Saturday, August 2, 2025 | 10:00 AM-9:30 PM
Crane River Theater is excited to present our Center Stage Workshop – August 2nd, 2025!
Center Stage is the perfect way to kick-start your ’25-’26 One-Act, Speech, and Performing Arts season with advice from professional artists and educators.
Nebraska high school students will get an opportunity to see a professional production of Legally Blonde the Musical at the Merryman Performing Arts Center, and take part in a series of theatrical workshops led by industry professionals and members of the cast and crew.
Early bird registration is offered until May 30th for just $65 per student, with regular registration available until July 15 for $95 per student. Teachers and faculty are invited to attend at a reduced cost of just $25. If you cannot attend with your students, parents and chaperones are also welcome to serve as a sponsor for students attending. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity since it is sure to be an invaluable experience for any student with an interest in the arts!
Itinerary
9:30-10:00 AM – Registration Check-In
10:00-10:15 AM – Welcome
10:15-10:45 AM – Keynote Speaker – Anthony Norman, Broadway Artist
10:45-11:00 AM – Break/Transition
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Workshop Sesssion #1 – Acting Out, Whipped Into Shape, The Director, Improv Comedy, Combat
12:00-12:15 PM – Break/Transition
12:15-1:15PM – Lunch provided by Crane River Theater
1:15-1:30 PM – Break/Transition
1:30-2:30 PM – Workshop Session #2 – The Playwright, Improv Comedy, Get the Part, Combat for the Stage, Acting Out
2:30-2:45 PM – Break/Transition
2:45-3:45 PM – Workshop Session #3 – Whipped into Shape, Combat for the Stage, Accents and Dialects, Acting Out, Ultimate Design Workshop
3:45-4:00 PM – Break/Transition
4:00-5:00 PM – Closing Session
5:00-6:30 PM – Dinner Break (on your own)
6:30 PM – House Opens
7:00-9:30 PM – Legally Blonde the Musical Performance at the Merryman Performing Arts Center
Workshops
Combat for the Stage
Want to know the basics of how to make a fight look real on stage? Students will learn how to successfully execute an unarmed fight with slaps, punches, kicks, and more. Gain knowledge of how to trust your partner and fight safely, while incorporating motivation and characterization. Time permitting, students will also be introduced into basic sword fighting skills.
Whipped Into Shape
This high-energy workshop will explore movement for musical theater, basic dance technique, sequencing and style. Participants will be led through an introductory warm up and then learn original choreography to excerpts from Broadway’s most popular shows. Previous dance training is not required.
Improv Comedy
Who doesn’t love to laugh? In this workshop, we will focus on the core skills of improv comedy in a fun and sociable way. You’ll learn a number of games that will help you develop scenes and create characters within seconds. We will spontaneously create theater through listening rather than thinking, from allowing rather than forcing, and from being fully present in the moment.
Accents and Dialects
Jump on a flight around the world as we explore the entertaining world of accents. Through the use of the international phonetic alphabet, participants will learn the basic tricks of the trade to create convincing British and Southern dialects. You will even have a chance to bring these characters to life with comedic scenes incorporating the accents.
Broadway Bound
An advanced exploration of the musical theater voice and how to knowledgeably approach the music and lyrics of any song both as an actor and musician. Emphasis will be placed on producing a healthy sound with dynamics that have the emotional capability to move audiences. Participants are encouraged to bring a prepared song to be workshopped during the session.
The Playwright
Find the playwright within yourself in this interactive workshop. Participants will explore the creative process and broaden their skills in storytelling. Bring forth your unique voice with a series of exercises that will reveal a roadmap to the wonders and revelations of the unconscious mind.
Get the Part
It all begins with the audition! Participants will be taken through the basics of any audition process, whether it be for your school musical, college scholarships, or professional opportunities. We will go step by step on how to choose material that showcases your strengths, perform your selections with confidence and believability, and ultimately land the part.
Acting Out
What gives life to a play is action. It’s the action which gives life to the words. Without the action, a play is no more than a story we can read from a book. In this workshop we will find the action that motivates relationships, enriches dialogue and informs the audience of what’s at stake.
Ultimate Design Workshop
Anyone with an interest in designing for the theater will benefit from this workshop. Our team of professional designers will share with participants the essential elements of scenic, lighting and costume design. They will walk you through a step by step process of how to draft the set for your next production, light the stage in a way that conveys atmosphere and costume your actors in a way that compliments the overall vision of the show.
Directing
A good director must always tell a story. This workshop will empower the director with the tools to effectively communicate with actors and designers to create a unified vision that will translate the script to the stage. The rehearsal process is all about timing. It is important to allow time for creation and development, but the director must then focus that energy into a centralized concept that will allow the story to come to life. We will talk about various exercises that will foster character development and allow your actors to find the action behind the dialogue.
*Faculty members and student directors are encouraged to take part.
Questions?
If you have any questions about Center Stage or how to register, contact Crane River Theater at info@cranerivertheater.org or call 308-627-5976.