DCPA NEWS CENTER
Enjoy the best stories and perspectives from the theatre world today.
Enjoy the best stories and perspectives from the theatre world today.
Available teachers include, top row, from left: Matthew Lillard, Lenne Klingaman, Desiree Mee Jung; bottom row: Cathy Reinking, Sam Gregory and Michele Lowe.
B+ is an ongoing NewsCenter series offering positive news from around the Colorado theatre community throughout the COVID-19 shutdown. We will share ways people are helping each other, making virtual art available online or encouraging artistic collaborations. Send submissions to jmoore@dcpa.org.
DCPA Teaching Artist and professional Casting Director Sylvia Gregory is offering a variety of online coaching sessions connecting artists young and old with professional Teaching Artists from across the country throughout the COVID-19 shutdown. “The idea is to keep everyone creative and sharp during this hiatus, and the plan is to keep the cost voluntary,” said Gregory, owner of SG Casting.
Sylvia Gregory
“All of these artists have agreed to do online coaching sessions by a pay-what-you-can or a donate-their-fee-to-charity basis,” Gregory said. Whatever students choose to pay will go to each teaching artist in full, with SG Casting taking no fees or percentages.
The list of available classes includes acting sessions, Reiki, music composition, career guidance, playwriting, content strategy, singing, financial advice and more.
The roster of local and national teachers includes film star Matthew Lillard (“SLC Punk!”), Betsy Brandt (Marie in “Breaking Bad”), Sam Gregory (more than 40 DCPA Theatre Company productions), Kate Gleason (DCPA Theatre Company’s Anna Karenina), Crissy Guerrero (DCPA Theatre Company’s American Mariachi), Christopher Gurr (Broadway’s Cats), Steven Hauck (Broadway’s Irena’s Vow), Lenne Klingaman (DCPA Theatre Company’s Romeo & Juliet), Jennifer Lynne Jorgenson (the film “Actor Martinez”) and Desiree Mee Jung (Colorado Shakespeare Festival).
The lineup also includes Directors Melissa Rain Anderson (DCPA Theatre Company’s A Christmas Carol) and Paul Mason Barnes (DCPA Theatre Company’s The Diary of Anne Frank); Playwright Michele Lowe (DCPA Theatre Company’s Inana); Casting Director Cathy Reinking (“Frasier”); and Producer Allen McLain (the film “Suburban”). Current or former DCPA Teaching Artists include Ashlee Temple and Ilasiea Gray.
Each Friday at 2 p.m., there will be a bonus session called “Friday Afternoon Song Club” with former Colorado composer Gary Grundei (DCPA Theatre Company’s The Christians), who will guide participants through writing their own original music from scratch.
Click here to find bios and photos of all the teachers, and their specialties. Many of the artists teach both children as well as adults.
John Moore was named one of the 12 most influential theater critics in the U.S. by American Theatre Magazine. He has since taken a groundbreaking position as the Denver Center’s Senior Arts Journalist.