Participants in 4th- 8th grade will come for an afternoon of acting challenges and games at the Joseph P. Spencer Studio for the Arts (120 Jessie St., Manhattan, IL). Each activity will be lead by experienced theatre educators (Emily Miller-Amato, Joe Amato, Meg Seth) and will help participants build their theatre skills. Sunday, April 26th, from 1:00 - 5:00, with a performance for families immediately following. No experience or materials needed. Just come to learn. $50 fee for the day. 

Tentative schedule:

• 1:00 - 1:45-
  • Ice-breakers and improv games
• 1:45 - 2:15
  • Acting challenge 1: Build an original character
• 2:15 - 2:30
  • Break
• 2:30 - 3:00
  • Acting Challenge: Write a collaborative play with your new characters along the with the other participants
  • The play will be a single scene of about 10 - 15 minutes in length.
• 3:00 - 3:30
  • Acting challenge: Costume the characters with items already in our costume storage area
• 3:30 - 3:45
  • Break
• 3:45 - 4:45
  • Make adjustments/edits to the play, and rehearse
• 4:45 - 5:00
  • Break/prepare for performance
• 5:00
  • Family performance

Spotlight Arts Collective Developing Artist program provides aspiring actors and actresses interactive educational and live theatre experiences through a wide array of performing and fine arts events. Our mission is to ignite passion in developing actors by providing safe, secure, and highly professional theater experiences that increase creativity, build self esteem, enhance collaborative skills, and nourish imagination on and off the stage. The creative endeavors of Spotlight continue to raise money for charities, scholarships, and other philanthropic pursuits in the community.