A summer program geared to teach young people the principles of acting will take place this summer at the Ojai Art Center Theater. Led by acting teacher David Nelson Taylor, this will be a six-week intensive workshop where students will be taught these principles:
- To develop sensory awareness, learn stage directions and explore movement to convey story
- In-depth scene study with partners
- Cultivate vocal technique, articulation and projection
- Understanding motivation as it relates to character development
- Learn basic story structure and use imagination and improvisation to convey story
- Complete a character analysis and create a history for their character
- Develop specific character traits and mannerisms by using animal characteristics as inspiration and by performing pantomimed versions of their scene
- Give and receive positive feedback from other students in preparation for their performance
- Students will warm up, run through scenes, practice a curtain call and deliver a performance
David Nelson Taylor has studied improvisational acting with Scotty Watson, David Razowsky and Gary Austin, and is stage trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. He spent 18 years in New York City as a stage and screen actor, six years as a head teacher in NYC with students of all ages and backgrounds. He spent eight years as a personal, private tutor.Â
An accomplished actor, communicatorand collaborator, he is also the founder/teacher of ImpAct Ojai that explores and teaches the fundamentals of acting and improvisation, where he’s taught 10-week workshops for kids 8-18. He also leads acting and improv warm-ups to engage and excite the imaginations of students in the Ojai Youth Opera, where he created and led the Living History/Character Study of the 2017 children’s opera, Brundibar, and he’ll be stage managing the upcoming original operaNightingale and the Tower at the Libbey Bowl May 18 &19. He’s also tutored students from age 8-22 with diverse needs in writing, drama, math, English history and sciences, as well as nurturing students in audition technique and monologue work.Â
Classes begin on June 18 and run through July 25, every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon, with a 15-minute break in each session. Classes are for students aged 12-16. A nominal charge of $10 per class works out to $120 for the six-week session. Classes limited to 16 students. For more information or to register for the classes, please contact David Nelson Taylor at[email protected] or call him at (917) 334-8218. |
