WAM Theatre holds free Fall workshops with artists and community members, as WAM’s teaching artists experiment with techniques of devised theater as a form that encourages empowered creative expression.
The first two free theatre workshops are: Devising Theatre for Strength & Resiliency with Priscilla Kane Hellweg on September 23 at the WAM Theatre Hub in Lenox and Devising Theatre Online with Nicole Orabona on September 30 over Zoom.
“Devised theatre” is a performance method where the play is “invented” by the performers, rather than constructed from a written script. The process is collaborative, and people use a variety of techniques—which might include writing, improvisation, games, movement and brainstorming—to create original work.
Unlike purely improvised shows, devised theatre uses activities to come up with material that the group then shapes into a planned performance. Each workshop in WAM’s Fall series offers members the opportunity to engage with theatrical storytelling and community building connections, using a variety of devising practices. These afternoon workshops are free and open to all, regardless of experience level.
“Bringing our community together through devised theater is a natural fit for WAM,” says WAM Theatre Teaching Artist and new Director of Community Engagement Maizy Scarpa. “Not only is it a fantastic tool for imaginative storytelling but it’s also a communal practice, which makes it a powerful conduit for activism. Instead of bringing a written script to life, the devising process brings a group’s ideas, imaginations, fears, and dreams into three-dimensional space. Once there, the ensemble can choose what to explore, celebrate, question, and center.”
Devised Theatre for Strength and Resiliency with Priscilla Kane Hellweg will take place in person at the WAM Creative Hub in downtown Lenox. Hellweg will guide the group through devised theatre exercises to imagine a better tomorrow. Drawing upon collective ideas, hopes, experiences, and practices, the group will create a distilled performance of theater, dance, and rhythm.
Devising Theatre Online with Nicole Orabona takes place on the following Saturday, September 30. Aimed at those wanting to expand their artistic practice and connect digitally with a greater sphere of collaborators, this program is entirely online and facilitated over Zoom.
Orabona will lead improvisation and collaboration activities to explore the process of creating art and connecting through digital platforms. While this workshop will be taught through the lens of theater, creative artists of other disciplines–– as well as anyone ready to discover their creativity–– are welcome to participate. People with barriers to in-person workshops (whether due to health, scheduling, transportation or other reasons), and those curious about virtual collaboration are encouraged to take advantage of this unique workshop.