Two new after-school programs in songwriting and acting will begin the week of September 20 at The Ridgefield Playhouse as part of its 10-year anniversary season. Ridgefield’s own Emmy award-winning musician Kevin Briody, considered one of Connecticut’s best and most talented songwriters, composes music that is narrative and filled with vivid, pastoral imagery yet is cinematic in scope and infused with useful wisdom. Eight one-hour sessions offered Mondays beginning on September 20 will run through November 15 (no class on Columbus Day, October 11th).
Classes for 6th – 8th graders are 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.; classes for 4th – 5th graders are 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Students will learn how to structure their ideas and develop melody, lyrics and instrumentation. They will even record their original songs. Cost for the songwriting class is $240.
The Baylor Master Class in acting will be taught by actor/ writer/ director Beau Gravitte whose Broadway credits include “The Light in the Piazza” and television appearances on “The Good Wife,” “ Gossip Girl” and “Law and Order SVU”. Gravitte is a member of the Board of Directors of The Actors Studio in New York and will be using his professional experience to teach the fundamentals of character development, focusing on finding the truth in fun and creative moments on stage. Eight one-hour and forty- five minute sessions will begin Tuesday, September 21, and run through November 16 (no class on November 2, Election Day). Classes for 6th-8th graders (12 years or older) are 3:30 -5:15 pm, and 6:00 -7:45 pm for high school students. Class size is limited so auditions are mandatory. Prospective acting students should prepare a short monologue; auditions will be held Tuesday, September 7, 3:30-5:30 pm at the Playhouse. Cost for the master class in acting is $360.
For more information about The Ridgefield Playhouse, call the box office at 203-438-5795 or go online at ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a not-for-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT.
