NBYT Teen Company to Offer Production and Design Workshops

Thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, NBYT is offering a series of Theater Production and Design Workshops to ages 12 through 18. An eight-week series will begin on October 13, and a ten-week series will begin in January.

The workshops are a way for teens to learn more about directing, producing, set and lighting design, costume design, make-up effects, and more about all of the elements that go into getting a show on stage. We’ll answer questions like:

• How does a director analyze a script and work with designers and technical staff?
• What is a costume plot? How about a lighting plot or CAD drawings?
• How do designers use color, pattern and style to create a mood, time, and place?
• How does a make-up artist create different character looks and special effects?
• How does a producer bring it all together and estimate how much the show will cost?

Although design, production and technical theater are must-know subjects for anyone interested in directing, producing and work behind-the-scenes, a little knowledge also gives actors an edge whether they’re working with community theaters or going on to professional careers on stage.

The workshops will be offered on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to noon at Trinity-on-Main in downtown New Britain. Cost for the eight-week series is only $40 when prepaid—five bucks for each two hour class! Individual workshops may also be taken at $10 for a single class in producing, directing, make-up or lighting; two-week workshops in set design and costume design are offered for $15.

Here is the schedule of weekly topics:

• Production Management — October 13
• Directing — October 20
• Make-up Design — October 27 (Just in time for Halloween! Like that?)
• Lighting Design — November 3 (POSTPONED TO December 15)
• Set Design — November 10 & 17
• Costume Design — December 1 & 8

Each individual workshop will include some script analysis (using an upcoming NBYT production or another of each student’s choice), a little discussion about what goes into each project, and a lot of hands-on activities! Anyone with a little knowledge or none at all about theater is welcome to attend!

For more information and registration information, please call 860-515-8115 or email info@nbyt.org.