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he sky is the limit for Readers heatreESP I A N A D EThe City of Medicine Hat’s Community Development Department has launched a pilot theatre project aimed at seniors with an interest in theatre. Readers Theatre is the oral interpretation of literature (plays, stories or poetry) by a group of readers for an audience usually on a bare stage. The project will take place at the Esplanade Studio Theatre.Readers Theatre is somewhat different from a more traditional theatre experience. For instance, the actors do not memorize their lines, but have their scripts on lecterns in front of them and use vocal expression to make the play come alive for the audience.The audience in turn is required to use their imagination because unlike traditional theatre there are little or no costumes and sets. What results is aperformance that becomes audience and idea centred rather than one that is stage and action centred. In a sense it is like radio drama.Why readers theatre for seniors? What is brilliant about Readers Theatre is that you don’t have to be 21 to read the part of Juliet or Romeo.There is no cutoff age limit. Every character is a possibility because it is the use of your voice which is important.Reading out loud seems to be a lost art in this day of video, texts, Skype and email. So play reading with others is a great opportunity to practice reading out loud engaging both the creative voice and the mind with a purpose.So what exactly happens in these sessions? One of the most important elements of the process of any actor’s preparation includes warming up.No, we don’t have any hot water bottles nearby. We do gentle stretching and practise some deep breathing -getting the shoulders, arms and chest limbered up, and then we do vocal exercises to warm up the voice.ClaireGoodfellowEveryone gets a chance to read at least one part. We might read a scene and then change the readers and reread it. Discussion is an important part of these sessions. As a group we can discuss what we have learned about the characters and their relationships with each other. Has the playwright given us clues about the characters through the dialogue, by what they say to each other either in their presence or with others? Another point of interest is how the playwright has structured the play. A good playwright knows how to keep the audience interested in the characters and the conflict that they are involved in. We consider when and how characters are introduced, and what kind of information is given to us at various stages in the play that forward the plot along; the kind of information that keeps us interested and invested.In our October session, we will look a couple of clever historical comedies, “The Importance of Being Earnest”(19th century) by Oscar Wilde and ’’The Rivals” (18th) by Richard Brindsley Sheridan. For this session, we will just be performing for each other. However, if people are interested, public performances could easily evolve, short performances to begin with, at smaller venues around the city. We could eventually take on a full-length play and invite the whole community. We could invite the younger generation to join us for special intergenerational performances.It can happen. Readers Theatre can be created anywhere! The sky is the limit!If you are interested in Readers Theatre, you may register at the Esplanade or by calling 403-502-8777.Though this coming session is full, we are considering offering additional sessions in 2017.Claire Goodfellow has been involved in theatre for over 20 years in both professional and post secondary educational settings. This has included both teaching, directing and designing as well as experience working in aspects of technical theatre. She received a Diploma in Advanced Theatre Arts, Niagara College, Welland, Ontario, a BA, Fine Arts, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario and a MA, Drama in Education, Durham University, Durham, England.
Newspaper Details
Medicine Hat News
Medicine Hat, Alberta, CA
Fri, Oct 07, 2016
Page 17
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CA 28 May 2024
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