Professional Development for Educators

While the week is predominantly geared toward the developing theatre student, Festival also features Professional Development Intensives. PDIs are two-day interactive, hands-on opportunities for theatre educators to develop their arsenal of professional skills on topics ranging from directing, to costuming, to stage lighting design. PDIs can even allow attendees to advance a graduate degree or earn credit required for continuing education. For an additional fee, teachers can reserve a spot in a PDI when registering for ITF.

All PDIs willl be offered Wednesday, June 26 and Thursday, June 27 from 9 am - 12 pm.

Teaching Musical Theatre

Participants will learn and be able to apply fundamental skills of acting in musical theatre. Based solidly in widely used acting approaches, the exercises and skills in this PDI will help you both teach acting more effectively and bring those values to musical theatre performance.

Instructor: Joe Deer is chair of Wright State University’s Department of Theatre, Dance, and Motion Pictures, where he headed the musical theatre program for 20 years. He is a Broadway veteran performer, an internationally acclaimed director, and author of two books on acting and directing in musical theatre. His students regularly appear on Broadway, national tours, and international stages. He is also a former president of Thespian Troupe 2217, King High School, Tampa, Fla.

The Stanislavski Method: Finding Your Images

Explore Stanislavski’s concept of images through the lens of emotion and empathy. Engaging in activities based on Stanislavski’s art of experiencing, build your knowledge and repertoire with hands-on exercises that teach students to connect with real emotion and portray truth onstage. Explore how Stanislavski’s acting technique of emotional truth can expand and heighten the curriculum, performance, and human-emotional development in a theatre classroom.

Instructor: Christine Hopkins is director of education at Florida Studio Theatre. A New York native, she holds her B.S. in elementary education from SUNY Oneonta and her M.A. in educational theatre in colleges and communities from New York University. She is a certified teacher and has worked in the education departments of Goodspeed Musicals, Hartford Stage, and Camp Broadway. Additionally, Christine has directed more than 20 productions, written and published more than 15 educational guides for the theatre, and has appeared as a performer in venues including Madison Square Garden and Hartford Stage.

Something from Nothing: Devising with Students

How do you use the tools of devising to enhance classroom learning, artistry, and student engagement? Through hands-on activities and discussion, educators will be led through an example devising process based in the pedagogy of physical theatre teacher Jacques Lecoq, analyze the impact of devising on the teacher-student relationship, and strategize how to bring devising into their classroom. Sample lesson plans and devising activities will be provided.

Instructor: Karim Muasher is an Arab-American deviser, director, and teacher working at the intersection of education and performance. As founding co-artistic director of Animal Engine Theatre Company, he creates and tours original devised works inspired by classic stories. Notable productions include the four-time award-winning prairie love story Petunia and Chicken and the critically acclaimed Peter Pan retelling Darlings. He has taught at institutions including the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Guthrie Theater, Roundabout Theatre Company, Abrons Arts Center, International Thespian Festival, and Wingspan Arts. He is based in New York City.