Theater Faculty - 2013
Theater Schedule »
Alan Atwood is the Drama Pastor at Eastbrook Church in Milwaukee, where he produces three major plays and numerous worship dramas each year. He also tours his one-man plays to churches around the country. He has been married for thirty years and has four children. Website »
Scriptwriting - Three Sessions
Session One: The foundations of story-telling
Essential elements for a good script and an investigation of how a story works with its audience. This first session will concentrate on the fundamental components of a good script. It will include discussion of the inciting incident, apparent defeat, premise, controlling idea, crisis and climax.
Session Two: Character and process
This second segment will focus on creating meaningful and dynamic characters for your story. It will also cover the process a writer goes through to create a structure and dialogue.
Session Three: Creating a Script
In this segment we’ll actually create some short scripts using the elements discussed, in order to get a feel for how the elements, structure and character development we’ve talked about can be put into practice to show what God has put on the writer’s heart.
Basic Acting: A look at the fundamentals of acting a role
Good for beginners and a “back to basics” course for those with some acting experience. We’ll discuss Objectives and how to play them, how to create a specific, appropriate character and how to immerse yourself into the world of the play.
The Director’s Work – A look at the fundamentals of directing actors for the stage
We’ll discuss staging, script interpretation and working with actors as well as talking about the “hands on” challenges of directing such as creating a positive environment and dealing with technical aspects and personnel.
Priscilla Hummel is the Education Director of Chicago’s Provision Theatre. She holds an MFA in Acting (Directing Concentration) from Regent University. Directing credits include Jack and the Beanstalk (Provision Theater), Rumplestiltskin (Northbrook Theater), and The Magic Paintbrush (Theatre Building Chicago).
Advanced Directing: Actor Coaching
The purpose of this class is to equip directors to communicate with actors as effectively as possible
- Providing an environment that promotes creativity, freedom, safety, and trust
- Trusting actors' instincts and ideas throughout the rehearsal process
- Holding character conferences and sharing secrets
- Creating a framework within each scene with plenty of room to breath
- Exploring objectives, tactics, and beat transitions
- Incorporating improvisation to further explore relationships
- Utilizing props to explore the world of the scene/play
- Instilling faith and confidence in actors
(curriculum for this class will be based primarily on William Ball's A Sense of Direction)Advanced Acting: Monologue Masterclass
This overall goal of this class is to equip actors to find, craft, and performing monologues that are truly "right" for them
- Searching for material appropriate for one's age, type, and audition scenario
- Selecting a piece that is relationship-driven
- Crafting a piece so it has a beginning, middle, and end
- Knowing and fighting for the objective through tactics and beat changes
- Finding humor and depth within the piece
- Incorporating pace, focus, and levels
- Utilizing moments of personalization
- Developing a varied repertoire of contrasting pieces classical vs contemporary and comedic vs dramatic
(curriculum for this class will be based on a number of texts including Audition by )Advanced Acting: The Art of Auditioning
The purpose of this class is to equip actors with the tools they need to have a successful audition
- Preparation--knowing what type of show/project you're auditioning for and which role(s) is right for you
- Selecting appropriate audition pieces based on the above
- Bringing yourself to the role as much as possible
- Presenting yourself in a professional, likable, memorable manner in the audition room
- Knowing and following audition Do's and Dont's
- Applying techniques that will bring out the most in cold readings at callbacks
- Creating perfect resume and headshot package
(curriculum for this class will be based on a number of texts including Audition by )
- Selecting appropriate audition pieces based on the above
- Bringing yourself to the role as much as possible
- Presenting yourself in a professional, likable, memorable manner in the audition room
- Knowing and following audition Do's and Dont's
- Applying techniques that will bring out the most in cold readings at callbacks
- Creating perfect resume and headshot package
(curriculum for this class will be based on a number of texts including Audition by )
Larry Scheiderich has ten years of improv performing and teaching experience. He has instructed at Karitos, churches and with at risk teens. Larry loves directing drama groups and sharing Christ through improv. His book “Improv for the Ministry” helps develop drama teams.
Improv Games
Have a blast playing improv games while improving your performance skills and confidence. Improv is great for expanding your character range or training your drama group, whether you are a seasoned professional or new to performing. Ready, set, Improv!
Improvisational Scene Work, Part 1
Learn the basics of scene work while participating in improvised scenes. Develop your ability to create characters and scene conflict through improvisation. This exciting course will give you tools to help grow as a performer and teacher.
Improvisational Scene Work, Part 2
Learn the basics of scene work while participating in improvised scenes. Develop your ability to create characters and scene conflict through improvisation. This exciting course will give you tools to help grow as a performer and teacher.
Phillip Hoagland has an A.B. Cum Laude in Theatre and English from Wabash College, and an M.A.T. from University of Louisville. He has taught Theatre Arts in Louisville for 17 years, and his theatrical experience encompasses almost every aspect of production.
If Only I Had Known BEFORE Sunday Morning!
This class will NOT be tailored to artists who perform in their own dedicated theatres or performance space with which they are, presumably, familiar. Rather, I intend to address the far more common scenario where actors, mimes and dancers are ministering in a church sanctuary, at a special outreach event, or even a conference such as Karitos—in short, as guest artists in a host venue. If you are a pastor, event coordinator, or the Holy Reverend Minister of All Things Battery-Operated, Electronic and Audio-Visual for your church, you can use the principles from this class to develop procedures and guidelines that help promote successful presentations, which in turn will bless your congregation rather than leaving everyone with regrets. We will consider four aspects of preparation: documenting the technical aspects of a performance, communicating the content of a performance, determining and communicating performance requirements, and heading off problems with technical elements.
Lori Woodall-Schaufler has been a professional theatre artist for 25 years, working as an actress, director, singer/dancer, choreographer, producer and playwright. She studied Theatre at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she received her B.A, and continued her studies at the California Institute of the Arts where she received an MFA in Acting. As an actor, she has appeared in theatre, radio, television and film; as a director, she has directed children’s theatre, children’s television, drama ministry, and educational and professional theatre. Lori has worked as a Theatre professor at Concordia University-WI for seven years, where she has also directed plays and serves as the Children’s Theatre Coordinator. As a Christian artist, she has worked as an actor/director with Acacia Theatre Co. and Morningstar Productions in Milwaukee, as well as with companies in Los Angeles and Willow Creek in the Chicago area.
Ryan Schaufler has worked as a professional theatre artist for over 15 years in theatre, TV/Film, as a writer, actor, and director. He studied at the California Institute of the Arts, earning his BFA in Acting. Recently, he has been working as a director with his wife in the Milwaukee area. In addition, he co-wrote the pilot episode of “The Chosen,” a new Christian webisode series » that is in development.