried over once the plays end.”
Two adults who met during Red Mask’s “Barefoot in the Park” will lead the workshops. Julia Megan Sullivan and Lisa Richter bring their experience and expertise to the Kathryn Randolph Theatre for all of the children’s sessions.
Richter, a Danville High School English teacher, has directed many children’s plays and performed since she was a child.
“This is a great opportunity for children whether or not they’ve acted before,” she said. “Community theater has an obligation to teach children, not just to have them appear in plays.”
Richter explained that each of the workshops will be structured toward helping the children understand what acting entails.
“So many think it’s just a matter of memorizing lines,” she said. “We’ll be teaching technique, how to be a character, to understand that character’s motivation — what they’d do and why. “
Richter emphasized that the workshops will be “no pressure. It’s a chance to have fun,” she said.

IF YOU GO
The Red Mask Players present a series of workshops for children in grades 3-8 tonight through Sunday from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Kathryn Randolph Theatre, 601 N. Vermilion St. There is no charge to participate and no reservations are required.
Sessions will include “So You Want to Be a Cowboy” (today), “What’s Your Motivation?” (Friday), “If I Could Talk Like the Animals” (Saturday) and “Keep Playing” (Sunday). For detailed descriptions of the sessions, visit http://www.redmaskplayers.com.