Express Theatre

Education Program
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General Information

Studies have shown that children learn in several different ways. Giving children the opportunity to express themselves kinetically through the dramatic arts has been a wonderful method of learning for years. Express Theatre Education Program (ETEP) provides a variety of After School and Summer Programs for the Individual Student. ETEP also provides educational and performance-based opportunities for Schools that have little or no in-house theatre arts capabilities.

THEATRE CLASSES AT NORTHWEST MALL

Learning through the arts is of unique educational value. It allows students the freedom to learn, explore and discover themselves and the world around them. The goal of our programs is to enhance teamwork, self confidence, communication skills, and physical movement. Classes emphasize creative thinking and offer a positive means of self expression. Express Theatre Education Program (ETEP) provides several programs for the individual student at our Theatre Home in Northwest Mall.

Saturday Theatre Workshops offer the basics of theatre in workshops that can be selected as a series or as single classes.  Workshop topics will include Movement; Improvisation; Vocal Technique; Stage Basics; Pantomime; Script Selection; Audition Skills; and an array of theatre games designed to introduce children to stage performance.

Saturday Workshop Schedule
             FALL:   September 9 through November 18 
              SPRING:  February 16 through May 26

After-School Theatre Arts Program focuses on all aspects of rehearsing and performing a play. Students learn both the history of theatre and theatrical skills as they participate in the rehearsal process and the excitement of performing on stage. The Express location at Northwest Mall provides an easily accessible venue for children aged 8 to 16 to study basic theatre education that culminates in performance.

Students study with Express Children’s Theatre’s dynamic Education Director, Kevin Haliburton, an experienced teacher and veteran of musical theater. For 10 weeks, the class will study Stage Basics; Dramatic Interpretation and Creative Dramatics; Stage Movement; Improvisation; Vocal Technique; Pantomime and Rehearsal Process. Students will rehearse and prepare a play for performance in the Express 50-seat theatre space at the end of the class series.

After-School Theatre Arts Program Schedule
Monday & Thursday from 6:00 to 7:30pm and Saturday 3:00 to 4:30
FALL: September 10 to November17, 2007
SPRING: January 28 to April 4, 2008

Summer Camp Express offers 2 four-week summer camp programs where students work on all aspects of performing a musical theatre Wizard of Oz. Classes study: Stage Basics; Dramatic Interpretation and Creative Dramatics; Stage Movement; Vocal Technique; and Rehearsal Process. Students will rehearse and prepare for two performances in the Express 90-seat theatre space at the end of each summer camp.

June Camp: June 2 - June 27, 2008 with performances June 27 & 28
July Camp: July 7 - August 1, 2007 with performances August 1 & 2
Monday thru Friday from 9:00am to 1:00pm

PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOLS

Theatre From the "Core"
3rd through 8th Grade
An after-school Theatre Arts Education Program designed to enhance the teaching of core-curriculum academic subjects, this program brings Express Teaching Artists and Teaching Assistants into a class for 3 hours per week over an 18 week period. The students discover English & Literacy through Dramatic Structure as they adapt their own play. They utilize Mathematics by relating it to Stage Craft and research World Geography through Theatrical Costuming. At the end of instruction, the students perform the play they have created.
 

Theatre Workshops
 Elementary, Middle and High School

Individual schools design their program structured around six-week cycles. With assistance from ETEP, each school will allow interested students and educators to participate in the development of innovative methods of incorporating theatre arts into their curricula. Each workshop culminates in an on-campus showcase designed for parents and friends of the students.   Schools have the opportunity to select one or more of these six-week workshops:  Pantomime - Stage Movement - Improvisation - Dramatic Interpretation - Creative Dramatics 

Artists Residencies
 Elementary, Middle and High School

Teaching Artist Residencies offer the opportunity for a school or organization to provide theatre arts education programs designed to meet their specific goals. Master Classes are held on various aspects of theatre. From the Script-Writing Series to Professional Development classes on Arts Integration, Express offers a wide spectrum of theatre training to support the needs of students, faculty and professionals.

Express Children's Theatre
446 Northwest Mall
Houston, TX 77092
(713) 682-5044

expresstheatre@sbcglobal.net

Express Children's Theatre is Company-in-Residence at 
Houston Community College Central Fine Arts Department