New Stage Theatre Announces Fall Class Schedule

New Stage Theatre, Mississippi's professional theatre located in Jackson, Mississippi, announces its fall class schedule. The fall session begins September 15th and runs through November 17th, 2018. New classes are available for 1st graders through adults. To register for classes, please contact Education Director Sharon Miles at 601-948-3533 ext. 232 or smiles@newstagetheatre.com.

For our 1st-3rd graders, our Story Theatre series presents Sneetches by Dr. Seuss. The Sneetches live on the beach and there is a line drawn in the sand: Star Bellies on one side, Plain Bellies on the other. Star-bellied Sneetches are part of the "popular crowd", while plain-bellied Sneetches are shunned. Will the arrival of Sylvester McMonkey McBean and his "fix it machine" help or harm this divided community? This is the story of Dr. Seuss' powerful parable about the surface things that divide us, it will take a courageous friendship between an unlikely pair of Sneetches to find the answers. Students will be guided through the building blocks of theatre technique within the framework of story. We will work on character development, acting and storytelling to create a showcase of an original script. This class takes place Saturdays, lasting 10 weeks total, from September 15 - November 17. Class is from 9:00 am to 10:30 am. The cost of this class is $200.

Theatre goers in 4th-6th grade will have the chance to experience the musical theatre production class, A Year With Frog and Toad KIDS. Adapted from the three-time-Tony-nominated Broadway hit, comes a story of a friendship that endures throughout the seasons. This musical follows two great friends, the cheerful and popular Frog and the rather grumpy Toad through four fun-filled seasons. Waking from hibernation, they plant gardens, swim, rake leaves and go sledding, learning life lessons along the way, including a most important one about friendship and rejoicing in the attributes that make each of us different and special. A Year with Frog and Toad KIDS is a great choice for young performers, with plenty of ensemble roles, jazzy, accessible music! Students will be guided through the building blocks of theatre technique within the framework of musical theatre. We will work on character development, storytelling, movement and singing with a showcase at the end of the session. This class takes place Saturdays, lasting 10 weeks total, from September 15 - November 17. Class is from 10:45 am to 12:15 am. The cost of this class is $200.

This season we welcome adults to our Monday Night Live! at New Stage series. This is a new six-week program designed to enhance our artistic community by providing quality acting classes for adults taught by local professionals. Included in this series we will offer Movement for the Working Actor, Theatre for Social Change, and Beginning Acting. The series takes place Mondays, from 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm, starting September 24th and ending November 12th. Registration is open now!

Movement for the Working Actor will be from September 24 - October 29, at 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm. Taught by Drew Stark, this class is $180. In this class, you will strive to gain a greater "kinesthetic awareness" of your bodies through basic dance technique instruction while moving organically through space. Open to all experience levels, this class will highlight certain goals: to become physically motivated and energized through an aerobic dance combination tailored for the musical theatre actor, to introduce the concept of body-mapping, as well as de-mystifying the dreaded 'dance-call' audition. Mr. Stark will serve as choreographer for New Stage's upcoming production of A Christmas Carol.

Theatre for Social Change will be from September 24 - October 29, at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Taught by Kate Woodley, this class is $180. Theatre- with its roots in sound and movement, story-telling and ritual, enactment and improvisation- offers a unique opportunity to experientially process multifaceted societal problems. This class will train Citizen Artists - or social change "enActors" - to develop and hone their artistic tools through theatre-based exercises focusing on improvisation, ensemble, community building, and experiential and embodied dialogue. Participants will learn how theatre can be used to build community, explore complex issues, and problem-solve. This class is suggested for 16 years or older.

Beginning Acting will be from October 1st - November 12th, at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Taught by Malaika Quarterman and Jo Ann Robinson, this class is $200. This class is designed for adults who want to give acting a try, or who would like to revisit the basics in order to improve their technique! Students will participate in lively theatre exercises designed to free up the voice and body, stimulate creativity, promote self-confidence, and teach the fundamentals of acting.

The education department at New Stage Theatre strives to equip people interested in theatre with the opportunity to develop and strengthen their acting skills, in a professional environment, taught by educated and experienced theatre veterans. The emphasis of these classes is on the progression of theatrical skill, so that participants in the classes continue to enhance their skills and grow as actors.

New Stage Theatre accepts cash, check, Discover, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Payment is due by the first class session. Payment with a credit card will include a $3.00 processing fee. For more information, or to reserve a spot in one of the theatre's exciting acting classes, please contact Education Director Sharon Miles at 601.948.3533 ext. 232, or smiles@newstagetheatre.com.