Theatre Festival Workshops

2024 Workshop Schedule

2024 Workshop Descriptions

Blocking: Actors Can do the Work! Steven Decker, UW-Milwaukee. Blocking can be a very inspiring and freeing process if actors are freed up to do what is natural after understanding the script. Through a few hands-on exercises participants will practice principles of movement to organically and effectively tell the story No preparation necessary.

How to Apply for Undergraduate Technical Theatre Programs. Scott Boyle, UMN-Duluth. This workshop is for students who are considering applying to a college theatre degree program to pursue technical theatre as a career. We’ll discuss the common degrees available, different application requirements, and strategies for getting accepted. If students have theatre resumes which they’d like to have reviewed, please bring printed copies.

Introduction to Stage Dialects. Raeleen McMillion, UW-Milwaukee. Step-by-step process for learning dialects, considering physicality of dialect; practicing finding where sound “lives” in the mouth; how to score scripts and put dialect to work with a character. Explore dynamics of a variety of dialects, such as Russian, West African, Cuban, West Indian/Caribbean; British, Irish, Scottish, and/or New York City.

Introduction to Theater Dance Styles. Nancy Weiss McQuide, UW-Milwaukee. Get ready for your next musical theater audition by  learning  some basics of   several dance styles used in theater today, such as jazz dance,  tap, contemporary, folk, swing and hip hop. No previous dance experience required. Wear shoes that enclose and support the feet (not flip flops, socks or bare feet),  and clothing comfortable for full- body movement.   Have fun, gain skills, make friends, and get ” in step” for your next audition!!!

Juggling. Robin Mello, UW-Milwaukee. Want to learn to Juggle? This workshop is for you! Already know how to juggle? This workshop is ALSO for you.  Good news: Most of us can learn to juggle in under 15 minutes, which makes juggling a perfect workshop (and it’s fun). Together we will explore (and practice) with scarfs and beanbags, we’ll also begin to craft a short juggle “skit.”  This workshop is for all levels of expertise. All you need to do is bring your focus, imagination, and sense of humor.

Let’s Get Knotty. Scott Boyle, UMN-Duluth. In this hands on workshop, students will learn about the different types of rope used in theatre as well as ten of the most common knots used.

Let’s Sing a Song of Freedom! Sheri Pannell, UW-Milwaukee.This musical theatre experience shares the background of songs from the Revolutionary War through the Civil Rights Movement which encouraged citizens seeking freedom and provided relief from their struggle.  Participants will sing in unison and learn harmonies as they recreate the beauty and spontaneity of communal singing. Expect a little dancing, as well!  Songs include: Yankee Doodle, Oh Freedom, Down By The Riverside, Poor Man Lazarus, Oh How I Hate to get up in the Mornin’, Over There, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Blowing in the Wind, and I’ll Take You There!

Live Microphone Techniques. Michael Inloes & Jill Mauer, Clearwing. Live demonstration of microphone Dos and Don’ts including choosing a type, performer placement, and maintenance. Discussion of both wired and wireless microphones of various types and how to facilitate the best experience with them.

Playwriting & Adaptation. Alvaro Rios, UW-Milwaukee. This introductory playwriting workshop introduces techniques that can be used to adapt a folktale or book. No writing experience needed.  Please bring a laptop or materials to write with.

Rigging Standards for the everyday user. There are a lot of standards, codes, and rules to theatrical rigging systems. To the everyday user it may seem like a monumental task to dig through the mountains of documents to find the pertinent information. In this session we will discuss where to find the pertinent standards, how some standards overlap, and most importantly a peek into how to interpret the standards. At the end of this session participants will have the tools they need to locate and comprehend the pertinent information that an everyday use should know.

Scenic Construction 101: Tools of the Trade. Kallen Eckert, Clearwing. Overview of commonly used scenic elements, construction materials, tools, and techniques. Introductory class.  No preparation necessary.

Self Care for Theater Teachers. Jodi Williams, Kenosha Unified School District. We all know the importance of self-care we even know the techniques of breathing and stress management. What we often don’t do is create a plan for ourselves to implement stress management techniques and practices into our daily lives to get the benefits of stress reduction, exercise, mindfulness and better calendar management. Spend a little time with equally busy, like-minded theater educators to create a functional self-care plan for your year.

Stage Management Paperwork. What is it good for? Scott Boyle, UMN-Duluth. This workshop will focus on the reasons stage managers create so much paperwork. We will look at the different types of commonly used paperwork and how to utilize them effectively.

Storytelling! Robin Mello, UW-Milwaukee. This workshop is for all sorts of storytellers — we’ll tell, share, play story games that help build story skills and engage audiences. We share our stories, listen to stories of others, and engage with fantasy, myth-making, folktales, and personal experiences. Bring your stories! Share your imagination! Gather round!

The Dragon Bowline and Other More Useful Knots. Tyler DeLong, DeLong Rigging Solutions. In this workshop you’ll learn multiple ways to tie the Bowline, Clove Hitch, Two-half hitches, Figure 8 Knot, and Stagehand-Timber Hitch.

Working Shakespeare Scenes and Monologues: Feeding and Dropping. James Tasse & Bill Watson, UW-Milwaukee. We will be engaging a rehearsal technique (Feeding and Dropping) which allows students to get up in front of class and explore Shakespeare scenes in a deep and useful manner without the need for memorization.