The Ingenue Theatre Ensemble is a City of
Akron, city wide youth drama ensemble created to provide its participants and audiences
with an intellectually stimulating and imaginative experience in theatre. Our goal is
accessibility, education, ingenuity and enlightenment through experience. In this theatre
you will find no shining star, but a constellation of brilliance- a self perpetuating
wonder of unique individuals working together to create an inspiration and wonder that
could never be achieved in solitude. In this theatre, if you can imagine, and you can
trust, anything can be accomplished- anything is possible and everything is attainable.
The Ingenue Theatre Ensemble provides an intelligent,
imaginative approach to theatre for children ages three to seventeen. We provide our
participants with a non competitive, learning atmosphere in which they are encouraged to
develop self esteem and build character. Productions are cast without auditions, based
entirely on participant availability and a lottery system. Cast size has varied from
thirty to seventy participants.
Productions are exceptionally educational. Material is
primarily classic drama and comedy (Shakespeare, Marlowe, etc.), reinterpretation of myth
and fairy tale, or an occasional presentation of completely original material.
Through experience, the ensemble teaches and promotes
respect, individual growth, team work, empathy, competency, responsibility, dependability,
open mindedness, delayed gratification, courtesy, and strength of spirit. We provide the
theoretical realm in which the student, the actor, and the audience may learn and
experience life and its lessons through characters, so that they may become more
empathetic and sensitive to the lives and struggles of others in the world around us.
Ingenue Theatre Ensemble November 4 & 5
The performance at Musica went extremely well. We had a big crowd both nights and
received great reviews. WKYC was by on Wednesday and we were in Kerry Clawson's column on
Thursday. We will be in Cleveland next weekend at the Orthadox church.
Ingénue Theatre Ensemble News Swing Dance October 24, 2005
On Monday, Sharon Smith and Victoria Fox (from Starmakers Performing Arts Center) came
to work with our actors to teach them to swing dance. The kids had a lot fun trying to
learn the moves. A little bit of hip-hop kept slipping its way in. They next day though,
they were a little sore after all the lifting and flipping.
Ingénue Theatre Ensemble October 20, 2005
At Thursday’s practice, we welcomed professional make-up artist Inda Blatch-Gieb.
She has done professional theatre make-up, costume and set design all over the world. She
also taught theatre at the University of Akron. Inda came to give us a lesson in stage
make-up. She taught us about blending color and following natural lines on the face. Since
our current production involves street people and substance abuse, she gave us tips on
highlights and shadowing to give our actors a believable street look. We also learned to
make convincing looking bruises. Then, we got to try the techniques on each other. It will
take some practice.
Ingénue Theatre Ensemble October 15, 2005
Ingenue Theatre Ensemble sponsored a Halloween Egg Haunt at
Forest Lodge. Children from two to ten showed up to find orange and black eggs the actors
had hidden all over the park.
Ingénue Theatre Ensemble News (Oct 2005)
On Saturday, October 8, the Ingenue cast headed out to Camp
Y-Noah to experience the Low Ropes course. Low Ropes is a series of team building
exercises that makes the participants think about the best way to work together to get
through each section. Even though it was a miserable rainy day, the crew was enthusiastic
and set out with their guide Copper. They started out discussing what traits they found
desirable in a team. After that they headed outside to get to know each other better by
playing a name game where they say their name, favorite play and a unique physical
movement. They soon headed up a trail into the woods to begin the course. The first
obstacle was a giant teeter totter that everyone had to balance on while singing a song
with out letting either side touch the ground. Two hours later, a tired wet group gathered
for lunch. Despite the weather, everyone agreed it was a lot of fun and they learned the
advantages of working together.
Ingénue Theatre Ensemble News (Oct 2005)
We are performing here in Akron on the 4th & 5th of
November, with an outreach show in Cleveland on the 11th and 12th of November. (see calendar for details)
Our program is a recreation program which does not audition
participants. Every fall we work with teens 13-17 so they get a more intensive,
introspective opportunity to experience theater in a very collaborative way. Our fall play
is a modernization of The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus. Faustus is a teenage
runaway, and all of the characters around her are adapted accordingly (i.e. the good/evil
angel is a bipolar schizophrenic, the archangels and fallen angels are street people and
junkies, etc.) It is opening up a lot of avenues for good talks and great experiences for
the cast, and hopefully audiences as well. Narcotics officers are coming to
rehearsals, Inda Blatch-Gieb is coming to teach a make-up class, we're volunteering at a
soup kitchen and we are doing character studies downtown at the bus stop.
please visit link(s) below:
past production photos
For more information contact:
Suzanne Graham - Grahasu@ci.akron.oh.us
Akron Recreation Bureau
(330) 375-2853
Recreation@ci.akron.oh.us |
