Theater Fall Pre-Orientation Program


Each year we invite those First-Year students who have expressed an interest in theater to join us for a three day pre-orientation program immediately preceeding college orientation. Students have all agreed that this has been the best possible introduction to Skidmore's Theater Department.
Pre-Orientation is a wonderful opportunity to get to know one another, meet the faculty, and to find out about all of the opportunites in the department. We have discovered that students enrolled in this program become fully engaged in all of the activities of the department as soon as the semester begins.
The Skidmore College Department of Theater is committed to the principles of liberal arts studies. All of our productions are informed by our studies in other disciplines.

Whenever we produce a seminar or studio production we seek to combine the intellectual and practical aspects of theater production as fully as possible. Students participate in a weekly seminar class through which the production work is synthesized with the liberal arts. These seminars deal with the study of pertinent theatrical, literary, philosophical, social, political, and economic aspects of the play and its themes. We often involve guest speakers, many of whom teach in other disciplines on campus.

During Pre-Orientation we hope to introduce new students to these important principles.
The program is run by faculty members of the Skidmore Theatre assisted by sophomore and junior peer advisors who have become committed theatre students.

Here are the Scheduled Activites for Last Year's Program

  • Introduction and theatre games with Marie Glozbach.
  • Introduction to the Skidmore Theater Program and Tour of the Theater
  • Discussions with faculty members from the Theater and other departments about the department's fall productions
  • Scene work based upon the two fall productions - Carolyn Anderson, Alma Becker, Will Bond, Kate Kelly and Lary Opitz explore the staging of scenes with groups of students.
  • Audition workshop. Kate Kelly and Lary Opitz give some helpful tips to students planning to audition this semester.
  • Visit to Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox, Massachusetts to see their current production. In the past we've seen The Taming of the Shrew, Othello, and The Merry Wives of Windsor. In 2007 we'll be seeing Antony and Cleopatra.
  • Theater Company Meeting. An introduction to Skidmore's unique organization for producing theatre.
  • Theater Dinner.

This year our Pre-Orientation Program will begin on Thursday, August 30th and end on Saturday, September 1st.
We will focus on our fall productions of Anton Chekhov's THE CHERRY ORCHARD and Naomi Iizuka's ALOHA, SAY THE PRETTY GIRLS.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2007
THURS., AUG. 30, 10:00am – 1:00 pm Sign in at Case Center
Secure IDs, residence hall keys, vehicle registration and meal plan
Skidmore Shop open 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
THURS., AUG. 30, 1:00 – 2:00 pm Lunch on your own! (either downtown or Case Center)
THURS., AUG. 30, 2:00 – 2:45 pm President’s Welcome – Gannett Auditorium, Palamountain
THURS., AUG. 30, 2:45 – 4:00 pm
BE ON TIME!!		 Peer Advisors and group theater exercises – with Marie Glotzbach
JKB theater
THURS., AUG. 30, 4:00-5:00 pm Family Free Time
THURS., AUG. 30, 5:00-6:00 pm College-wide Barbeque dinner Porter Plaza - Case Center
THURS., AUG. 30, 6:30 - 7:00 PM Introduction to Theater Pre-orientation Weekend and Theater Faculty with discussion about Skidmore Theater – our missions, our goals, your learning goals in Theater.
Lary Opitz, Professor and Chair of the Theater Department JKB Theater
THURS., AUG. 30, 7:00 pm Meet in the Lobby - Tour of the JKB theater
THURS., AUG. 30, 7:15 - 9:30 pm AUDITIONS: PROCESS, TIPS, and COACHING – Black Box
Bring a memorized, contemporary, 2-minute monologue. We will talk about the audition process at Skidmore and help you with your monologue
FRI., AUG. 31, 7:15 – 9:30 am Breakfast in The Spa
FRI., AUG. 31, 9:45 – 10:45 am Collaboration and Community: Creating Theater (Alma Becker, Carolyn Anderson, Gary Wilson, Doug Seldin, Samantha Read or Angelica Thornhill)
The theatre artist’s perspective.
FRI., AUG. 31, 11:00 – 11:45 am A preview of ANTONY & CLEOPATRA
Lary Opitz, Professor & Theater Dept. Chair
JKB mainstage theater
FRI., AUG. 31, 11:45 am Bus trip to Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox, Mass.
(We will be loading the bus Upstate Tour bus in the back of the JKB building)
Peer advisors will be joining us. BOX LUNCHES provided for all.
FRI., AUG. 31, 3:00 pm Production of ANTONY & CLEOPATRA at Shakespeare & Co., Lenox, Mass.
FRI., AUG. 31, about 6:00 - 7:30 pm Dinner in Lenox
FRI., AUG. 31, about 7:30 pm Bus trip back to Saratoga Springs from Lenox, Mass
FRI., AUG. 31, about 9:00 pm FREE TIME
SAT., SEPT. 1, 8:30 - 9:15 am Breakfast - dining hall
SAT., SEPT. 1, 9:30 - 10:30 am PANEL: ALOHA, SAY THE PRETTY GIRLS
Perspectives and Open Discussion
With Carolyn Anderson, Professor, Dept. of Theater
Panel Guests will include Beth Gershuny (Dept. of Psychology) JKB Theater
SAT., SEPT. 1, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm Exploring ALOHA, SAY THE PRETTY GIRLS
Group projects, scenes, acting exercises
Theater Faculty: Alma Becker, Carolyn Anderson, Will Bond, Lary Opitz
SAT., SEPT. 1, 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Lunch
SAT., SEPT. 1, 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm PANEL: THE CHERRY ORCHARD Perspectives and Open Discussion
With Alma Becker, Senior Artist-In-Residence
Panel Guests will include Kate Graney (Dept. of Government)
JKB Theater
SAT., SEPT. 1, 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm Exploring THE CHERRY ORCHARD
Group projects, scene work, acting exercises
Theater Faculty: Alma Becker, Carolyn Anderson, Will Bond, Lary Opitz
SAT., SEPT. 1, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Theater Company Meeting for First-Year Students
David Yergan, Technical Director, Theater Manager
JKB mainstage theater
SAT., SEPT. 1, 6:30 pm PRE-ORIENTATION CATERED DINNER
We will have tables and chairs set up inside the Lobby of the JKB

 

CALL 580-5430 or 580-5431 WITH QUESTIONS AND FOR ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Back to Top

 Home

 

 Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theatre
Phone: (518) 580-5430  |  Fax: (518) 580-5444  |  kmendenh@skidmore.edu