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Spring classes at the DCPA will offer something for everyone
Photo by Brian Landis Folkins.
Exploring children’s artistry, Hans Christian Andersen and Intro to Acting are just a few options for toddlers through adults
Whether you have a toddler as young as 3, a high-schooler interested in a potential theatre career or you are an adult open to just trying something new, DCPA Education offers classes for all ages and areas of interest.
DCPA classes allow children and teens to use their creativity and fuel new ideas, build confidence and enhance their communication skills. Courses are also offered to adults who are just starting off in the world of theatre, are seasoned stage veterans or non-actors just looking to develop useful job skills such as public speaking.
This spring’s curriculum offers a wide selection of classes that will be held both in the daytime and evening, on weekdays and weekends so students can find classes that not only interest them, but also fit into their busy schedules. What follows are just a few suggestions, organized by age group.
DCPA Master Classes give students chance to reach the unreachable story
The full list with class descriptions, dates, times and prices can be found at denvercenter.org. Some upcoming classes begin as early as April 1.
Spring classes will use artistry to enhance children’s storytelling. Photo by Brian Landis Folkins.
Child class suggestions
- For PreK students, “Look! Look! See! Famous Visual Art” is a Saturday class that allows students to use actors’ tools and skills such as body, voice and cooperative play to dive deeper into their artistry. Each session will explore a new and different piece of classic or contemporary painting through theatre activities, stories and poetry.
- “Story Explorers” sessions are offered for grades K-1 and 2-3, using theatrical and creative play to explore stories through acting. “Story Explorers: Saturday Mornings with David” is for students in grades K-1, and each session explores the world of David Shannon’s David. “Story Explorers: Saturday Mornings with Frances” classes are offered to students in grades 2-3. The class focuses on and explores the badger-based stories by Russell and Lillian Hoban. Some titles include: Bedtime for Frances, A Birthday for Frances, Bread and Jam for Frances, and A Baby Sister for Frances.
Middle-school class suggestions
- “Stories Off the Bookshelf: Hans Christian Andersen” is a featured elementary-level class for students in grades 4-5. Each session theatricalizes the stories of well-known fairy tales through creative dramatic play. Some of Andersen’s classic fairy tales include The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor’s New Clothes and The Princess and the Pea.
- “Middle School Teen Company: Original Musical” is a unique and fun theatre experience where students will put their skills to the test as they work together to write an original one-act musical. This course gives them a first-hand feel for the acting, singing, dancing, writing and directing processes. During the last session of the class, family members and friends of the student performers are invited to watch the final creation.
High-school class suggestions
- “High School Improv” is a great course for students of every experience level. Participants will create a fun and supportive environment as they learn how to work in groups, stay in character and generate original scenes while thinking and acting on their feet. The class will consist of learning a variety of acting techniques through short-form and long-form exercises.
DCPA Education offers ‘Intro to Acting’ as an upcoming spring class for adults. Photo by Brian Landis Folkins.
Adult class suggestions
- For those with little to no experience in the theatre, “Introduction to Acting” is a great first step into the world of theatre. This class also serves as the gateway to all other upper-level theatre classes and workshops offered by DCPA Education. Students will learn the fundamentals of theatre through improvisation, theatre exercises and character work.
- “Introduction to Improv” is a featured class for adult beginners who will work in a supportive environment with their peers to build confidence through improvised scenes and character work.
- “Advanced on Camera Master Project: Short Film” is a unique course offered to students who have completed at least two previous DCPA Education classes or workshops and are interested in the opportunity to audition, act in or direct a real production. Two short film scripts will be selected to use for this course from the DCPA’s “Craft of the Screenplay: Short Film Class.” This course is different from other advanced classes because you have to audition to earn a spot in the cast for the short film. This would require preparing a contemporary monologue, being ready for cold readings and submitting a headshot and current resume. This course offers both on-screen and off-screen experience. If cast, students will appear in one short film as an actor on one night of the week, and work on the production in other capacities the other night.
Explore our complete list of DCPA Spring Education courses online, or email any questions to education@dcpa.org. Scholarships are available.
DCPA Communications Intern Patti Grod, originally from Northbrook, Illinois, is a junior at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, where she is pursuing majors in Communication Studies and French, as well as an experiential minor in Entertainment and Media Industries. Aside from academics and spending this term interning at the Denver Center, you will most likely find Patti at the pool. She swam and played water polo all four years of high school, and has been fortunate enough to continue her swimming career at Augustana.
