MANSFIELD, Ohio – Richland Academy is excited to announce Rachael Swartz as our newest theatre and voice instructor. Swartz is an actress, director and educator from Wooster. She currently serves as the Education Director for Maples Repertory Theatre and as a professor of acting at Ashland University. She received her MFA in Performance from The University of Southern Mississippi where she lectured in Acting, Musical Theatre, Voice for the Actor, Theatre History, and Introduction to Theatre.
Swartz will be teaching some exciting afternoon theatre workshops on Saturdays in October. These workshops are designed to provide a supplementary educational piece to the other youth theatre programs in the area.
Starting Saturday, Oct. 3, from 1-3 p.m., students ages 8-12 are invited to come learn about “Stage Makeup for Spooky Halloween.” What do potato sacks, tissues, and oatmeal have in common? They all can be used to create cool special effects for Halloween and for the theatre. Come learn how to become your favorite animals, mythological creatures, monsters and more. Find out how to create scary special effects like bruises, bites, and cuts for stage and movies. This class is sure to be spooky fun for both boys and girls.
For younger students, Swartz will be offering “Tucker’s Spooky Halloween Play.” This workshop is for students ages 5-7 on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 1-3 p.m. Tucker is a puppy who needs a spooky Halloween costume to scare trick or treating friends. He needs the help of all his puppy friends to do it. Students will use their bodies, voices, and imaginations to create costumes, props and scenery for their play that they will star in.
Teens will be able to learn stage combat with the workshop, “Slaps, Sucker Punches & More!” This workshop is for students ages 13-17 and will be on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 1-3 p.m. Did you ever wonder how movie stars (and their stunt doubles) sell their big fight scenes? How do we create safe but believable and exciting fights for stage? Students will learn to throw punches, take tumbles, and more. Then it will all be put it together with short acting scenes. No experience required. This is a great class for the dancer interested in theatre, the aspiring actor or actress, and any teen looking to find out just how their favorite actors get it done.
For more information about our events or to register for classes, call Richland Academy at 419-522-8224 or visit www.richlandacademy.com. Richland Academy, “Expanding the Mind through Art and Education” at the corner of 4th and Walnut St. was founded in 1991 and is supported by the Ohio Arts Council.