Necessity is the mother of virtual classes, which is what many Peninsula theater companies are ramping up right now.
Los Alto Stage Company introduced several unusual virtual classes earlier this month. Teens were offered a five-day class on “History of Theatre, Abridged,” and 10- to 19-year-olds can enroll in an audition workshop.
“We wanted to provide youth with a unique learning experience, as well as keeping them busy for a few hours,” says artistic director Gary Landis.
Pear Theatre in Mountain View found a way to bring “Pear Slices,” its annual short-play showcase, to sheltered-in-place audiences. The company is filming the shorts for a video that’s set to go online May 15. To offset ongoing expenses like staff salaries, rent, utilities and taxes, the Pear is asking patrons to donate $10-$30 for access to the password-protected video.
The video features eight short plays by five different playwrights—all members of the Pear’s Playwrights Guild—and feature six Bay Area actors. All rehearsals are online as well as the filmed performance.
Pear’s executive artistic director Sinjin Jones says season ticket holders and patrons who had already purchased tickets to “Pear Slices”—as well as anyone who donates more than $30—get a “backstage pass” that provides access to behind-the-scenes footage of the video’s creation and a talk-back session.
To generate revenue to pay artists and help those sheltered in place feel less stressed and more connected, Dragon Theatre in downtown Redwood City is offering several online classes, according to managing director Kimberly Wadycki.
Classes include “Sketch Comedy Drop-in Writer’s Room for TV, Stage and Film,” theater intensives for sixth- through 12th-graders and a three-pack of classes called Dragon’s Den 2020. Adult classes will be led by Rich Talarico, Joshua Waterstone and Leanna Keyes and others.
Wadycki says the sketch comedy writing class will be run just like a real writers’ room. Students will bring in first drafts or ideas of a sketch or a pitch and work it out in a hands-on setting.
“Playwriting: Ten Ways to get a Laugh” focuses on humor in plays, movies, web content and television.
“It’s essential for a writer to know why comedy works, when to use it and most importantly, how to get it,” Wadycki says. “Through case studies, discussion sections and practical exercises, students learn 10 ways to earn the laugh.”
At Hillbarn Theatre in Foster City, artistic director Dan Demers says SIP “has motivated us to create new ways to share our award-winning art. I’m hopeful we’ll soon be sharing through the magic of technology and innovation.
“Though the profound cultural loss due to the mass silencing of arts institutions is hard to fathom, I’m heartened by all the online content being created,” he adds. “This allows us to escape to new worlds and encourages us to laugh and listen more intensely even though our movement is restricted.”
Dragon Theatre’s full class schedule is available at https://dragonproductions.net/classes. For online classes for children and teens, visit http://rwcyt.org.