Categories
Acting

FCPS Spring Break Equals Fun-Filled Acting Camp

Give your kids a meaningful and active arts experience during FCPS Spring Break, April 15-19. Our Spring Break Acting Camp, “Spring Break On Stage”, is the perfect way to try out theater skills for the first time or to return to favorite topics. With daily and full-week enrollment options, campers may choose days with themes that interest them the most or come every day for maximum theatrical adventure!

Students will be separated into age-appropriate groups (ages 5-9 and 10-14) and will spend the day (9am-3pm) doing theater-based games, activities, and learning exercises that facilitate team-building and confidence-building experiences.

 

Kids at Spring Break acting camp

 

 

Daily Themes:

  • Disney Week Monday, April 15th:
    ACTING: CREATING A CHARACTER
    A day to explore the fun of acting and character-building!
    .
  • Disney Week Tuesday, April 16th:
    MUSICAL THEATER: MOVIE MUSICALS
    Love to sing and dance? Spend the day learning musical numbers from our favorite movie musicals!
    .
  • Disney Week Wednesday, April 17th:
    PLAYWRITING
    Today is all about your imagination. What story will you create?
    .
  • Disney Week Thursday, April 18th:
    MUSICAL THEATER: BROADWAY
    Love to sing and dance? Spend the day learning musical numbers from classic and contemporary Broadway shows!
    .
  • Disney Week Friday, April 19th:
    IMPROV
    Games, games, games! Learn about building comedy on stage.
    .

 

Students singing at spring break camp

 

“This year, Monday’s focus is on ‘Creating a Character’, a perfect introduction to acting for new and returning students,” explained staff member Zach Wilcox. “The teachers will help each student work on their own character ideas, which they can present at the end of the day. They can even re-use those characters on Wednesday if they join us for ‘Playwriting’!”

 

Students at spring break acting camp

 

Spring Break Acting Camp, which takes place at the Mason Community Arts Academy Building at 4260 Chain Bridge Road in Fairfax City, is a fantastic way to keep students’ minds engaged during the break from school.

 

SEE DETAILS AND REGISTER NOW!

 

Categories
Acting

Follow The Script To Creative Writing Class

Teenagers: do you want to write the next Netflix™ or YouTube™ series hit? Maybe you fancy yourself a theatrical playwright. Well, it can all start here at our Creative Writing for Stage & Screen class, presented by our theater program Acting For Young People. Grab your pencil and story ideas, and let’s get creative!

For new and experienced teen writers alike, this class explores the strategies and techniques used by professionals to create stories and scripts for television, film, theater, video games, and beyond. Through a variety of writing exercises and workshops, students will take an in-depth look at the fundamentals of writing: dramatic structure, character development, and engaging dialogue.

The Spring class session will be on Tuesday evenings, starting February 12th. Over a period of 8 weeks, students will bring written scenes to share in class. “Sharing is the most important part of this class,” commented co-teacher Zachary Wilcox. “We maintain a safe space where writers can work together and bounce ideas off each other.”

“Don’t have an idea? Don’t worry about it!” exclaimed co-teacher Andrew Reid. “The beginning of this class is all about figuring out what you want to write and how you want to write it.”

Former students have started and completed multiple original short scripts each session. Some of those scripts were even featured in the Acting For Young People 2018 Student Playwright Festival. Any student from this class would be eligible to submit their script to this year’s festival as well.

 

Playwright Festival graphic

 

We encourage you to sign up for our Creative Writing for Stage & Screen class write now!

 

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER NOW

 

Categories
Acting Events

Winter 2018 Theater Showcases, Dec 8-9 & 15-16

The Academy’s Theater program, Acting For Young People, will present an impressive collection of theater shows, starring Theater students from ages 5 to 18, on the Mason Fairfax campus over two weekends: December 8 & 9 and December 15 & 16. Show titles include Twinderella, Cinderella 101, Cinderella Adventures and The Enchanted Pumpkins.

With a variety of age groups, experience levels and casts involved, different theater shows will be presented throughout the two weekends.

 

Theater student performing in show

 

Saturday, December 8th
10:00 AM – The Enchanted Pumpkins, Mini Actors’ Showcase
11:00 AM – Cinderella Adventures, Young Actors’ Showcase
12:30 PM – Cinderella Adventures, Young Actors’ Showcase

 

Sunday, December 9th
10:30 AM – Twinderella, Musical Showcase (Cast 1)
1:30 PM – Twinderella, Musical Showcase (Cast 2)
4:30 PM – Twinderella, Musical Showcase (Cast 3)
7:30 PM – Cinderella 101, Advanced Actors’ Showcase

 

Saturday, December 15th
10:30 AM – Twinderella, Musical Showcase (Cast 1)
1:30 PM – Twinderella, Musical Showcase (Cast 2)
4:30 PM – Twinderella, Musical Showcase (Cast 3)
7:30 PM – Cinderella 101, Advanced Actors’ Showcase

 

Sunday, December 16th
10:30 AM – Twinderella, Musical Showcase (Cast 1)
1:30 PM – Twinderella, Musical Showcase (Cast 2)
4:30 PM – Twinderella, Musical Showcase (Cast 3)
7:30 PM – Cinderella 101, Advanced Actors’ Showcase

 

For more information about this program, please visit the AFYP website or call 703-554-4931.

 

Acting For Young People Banner

 

Categories
Acting Music

Academy Vocal Student Lands Major Role In Local Play

Julie Kashmanian, vocal student of Academy Voice Teaching Artist Seon Gyu Park (and a Theater student at Mason) was recently cast for a major role in an adaptation of the famous play “The Diary of Anne Frank”, which ran for 6 performances at F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre in Rockville, MD.

“I’ve been teaching Julie since the Summer of 2017,” said Ms. Park. “She was shy but had a great voice and acting skills. It’s been a wonderful journey to polish her beautiful voice and joyous time to have lessons with her. I look forward to many good things from her in the future!”

 

Julie K voice student in play

 

“Being in ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ is a huge honor, and I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to help tell this important story!” exclaimed Julie. “I am also very thankful to Seon for helping me to develop my voice. I had struggled with my voice for a while and her instructions really helped me recover my vocal health.”

 

Julie K voice student dancing in play

 

Congratulations, Julie – well done!

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT PRIVATE LESSONS WITH SEON GYU PARK

 

Categories
Acting Community Outreach Music

Arts By George 2018 Performance!

Students and faculty from Mason Community Arts Academy were invited to perform at this year’s Arts By George! fundraising event hosted by George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. Led by directors Libby Curtis and Mary Lechter, the ensemble performed a musical number featuring actors from our theater division, a solo pianist, young violin students, an adult student singer, student flutists, and faculty violinists, pianists, guitarists, and percussionists.

“The Academy was honored to be a feature presenter for Arts by George 2018!” said Director Libby Curtis. “I was so proud of all our students and faculty – and excited to perform alongside them! – and received many wonderful comments from those in attendance. As the biggest fundraiser for the College of Visual and Performing Arts, I’m also happy to report that we received several donations because of the great work and enthusiasm that our students displayed. I can’t thank everyone enough for going the extra mile to make this a great success!”

 

Please enjoy these photos taken by students, parents, and faculty throughout the evening:

 

Approximately 500 gala event guests enjoyed the ARTS by George! Benefit on September 29th. Overall, the benefit garnered more than $140,000 in support of CVPA student scholarships and community arts programs, which include Great Performances at Mason, Green Machine Ensembles, and Mason Community Arts Academy. Thank you to all of the patrons, donors, artists, students, faculty, and staff members who made ARTS by George! 2018 such a success!

 

The Academy will be closed for Spring Break beginning Monday, March 25 and will re-open on Monday, April 1. We will be operating with limited hours. For any urgent requests, please call 703-993-9889.

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