Theatre or Drama Anyone?

[Tattooed Goddess]

I'm sure there is no shortage of drama...j/k but i had no where else to ask this. My daughter starts a full-time month long theatre and drama workshop on Tuesday at our performing arts center. They will be working on Tortoise and the Hare as their final performance.

She is 8 years old. She is very shy but also a great performer when she has small audiences. She has a great singing voice also. Loves costuming and make up, designing backdrops and anything she can use for vignettes when she's doing this at home. In fact, we are working on some really cool looks for our Lady Gaga inspired outfits for the Monster Ball Tour.

She cried for an hour when i told her about what we signed her up for and then later got really excited when she found out they would be doing theatrical make up and costumes. She thought they were going to make her sing in front of large audiences on stage by herself.

I'm really excited about this and i don't care what little part she does have or even if she just plays the role of a background tree. I hope it motivates her to enjoy being a part of something and help with her shyness and desire to perform and bring out emotions in the audience. I will keep you posted on how this goes if i get a response from people who also have a history in this sort of venue.

 

[798686]

Sounds lovely, Rouge. Will do her good - and help her to grow more confident in different situations. Sounds like being slightly behind the scenes is her thing at the moment tho (set design, etc)?

I was never involved in drama and stuff - but had to do orchestra performances which got me used to being on stage, which can be really helpful in later life.

Good luck to her, hope she loves it!

 

[nudeyorker]

When I was a teacher I worked at a Drama Camp one summer. The good ones are really geared toward learning the children's strengths and weakness's so that they always have a comfort level zone and as they get older and/or more confident allowing them to explore new horizons. A friend of mine at the camp wrote part of her master's thesis on child development on the concept of "Giving Children Roots And Wings."
I suspect your daughter will really thrive in a program like this since she already really enjoys most of the concepts of the programs. Once she is comfortable with the program and her new audience I'm sure she will excel.

 

[D_Tim McGnaw]

It's interesting how many children with shyness get involved in drama actually. As a kid I was trained to sing, and played the double bass, and was always streamed in to art and drama by adults who clearly knew I was gay long long before I did. I wasn't shy, I was introverted, but I had no problem being social and was confident around people. But I attended drama classes and summer schools with plenty of less gregarious children who seemed to find drama a real outlet and who seemed to be able to express themselves via the fantasy and makebelieve of acting and being on stage, and who in many cases could be larger than life in front of an audience while finding it difficult to push themselves to the fore off stage.

It's a great thing that your daughter has found something like drama to help her explore her public persona, it'll be really good for her, especially if it helps her also explore the inner universe of imagination which is often such a pronounced gift in less forward children.

 

[798686]

A friend of mine at the camp wrote part of her master's thesis on child development on the concept of "Giving Children Roots And Wings."

I agree with this - having sure foundations certainly gives u the security to go out and explore new horizons.

 

[B_Lightkeeper]

I started out in radio (behind a microphone) which made me a little shy in front of a group. Later on theatre work gave me a chance to appear before people. I highly recommend acting/drama classes for children.

NO beauty pageants though for toddlers.

 

[flame boy]

I think theatre workshops are a great idea for kids. It teaches them how to interact, it encourages creative thinking and it builds confidence. I suspect your kid will have a great time once she gets to make a few friends there.

 

[luka82]

I think theatre workshops are a great idea for kids. It teaches them how to interact, it encourages creative thinking and it builds confidence. I suspect your kid will have a great time once she gets to make a few friends there.

Yeah. Funny thing how many towns in Serbia had those workshops, and recently they have closed. They use THE LACK OF MONEY as an excuse. But many prominent Serbian actors came from such workshops and they always praise them in their interviews. And they often say how closed as kids they were before entering them. Just a bloody shame:frown1:

 

[CUBE]

If you have the time I would drive by the venue and walk around with her. Even if you can't get inside, just walking around the area before hand can help the first day nerves. I have tons of experience with this type of stuff. She will have a good time.

 

[Calboner]

Theater can be a great palliative and release for the shy. I don't know if it's any cure. I know an actor who can totally own a stage but who is so reticent in off-stage life that he is practically invisible unless he is with a small number of friends. But in any case, it's an occasion to make some new acquaintances and perhaps even friends.

 

[Tattooed Goddess]

Yeah. Funny thing how many towns in Serbia had those workshops, and recently they have closed. They use THE LACK OF MONEY as an excuse. But many prominent Serbian actors came from such workshops and they always praise them in their interviews. And they often say how closed as kids they were before entering them. Just a bloody shame:frown1:

This one you have to pay for your child to enter. It's a very reasonable price given how many hours a day x 5 days a week for a whole month your child will be there.