September 7, 2021
Within the next week, two wonderful workshops will be starting at the Town Players of New Canaan’s Powerhouse Theatre. Don’t miss out!
Improv Fun with Mr. Hastings
Schedule: Weekly classes starting Sept. 14th through December 8th
Tuesdays: 12 classes
3:15 – 4:15 PM | Grades 2-4
4:30 – 6:00 PM | Grades 5 & up
*No class November 2nd
Wednesdays: 10 classes
1:30 – 3:00 PM | Grades 5 & up
*No class October 6th, November 3rd and November 24th
After a successful and rewarding career as a lighting designer on Broadway, John Hastings taught fourth grade at New Canaan Country School for seventeen fantastic years.
At Country School, he began teaching after-school improv in 2007.
In 2008, he founded the Summer Fun program, now serving over 150 children each June.
John’s long-standing reputation as an exceptional educator who builds strong relationships led to the dedication of the 2020 school yearbook in his honor.
John’s former students, after achieving impressive levels of success, often reach out to him to share the ways he’s positively influenced their lives. In fact, it is for this reason that he is mentioned on page 38 of Newbery-Award-winning author Jerry Craft’s latest book, Class Act.
As a professional educator, John was able to transform his passion for helping children learn and thrive into a therapeutic modality for social-emotional learning that is both growth-enhancing and fun.
John has long studied the way self-stories, whether in acting or real life, can help young people find their inner strengths and develop their characters in order to reach their goals. He is delighted to be able to reconnect with so many former students and get to know new ones through Mr. Hastings Improv!
Please note that strict COVID Protocols will be in place. Class sizes are limited and all CDC and state guidelines are being adhered to. Masks will be required for indoor classes. Classes will be held outdoors when possible.
(masks required for indoor classes – classes will be held outdoors when possible)
For more information and to sign up please visit https://www.mrhastingsimprov.com or call: 914-263-8902
Playwriting Workshop STARTS THIS SUNDAY!
Schedule: Four Sundays starting September 12, from 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Do you have writer’s block?
Wanna learn how best to construct your play?
Want talented actors to perform your play to make it come to life?
This four-session workshop will cover story structure and character development through writing exercises, as well as live readings by trained actors to provide insights into what is working, or what may need more focus. By design, class size will be limited, ensuring ample personal attention to all participants.
Suzanne Mernyk, founder of Characters Ink Playwrights, is a playwright, performer, producer and classical musician living in NYC. She discovered the joy of creating a character when she was urged by a director to write and perform her own material for a one-woman show. To her amazement, the audience laughed and then cried.
This is how she discovered her passion – touching the hearts of others through her characters and the conflicts they struggle to resolve. Influencers include Wendy Wasserstein, Neil Simon, Beth Henley, Billy Crystal, Smetana and Tchaikovsky.
Suzanne has studied playwriting at NYU, the Dramatists Guild Institute and the Playwrights Lab at The Neighborhood Playhouse with Mary H. Baldridge. She is an active member of the Dramatists Guild. Most recently she was selected to participate in the 2020 Kennedy Center Playwriting Intensive, led by Gary Garrison and Gregg Henry.
Her company, in coordination with Town Players of New Canaan, will offer a fun, supportive and constructive workshop to help complete your play-in-progress or begin a compelling story you would like to bring to life for the stage.
The workshop will culminate in a “Ten Minute Teaser Showcase” performance on December 12th!