Roots&Branches brings their intergenerational theatre to the conference

It's not too late to attend the Senior Theatre Program at the upcoming ATHE conference! It will be held on August 8-11, 2009 in New York at the Marriott Marquis Hotel.

Over twenty speakers and performing groups are on the slate, addressing:

Intergenerational Theatre: Blending Ages/Creating Connections: When young and old are brought together with theatre, magic happens! Learn how to blend the generations using theatre and avoid the many pitfalls.

Roots&Branches in performance: The group presents interactive shows with theatre and dialogue weaving seamlessly to inspire audiences to think and feel more deeply about the power and value of connections between the generations.

Voiceovers Are Ageless! Cash in on this golden opportunity for actors and speakers and launch a new you!

LifeWriting and Social Issues in Performance: Theatre is a dynamic tool for risky messages such as intergenerational conflict and Alzheimer's Disease. Learn how to do it!

Performances From Grass Roots to Professional: Whether amateur or professional, performances from these companies delight and inspire!

New Innovations: When you take a risk, innovation often develops. Learn how these innovators re-examined directing, marketing, play selection, and more. They discovered new, break-the-mold methods that are successful and adaptable.

What's Up in the Senior Theatre Focus Group: Learn about the Focus Group and how you can contribute to the Focus Group's goals, leadership and future plans. Plus a discussion of Senior Theatre news and trends.

Theatre and Music as a Tool for Wellness: Theatre and music touch people while they improve the participant's physical, mental, and spiritual health. Learn from directors who work in a variety of settings and discover their innovative techniques.

Oral History and LifeWriting in Performance: Oral History and LifeWriting as performance brings clarity to the performers and gives insight to the audience while it explores risky topics. The process is fulfilling; the product is enriching.

Make plans to attend!

Our booth at AACTFest

AACTFest, presented by the Washington State Community Theatre Association, met in Tacoma last week. The event brought over 600 community theatre enthusiasts, advocates, and performers together to celebrate the power of theatre.

Senior Citizen's Theatre Troupe of Lifelong performed at the Tompkins County Public Library on June 11. This is the sixth season for the group that performs stories from their lives. Using improvisation, the group develops vignettes and plays, and still with an element of improvisation, they perform the stories. The players were the characters, the scenery, and the props. The troupe has performed for large and small audiences at senior centers, nursing homes, and other nonprofit agencies. Click here to learn more about how to create theatre from memories.

Buddy Powell's Commercial Acting for Older Adults class begins on July 6 in Los Angeles. Many of his students are finding success. In the last month alone, class members were cast in Entourage, General Hospital and in a Lenny Kravitz video. Click here for more details.

The Vagabond Players focus on high production values, even with their costumes

Two thousand and nine is turning out to be a memorable year for The Vagabond Players, and not just because it's the troupe's fifth anniversary year.

In January, The Vagabond Players was chosen as the resident theatre company of El Campanil Theatre in Antioch, 50 miles east of San Francisco. The five plays that director and founder Sharon Redman stages each year will appear four or five times in the recently restored 700-seat theater. Busloads of Northern California senior center members will attend mid-week matinees there.

Then, the company received a $20,000 grant from the Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation followed by a matching grant of $10,000 from the Thomas J. Long Foundation.

On June 12, The group presented The Sound of Music using the talents of the El Campanil's Children's Theatre.

The Vagabond Players has presented over 225 performances. The company tours extensively and has developed a fine reputation for high quality shows. Check them out!