art.party.theater.company is proud to host
MELODRAMA, TRAGEDY, AND THE CLOWN
A Lecoq Based Physical Theatre Workshop Series
Explore the dramatic territories of Melodrama, Tragedy, and the Clown. Concentrating on how the body moves and its’ ability and potential to affect the space around it, the workshops pull from the largely physical pedagogy of Jacques Lecoq and investigate theater in some of its barest and most essential forms.
Through exploration and play, discover how to profit from the use of the actor’s body, space, and scale, to transport themselves and their audience into the intense emotional territories of Melodrama and Tragedy and the raw truth and availability of the Clown.
These workshops are for actors – student and professional – who wish to deepen their craft and build their performance skills. Writers, directors, and designers will also profit greatly as the workshops will help illuminate original ways in which to approach theatre and unearth fresh sources of creative inspiration. Come for a new perspective on the dramatic space of theatre.. Each session is a standalone workshop, so come for all, just two, or only one.
To reserve email artpartytheatercompany@gmail.com or call 646.263.2619
Space is limited.
Sunday, October 4th, 11-2pm
The Territory of Melodrama
What makes the audience cry? How do we create a performance so powerful that it moves the audience to tears? How can the actor’s body, movement and physical relationship to other actors tell a melodramatic story and evoke these grand emotions?
Abandoning the world of the moustache twirling villain, this workshop explores a new definition of ‘melodrama’ and reveals how the actor and director can create a space that explores the greatest depths of human emotions such as love, betrayal and desire in a manner firmly rooted in truth. Using a combination of movement techniques and structured improvisation we explore the dynamics of these ‘grand emotions’ physically and examine how you can create these for the audience in new and powerful ways. This workshop is beneficial to both actors and directors interested in increasing their awareness of spatial dynamics on stage and their understanding of the actor’s relationship to the audience.
Sunday, October 18th, 11-2pm
The Dramatic Space of Tragedy
Macbeth, Medea, Oedipus - some of the greatest plays are ‘Tragedies’ but what does this mean spatially and physically for the actor and director when putting them on stage? What is the space of tragedy and how can we convey it as powerfully as possible to the audience?
Through physical exploration and improvisation this workshop explores what we mean by tragedy and examines how the actor and director can tackle the relationship with the Gods and the enormous emotions of revenge, love and death that are contained within them. The workshop reveal how a group of actors can become unified chorus as well as provide the chance to work on a piece of tragic text. You will gain ease and strength confronting the Heavens and Hell.
Sunday, November 1st, 11-2pm
Introduction to the Clown
Who is the clown? How does the clown relate to the audience? How can the journey to finding our clown enhance our performance skills as an actor?
Based on the techniques of Jacques Lecoq this workshop introduces the actor to ‘the smallest mask in the world’ and helps the actor discover their own unique clown with an aim to enhance the actor’s ability to be open, playful and responsive to the public. In Lecoq’s own words, “We all are clowns, we all think we are beautiful, clever, and strong whereas we all have our weaknesses, our ridiculous side, which can make people laugh when we allow it to express itself.” The discovery of how personal weakness can be transformed into dramatic strength is an invaluable tool for any artist. Noses will be provided.
Session Fees
Single workshop: $60
Two workshops: $100
All three workshops: $130
All workshops will be held at Teatro Circulo at 64 East 4th Street.
About us:
Julia Gwynne is a British actor currently based between London and Paris. After originally graduating in Psychology and Philosophy and training to be a Social Worker, Julia decided to turn her focus towards the stage. Julia trained for three years in London receiving first class honours for all final performances. She then furthered her training at L’Ecole Internationale de Jacques Lecoq in Paris. She has performed and toured extensively in London and the greater UK in wide variety of productions including; repertory theatre, site specific pieces, street theatre, devised pieces, new writing and a solo show. Credits inc. Roberto Zucco (dir. Richard Cant), Three Sisters (dir. Clifford Milner); The Country (Criterion Theatre), Antigone (In-Site performance), Othello (dir. John Abbott); Romeo and Juliet (dir. Will Kerley) and The Children’s Hour (dir. Richard Beecham).
Kyle Davies was most recently seen in art.party.out.reach’s premier project Big Love: A story about a man and his fat, a collaboratively created short performed entirely in mask. Directing credits include world premiere reading of Howard Emanuel’s Last Supper starring Penny Fuller, Dan Lauria, and Michael Mastro, Survived By… at Theatre for a New City, In the Name of Bob at New Dramatists, and There Goes the Ballgame: The Music of Kander and Ebb at The Duplex and Don’t Tell Mama’s. He has also assistant directed shows on and off Broadway. Education: BFA in Musical Theatre from Syracuse University, L’Ecole Internationale de Theatre Jacques Lecoq and Laboratoire d’Étude du Mouvement.
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