TeenLab Archives

November - December 2011:  Our third year of TeenLab

Local students take the spotlight as “TeenLab,” Key City Public Theatre’s annual youth education program, presents its class performances on Monday, December 12 and Tuesday, December 13 at 7:00 p.m. at Key City Playhouse.

These performances will be the culmination of a month-long intensive in both writing and acting under the guidance of director Amy Sousa. This year’s students — all veterans of previous TeenLabs— are Carley Davies, Rosa Davies, and Raquel Noltemeier.

“Because they have worked together in previous years, the trust and openness between these students was immediate. I wanted to challenge them to see if, instead of short skits, they could write an entire play.”

Theater-goers will see a work written entirely by these three young writers, and performed by them with the help of several guest actors both young and old.

Director Sousa received a degree in theater from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and studied at the Stella Adler Conservatory. She has also taught at KCPT’s Summer Theatre Camps and Theatre Adventure Club for younger ages.

General admission is $10, students $5. Advance tickets are available here online, or by calling the KCPT offices at 379-0195.

Teenlab 2011 performances:

-- Monday Dec 12 at 7:00 p.m.

-- Tuesday Dec 13 at 7:00 p.m.

Key City Playhouse is located at 419 Washington Street, Port Townsend.
 

October - November 2010:  Our second year of TeenLab

For 2010, TeenLab classes will begin Tuesday Oct 26. 

Once again, Charlie Bethel will direct the program.  (Bethel appeared as Calaban in this past summer's production of "The Tempest," and will also present his one-man show "Seven Poor Travellers" as part of our Holiday Sampler in December.)

TeenLab is for ages 13-19.

This month-long intensive is part master class, part production result. Student artists write, develop and perform their own collaboration.

Acting lessons -- Writing sessions -- and the unique experience of performing new, self-created work together. TeenLab opens a way for heightened self-expression and the employment of new skill sets for the young artist.

Comments from 2010 TeenLab participants

"Magic!!"      "I never knew how fun it would be to sit in a room with other people and write stories."

"Every year Fall rolls around and my ears are filled with the scratching noise of pencils on paper.

I never really write, but when TeenLab comes, creativity sky rockets."

"This is my second year in TeenLab and I have enjoyed it just as much as the first time.

It is always fun to hang out with the people, and the work is more like play!"

"TeenLab is a memorable experience that encourages me in every way.

Self confidence, writing skills, acting, and being who I am are things I get to portray in every session."

"I have been steered into a new writing genre, which has been fun,

hard, experimental, and occasionally irritating."

<<   2009 TeenLab participant Freeman Luoma went on to play the lead role in "Mickey" at the Fourteenth Annual Playwrights' Festival and appeared in "The Seagull" in April of 2010.

2009 TeenLab participant Kellyn Traenkenschuh appeared in "The Seagull" and received a KCPT Scholarship Award in 2010.   >>

Our TeenLab program is generously sponsored by GPM, Inc.

2010 TeenLab performances were held:

-- Saturday Nov 20 at 8:00 p.m.

-- Sunday Nov 21 at 2:30 p.m.

 

October 2009:  Our premiere TeenLab monologues at Key City Playhouse

Key City Public Theatre puts the spotlight on local students as “TeenLab,” its new youth education program takes the stage on Fri. Oct. 16 and Sat. Oct. 17 at 7:00 p.m. and Sun. Oct 18 at 2:30 p.m. at Key City Playhouse.

Eight young writer/actors will perform their own monologues under the guidance of visiting artist and director Charlie Bethel, who has been impressed with the stories they have to tell.

“As they write, my job is to help them say what they want to say, focusing on the desire and conflict in their stories,” comments Bethel. “Then, when we put the monologues ‘on their feet,’ I can help them use acting techniques to share their heartfelt words with bravery and enthusiasm.”

The students are Alanna Dailey, Carly Davies, Rosa Davies, Freeman Luoma, Tanner Matthew, Jason Noltemeier, Mason Stan and Kellyn Traenkenschuh.

One monologue recounts the adventures of a Viking ambushed by aliens. Another tells a tale of murder that evolves into a contest of riddles. Yet another rewrites those moments in our life when, hours later, we realize what we “should’ve said.”