BOSTON'S PROFESSIONAL, AFFORDABLE THEATRE FOR ALL GENERATIONS seeking to improve the lives of children and families through the shared experience of live performance.
Friday, August 29, 2014
Living the Moment: Teen Intensive
The Advance Performance Intensive for teens was terrific! Such a talented crew and such varied work they presented, scenes from "Asleep on the Wind" by Ellen Byron, "Blithe Spirit" by Noel Coward, "The Women of Lockerbie" by Deborah Brevoort, "Lovers" by Brian Friel, and "The Case of the Crushed Petunias" by Tennessee Williams.
Musical Intensive: Helen on 86th Street
The 2-week Musical Intensive class performed "Helen on 86th St" on Friday August 15 AND playwright Nicole Kempskie and composer Robby Stamper came to see the show!
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Background for Helen on 86th St. THE TROJAN WAR
The ancient
Greek story of the war between Greece and Troy is an epic of love, revenge,
sorrow and bloodshed. But this quick overview will help in the background of WFT Musical Performance Intensive, "Helen on 86th St."
When the goddess of Discord made
trouble by throwing a golden apple labeled 'to the fairest' into the midst of a
party of gods and goddesses, three goddesses all rushed to claim it. Paris, a prince of Troy, is asked to settle the
argument: just who is the fairest? Each
goddess tempted him with a bribe. The
first, Hera, offered him a wide empire. The
second, Athena, offered him glory in war. Lastly, Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty,
offered him the most beautiful woman in the world. This last offer he could not resist. And who
is this beauty? Helen.
The most beautiful woman in the
world, Helen, was married to king, Menelaos. Since Aphrodite had promised Helen to Paris, she
made Paris journey to Greece and made sure he was irresistible to Helen. So Helen ran away with Paris to Troy, leaving
her husband behind. Not such a good
move.
To reclaim his wife, Menelaos
took his troops to Troy, led by his brother Agamemnon, and the greatest warrior
in all of Greece, Achilles. Troy fought
back and after nine years the war waged on. Agamemnon and Achilles fought (over another
woman) and Achilles was determined to punish Agamemnon, so he refused to fight.
Without Achilles things went badly for
the Greeks. Achilles' best friend
Patroklos persuaded Achilles to let him lead the troops himself and in Achilles
armor, Patroklos fought brilliantly but was killed by Hector, the Trojan
champion, and one of Paris's brothers.
Achilles was full of sorrow and rage. Now he
wanted to rejoin the battle to avenge his friend's death, but he had no armor.
He begged his mother, the sea-goddess Thetis, to get him some new armor made by
the smith god. Equipped with new armor,
Achilles raged through the battle looking for Hector. Finally the two great warriors met. Each was
supported by a god. As Achilles rushed
forward, his goddess Athena stood behind him. As Hector fell, the god Apollo
was forced to leave him.
Even though he had killed Hector,
Achilles was not yet fated to die. He still had time to fight the Amazons,
fierce female warriors who were on the side of the Trojans. The Amazons fought hard and killed many
Greeks, but when their brave queen, Penthesilea, came face to face with
Achilles, she had met her match.
Paris was desperate to avenge his
brother's murder. He managed to fire an
arrow into the one area of weakness that Achilles had - in the heel of his
foot. Achilles was killed just as his
mother had foreseen. However, Paris
himself died in battle soon after.
The war had now gone on for ten years. To win, the Greeks knew they had to somehow
get their troops inside the city of Troy. They came up with a clever plan. They made a huge hollow wooden horse, filled
it with their best warriors and left it outside the city, then they pretended
to sail away. Thinking it would bring them luck, the Trojans brought the horse
inside. After nightfall, the Greeks
hidden in the horse sneaked out and opened the gates to the rest of the army.
When the Greeks got inside the
city, they began killing people wildly. To
make sure that none of Hector's family lived to avenge his death, they even
killed his old father Priam, the king of Troy, and his baby son Astyanax.
Menelaos found Helen. He drew his sword to kill her because of all
the trouble she had caused, but the goddess Aphrodite protected her, and when
Menelaos looked at Helen, he was so overwhelmed with her beauty that his sword
fell to the ground. And so the war ended.Drama and Teen Education
Why pre-college teens should study drama.
The arts, including drama, are not just another area of study for
teenagers; the arts can change the lens through which teaching and learning
happen across the academic curriculum. A drama-and-movement-based approach,
especially when combined with multiple intelligences theory and practice (all
of us are smart in many different ways), enhances skills that are highly prized
in the workplace: critical thinking; collaboration; improvisation; empathy; and
outside-the-box problem-solving. Learning public presentation skills, for
example, can enable teens to shine in college interviews – an oral version of
their college essays. The business community seeks college graduates who can
work creatively and productively in small groups. Training in improvisation
allows for calm, clear, creative thought and action under pressure. Drama
education develops all of a student's intelligences and heightens their awareness
of themselves, others, and the world around them. And that's a good preparation
for college and beyond!
Why study drama and movement at Wheelock Family Theatre?
You'll receive individualized attention to help you build on your
strengths and give you the confidence and self-awareness you need to face your
challenges. WFT's professional teaching artists include Boston's finest actors
and directors. Our small class size, with a 10:1 adult/student ratio or lower,
ensures that we can provide you with high quality, customized training in all
aspects of performance. Teachers who have come to know you will help you select
specific classes to continue developing your skills and honing your craft.
Equally as important, WFT is truly a diverse family that celebrates differences
and warmly welcomes all. It's a place where you will make friends and become
part of a supportive community, both at WFT and in Boston's theatre community.
At Wheelock, you are challenged to take your work seriously, but not
yourselves.
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