With the hot weeks of summer just a breath away, one of the longest-running programs of its kind in the nation is gearing up at Cal State Northridge to offer teens a constructive way to spend those weeks.
Entering its 51st year of operation on campus, the
Teenage Drama Workshop (TADW) in June once again will begin working with teens in the community who will spend six weeks immersed in the day-to-day reality of a professional theater troupe.
From June 23 through Aug. 3, TADW provides an experience that culminates in two plays, complete with lighting, costumes, and fully designed sets.
Students typically are cast in one of the two plays, each of which runs for 10 performances.
"The plays go through a wonderful transformation from opening to closing as students learn the craft of performance and audience interaction, all while sustaining a high level of energy," said TADW Executive Director
Doug Kaback.
"One of the most exciting things about the program is how multi-generational it is and has always been," said Kaback.
Performances bring community together, including the young audience, the adolescent teen performers, the CSUN students who work with the program, the industry professionals who direct the plays and the parent advisory group.
TADW audiences often are first-time theater-goers between the ages of 4 and 12.
"The plays are specifically chosen for this reason," Kaback said, "not just for popular appeal but also cultural and literary appeal."
This summer's selections will continue the tradition by offering the pop-culture phenomenon "High School Musical" as well as "The Phantom Tollbooth," based on the
Norton Juster book.
"What I like is that it's not just performance-driven. The students also take classes," said special education professor
Beth Lasky, parent of two TADW participants and a member of the TADW parent advisory committee.
Students attend classes that focus on acting, voice and dance, and can choose electives in improvisation, musical theater and playwriting.
The 10-Minute Play Festival exemplifies the integrated nature of the program, where students in the playwriting and improvisation electives collaborate to bring an idea from "page to stage" in six short weeks.
Students entering grades 7-12 may participate in TADW. Classes meet from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, and include some weeknight and Saturday performances that are open to the public.
Tickets for performances are available at the Associated Students ticket office.
For more information, call 818-677-3086 or 818-677-5811.