A large group of the Theatre Arts students participated this year in the 2nd Annual Theatre Day organized by Hudson County Alliance of Teen Artists in Partnership with Hoboken High School on Friday January 8th, 2016. The students took part in a full day of theatre activities taught by professionals who are leading the field in theatre education. They each chose two hands-on workshops. Among the choices were the following: Musical Theatre Audition Techniques with Eric Diamond, professor at Montclair State University, who worked with students in groups and individually on the choice and interpretation of vocal selections; Musical Theatre Performance with Broadway Actress Janet Saia from “Phantom of the Opera”, who taught the students the Phantom Story by being given the opportunity to sing and dance a portion of the "Masquerade" scene from Act II of the Broadway Show; Theatre Make-Up techniques, led by Pearleta N. Price/Thelma Pollard from Phantom of the Opera and founding members for the Broadway Division of Local 798) who taught the participants how to earn money in non-performance areas of theatre, how to turn make-up into a fantasy style and how to use make-up to create theatrical cuts and bruises; Devising acting Techniques, led by Robin Irwin a professor of Theatre at Montclair State University, who taught the participants how to explore methods of “Devised Theatre”, by creating small scenes through structured group improvisation, movement, and paired interviews.
This has been an amazing opportunity for our students, who had a chance to work alongside other Hudson County performing arts students and take workshops with theater professionals. They all found the workshops insightful and challenging, and are looking forward to more next year.
The Hudson County Alliance of Teen Artists is funded by the Hudson County Division of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourist Development, Thomas A. DeGise, County Executive and Board of Chosen Freeholders, New Jersey Dept. of Education Interim Executive County Superintendent, Monica M. Tone, and the Hudson County Superintendents Round Table; North Bergen Board of Education, Secaucus Board of Education and Bayonne Board of Education; and New Jersey City University.
