Category: Acting

Spring 2018 Recitals & Shows, June 2 & 3

Our Spring 2018 Student Recital & Showcase Weekend celebration is coming up on Saturday, June 2nd and Sunday, June 3rd, which includes several music recitals and theater performances showcasing our Academy students of all ages. Come enjoy a fun and free weekend of the arts on the Mason Fairfax Campus!

MUSIC RECITALS

Due to our large number of Music students, we break up performances into hour-long (approximately) Music Recitals that are presented throughout the weekend. All performances are FREE and open to the public.

[one_half]Saturday, June 2
10:00 AM (designated for ages “8 and under”)
11:00 AM
12:30 PM
2:00 PM
3:30 PM
[/one_half] [one_half]Sunday, June 3
12:00 Noon (designated for ages “8 and under”)
1:00 PM
2:30 PM
4:00 PM
5:30 PM
[one_half_last]

A light reception with follow each recital. Come and enjoy some great music from performers of all ages and instruments!

PARKING: On Saturday and Sunday, you can park in Parking Lot K for free. It is about a 5-10 minute walk to the Performing Arts Building (note: NOT the Center for the Arts). You can also park in the Mason Pond Parking Deck for $8, right next to the Performing Arts Building.
DIRECTIONS TO CAMPUS

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR RECITALS

FOR OUR ACADEMY MUSIC STUDENTS/ FAMILIES:
READ OUR HELPFUL GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL RECITAL EXPERIENCE

Theater Students acting on stage

THEATER SHOWCASES

Our Acting students who study with Acting For Young People will present several performances throughout the weekend in TheaterSpace (lower level of the de Laski Performing Arts Building). There may be a nominal ticket price depending on which show you choose to attend.

SEE ACTING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS

As we say, ENJOY THE SHOW!!

Acting Events

Cherry Tree Lane, Sunday, May 6th

Acting For Young People presents “An Afternoon on Cherry Tree Lane” – a fun collection of sample songs and skits from their upcoming Spring theater productions – this Sunday, May 6th, at the Sherwood Center in Fairfax. This event is kid friendly and FREE for the whole family!

WHAT: “An Afternoon on Cherry Tree Lane”
WHEN: Sunday, May 6, 2018 at 1PM
WHERE: Sherwood Center, Fairfax See Map
COST: Free, including parking next to building

Join AFYP and Mason Community Arts Academy for this fun-filled presentation of selections from our Spring production of Mary Poppins, Jr. and its companion shows, The Little Chimney Sweeps and London Adventures.

The event will also features crafts and activities led by our Teaching Artist staff – you can even learn a dance from the show. There may be a visit from Mary Poppins herself!

SEE MORE DETAILS

Acting Music

Not Your Usual Song And Dance Number

At this summer’s Musical Theater Vocal Bootcamp, young singers will add new musical theater pieces to their repertoire, improve their skills as a singer/actor, and build confidence being on stage, while rehearsing in large groups, small ensembles and even solos – all leading up to a final concert featuring a collection of musical theater songs from various shows!

This year, the Bootcamp will be split into two age groups, ages 12-18 (July 9-13) and ages 7-11 (August 6-10), allowing the teaching artists to focus on the best material for that age group and their specific developmental levels. Students will work on repertoire from classic hits all the way to very contemporary numbers. A great focus will be placed on healthy vocal technique, basic movement and acting – all from the point of view of telling the story behind a song.

Summer singing camp for kids

“I love the variety of songs that exist within the musical theater genre, and how a song can take you from energized and excited to introspective to lovesick to hopeful,” said Emi Eiting, director of the teen Bootcamp, and veteran performer and educator. “Musical theater songs offer us a great opportunity to explore the human condition–and to put ourselves in other peoples shoes for a while!”

“Our faculty are appearing in musicals in area theaters, and bringing these experiences back to share with our students,” explained Mary Lechter, director of Acting For Young People, which coordinates the Bootcamp programs. “At bootcamp, we’ll work on the nuts and bolts of musical theater technique, really focusing on the process, how to polish that work, and be performance-ready.”

“A stand out memory from previous summers is seeing the final product come together,” stated Ms. Eiting. “Last year we had some really fun production numbers–sung, staged and with light choreo. Seeing those come to together was really awesome. I also loved how so many kids were interested in auditioning for solos–even those who I might not have expected! In the right environment – a safe, creative one – kids have the chance to take risks, and I would like to think that I am able to create that environment for my students.”

Are you ready to sing a lot, move a lot, and have a lot of fun? Whether you like to sing as part of a group or be a solo star, there’s a place for you to grow as a singer and performer at Musical Theater Vocal Bootcamp. Plus, family and friends will enjoy the final concert in Mason’s Harris Theatre on Friday!

GET DETAILS AND REGISTER TODAY!

Acting

Summer Theater Camps Want Kids To “Act Up”

The series of Summer Acting Camps presented by Acting For Young People are some of our most popular programs for kids and teens ages 5-18. The famous “Red Shirt” staff and instructors are known for the great care and attention they provide to their students, for developing the actor within through fun lessons and activities, and for helping every child shine on stage and off.

The camps can accommodate students of all levels of acting and stage experience. Even if your child is new to acting or theater, there is still much to gain from participating. One of the biggest goals of the AFYP staff is to make sure that students finish a week of camp with more confidence and openness to try new things and meet new people!

Weekly summer acting camps

Weekly camps start late June and run through July. Each week has a different theme, with several new themes being introduced this summer. You can sign up for one of the weeks, all the weeks, or any combination of weeks therein! Themes include:

“Master the Magic of Theater” (June 25-29) – Explore some spellbinding stories!
“Stand Up! It’s Comedy Week” (July 2-6, off July 4) – A week filled with laughter!
“Around the Castle: Beauties, Beasts, & More” (July 9-13) – Classic stories we all love!
“Your Name in Lights!” (July 16-20) – Be transported to Hollywood and Broadway!
“Fantastic Characters and Where to Find Them” (July 23-27) – Featuring adventures and epic characters!

“Many of our favorite summer teachers will be returning to lead their groups once again!” said AFYP staffer Zach Wilcox. “Each week has it’s own little special events hidden within (including Workshop Wednesdays), and of course our final presentations for family and friends each Friday. My favorite would be Workshop Wednesdays, where students get the unique opportunity to learn something a little bit out of the box that relates to the week’s theme. For example, last year during ‘Shakespeare to Star Wars’ week, there were workshops about Droid-Building, Light-Saber Stage Combat, and Shakespearean Tweets!”

If you want to give your child a fundamental understanding of acting, growth in personal confidence, tons of new friends, and opportunities to shine, then the Summer Acting Camps are just for you!

GET DETAILS AND REGISTER TODAY!

Acting Film & Video

Summer Screenwriting Camp Builds Characters

For Mason Film & Video Studies Professor Amanda Kraus, it’s all about building character – or better said, “characters” – when writing a good script, as she will demonstrate in this summer’s Screenwriting Workshop, which focuses on creative writing techniques for movies and television.

The workshop dates are July 9-13, and it is open to kids and teens ages 11-18. Due to the large age range, students will be divided into teams accordingly. Character development, plot and dialogue will be explored as students try their hand at writing their own scripts.

“Your child will learn that great stories come from great characters,” explained Ms. Kraus. “We will focus on how to develop these characters that ultimately audiences will love and care about and become invested in. In the end, they will learn how to be a better writer!”

Summer screenwriting workshop for kids

Some fun elements of the program include the “Getting to Know Your Character” exercise, group brainstorming sessions, and the opportunity for creatively minded students to collaborate/ write together.

At the end of the week, the students will present staged readings of their scripts to parents, families and friends. “The reading of the scripts on the last day is one of my favorite moments, as both a teacher and a scriptwriter,” said Ms. Kraus.

To add an extra bit of excitement, through a voting process, a few of the scripts will have a chance to be produced and filmed in the following Filmmaking Workshops! Although it is not required, many Screenwriting students will also register for the two-week film workshop to have a complete summer experience.

GET DETAILS AND REGISTER TODAY!