Monday, July 19, 2010
Costuming "Alice"
Friday, July 16, 2010
Sperling's "A Faery Hunt" Comes to the Workshop
In each acting class today, the students got a visit from Noll the Troll (Sperling) and Isfandiar, the Simurg (Halsted). Fans of Sperling and Halsted noticed many of their favorite comedy elements in the performance - from the vaudeville-style jokes, to the commedia dell'arte masks.
After the performance, Sperling shared with the students that "A Faery Hunt" is now in development to be a TV show.
"You are among the first ones to hear this," Sperling said. "We have a development deal for 12 episodes."
For Sperling, this most recent success is anything but overnight. A working actor "forever," Sperling's professional career has included stints in the national tour of "Grease" (as Eugene) and numerous TV commercials and appearances. He even appeared as The Mad Hatter on extra content featured on the Disney "Alice in Wonderland" DVD. And recently, he appeared opposite James Franco on "General Hospital."
After attending CSUN's Theatre Department, Sperling began working as a professional actor, earning his Screen Actors Guild card opposite Jack Lemmon and Walter Mattheau in Billy Wilder's last film "Buddy, Buddy."
"I had a passion for this since I was the age of these kids (at TADW)," Sperling said. "It was the only thing I ever wanted to do and I never deterred from it."
Sensing the challenge in becoming a "star," Sperling said his primary goal was to be a working actor. "I did it," he said. "I found a way to stay working all these years, and managed to feed my family doing what I love."
In addition to teaching at TADW, Sperling also teaches improv to teenagers at the ComedySportz Theatre in Hollywood. And when he's not working in commercials and TV, he's writing for television and doing live comedy and theatre performances, as well as corporate shows.
"Working as an actor can be like a roller-coaster," Sperling said. "When it rains it pours, but it can also be dry. You just have to keep doing something. Stay involved. If that means getting friends together to do a play reading, or renting a theatre to do your own show, you have to do something."
This is Sperling's second go-round at TADW. He also taught in the workshop in the 1980s, where he met his wife Romy, who ran lights on his show. "She was the tech director," he said.
Happy to be back at the workshop after directing the acclaimed production of "Pinocchio" last summer, Sperling said many elements of TADW are the same two decades later. "You still have kids and we're still doing shows," he said, "but what Doug Kaback has done with this program is really special. The idea that we do these two really wonderful productions is really great."
About his upcoming production of "Seussical," Sperling said he is excited to present it in a new way -- with a heavy dose of Seuss. "There are lots of Seuss things throughout and this amazing puppet element," he added.
Seussical, directed by Sperling, opens July 28 in the Campus Theatre at CSUN. For tickets, visit www.csun.edu/tadw.
*"A Faery Hunt," the longest-running kids show in LA, won the Nickelodeon Parents' Picks award last year. The show is nominated again in 2010! Support Ronnie and Chris with your vote: http://www....parentsconnect.com/parents-picks/los-ang
Broadway Show T-Shirt Day at TADW
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Today's Lesson: Stage Combat
Working in duos and small groups, students had the chance to choreograph and act in fight scenes -- from a desert duel fought with sabres, a cloak and the aforementioned steed, to a battle on the Scottish highlands in full armor.
Pictured at top, TADW student Joey Veliz (in full armor) gets into the action with Kaitlyn Wolf, while Halsted provides instruction. Pictured below, Halsted directs TADW students Devon Yaffe and Tiffany Conway in their desert fight scene. Check out the full album on TADW's Flickr page here.
TADW in The San Fernando Valley Sun Today
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
TADW Parents Host "Thank You" Tea for Nordhoff Hall Staff, Administrators
Parent Newsletter #3: July 14, 2010
TADW PARENT NEWSLETTER #3 – JULY 14, 2010
Communication - Please let us know how things are going. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Beth at (818)677-2725 or email her at beth.lasky@csun.edu.
Parent/Guardian Advisory Committee - Our next meeting will be this Friday, July 16, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM in room 103. We hope you can attend.
Missing Classes and Rehearsals - Too many students have missed classes or rehearsals due to various appointments. Please do not schedule ANY appointments until after the TADW program is finished.
Help in Costume Shop - If anyone has free time to help out in the costume shop, please let us know. Assistance is greatly needed and appreciated.
Performances and Tech Rehearsals – Shows are nearly ready and everything is coming together beautifully Make sure you are clear about the times your child needs to be here. When we have 11am shows, we still have classes starting at 8:15am on the weekdays.
Invitational - The Invitational or Preview show for Alice will be Thursday, July 22 at 6PM. This is a change from the original schedule. This show is only for current and past TADW participants. Be sure to ask your child about the non TADW sponsored
"After Invitational Get Together". We would tell you about it, but since it isn't sponsored by TADW, we aren't suppose to know that it is held at Sizzler. Parents sit at one side of the restaurant and the TADW participants at the other. It is fun for everyone!
Publicity for TADW - A great way to ensure ticket sales is to promote TADW. Danielle Fairlee writes a wonderful blog for our website. Direct your friends and family to http://tadwbackstage.blogspot.com/ to read about what is happening at TADW. Danielle has also been busy writing pieces for local community newspapers. Thanks Danielle!!
Buying Tickets - The easiest way to purchase tickets is to go to our website at www.csun.edu/tadw. Tickets can also be purchased at the Associated Students Ticket Office at the University Student Union. Their hours of operation are Monday-Saturday from 10 am - 6 pm. Tickets may be ordered by calling (818)677-2488. Additionally, tickets may be purchased 2 hours before a performance, at the Ticket Office opposite the Little Theater in Nordhoff Hall. A little tip for you and your friends: By the end of the runs, we very often sell out the house. So, consider seeing the show early in the run!
Picking Up and Dropping Off - Remember, Etiwanda Street is not for loading and unloading of passengers. Please use the parking lot for dropping off and picking up your child. Stopping on Etiwanda ties up traffic and is inconsiderate.
Concessions Stand - Donations for the TADW concessions stand have started. Please consider making a run to Costco or Smart and Final!! We could really use more cans of soda. All items must be pre packaged. Remember, you can bring your items when you drop off your children in the morning. One of our staff will be standing in the parking lot to accept your contributions. If you would prefer to make a cash donation for the purchase of snacks or drinks, that’s fine, too. All proceeds from the concessions go to the Parent Advisory Committee scholarship fund.
Ushers - We still need ushers for some of the daytime shows. A sign-up sheet for ushers is available at the Parent Meetings or you can contact Beth at beth.lasky@csun.edu. All ushers arrive a half-hour before the show begins, take tickets, pass out programs, and work at the concession stand. A TADW staff member will serve as house manager and be able to answer any questions. All ushers see the show for free.
Parking - If you park on campus, you will need to buy a parking permit at all times. Permit parking on campus is enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Permit dispenser machines are located in Lot B1 and inside parking structure B3. Daily permits are $6 and are available from 7am-9pm, at the kiosks on Prairie (just off Darby). There are weekly passes that can be purchased for $9 a week. This special pass can only be purchased through the Department of Public Safety (DPS) office. The DPS building is on Darby at Prairie.
Ticket Selling - We need everyone’s help to fill up the theatre. We’re asking everyone to sell 25-50 tickets each. Please help your child by letting friends and family know they can buy tickets from you. We have PLENTY of brochures. Come and take a handful. We particulary need to sell tickets during the first week of each show.
Sponsors – Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to sponsor tickets for under privileged youth groups.
DVDs Order Forms - Don't forget to order the DVD of the shows for this year. Each DVD is $25.00.
Stay healthy! - This is the toughest part of the program. The rehearsals are longer and tougher. Remind your kid(s) to eat well and get enough sleep.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Backstage Glimpses: Improv Class
Working in pairs, students created short scenes based on suggestions from the class. After running their scenes twice, the students had to think on their feet as Sperling changed things up, asking them to re-do the scene in a different genre.
Students acting as home-repairmen suddenly had to redo their scene as a horror movie and as an MTV reality show. A scene involving a pregnant woman and her husband stuck in an elevator suddenly became a game show, then was redone in the style of "Glee." Another scene involving astronauts battling an asteroid field was redone as a samurai film and then as a Nickelodeon cartoon.
Later, students worked in groups to tell a short story, with each actor adding the next word, one at a time. After that, students played an improv game called, "Clue," in which an actor tries to convey the details of a crime using only gestures, movement and gibberish. Lots of laughter ensued, but the kids came away with real-life acting skills, too.
Sperling encouraged the class to stretch their imaginations--and their vocabularies--in their scene work.
Beginning next week, students in the improvisation class will be cast in plays written by students in the play writing elective. The short plays will be featured in TADW's upcoming "10-Minute Play Festival," which will run Aug. 5 and 6 in the Studio Theatre in Nordhoff Hall.
Talented TADW Staffers: Rebecca Lester
Monday, July 12, 2010
TADW on CSUN's Blog
The Teenage Drama Workshop is featured on Cal State Northridge's blog today. Link to the story here.
Friday, July 9, 2010
The All-New "Short Company Meeting" Song
Like the working theatre company we are, members of the Teenage Drama Workshop take part in "short company meetings". We kicked today's off with the new "Short Company Meeting" song. Thanks Owen, Daniel, Ian & Matt.
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