TOWAMENCIN – Theatrical middle school students flocked to the high school on January 24th to participate in the annual Thespian Middle School Workshops. After a cheesy and informative opening skit, the students were given a tour of high school hot-spots. Making sure the teens knew the pool was not on third floor K-pod and pointing out choral and theatre rooms, the student-led tour will give middle school students a leg-up in navigating the high school when they arrive there.
At the end of the tour, the students spread out into different workshops designed to teach them more about different aspects of theatre. Some chose to take the dance workshop, in which high school students warmed up the kids with a Zumba and stretching routine and then taught the Beauty and the Beast audition dance. In two different audition workshops, students from the middle schools learned how to slate and stay professional during an audition. Another option was a leadership workshop, in which students got to hear about new opportunities at the high school from officers and cabinet members of Thespian Troupe. In the technical theatre workshop, students were given a tour of backstage and the third floor costume room, which is definitely an impressive sight. After the tour, they raced against the clock to complete a prop table challenge and learned how to coil a wire. The musical theatre workshop was led by students as well as high school chorus teacher Matthew Klenk. He stressed the benefits of participating in choral groups at the high school level and taught the kids “I Believe” from the musical Spring Awakening. In the last remaining workshop, improvisation, the students got to let go and goof around by playing fun improv games like Ali-Baba and Park Bench.
Workshop leader Taryn Murphy acknowledged the benefits of the event. “It is important for the middle school students to come to the workshops and experience theatre, as it is a way to open their eyes to what they can learn and what they are capable of.”
After two workshops, the students took a break for dinner and a Q&A period. Middle school kids asked all the pressing questions, like “How bad is swimming, really,” and “What is the best part of high school theatre.” Once questions were answered and Andrea Roney, Thespian Troupe adviser and NP Theatre director, spoke to the various theatre class options, the students departed for their final workshop.
In a moment as spontaneous as a flash mob, senior Tyler Ivey taught all the students the catchy Popcorn dance as they came back from workshops. After the dance and demanded-for-reprise had finished, students who took the musical theatre and dance workshops went onstage to present what they had learned during the workshops. Solo numbers from senior Kuhoo Verma and junior Juliette Shipp were also presented, which were received with much enthusiasm and awe. A dance party ensued after middle school student Tom Schmids performed a monologue as the Joker from The Dark Knight and another student performed a dance number.
An event that displays the wide range of opportunities in theatre at the high school, Thespian Troupe’s Middle School Workshops taught kids how to sing, act, audition, dance, tech, and improv, all while having a fantastic time.