GARDINER — Johnson Hall’s summer theater program for youth has added classes for intermediate and advanced students and expanded the classes to six weeks in July and August.  For more information about how to register for SPARK please contact Johnson Hall at 582-7144 or visit the Johnson hall website at www.johnsonhall.org

Collin Miclon, a professional actor and physical comedian heads up the teaching staff and this year is join by his brother Shane, a world-class juggler and stage performer and Bukelwa Cunene, a recent graduate of the New York Conservatory of the Dramatic Arts.  This is the first year the SPARK program has had a completely professional staff.

The staff is dedicated to helping young people find what sparks their interest in the performing arts and giving them the best possible instruction to guide them along the way.  Spark offers three different classes that range from beginner  to advanced to meet the needs of students with a variety of skill levels.

Johnson Hall’s SPARK Beginner’s Camp launches  campers into the world of theater.  Campers will have fun exploring a wide variety of theater techniques and skills like mime, dance, improvisation, character work, voice training, juggling, sketch comedy and so much more. Beginner’s Camp also includes the fundamentals of the stage — from stage direction to team work to vocal projection. Campers will have great fun while learning how to present and perform.  The week will culminate with a variety show filled with newly learned skills for friends and family.  Session 1:  July 10 to July 14 -Ages 8-10 and Session 2:  July 17 to July 21 – Ages 10-12   

SPARK Creation Lab involves utilizing the basic skills taught in Beginner SPARK Camp, but where troupers will delve into the process of writing, creating, and performing a show. While the performance in Beginner Spark Camp is a fun showcase of skills and exercises, The Creation Lab show will go deeper and give troupers the opportunity to write sketches, develop characters, and choreograph original movement pieces. The Creation Lab will also incorporate the use of simple props and costumes and may even involve multimedia elements.  Session 1: July 24 to July 28  – Ages 10-12 and  Session 2: July 31 to Aug. 4  – Ages 12-14

The SPARK Advanced Workshop is for troupers looking to take the next step in creative development. The week will be a much more academic approach to theater than the Creation Lab but will still be fun, fast-paced and hands on. Over the course of the week troupers will create dozens of original pieces and have the opportunity to pick their favorites to perform in the end of the week show.    Session 1: Aug. 7 to Aug. 11 – Ages 11-13 and Session 2: Aug 14 to Aug. 18  – Ages 12-15

Collin Miclon is a variety performer and actor from Buckfield, currently living in Brooklyn, New York, and a graduate of The New York Conservatory for the Dramatic Arts, where he studied the Meisner acting technique, as well as in-depth voice and movement training. Collin has also studied for many years at The Celebration Barn Theater in South Paris, cultivating such skills as mime technique, improvisation, physical comedy, dance, ensemble devising, and many others. Collin has performed all over New England with Circus Smirkus, a traveling youth Circus based in Greensboro, Vermont, and continues to perform in New York as a juggler, stiltwalker and physical comedian.
 
Bukelwa Kunene is a British South African actor, born in Manzini Swaziland and raised in Nottingham United Kingdom. She has been acting for four years training first at Pinewood Studios in London and continued training at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts specializing  in the Meisner technique where she has recently graduated.
 
Shane Miclon has been juggling and performing for over 20 years.  He has done shows in 12 states as well as Quebec, Canada. Shane has performed with Marquise Productions, Cirque Mechanics, The Celebration Barn Theater Ensemble, and “Theorem” directed by Cirque du Soliel’s Greg Kennedy.  Shane is currently living in Brooklyn, New York, and has been seen on “Rachel Ray” and the Amazon Prime original “Mozart in the Jungle.” 

Theater staff includes Shane Miclon, left Collin Miclon and Bukelwa Cunene.
 

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