New York: Theatre

April 22 - May 8

Langara College

Between April 22 and May 8, we’ll have four mornings of lectures and plays on film at Langara College, to cover drama and theatre before the 20^th century and to introduce students to analyzing texts and stage performance.  Students will also have a chance to work on assignments before flying to New York.

New York City

In the Big Apple, we won’t limit ourselves to Broadway: we’ll experience an exciting range of performance from street theatre to staged readings and plays-in-progress to Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway. Plays will likely include a mix of classics and cutting edge drama from the 20^th and 21^st-centuries: our curriculum will be determined by what is playing on Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off- Broadway. And we'll have our own play reading "on location" in Central Park. We'll also walk in the footsteps of history, visiting important theatrical sites around Manhattan and even taking a day trip to Philadelphia to see America's oldest theatre.   

Tours

• historical walking tour of Broadway
• tour of The Players, an exclusive members’ club for theatre professionals established by famed Shakespearean actor Edwin Booth in 1888
• backstage tour at the renowned Apollo Theatre in Harlem
• tour of Lincoln Centre, including the Metropolitan Opera
• backstage tour of The Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, America’s oldest theatre

Activities

• an afternoon exploring the Museum of the Moving Image at Astoria Studios and another at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
• visits to a costume stitching factory and a costume painting studio
• guest lectures by theatre professionals, possibly including a stage manager, a playwright or screenwriter
• talk back sessions with the director and/or actors after a play

Plays and Performances

• at least four plays in New York – a mix of Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway
• one play in Philadelphia
• a staged reading, such as one of those at La Mama Etc or the Public Theatre
• possibly a work in progress
• street performances at Washington Square, South Street Seaport, Astor Place, Central Park, Times Square or wherever you can find any.
• poetry slam at the Nuyorican Poet's Café