Acting: Spring Break Acting Intensive: Devised Theater - Fairfax, VA 2025

DescriptionNEW PROGRAM!Spring Break Acting Intensive: Devised Theater A collaboration between Acting for Young People, MCAA, and Precipice Theater TeamFor ages 11 – 15 // Grades 6 - 10The Precipice Theater Team will work with students to craft a dynamic, one-of-a-kind play using students' own words, thoughts, and experiences. In this intensive, PTT’S theater professionals will guide students through their internationally-celebrated devising process to create autobiographical, ensemble-based theater that poses significant questions that are crucial to the participants and their communities. Through writing, movement, rehearsals, and performance, students will collaborate to bring their stories to life, in an environment infused with generosity, creativity, and excitement. Ideal for students in 6th through 10th grades, the program will culminate in a fully realized and polished performance, which will be shared with family and friends on Sunday, May 4 in the Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts Festival, including a talk-back with the audience. In addition, there will be another performance of the play on Sunday, May 25, at the George Washington Masonic Memorial as part of a Precipice Theater Team's devised theater festival.Dates: April 14 – 18, 2025Times: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.Public Performances: Sunday, May 4 and Sunday, May 25 (times to be announced)Instructors: Josh Bickford recently retired Fairfax County Theatre Arts teacher and director of 30+ years, is currently the Director of Education for Precipice Theatre Team and a Teaching Artist with Acting For Young People. He collaborated with many young people across the DMV as a teaching artist through Arena Stage’s Voices of Now program for the last ten years. Josh is also a Teaching Artist with the International School Theater Association where he most recently traveled to Bogeta, Columbia to co-lead a weekend devised theatre workshop with students from Columbia, Cuba, and Brazil. This spring he will be co-leading a 10-day devised theater exploration and creation in Belgrade, Serbia with young artists from Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia.Ashley Forman worked in the education and community engagement department at Arena Stage for over 22 years. She was responsible for the design of Voices of Now, Arena Stage’s devised theater program for young artists in the D.C. area and served as the artistic director for that program and its ten devising ensembles for 20 years. Through partnerships with the U.S. Department of State, Ashley implemented her devised theater model in India, Ukraine, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Peru. She has presented on her work at numerous conferences including AATE, ATHE, and TCG. Currently Ashley is in her second term as a board member for the American Alliance for Theater and Education where she serves as their national programming director. In June of 2024, Ashley started Precipice Theater Team to continue her life’s work of devising, evocative theater that provokes discussion, and leads to empathy and understanding.Performances will be on Sunday, May 4 and Sunday, May 25 (times to be announced) Student will have a lunch and snack break each day. Students are expected to stay onsite for these breaks. All students should bring a hearty lunch and snack for their breaks. Please do not bring any nut products. Registrations include a non-refundable $50 registration fee. Withdrawal requests made at least one week prior to program start date receive a full refund, less the non-refundable fee. Requests made 6 or less days before the first day of class receive a 50% refund, less the non-refundable fee. Requests made on the day of, or after the second class will be non-refundable. Activity Sub-CategoryChildren & TeensLocationMason Arts Academy Building, Unit A-3