Plaza Branch Hosts Young Actors Workshop for Budding Thespians in Kansas City
The Young Actors Workshop, a programme designed to introduce children and teenagers to the exciting world of theater, has returned to the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library. The workshop was initially launched over a decade ago as a component of the library’s annual Summer Reading Program. It aims to provide children with the opportunity to explore the dramatic arts, a service that might be financially inaccessible for some families. Julia Kingsbury, the Plaza youth services manager, emphasized the importance of these workshops and how they are fulfilling a gap for children and teenagers who might not get this chance elsewhere.
Classes Open for all age groups
The workshop, open to children as young as toddlers, right through to teenagers, returns this year from July 8-12. Admission to the classes is free, but space is limited, hence an RSVP is required. Classes are divided into three age groups: three to seven, seven to eleven, and eleven to eighteen.
The Inimitable Instructor
These unique classes will be headed by John Mulvey, a seasoned actor, teacher, and director with a rich experience of three decades in the Theatre for Young America. In addition to this, Mulvey hosts workshops and classes with the Kansas City Young Audiences and the Community School of the Arts.
Sparking Brilliance with Perseverance
What is particularly remarkable about this workshop is how it can potentially lead to lifelong interests and careers in theater. According to Kingsbury, some of Mulvey’s past students have ignited a strong passion for theater through these workshops, leading them to major in theater in college.
Details about the Three Sessions for Ages 3 to 18
The program comprises three age-specific daily sessions, each designed to engage children and teenagers with activities catered to their age groups and interests.
Session 1: Creative Movement for Ages 3-7
The attention of the youngest participants, ranging from age three to seven, is directed towards creative movement. In this thirty-minute session, Mulvey narrates a story inviting the children to assume and act out the roles. The goal here is to inspire imagination and active participation through play in these budding thespians.
Session 2: Stage Directions for Ages 7-11
The sixty-minute session geared towards seven to eleven-year-olds, fosters storytelling from the stage. Students in this age group receive guidance in understanding the nuances of stage direction and in delivering lines distinctively, akin to a well-rehearsed school play.
Session 3: Improv Games for Ages 11-18
The ninety-minute sessions for teenagers encourage participants to experiment with improv games reminiscent of the comedy club and the popular game show, Whose Line Is It Anyway? This fun, imaginative environment encourages silly humor, a key element of improv theater.
The Remarkable Impact
Kingsbury points to the profound impact these classes have on the children, improving their quick thinking abilities as well as their public speaking skills. Remembering a three-year-old who was terrified of being on stage, Kingsbury recalls how the child, after participating in the workshop, not only bravely performed on stage but also beamed with confidence delivering a closing line.
Invitation for the Finale
The climax of the Young Actors Workshop is the Finale, scheduled for July 12 at 6 P.M. at the Kansas City Public Library – Plaza Branch. The public is cordially invited to attend and cheer for these bright, young talents as they entertain with their freshly honed acting skills.
