DUMMERSTON — Vermont Theatre Company is continuing its “Green Room Connection” workshop series on Saturday, March 23, from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Evening Star Grange.
VTC kicked off the series in January to foster networking and development in community theater. Added to the slate are workshops in auditioning and theater games. Anyone interested in community theater, at any skill level, is welcome to attend.
Snacks will be provided during the afternoon. Dinner is potluck, and volunteers from the Grange will sell sodas and baked goods in the afternoon and evening. There is no fee, though VTC will accept donations to help defray costs.
VTC's Jessica Callahan Gelter said she believes that anyone from any of the theatrical companies of Windham County would attest to the immense value of community theater.
“But I think it is important to emphasize the importance of both words in that expression: community and theater,” she adds. “I have had a lot of conversations with people around town who come up to me and say, 'I would really like to get involved in doing theater but I don't know how.' Or they'll tell me, 'I want to be in a play but I think I might be too shy.'”
The Green Room Connection is Callahan Gelter's answer to these needs.
She said she believes that the workshops are great opportunities to bring together would-be theatrical people with seasoned veterans of the stage. Area theater companies, actors, directors, writers, technicians, stage managers, crew, critics, enthusiastic audience members, and curious community members are invited to join VTC in making the workshops a success.
The audition workshop is for novice actors who want to learn the basics of auditioning and veterans who want to touch up their skills.
Josh Moyse, Adrienne Major, and Ben Stockman will lead the participants through the processes of working with monologues and performing cold readings. Participants should bring a prepared or memorized monologue.
The potluck dinner is at 5 p.m., followed by the theater games workshop until 8 p.m. The leadership of the games, designed to increase performance and creative skills, will be passed round-robin style. Jane Baker, Emma Bliss, Ben Stockman, Amelia Struthers, and Robin Zegge will lead the way.
Experienced theater people will have an opportunity to mingle with colleagues in the Actors Theatre Playhouse of Chesterfield, N.H.; Branch River Theatre of Marlborough, N.H.; New England Youth Theatre of 100 Flat St., Brattleboro; the Northfield (Mass.) Country Players; New Renaissance Players of Turners Falls, Mass.; and Arena Civic Theatre of Greenfield, Mass.
Theater novices will meet those who share their love of theater, gain new insights about themselves and their art, and leave with a monologue ready to put to work.