Written by Baylie Hoffman (they/she)
The SLT Academy Summer workshops have been in full effect this summer, starting with grades 1st through 7th. This year’s workshops are taught by the one and only, Academy Alumni and Point Park University Musical Theatre Student, Logan Johnson. Logan keeps these kids joyous and busy with all sorts of theatre fun.
“It’s been such a joy for me to be able to revisit much of what I’d learned my first year of schooling at Point Park, especially with a group this excited and enthusiastic. Throughout the week, I worked with student’s 1st – 7th grade on group warmups, practices of acting and improvisation, ensemble building, and monologues. Not only were students receptive but they were eager to creatively build upon what I gave them. For example, their addition of props and costuming in their open scenes exercise led to fully improvising and writing their own plays!” says Logan Johnson.
These classes are full of exciting group games, improv, acting exercises, theatre tech tour, and more! These kids learn to think on their feet and work together as a team. From the ARTE 100 level, student Anastasia Cauley, (age 8, almost 9 she clarifies) states she joined theatre to try something new and ended up loving it. “My favorite part is interacting with other kids and making new friends. Someday maybe I’ll be an actress and make money.” In the ARTE 200 group, 11-year-old student Kyler Bosko, states he has been in theater for four years and initially his mom forced him to do it, but he ended up loving it. He loves the responsibility of performing and taking summer improv classes. Artistic Director, Eric Morelli, states “The summer workshops are a great chance for our students to take a break from preparing for shows to focus on essential performance skills. Having Logan, a former Academy student and current Point Park Music Theatre major, leading the classes brings youthful enthusiasm to the program.”
By the end of the first weeks of workshop, Logan Johnson says, “I’m so proud of all that we were able to accomplish and create together over the course of the week. I’m overjoyed in, now, playing my part here to cultivate a positive space for growth and belonging for these students—a space that had led me to fall in love with the theatre back when I was in these same programs. I knew I’d done my job when I heard, ‘I wish this was every week this summer!’”
From August 7 -11, 2023, grades 8th through 12th will be able to participate in the excitement. Learn more here about registration.
