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Fall/Winter Classes Information 2010-2011

A child with a rubber chickenCatchpenny Kids Theatre is not limited to our involved summer sessions. We also offer ongoing theatrical training throughout the entire year. These classes, taught by our acclaimed camp directors, are meant to teach each student regardless of experience. These classes are high-energy, fun, and always completely interactive.The fall classes are not restricted to only enrollees of the summer sessions either.

If your child would like to learn more about theatre and acting, singing, and dancing please email us at josh@catchpennytheatre.com or call us directly at 720-238-2223. Classes begin in September or October, so watch this site for more information about scheduling, costs, and locations of Fall Catchpenny Classes.

For more information about Catchpenny's pedagogy, take a look at the curriculum structure at the botto of this page.

Our Mission:

Catchpenny’s Mission: Our mission is to strengthen Denver’s theatre community by reaching the youth through professional programming.

Cathpenny’s Goal: Our goal is to create a safe, fun environment where our students can build confidence, face healthy challenges, and explore their creativity while enjoying their achievements along the way.

Our Christmas Play:

This year Catchpenny Plans on bringing you a Christmas Play. While we are still attaining the rights for our selection, stay posted here to stay in the loop. If you need want to inquire more, fill out our contact form and you'll be the first to know!

Rehearsal Times: 4:30-5:30
Dates: Saturdays, Starting in October!!
Location:Kirk of the Bonnie Brae, Arizona and Steele St., DENVER
Price: TBA [CLOSED]

Enroll Now!

Unstoppable Improv:

Improv

NEW!!: Introducing our newest classes for the Fall Session.

Unstoppable Improv: Any professional actor will tell you, "If you want to become an amazing performer, you have to know to improvise! Get ready for an amazing experience!! Our improvisation class is for any actor looking to participate in a class that is full of games, exercises, and hands on fun! Improvisation is an important and necessary skill for working actors. Core Improv will help young actors refine their talents by focusing on staying in the moment, relationships, environments, characters, acting techniques and structured improvisation games. Culminating in a final showcase, this class is guaranteed to rock the house! Positions are filling very quickly!!!

This class will cover the following:

  • Short Form Improvisation
  • Long Form Improvisation
  • Comedic Improvisation
  • Dramatic Improvisation
  • Method Acting
  • Improvisational Games
  • Situational Improvisation Exercises
  • Confidence Building/Personal Resposibility

Class times: 4:30-5:30
Dates: Wednesdays, Starting October 13th
Location: Kirk of the Bonnie Brae, Arizona and Steele St., DENVER
Price: $250/per student [CLOSED]

Enroll Now!

Beginning Acting:

Color Theatre

Catchpenny's lead director Josh Putnam is excited to offer the class that started it all.

Beginning Acting: Beginning Acting is a conservatory setting for children who are interested in learning basic acting concepts, learning about how to use their bodies, voices, and faces to become a true acting virtuoso. At the end of the session, there will be a performance that will demonstrate all of the skills that they learned! Additionally, our state of the art evaluation system will allow students and parents alike to track their progress throughout class. Don't miss this class, it is surely a must for beginning actors!

This class will cover the following:

  • Projection/Articulation use of the voice
  • Movement, using the body
  • The Face, using expression
  • Gesture, using the hands
  • The Five W's
  • What acting really is
  • What acting is not
  • How to act with another performer
  • How to act alone
  • Confidence Building/Personal Resposibility

Class times: 4:30-5:30
Dates: Thursdays, Starting October 14th
Location:Kirk of the Bonnie Brae, Arizona and Steele St., DENVER
Price: $250/per student [CLOSED]

Enroll Now!

Original Play Creation:

Improv

NEW!!: Introducing our newest classes for the Fall Session.

Original Play Creation:We are very excited to present one of our newest concepts. This class offers students an opportunity to create and perform an original piece of theatre. In this course students will learn the basics of collaborative performance art, Viewpoints technique and different theatrical and physical performance styles. Looking at their world from a critical viewpoint, participants will use text, music, movement, and design to create and perform a production at the end of class.

 

 

This class will cover the following:

  • Viewpoints Technique
  • Rudolf Laban Efforts
  • Method Acting
  • Dialogue and Playwriting Development
  • Confidence Building/Personal Resposibility

 

Class times: 4:30-5:30
Dates: Mondays, Starting September 12th
Location:Kirk of the Bonnie Brae, Arizona and Steele St., DENVER
Price: $250/per student [CLOSED]

Enroll Now!

Audition!:

Black Box Theatre

Catchpenny's artistic director Josh Putnam is excited to offer a in depth audition class that will prove to be fun and challenging for kids that are willing to take their auditions to the next level.

Audition Basics: Designed for our older students, this course will explore the fundamentals of theatrical audition techniques. Drawing on the philosophies of Michael Shurtleff’s 12 guideposts, Kenny will provide instruction based on personal experience both as an actor and director. This class will conclude with a Mock Audition on the last day of class with professional Denver based directors. Learn the skills, see results and Be Prepared!! This class will provide everything necessary for a polished audition.

 

 

 

This class will cover the following:

  • Resume building and critique
  • How to find auditions
  • Comedic Monologue (Classical or Contemporary)
  • Dramatic Monolgue (Classical or Contemporary)
  • Headshot resources
  • Confidence Building/Personal Resposibility

Class times: Tuesdays 4:30-5:30
Dates: Starting October 16th
Location: Kirk of the Bonnie Brae, Arizona and Steele, DENVER
Price: $250/per student [CLOSED]

Enroll Now!

Catchpenny Kids Basic Theatre Class Curriculum Structure
• Stage One: Assess each actor/actress and diagnose which areas of acting need improvement. (This step is very important for any and all one on one instruction)
• Stage Two: Stage Speech. Here we’ll focus on the anatomy of the voice, and then apply it to practical use for the stage. Throughout this stage, your children will learn a variety of vocal exercises, support, warm-ups, and techniques with the aim of nurturing their natural voice. If you’re curious about references, check out Kristin Linklater’s Freeing the Natural Voice. I will use everything from Shakespeare’s sonnets to your child’s favorite literature to teach this section. This stage will culminate with a reader’s theatre performance of a short play.
• Stage Three: Stage Movement. In this stage, we’ll focus on the human body, how it moves, osteo-anatomy, and mascular anatomy. It is very key for young actors to be aware of themselves on stage and a short anatomy overview will help. Most of this stage, I’ll focus on Rudolph Laban’s teachings. Later, I’ll move into pantomime, which will culminate in performance that includes Laban efforts. You should also look Laban up for a reference.
• Stage Four: Scene Study. During this stage, we’ll apply all of the techniques we’ve learned so far and integrate that into a five-minute scene. Here we’ll delve into deeper acting studies. We’ll talk about Constantin Stanislavsky’s method of acting and Lee Strasberg’s system. We’ll further look into Sandy Misner’s approach to get a well-rounded feel for the art. Along with this, we’ll look at given circumstances, objectives, active verbs, and dream endings. These will all be explained in better detail later.
• Stage Five: Audition Techniques. Finally, your child’s experience will culminate with the performance of two, one-minute monologues. This stage will focus on giving your child the tools necessary to audition. We will discuss everything from headshot photographs to theatre etiquette, and ways to boost their chances of getting cast. In the end, your child will have a strong dramatic and comedic monologue that they’ll be able to present anywhere at any time with ease.
• Stage Six: One Act Play. By the time your child reaches this stage, they will already be strong thespians. This stage will begin with a mock audition, callbacks, and finally casting and practice through the rehearsal process, which will end in a performance. You should expect to see amazing changes in your child’s ability at this point, and you will.
• Stage Seven: Classical Style. This stage is reserved for the most advanced of actors. Within this stage, we’ll cover Shakespeare, Ibsen, Chekhov, Moliere, amongst others. This stage will be in much depth, but may prove very valuable to the more mature actors. Each child will perform scenes under each of these authors and finish with a comedic and dramatic Shakespearean monologue. This will be an impressive finish indeed.

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This website was created by Will Helling. Date of last update: 11/16/2010.