Reeths Puffer High School students Joe Andersen and Nate Goodman in the WLYT production of The Phantom Tollbooth, July 2012

During the 6-session class students will work on dramatic acting techniques and apply skills to scene studies. This is a great opportunity for students with some experience that want to increase range and gain experience with dramatic material. This fast paced, fun class will cover techniques to emotionally connect with any character and then apply those techniques to dramatic scenes. Every student will be up on their feet as a working actor every class.

Harsch has been an instructor for WLYT for over a year and has appeared in numerous productions at the Howmet Playhouse, Muskegon Civic Theatre and the Central Park Players. Harsch is active in film and commercial acting and works for the Arts Council of White Lake.

This class will have two sections: Drama Technique (Jan. 1, 2, 3 from 1-3 p.m.) and Scene Studies (Jan. 8, 15, 22 from 6-8:30 p.m.). Students must be 12 years old by the first class and have participated in one other stage production in order to participate. The workshop fee is $30; scholarships are available for all students who wish to participate and information on applying for a scholarship is available on the Playhouse website, www.howmetplayhouse.org.

To register your student for the Dramatic Acting Intensive Workshop, call Whitehall City Hall at 231-894-4048 by Dec. 28th; early registration is recommended as this class is capped at 12 students.

Information on other workshops and performance opportunities is available under “Youth Theater” on the Playhouse website, http://www.howmetplayhouse.org/wlyt_overview.php. Opportunities will include our Winter Performance Workshop, Dance Basics for Theater, the Spring Break Performing Arts Workshop, Shakespeare in the Summer with professional actress Miranda McGee and our Summer Performance Workshop. Please call Whitehall City Hall at 231-894-4048 with questions.

The WLYT Education program is a unique opportunity for students age 10-18 to learn the ins and outs of the theater world in their own backyard. Students from all areas and all levels of experience have the opportunity to work with local professionals and improve their acting technique and technical knowledge of theater. Students assist the staff is designing costumes, sets and props for productions, and then get to see their handiwork on stage, teaching the value of creativity and collaboration.

The WLYT program strives to create a positive learning environment for young thespians, encourage creativity, focus, patience and team work and instill a life-long love of theater and the arts in all students.