TADW Early Enrollment is ON!

Early Enrollment is ON!  

Go to the TADW website and apply online.

You'll save $200 if you apply before December 31st. (Blogger won't link to image, so click the link in the text above, or here.

Get the Jump on 2012!

Welcome back! We're getting a jump on the Teenage Drama Workshop (TADW) 2012 season with early-bird special discounts for those who sign up by December 31, 2011!*

Time to start planning for next summer. As always, the classes will be amazing. Our shows will be incredible!

Ray Saar will direct BYE BYE BIRDIE and Ronnie Sperling will direct his new version of SNOW WHITE AND THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN!  We're getting everything ready for our 2012 enrollment.

With our special reduced early enrollment you will SAVE $200 if you apply and make your deposit by December 31, 2011.

Our website will be updated in the next week and on-line applications will begin.

Happiest of holidays to all TADWanians and their families!

Best Wishes,
Doug Kaback 
and everyone at TADW

*Act quickly, before the early bird discount goes bye bye!

Dates for TADW 2012:
June 25 - August 5
Auditions June 9 & 16
(all students attend both audition dates, 8:45-12:15).

TADW 2011 is All Over Flickr!

Have you followed the link to our flickr page lately?  Tons of pics by Gary, Stephen, Ronnie Cameron, Hailey-Rae, The Roberts Family, Colleen, so many generous photographers got involved this year, and we say THANK YOU!

Don't stop here, go to the flickr page!

TADW: The Callbacks!

Here are some encouraging words from just a few of our alumni who came to the invitational performance of Music Man. What is it about TADW at CSUN that brings siblings, 2nd generation kids and friends to TADW? Ask an alum!

"The Callbacks" is an alumni group established in 2011 by Marylata (Elton) Jacob to help bring attention and strength to the newly established TADW Endowment Fund.

With a generous $10,000 lead gift secured – the endowment allows matching $1 for every $2 donated. For example, a $1,000 gift will be matched with $500 from the lead gift.

You can make a donation online from our website - you'll also find information about how to send a check by snail mail.

The Ann Burroughs Family Scholarship

Angelica Mejia and Sydney Reyes with Doug Kaback

The Sights and Sounds of TADW:
The Ann Burroughs Family Scholarship

At The Teenage Drama Workshop, the students always come first. The kids in TADW come from all walks of life (a unique quality that TADW prides itself in).

With today's economic constraints, some students are unable to pay the full price of tuition. That being said, TADW is fortunate to have some amazing people who every year without fail or hesitation make sure that the kids who want to go to TADW can! Today I wanted to highlight the Burroughs scholarship.



Ann Burroughs

 
The Burroughs Family Scholarship is named for the late Ann Burroughs, who was a long-time administrative analyst in the CSUN Department of Theatre and a great friend to the workshop. The scholarship is funded by the Burroughs family and provides two $500 scholarships for students with financial need.

Through this generous gift, the spirit of Ann's wonderful and caring heart lives on each year, as two deserving talented students get their moment to shine! This year's recipients are Angelica Mejia (Music Man) and Sydney Reyes (The Jungle Book).
 
So thank you Burroughs family, it’s you and our many other wonderful donors who help keep the program alive, and our kids smiling!
 
-Hailey Graves

Clean, Shiny and Ready for Music Man/Opening Night!

Everyone, parent and alum alike, is doing their part to get the Campus Theaters ready for the opening night of The Music Man. Here's TADW Alum and TADW Endowment Benefactor Marylata (Elton) Jacob getting the bulletin boards ready - and did I mention CLEAN!?

You can see they look good, and you can see from these photos she put a lot of detail into her task, but if you really want to see these works of art, come see a show!

Jungle Book (til 8/6), Music Man (til 8/5), and the Ten Minute Play Festival (8/4 and 8/5) won't run all summer - so gather up the family and friends and come see a show or three!  Tickets: 818-677-2488.

No fleck of dust survived!

Pictures/ Stills/ Photos/ Flickr! Jungle Book, Callbacks, and Allan Rich

Just checking - have you seen our Flickr page lately?  We've got great pics of our Jungle Book invitational, the Callbacks, and our visit with Allan Rich. Take a look!

More more more!

Music Man Sneak Peek!

Just a tiny sneak peek at some of the elements of Music Man!

Allan Rich and TADW Scholarship Recipient, Joshua Thomas

Joshua Thomas, Mowgli in the 2011 TADW production of Jungle Book, is also the recipient of a scholarship from "We Care About Kids" a non-profit founded by actor Allan Rich. Hailey Graves talked with Joshua and Allan about acting - and moreover, about being human.

Big Day at TADW: President, Dean, Chair and Invitational (Here's a sneak peek)

What a truly awesome day! We started off with a visit from CSUN President Koester, Dean Bucker and Theatre Chair Lennon. Pics and video will be available soon - we sang our gratitude to President Koester for her long time support of TADW. She has been a true champion of our projects and we are big fans of Jolene Koester. We sang a special adaptation of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" (thanks to Diane Ketchie's wit) and "Wind Beneath My Wings," because that's just what she's been to us.

And this evening was our Invitational show of Jungle Book, with special guests in the audience, "The Callbacks" our fast growing alumni group. Here's a sneak peek of Jungle Book, and a number to call for tickets.

Please share! Some shows are already sold out, but we still have tickets available. 818-677-2488 (order by phone)!

"I'm a Professional! I've Had Three Performances!"

Sights and sounds of TADW:
“I'm a professional! I've had three performances!" - Fozzie Bear


Bruce Lanoil

The cast of Jungle Book got a surprise visit last Monday from an actual Muppet!  It was Bruce Lanoil who has been a puppeteer since the early 1980’s when he joined Sid and Marty Croft’s Puppet School while he was a student at CSUN.

I asked Bruce when he started working for the Muppets.  He said, “Jim Henson came west for the TV show Dinosaurs. I auditioned and got the part, and that’s when I got my career," Bruce told me, "I’ve been blessed to be able to about a movie every year sense I joined the Muppets”

Bruce / Dinosaurs

Ronnie Sperling, one of the directors of Jungle Book, was at CSUN with Bruce.  He asked the skilled puppeteer to come in and do a demonstration for the TADWanians, and to help out one of the cast members who will be working with a puppet.  As Bruce gave his lesson, Ronnie leaned over to me and said, “These kids won’t remember me or what play they were in, but are going to remember that an actual Muppet came and talked with them.”

The kids' eyes were glued to Bruce, and you could see their personal little light bulbs of intrigue lighting up left and right. Bruce and his puppets were all they could talk about for the rest of the day. When I got the chance to talk with him one-on-one, he told me this was his first-ever interaction with  TADW kids and it was very fun. “My sister in law did TADW a long time ago so I knew what it was.”

He also said he's fascinated in the new interest among young people and puppets. “They really love working with puppets, and I’m like, good for them!”

So thank you Bruce for coming to TADW! Who knows? He might have awakened the interest of the next Jim Henson.

-Hailey Graves

Flashmob at CSUN Movie Night

What happens when a group of singers from Level 2 do a little moonlighting at CSUN's Movie Night?
They attract bigger audiences! Thank you Level 2's for getting the word out there! We've dubbed you "LevL2s." After the summer season's over, maybe you can take it on tour!

Summer at CSUN/TADW: Show this to Friends who Wonder

You can say "teenage" and "theatre" in the same sentence at a nice summer pool party, but can your description match the color, tone, dynamism of actually showing what we do at TADW? Can it explain the long term gain that can begin to grow on a hot summer day with a paintbrush in one hand and a script in the other (and dancing shoes on your feet)?

Share this video with your friends who wonder about what TADW is. Then have 'em buy tickets to see YOU or your technical expertise in Music Man, Jungle Book and the 10 Minute Play Festival.

Tickets 818/ 677-2488
$14/adults; $10/kids and seniors (no reserved seating)
Groups/$7 for groups of 10 or more

I mean, just LOOK at last year!

Go ahead, share it with everybody: it's a great example of TADW!

Generous Gift Establishes Endowment: Here's How You Can be Part of It!

Donate and make endowment dollars stretch farther!

Many former workshop participants remember their summers in TADW as some of the most gratifying in their lives, and have enrolled their own children in the program over the years. Among them, Marylata E. Jacob, who was part of the workshop from 1973 to 1975. Jacob’s son Aaron is in his third year with TADW and has a key role in this summer’s production of “The Music Man.”

“A long-lasting benefit of theatrical training in the adolescent years are the life skills and work ethic the teens learn that will last into their adult years,” said Jacob, who has enjoyed a multi-faceted career in music that includes work on award-winning feature films, collaborations with a number of legendary musical artists and a Grammy nomination.

As a “thank you” for the skills she learned while with TADW, Jacob and her husband Danny Jacob, composer and song producer for Disney’s “Phineas and Ferb,” have made a generous gift to establish an endowment to support the workshop. In addition to Jacob, other Teenage Drama Workshop alumni include Oscar nominees Mare Winningham and Elizabeth McGovern.

“For 54 years, this inspiring program continues to harness high-voltage teen energy into joyful productivity. I want to be sure teens keep getting this opportunity,” Jacob said. “The Valley’s cornfields may be gone, its orange groves may now be relegated to a corner of the CSUN campus, but TADW is still a powerful, vibrant presence. It is most worthy of the entertainment industry’s financial resources to keep it up and running.”

Kaback said he was “thrilled” by Jacob’s gesture.

“The arts are so important to students’ academic and social development,” he said. “This gift from the Jacobs helps us make sure we can keep offering TADW for years to come.”

For more information about TADW or performances of “The Music Man,” “Jungle Book” or the “10-Minute Play Festival,” call (818) 677-5811, email tadw@csun.edu or visit the website www.csun.edu/tadw

SEE also:

Every morning for the past few weeks, more than 90 teenagers have been immersed... Read the entire news release about TADW.

It’s a bird it’s a plane it’s TADWIANS!!!

The sights and sounds of TADW
It’s a bird it’s a plane it’s TADWIANS!!!

If you were to have wandered the halls of TADW last Friday, you would have rubbed shoulders with Batman and Robin, the Power Puff Girls, Green Lantern, Super Man, and many other masked and caped avengers.

It was week two of themed Fridays and it was come dressed as your favorite superhero. Some heroes were easy to recognize, others were obscure, but all were extremely creative, providing an opportunity for the students and staff of TADW to show off their great imaginations. But don’t take my word for it, see for yourself!!!

More pics on our flickr page soon.

-Hailey Graves

Sewing Needles Ready!

When you think about it, you realize a costume is really a character’s skin. While the actor must bring this person to life, it is the costume that gives the audience at a quick glance, insight to the person/ persons residing in this imaginary world. At TADW, the costumes do just that, due to the sheer brilliance, commitment and care from the amazing costume designers.

The two costume designers this summer, Ann Wilson (designer for Music Man) and Maro Parian (designer for The Jungle Book), have pulled all the stops to bring these two fabulous worlds a stunning look! Both agree that to make great costumes you need to have very good communication with the directors. Maro, who has been a costume designer for thirty years, and has worked with TADW for nine, says that when working with directors, “they tell me ideas, I tell them whether it will work or not, I just really, really have to listen.”

She also says that for The Jungle Book she pulled most of her inspiration from her childhood. She spoke of the Russian version of The Jungle Book simply entitled Mowgli, as though she were talking about a childhood friend. She also noted that when the directors told her they were thinking in the theme of Bollywood that, “it was like opening up a whole new world, and the possibilities were just like - wow.”

Ann who has been costume designing for 16 years, and working with CSUN for eleven, says that for this play she’s been able to draw on the already, “wonderful costumes here at CSUN,” and doing some research into the time period. “It’s been very important for the director and myself to get the colors and time period right.”

While these amazing designers are hard at work creating the perfect outfit, (having only two to three weeks to dress an entire cast) TADW students are popping in and out of the dressing rooms, (some with furry animal skins, others looking like proper ladies and gents) giggling at each other, and strutting their stuff as they get to see the character they are portraying come to life. “Working with kids is so much better than working with adults.” Says Ann Wilson, “It doesn’t matter what you put them in; they are always excited about their costume.” As we continued to talk she looked at me and said, “Take this shirt for example, -she held up a small, long sleeve, yellow, plain, button up tee, and then looked at the boy who will be wearing it- if his mother bought him this exact same shirt at JC Penney he wouldn’t look twice. But because he gets to be Winthrop in this shirt, it’s instantly cool.”

But these remarkable costume designers are so much more than extremely skilled seamstresses, they both have wonderful hearts for the students at TADW (they also both either have children in the program or working in TADW). Maro told me that she, “just loves this age group. I enjoy seeing their work and their different levels of talent and commitment. Working with these students helps me with my own children.” Ann told me that her favorite part of TADW was the “…collaborative process. These students are committed and serious to working on their skills. I’ve worked at middle schools and other places, and those kids don’t have the same commitment and work ethic that TADW students do.”

These ladies don’t just dress these kids to make them look good; they dress them so they feel good. Which is yet another amazing example of how TADW doesn’t just simple focus on making the students looking good on the outside, but also instilling them with confidence on the inside.

Hailey Graves

Jungle Book and Remo Drum Company

As if we weren't already excited enough about this summer's production of Jungle Book, the steady rhythm of drums throughout Nordhoff Hall is keeping our spirits - and curiosity - up!  And we have Remo Drum Company to thank - they've provided a tremendous selection of drums for our production, and in turn, we want to be sure you all know that just a few miles down the road - in North Hollywood - you can attend a free community drum circle just about any Tuesday night at Remo Music Center: RMC.

Remo Belli started Remo Drum Company years ago with some of the first synthetic drum heads to hit the market.  They became popular fast, because animal skins, which had been used to make drum heads since the first drums, change tone according to heat, weather changes, humidity.

But enough about the technology of drumming - go out and play and bring your friends. Drum circles don't require any musical expertise, they just require a spirit of curiosity and a desire to have fun! And when you do go, let 'em know you're connected to Teenage Drama Workshop!

No One Wanted to Wake Up

The sights and Sounds of TADW – No one wanted to wake up…

Friday was a blur of flannel, fuzzy bunny slippers, footie pajamas, laughter and shouts of “hurry up!” as TADW students scuttled into place for the group photo! It was pajama day at TADW (the first of many themed Fridays) and practically everyone including staff, got into the comfy spirit and wore their PJ’s! These themed Fridays are created by the students, and can range from "wear your PJ’s" to "come dressed as your favorite super hero."

These simple weekly events actually strengthen theatrical skills: participants discover yet another way to get in touch with their imagination and creativity, and the group participation boosts a sense of cohesiveness among the students.

These events also show a glimpse at the heart within the Teenage Drama Workshop. TADW is so much more than a summer program where kids grow in their skills as young actors, singers, dancers and techies; it’s a family where you can feel comfortable to be yourself, no questions asked.


I can’t wait to find out next Friday’s theme!


By Hailey Graves, TADW Alum, intern and blogger.

More pics on our facebook page (and coming soon to Flickr).

The Jungle Talent

Sights and Sounds of TADW:  The Jungle Talent

And this is just a few of 'em!

It's day four at TADW (Teenage Drama Workshop) and the classes kicked it into high gear today. The creative juices started flowing and kids were stretched both mentally in their acting classes and physically in their dance classes. In all this stretching and growing the students are starting to discover talents they never knew they had, and the faculty and staff are noticing as well.   

Ronnie Sperling and Corky Dominguez, the directors of The Jungle Book, both agree that this summer brought us yet another crop of remarkable kids.  


Ronnie, who also teaches the improv class, informed me today over lunch that the students are really getting into it, and was blown away by some of the things they were doing in class. Corky - in-between preparing for rehearsals - told me that he is just so excited about, “the cast and all of its great potential. We've still got a lot of work to do we are just barely scratching the surface.”  But even so the talent flowing off these kids is incredible!

The directors are not just excited about their students but also the amazing set and props and costumes they have to work with.  

They only gave me a few tidbits about what the audience can expect, but for the most part they are keeping pretty tight lipped. 


However,  Corky said, "I will tell you this the costumes are just unique, and so different than what you would expect in a 'kids' performance." And Ronnie chimed the *Remo drums are a great addition.

 

*REMO Drums has made a dramatic selection of drums available to us for our performances.  We will tell you more about REMO later, but for this post, suffice it to say, Remo cares about kids, the arts, and giving us a driving rhythm for an amazing show!


Another blog entry by Hailey Graves, student intern for TADW. She starts her sophomore year at CSUN this fall. She is also a TADW alum.

The Sights and Sounds of TADW...

...It's the Magic that Permeates the Walls

by Hailey Graves

We are three days into the 2011 Teenage Drama Workshop (TADW) and that wonderful hum is already rumbling through the building. I’m not simply being metaphorical here; there is a literal humming. It’s not just the singing that comes from the two musicals we are doing this year (although I must say both already sound phenomenal) every single room has its own unique magical sound track, and there is only a handful of us who are lucky enough to get hear all of it!

Beth Lasky, managing director of TADW, pointed it out today at a meeting, “Someone needs to get a camera because there are so many wonderful things happening, just listen.” Being without a camera, I decided to put pencil to paper instead.

On entering Nordhoff Hall, the first room you hit is the costume shop. It is organized in a beautiful chaos of floral patterns, jungle masks, elephant trunks, delicate flowing dresses and manly waistcoats and trousers circa early 1900’s - all of which are being made to the beat of the sewing machines and laughs. Directly across the hall (where The Jungle Book is being rehearsed), a mysterious drumming noise comes from behind the doors, along with the hiss of a snake, and the shrieking laughs of monkeys.

A little further down the hall lies the scene shop. The smell of fresh cut wood, glue, and new paint perfume the air. There is also a harmonious buzz of drills, saws, hammers, whistles, and jokes, as these talented people slowly start to bring imaginary worlds to life. To the left and one door down in the green room we find Chris, our acting teacher working with the young Devon who will play Baloo in Jungle Book. Both are laughing and saying nonsense sentences, as they work on perfecting their deep baritone papa bear voices.

Up the stairs and straight ahead, the rhythmic thumps of dancing feet float from the dance room, along with the voice of dance instructor Candy calling out, "and one and two and three" and so on. Outside the room is Ray, director of Music Man. He skillfully and gently critiques and perfects a scene with his talented young actors.

Tomorrow I’ll remember my camera.

Hailey Graves is a student intern for TADW. She starts her sophomore year at CSUN this fall. She is also a TADW alum.

Parent/Guardian Committee Meeting Friday 7/1

Parents, Guardians: We look forward to seeing you at the premiere TADW Parent/Guardian Committee Meeting this Friday, July 1, 2011 from 2:30-4:00pm  in the Theater Conference Room 104.

Each summer this committee helps organize several aspects of TADW from events to ushering and concessions. The weekly Friday meetings are a great opportunity to meet other families and share questions and concerns. All parents and guardians are welcome - and encouraged to attend - we need you!

Also at the meeting, we'll have a sign-up sheet for ushers.  All ushers get to see the show for free (if there is room in the theater).


Headshots will be taken of all TADW students in the coming weeks. These will go on display in the cases outside the theatres. We'll shoot pics after the 11 am Saturday performances of Jungle Book on July 23, and Music Man on July 30. This means students will need to remain at TADW after the performance.


The Money Side:

Ticket Selling - There are still plenty of tickets for weeknight and weekend performances. We need everyone’s help to fill up the theatre. Spread the word: Tickets can be ordered online by going to the TADW website, by calling the TICKET OFFICE (818) 677-2488, or at the Associated Students Ticket Office (in Plaza del Sol in the USU) on campus.

Sponsor A TADWanian!  We are looking for individuals, families, and businesses who would like to make a tax-deductible contribution and sponsor under-privileged youth organizations by buying tickets for them to see our shows. Please contact Doug Kaback to make a donation or to sponsor a group of your choice.

Concessions Stand - We will be collecting your contributions to the TADW concessions stand beginning Tuesday, July 5 – canned sodas/bottled water/juice boxes (or other re-sellable drinks) and/or candy bars/cookies/chips/etc. All items should be pre-packaged. If families would prefer to make a cash donation for the purchase of snacks or drinks, that’s fine, too. All proceeds from the concessions stand go to the TADW scholarship fund.

Remember: NO CLASSES OR REHEARSALS - Monday, July 4, 2011.

Have a fun and safe holiday!  See you on the 5th!

KIIS FM Talks with TADW

TADW talks with Boy Toy Jesse at KIIS FM  Click play and slide to 14:14 to hear the interview with Doug Kaback, interns Janine Der Bogosian, Leore Hayon and Hailey Graves (TADW alum).

It's all about how TADW feeds creativity, from actors, singers, dancers to techs.  Whether you plan to stay in the theatre arts for life or just want to learn more about making life fun and productive - at the same time - a summer (or several) in TADW is a great thing.

The Cast Lists are HERE!

Below are the cast lists for The Jungle Book and Music Man. Congratulations to everyone!

Jungle Book Cast List

Baloo / Devon Yaffe

Mowgli / Joshua Thomas
Bagheera / Kaitlyn Rickaby
King Louie / Annie Resnik
Shere Khan / Kyle Yeh
Kaa / Savannah Ludwig
Colonel Hathi / Michael Dager
Winifred / Charlotte Andersen
Hathi Jr. / Maya Efrat
Shanti / Kaitlyn Katalbas
Buzz, Flaps, Izzy, Dizzy / Ariana George, Milli Miereanu, Sydney Reyes, Kate Westrum

(not necessarily in that order)

Ensemble:
Corey Adams
Wylie Anderson
Joseph Andrade
Maggie Bendersky
Mara Eisner
Emilie Gengl
Abhijnya Gouder
Alexa James-Cardenas
Jayda Lammy
Kyla Lockette
Sarah MacLennan
Amulya Madhav
Paulina Mirabella
Arthur Parian
Haley Perkins
Chandler Pratt
Leaf Rickard
Morgan Skeries
Ashley Stanford-Jackson
Caitlin Vasquez

End of Jungle Book Cast List 

Music Man Cast List

Harold Hill / Aaron Jacob
Marion  / Natalie Hightower
Mrs. Paroo / Kathy Steele
Winthrop / Colin Mika
Tommy/Salesman / Daniel Bellusci
Marcellus / Josh Knoller
Mayor Shinn / August Robinson
Eulalie /  Elizabeth Lloyd
Amaryllis  / Julia Lester
Zaneeta / Yael Karoly
Charlie  /  Luke Dorsey
Gracie / Chloe Kerwin
Constable / Jeremy Popowitz
Pick-a-Little Ladies /Lily Lester, Maya Escobar, Jessica Garcia, Genevieve Collins
Barbershop Quartet /Evan Sanford, Zach Birch, Kasey Klar, Chris Gates
Additional Salesmen  / To be Determined

Ensemble:

Camden Garcia

Allison Norton
Theo Robinson
Analisa Venolia
Grace Papish
Grace Jacobsen
Jeff Wright
Karli Klar
Nikita Michayluk                                    

Nicholas Hsia

Abigail Franks
Alex Lucas
Lily Schwartz
Laura McDermott
Sarah Lasky
Paige Jensen
Camille Roberts
Isabel Wynne
Angelica Mejia
Ashley Taylor
Brianna Bongiorno
Sara Renner
Talya Nathanson
Emily Bernstein
Sarah Carpenter
Shannon Carpenter
Alyssa Spratt
Sarah Tyler

End of Music Man cast list.

TADW Auditions: June 11 and 18th

TADW Auditions are June 11 and 18th from 8:30am - 12:15pm. 

All performers are required to attend both sessions, for the whole day.  Techies, it's optional for you, but you're encouraged to come to both.  It's always good to know a show inside and out as best you can!

More details will appear here soon.  Also keep coming back for auditioning tips.  And find out what Corky Dominguez has to say about making the cut for Junglebook. 

See you on the Saturdays 6/11 and 6/18! 

Corky Dominguez: On Making the Cut

Corky Dominguez, co-director of this summer's Junglebook, talks about what it takes to make the cut, and how a summer spent working in the theatre is the gift that keeps on giving.

A Lesson from Lee Strasberg

You'll meet a lot of great acting teachers in life. Today, meet Lee Strasberg.

What's more, here's more!

Meet the TADW Costume Designer: Maro

Maro will be making lots of animals - get ready for Junglebook!

Ronnie Sperling is Ready to Direct Junglebook

We're doing Junglebook this summer, and Ronnie Sperling is the director. Wherever you're coming from, one show or a dozen, the immersion of TADW brings students up to a professional production level all while having a great time!

Meet the Music Man Directors at the Meet & Greet Sunday, 4/17 1-2:30

Meet the directors of our second show this summer, Music Man, Raymond Saar and Diane Ketchie-Saar, right here, right now in the virtual world.

Meet them in the real world this Sunday at the TADW Meet & Greet. Details about the event appear on the post that follows this one (below). See you Sunday, yes?

Meet and Greet Sunday, April 17th, 1 - 2:30

It's time for the annual pre-summer TADW Meet & Greet on the CSUN Campus (18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, 91330) in the CSUN Theatre Building (Nordhoff Hall) room 107 (aka, the Organ Room). Sunday, April 17, 1-2:30.

We'll have music, refreshments and lots of info about this summer's program. Welcome returning participants, alumni and new or prospective students and/or families.

Please share this info to anyone who might be interested in TADW this summer -  bring 'em along!

Questions, RSVP's?  Call Brent at 818-571-4007 or email him at BrentRosen79@gmail.com by April 10th. (Let Brent know whether you plan to sign up for the acting program or the technical theatre program.)

We hope you are as excited as we are for this summer's TADW program!  (Way!)

Five Jungle Book Fun Facts

TADW's putting on Disney's Jungle Book this summer!  Here are five fun facts!

1)  The original Jungle Book was written by Rudyard Kipling.  Want to study story development?  Read the original: free download here.

2)  Disney's 1967 animated film version of Jungle Book, inspired by the Mowgli stories in Kipling's book, reworks some of the elements of the plot, characters and even the pronunciation of the characters' names.

3)  Disney's Robin Hood, features a version of Little John (voiced by Phil Harris) that strongly resembles Baloo.

4) Turns out Baloo also speaks Dutch!

5)  Jungle Book was done in Anime as a Japanese series in the late 1980's:

Meet and Greet is April 17th

Event time has been corrected:

Save the date for the TADW Meet and Greet - it's Sunday, April 17th, 1:00 - 2:30.  This is a great opportunity to meet other students who will be in TADW this summer, plus friends, families, and of course your directors.  Shakespeare said, "All the world's a stage," and at the annual TADW meet and greet you start to get a sense of what you can do with it!  More details coming soon!

Breaking into Song

Okay, so we don't always get to break into full scale musicals in public like these guys do, but who knows what a summer in TADW could lead to?

The video above is by "Improv Everywhere" and is not affiliated with TADW or CSUN.

It Could All Start with a TADW Summer...

Marylata E. Jacob has enjoyed a multi-faceted career in music that includes work on award-winning feature films, collaborations with a number of legendary musical artists and her own Grammy nomination.

But it is her son’s accomplishments with Cal State Northridge’s acclaimed Teenage Drama Workshop (TADW) that get Jacob so excited that she can hardly contain her enthusiasm.  Last year, Aaron Jacob, in his second year with the program was cast as “Mr. Mayor” in “Seussical—The Musical.”  He sang   “Through Heaven’s Eyes,” a song from the DreamWorks’ musical drama “The Prince of Egypt”—a film for which Marylata Jacob served as Artistic Director, Music.

Marylata E. Jacob (second from right) with the late Wendie Jo Sperber and fellow members of Teenage Drama Workshop during the 1970s. (Photo courtesy of Marlata Jacob)

“I can’t believe that he’s singing that song,” Jacob said, her eyes glistening with pride. “You know, in a way, I started my career in music as a member of Teenage Drama Workshop back in the 1970s. This is such a wonderful program, there was no way he wasn’t going to be part of it.”

Aaron Jacob is just one of several TADW alumni whose parents are also alumni of the program.

“The workshop has been around 53 years,” said executive director for the past 14 years, Doug Kaback, a CSUN theater professor. “We are seeing more and more of the children of former students of the program. It’s so exciting, and it only reinforces how meaningful Teenage Drama Workshop has been to the community, not just to the Cal State Northridge community.”

The TADW program immerses about 80 kids in the day-to-day reality of a professional troupe—from designing, lighting, costumes and sets to learning lines and choreography.

The program started out as an activity for teens that would call attention to the cultural resources available at the brand new campus of what was then San Fernando Valley State College. Over the years, the workshop has grown into a nationally acclaimed drama programs for teenagers, and one of the nation’s oldest.

The workshop is open to students entering grades 7-12. In the morning, the teenagers attend classes that focus on acting, voice and dance and can choose electives in improvisation, musical theater, playwriting and the technical aspect of theater production. The afternoons are spent in rehearsals.

The cast of a 1970s Teenage Drama Workshop production. (Photo courtesy of Marylata Jacob)

Marylata Jacob attended TADW from 1973-1975, as did Leslie Patterson, whose son, Michael, handled the soundboard for “Seussical” last year.  During their time in the workshop, Jacob and Patterson were part of the cast and crew of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” which starred a young Mare Winningham as “Puck.” Jacob was on the makeup crew and Patterson played the role of “Hermia.”

Jacob and Patterson, a successful theatrical producer in the Bay Area, recalled that many of their fellow “TADWanians” would go on to achieve success in the entertainment industry, including Winningham and actors Arye Gross, Elizabeth McGovern and the late Wendie Jo Sperber.

“So many of us went on to jobs in the entertainment industry,” Patterson said. “There was something about that experience that really made an impact on our lives. I wanted that for my sons.”
Patterson said she spent summers trying to find the right camp for her boys, Andrew and Michael. She was looking for a place where her sons could explore their interests under the guidance of seasoned professionals and educators in a supportive, nurturing environment.

“The division between cool or not cool, that doesn’t happen at TADW,” she said. “Everybody is working together to produce something. When people share a common goal, that makes a difference. There is something about TADW that just turned that light on and showed me who I was and what I wanted to do with my life. I can see the same happening with my sons. There is something magical about that program.”

From left, Michael, Leslie and Andrew Patterson.

Patterson’s belief in the program is such that she and Michael temporarily relocated to CSUN from Marin County this summer so he could attend the workshop. Patterson did the same for her older son Andrew in the early 2000s.

Aaron Jacob said he could understand why the Pattersons made the commute. He said he thoroughly enjoyed “to the fullest extent” his time at TADW. “I loved the environment and the truly professional productions they put on,” he said.

Abridged from CSUN Press Release by Carmen Chandler, University Relations.

Meet the TADW PR Interns: Janine and Leore

Leore Hayon and Janine Der Bogosian

Janine Der Bogosian:

I found out early in life that I have two passions: public relations and theater. I’ve been fortunate enough to find a path that combines both. After graduating from Pasadena High School in 2007, I decided to enroll in Cal State Northridge’s remarkable journalism program. It was here that I decided that my personality and strengths lay in Public Relations, and began to pursue a career in the wonderful world of PR.

Meanwhile, I seasoned my passion for theater by enrolling in acting classes at Playhouse West School & Repertory Theater in Studio City.  I met incredible friends and teachers who taught me the true art of acting and its importance in our world.

I began working on internships, including one at a non-profit organization called Sealed With a Wish, that sends care packages to American troops living in combat zones. I gained vital Public Relations experience that has proven to be tremendously helpful in my career endeavors.

When I obtained an internship with the CSUN Teenage Drama Workshop, I couldn’t help but think how perfect it was. TADW is an incredible program with a dynamic community of teachers, students, young actors and leaders. Not only do I have the opportunity for PR work with a theater workshop, but I can also work with my best friend, Leore Hayon, who I met here at CSUN a few years ago. We have taken all our coursework together and learned that we make a strong team.

Both Leore and I have felt extremely welcomed by TADW and have grown together so much already. We have created a Twitter account for Teenage Drama Workshop (www.twitter.com/CSUNtadw), and we’ve been so blessed to meet inspirational leaders such as actor, producer and director Allan Rich.

When I was in high school, I would’ve absolutely loved to be involved in a program such as TADW. This drives me to even more excitement to spread the word about the summer workshops and performances to the community. I cannot wait to see this year’s program unfold with the beauty that TADW has proven to create each year.

Leore Hayon:

I grew up in studio city, California and made my way to CSUN after graduating high school from Montclair College Prep to study journalism.  I always excelled in writing and figured journalism was the best route for me to take in my college career. Specializing in public relations, this also suits my personality as a social butterfly.

Throughout college I have interned at various places including a fashion PR boutique (HL Group), a record label (Warner Music Group), and non profit organization (Echoes of Hope). My latest internship and venture is with TADW.

I was lucky enough to meet Janine in our Journalism 110 news writing class freshman year. We immediately connected and managed to stick together throughout school, making sure we registered for the same classes every semester. Our friendship has grown throughout the years and we have also proven to work together very well too. Bouncing ideas off each other and using our PR knowledge, Janine and I are working hard to help TADW in any way we can. We have felt so welcomed and appreciated for our efforts so far, making this internship an extremely fulfilling experience. As we believe in what TADW has to offer for the San Fernando Valley's youth.

We have already created the TADW twitter account, written a PR plan, created a flyer, visited local schools to raise awareness of the program, and made a short video featuring TADW's supporter Allan Rich. There is much more to come!

(They work so well together we thought they'd known each other since birth! -ed.)

Allan Rich Offers Scholarship to TADW

Renowned Actor, Producer and Director Allan Rich makes an offer from his non-profit organization, "We Care About Kids" to sponsor select students into the CSUN Teenage Drama Workshop as a great community involvement project. He talks about theatre as a tool for character development, whether you want to act, produce, write, build sets, or simply get to know yourself better and find your fit in the world. Learn more at: http://www.csun.edu/tadw/ and http://wecareaboutkids.org/

Here's What TADW's Like

Still on the fence about coming to TADW this summer?  Step into the world of it through TADW onYouTube:



There's still a discount available - a hundred bucks off if you sign up by March 1st.  Enroll now!

TADW Music Man Musical Director Performing

Diane Ketchie is returning to TADW this summer to teach the vocal classes and serve as Musical Director for Music Man. This Saturday night, February 19th at 7:30pm, she's singing a solo recital in the Recital Hall of the Music Building (Cypress) right next to Nordhoff Hall where you are used to attending classes.

She'll be singing songs by Arne, Schubert, Obradors and 2 groups by marvelous American composers and is also playing an exciting two piano work, Scaramouche by Milhaud, with her fabulous accompanist, William Vendice.

Tickets are very reasonable ($10 for general admission) and all proceeds go towards scholarships for CSUN music students. For ticket info, please call 818 677-2488 or visit the music department's calendar and scroll down to Feb. 19th.  It's a musically varied, fun show!  And stay afterwards for a reception.  Newcomers: this is a great opportunity to meet Diane.

Imagine Your Summer with TADW

If you've already signed up for TADW this summer, congratulations!  Your fun is assured whether you're going for production or performance!  If you're still thinking about it, remember there's still a hundred dollar discount if you apply by March 1st.

If you want to be a performer, you could start thinking about your audition, but why not start by daydreaming?

All students in the performance track need to audition for the musical and the play and will be evaluated in voice, dance and acting. Think about what you want to do, not what you think you should do or what might look good from the outside.  Consider acting as an internal process and see what you come up with.

Find out more about auditioning on the TADW webpage. You'll need to make some decisions at some point, but for now, let your imagination do the work!

70 Year Acting Career: Appreciation

When you find the right career, it's a great thing. When that career turns out to be acting, you'll meet with a lot of cynicism and also a lot of hype. Somewhere in between that is the place to focus your attention: on the craft and art of acting.  That's what Ernest Borgnine did and his success as an actor has spanned over seventy years. Yesterday, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors' Guild.

"The 94-year-old [Ernest] Borgnine was honored for a film and television career spanning 70 years. He won an Oscar for his lead role as a socially awkward bachelor in 1955's 'Marty,' and remains active in showbusiness. He tearfully recalled how his mother first asked him if he ever thought about becoming an actor after he returned home from World War II. 'Yes, it all started with a question - have you ever thought of becoming an actor?' he said. 'Well, I went ahead and became an actor.'"

Remember: you can still get a $100 discount for the TADW this summer if you apply by March 1st - that's a month away, so don't delay!

Happy New Year: The Craft of Acting

It's been a cold, rainy winter, butTADW promises to bring a fun, exciting summer!  As the time spent indoors naturally invites contemplation, consider deeply the craft of acting with this helpful insight from one of the masters, Sir Ian McKellen, as shared with Ricky Gervais: