Grades K-2 (ages 6-8)
Description: With both the book and adapted musical, students will create their own take on the bright, fun characters through creative play and storytelling. This class is in participation with the Playhouse on Park’s Theatre for Youth Spring production of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, so students and families will be able to not only explore the story in class but get a chance to see it performed on stage at Playhouse on Park! A wonderful opportunity for first time actors and actresses!
Mondays, 4:00-4:45pm
Dates: April 15, 22, 29, May 6, 13, 20, June 3, 10 (no class May 27th)
*Share Day for Families and Friends: Monday, June 10th. Time: TBD. Regular class will take place prior to the share.
Tuition: $170 plus $5.00 registration fee (covers the cost of a copy of the book for performers to use in class and have for a keepsake!)
Teaching Artist: Abigail Donaghy
Grades 3-8 (ages 9-13)
Description: Open to new and returning students. This class is for students who are interested in learning advanced improvisation skills and those who took Level I Improv here at Playhouse. Students will participate in improv exercises and games, collaborate with their peers to their ideas, and collaborate with their peers to create and devise their own unique Improv Showcase to share on the final day of class for family and friends.
Wednesdays, 4:00-5:00pm
Dates: Dates: April 17, 24, May 1, 8. 15, 22, 29, June 5*
* Share Day for Families and Friends: Wednesday, June 5th. Time: TBD. Regular class will take place prior to the share.
Tuition: $165 plus $5.00 registration fee
Teaching Artist: Lauren Cavanaugh
Classes are held at Congregational Beth Israel of West Hartford.
701 Farmington Ave.,
West Hartford, CT 06119
LAUREN CAVANAUGH is a seasoned teaching artist with educational and artistic credits in theater and music. She has over twelve years of teaching artist experience, focusing on “Creating a Play” with children and youth ages 5 through 12 years old. She has been an acting coach and teaching artist with EXCL of Farmington, Performing Arts Programs, and Hartford Children’sTheatre (2010). She also has led artistic programming in her current position at High Road School, focusing on elements of modern art. She has participated in the 24 HR Play Festival at the Hole in The Wall Theatre, and had her short play “Honey and Candy” produced and performed at The Gallery Playhouse of New York. She performed in Revolution Improv’s “A Team” in New York, NY while receiving her MA in Educational Theatre from NYU Steinhardt. She has written, directed, and co-produced original plays with her theater troupe Zenbaby Theatre Co. (2007-2009). She has her BFA in Musical Theatre from Hartt School, University of Hartford and enjoys bringing her creativity to projects in the Hartford area. Most notably, she received The Master Teacher Award as Creative Performing Arts Instructor for ESF Dream Camp of Trinity College in Hartford, CT (2023).
ABIGAIL DONAGHY is excited to be teaching this spring! She grew up performing in Connecticut local theaters and has had television roles on shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, FBI: Most Wanted, and Bupkis. She most recently appeared in upcoming feature films; The Book of Jobs and Ashes of a Dream.
HEIDI JEAN WEINRICH
has been working in theatre for decades as an actor at Playhouse on Park and many other theatres in CT, Seattle, and New York. She also has directing experience and has taught Language Arts on the secondary and college levels. As a Teaching Artist she has worked with New Britain Youth Theatre, Hartford Performs, and other organizations, and this past summer she was the Drama Instructor at Auerfarm Summer Camp in Bloomfield.