ArtsBridge Pittsburgh

Week 2

Students spent this week concentrating on the development of Visual Theatre skills. The group discussed the Visual Theatre style and its concentration on image, movement, and gesture; as well as why this style is a more accessible theatrical genre. Students practiced moving through different environments by imagining different qualities (underwater, floor covered with ice, surrounded by feathers, etc.) and also used their bodies in improvisations to take on characters and objects within a designated location without the use of sign language. The results were very inventive, imaginative, and humorous (including a very funny scene that took place in a library—filled with honey). Students also began exploring different characters and their attributes—including physical movement, demeanor, language style, emotions, and “back-story.” One activity had students select a hat and then answer specific questions as their character while also interacting with the group as a whole.

A student struggles to take her “book” to the library checkout desk during an improvisation	Students choose hats for a character development exercise
Students interact with each other during a character development exercise	A student responds to a question as her character

See Week 3...