Ivy Tech provides theatre workshops to students at New Tech High School

Students to perform their works in the Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center Rose Firebay

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 7, 2011

Ivy Tech began working with two English classes at New Tech High School on Oct. 24 to teach them about theatre production. Jeffery Allen, theatre professional and assistant director of Ivy Tech’s Center for Lifelong Learning, provided technical support, workshops, and advice to New Tech students over the course of six weeks.

“This is an activity of the Ivy Tech/Bloomington Playwrights Project Youth Education partnership, so the students had the benefit of learning about all aspects of theatre production,” Allen said. “They researched the different aspects of a professional theatre company – marketing, artistic direction, construction and everything in-between.”

“This theatre activity at New Tech High School is yet another example of the college’s commitment to provide comprehensive educational opportunities for students,” said John Whikehart, Chancellor of Ivy Tech’s Bloomington campus.

New Tech students adapted the plays Macbeth and Richard III into modern contexts, and created a theatre company as a class project.

Both English classes visited the Ivy Tech Waldron for a Q&A session about technical theatre, directing, and the best way to rehearse. Students refined and revised their work, and beginning on Dec. 12, will be at the Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center to put together their productions.

New Tech students present their finished work for only friends and family in the Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center Rose Firebay on Thursday, Dec. 15.

Allen came to Ivy Tech after working for six and half years as the producing artistic director for Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theatre in Middletown, CT. He is originally from Cleveland, OH, where he served as director of education at Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT). Before working at CPT, he spent four seasons with Great Lakes Theater in their education outreach program. Allen is a member of the Lincoln Center Theatre Directors Lab and Actors’ Equity Association. He received training from the National Guild for Community Arts Education, and holds a degree from Baldwin-Wallace College in OH.

The Center for Lifelong Learning Spring 2012 continuing education course catalog will be available on Tuesday, Dec. 13. Look for it in newspapers and at drop locations around town.

For more information about Ivy Tech/BPP Youth Education program classes or other Center for Lifelong Learning offerings, log on www.ivytech.edu/CLL or call (812) 330-6041.