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Pennsylvania

Cue the Curtain Call: A Theatrical Adventure With Your Grandchild

Program No. 23103RJ
From auditions to curtain call, team up with your grandchild for a theatrical adventure. Learn expert techniques and see a Broadway show before putting on your own performance!

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itinerary
Please Note:
The itinerary for this program is different on certain dates.
Age 8 - 15
ROOMING OPTION PRICING
The figures below indicate the rooming options available.
DATES
Aug 6 - Aug 11, 2023
Per Adult
999
Per Child
599
Select
Itinerary Note

This program week is for children ages 8-15.

Aug 6 - Aug 11, 2023
-
999
/ Adult
599
/ Child
1,549
/ Adult
599
/ Child
Select Date
Itinerary Note

This program week is for children ages 8-15.

At a Glance

Curtains up! Get ready for a fully immersive theatrical adventure in the Poconos as you and your grandchild experience life in the limelight, from auditions through a final performance in a landmark theater. Learn the ins and outs of the stage through professional workshops and hone your acting skills with tips learned from a Broadway performer before venturing to New York City to see a Broadway show! By the time the curtain drops, you and your grandchild will have discovered why there’s no business like show business!
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Daily rehearsals require periods of walking, standing and other stage movement. Our NYC Broadway excursion requires climbing a flight or two of stairs to get to our seats. Performers of all experience and ability levels welcome.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Experience every phase of bringing a show to life, from auditions and rehearsals to a final Reader’s Theater performance (no line memorizing!) in front of a live audience!
  • Learn industry tricks and tips from theater experts, such as warm ups, professional acting techniques and how the casting process works.
  • Take a field trip to New York City to see a family-friendly Broadway show!
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Midge McClosky
Midge McClosky is the Cultural Program Director for the Shawnee Institute, Executive Director of the Shawnee Playhouse, and the Artistic Director of the Worthington Players. Before moving to Shawnee, Midge worked as a professional actress, singer, and dancer performing musical theatre in 49 of the 50 states. Her extensive credits cross over into film, television, commercials, voice-overs, and live industrials. She and Chris, her husband of more than 20 years, have two active boys, ages 13 and 14.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Midge McClosky
Midge McClosky View biography
Midge McClosky is the Cultural Program Director for the Shawnee Institute, Executive Director of the Shawnee Playhouse, and the Artistic Director of the Worthington Players. Before moving to Shawnee, Midge worked as a professional actress, singer, and dancer performing musical theatre in 49 of the 50 states. Her extensive credits cross over into film, television, commercials, voice-overs, and live industrials. She and Chris, her husband of more than 20 years, have two active boys, ages 13 and 14.
Profile Image of Brandon Hanks
Brandon Hanks View biography
After directing this summer's production of The Pirates of Penzance, Brandon Hanks is thrilled to choreograph Footloose! He was last seen on stage in Shawnee Playhouse's production of The Pirates of Penzance & Christmas Musical Memories. He is the Producing Artistic director of Rebel Stages, their last production was Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, which he directed as well.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Acting for Young Actors: The Ultimate Teen Guide
by Mary Lou Belli
Do you know a teen that's been bitten by the acting bug? Here's just the book they need! Acting for Young Actors, aimed at teens and tweens, lets kids hone their skills and develop their craft. It begins with the five W's: WHO am I? WHAT do I want? WHY do I want it? WHERE am I? WHEN does this event take place? Sounds basic - but many young child actors are told simply to "get up there and act." This book explores each of these questions, using helpful exercises to allow young actors to work through problems of character identity and motivation. With comprehensive chapters on auditioning, rehearsal, and improvisation, plus a primer on how young actors can break into film, theater, and television, Acting for Young Actors is every kid's ticket to the big time.
Break a Leg!: The Kids' Guide to Acting and Stagecraft
by Lise Friedman
A complete drama course for kids in a book. BREAK A LEG! teaches budding thespians everything they need to know about stagecraft and the production of performances, in home or out. Illustrated throughout with informative how-to and candid shots of young working actors, BREAK A LEG! is as comprehensive as it is high-spirited. There are sections on body preparation, including warm-ups, stretches, and breathing exercises. Theater games, improv, miming, and other fun ways to develop technique. Important acting skills, such as voice projection, crying on command, learning accents, and staging falls and fights without getting hurt. Theperformance: analyzing scripts, building a character, what to expect from rehearsals, and overcoming stagefright. A backstage look at blocking, lighting, and other technical aspects of theater production. And for the fun of costumes and make-up, a 16-page color insert. In addition, it covers legends and lore (Why is Macbeth cursed? Why do we say "break a leg"?) and offers dozens of must-see movie recommendations. Plus, for the ambitious, talented, and just plain curious, there's advice on how to make a career of it all, with tips on agents and auditions and getting jobs in theater, film, TV, and radio.
The Young Actor's Handbook (The Applause Acting Series)
by Jeremy Kruse
(Applause Acting Series). The way some introductory acting books are written, it seems that a literal leg break is your best option. In The Young Actor's Handbook , Jeremy Kruse, an actor, writer, producer, and director who teaches method acting, acting for camera, improvisation, and sketch comedy at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, mends this mangled genre, distilling invaluable lessons and years of experience down to a lean, mean, intuitive hundred page primer. Rather than bludgeoning the uninitiated with dense paragraphs, vague concepts, and opaque examples, The Young Actor's Handbook ignites the beginning actor's creative soul with inspirational acting exercises, acting theory, writing exercises, and insight into what it means to be an actor. This concise and pragmatic manual will guide and inform the young actor, beginning actor, novice acting teacher, or anyone who wants to understand acting through a broad and diverse survey of essential knowledge. The teachings of Richard Boleslavsky, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, Uta Hagen, Michael Shurtleff, Lee Strasberg, and Constantin Stanislavsky are eloquently and accessible rendered, as are basics of script analysis, camera technique, the audition mindset, agent acquisition, and the actor's life. Whether you're a curious novice, veteran acting teacher, or even an interested observer, The Young Actor's Handbook will enhance your understanding of this vast and rewarding craft.
Acting Is Believing: A Basic Method For Beginners
by Charles McGaw
Although the materials in this book are organized in such a way as to make them practical for classroom use, they are intended for any reader who is interested in a basic approach to the art of acting; and though the book has been written with the stage actor in mind, the methods described may be used as well by the actor in any other field. The basic approach to acting is the same for the proscenium stage, theatre-in-the-round, motion pictures, television, and radio. The differences lie in the differing technical adjustments required by these various mediums. The approach here presented is based, to a considerable extent, on the methods of Stanislavski.
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6 days
5 nights
13 meals
5 B 4 L 4 D
DAY
1
Registration, Welcome Dinner,Orientation & Auditions
Shawnee on Delaware, PA
D
The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort

Activity note: Check-in begins at 4:00 p.m.

Afternoon: CHECK-IN: Hotel Room Check-in is available from 4:30 p.m. on. PROGRAM REGISTRATION: After you check in at the front desk and get settled into your room, join your fellow Road Scholars in the hospitality room to socialize until the Welcome Dinner begins. This is a Road Scholar Retreats program. Our programming at Retreat locations includes opportunities for light morning exercise, interaction with members of the local community, a farm-to-table meal, and evening entertainment. This is a Road Scholar Grandparent program. Grandparents are responsible for their grandchildren. If/when separate age group activities are conducted concurrently, program staff will supervise. Minors are never to be left unsupervised. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. The learning experience will be as much like real theatrical life as possible with auditions, rehearsals, props, costumes, headshots and bios, all in a historic theater. There will be something for everyone to do.

Dinner: At 7 p.m. we'll enjoy dinner at the Inn, where you'll have the opportunity to choose from a "American Home-style" themed buffet offering choices of salads and entrées (one of which will be child-friendly), plus vegetables, rice, potatoes, or pasta, fresh fruit, and coffee, tea (iced or hot), water, other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: ORIENTATION: After dinner the Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date Daily Schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions you may have. CLASS: We’ll gather in a rehearsal space where the Shawnee Playhouse Casting Director will discuss the audition and casting process for theatrical productions. We will discuss our script options for productions, selected for Road Scholar by S.T.A.R.S. — the Shawnee Theatrical Resource School Board of Directors. We will discuss the choices and the directors will use this input to select the best script for our group of actors. After this brief presentation we’ll play some theater games together. Do you want to audition? Here’s your chance! We’ll then have Q&A just for kids, play a fun game to get to know each other, and enjoy S’mores by the campfire out on the grand lawn. Then settle in and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

DAY
2
Audition Results, Rehearsals, Headshots, Movie Night
Shawnee on Delaware, PA
B,L,D
The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort

Activity note: Indoor walking and stage movement.

Breakfast: In the Inn's River Room Restaurant, choose from hot and cold breakfast selections such as an omelette station, make your own waffles, breakfast meats, pancakes or French toast, homemade granola, fruit, and homemade pastries plus coffee, tea, water.

Morning: We’ll see the audition results. The cast list will be posted, scripts will be announced, and rehearsals will begin! We’ll also have our theatrical headshots taken and write our bios for the playbill.

Lunch: At the Inn, the lunch buffet offers a variety of selections including a vegetarian option and other healthy choices including fruits and vegetables from our own garden, a truly decadent dessert, plus soda, coffee, iced tea, water.

Afternoon: We’ll go behind the scenes of the Shawnee Playhouse, a historic landmark theatre built in 1904. Continuing our rehearsal process, we’ll move onto the playhouse stage.

Dinner: Italian Style Inn buffet.

Evening: We’ll watch a family friendly movie with new friends. Expert commentary will enhance the experience.

DAY
3
Rehearsals, Master Class, Concert
Shawnee on Delaware, PA
B,L,D
The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort

Activity note: Walking, doing stage movement indoors.

Breakfast: Inn buffet.

Morning: In theater, who you ARE on stage can be determined by how you LOOK. We will have a presentation by the costumer, then explore the costume shop and add these elements to our production. We’ll find out how different items can change the way we walk, talk and speak. We’ll also dig through the prop shop to find what we need. Continuing our rehearsal process, We will also add furniture and set pieces to our rehearsal this morning.

Lunch: We will return to the Inn for our lunch buffet.

Afternoon: We’ll learn from one of Shawnee’s best theatrical performers during this special master class. She will demonstrate a Broadway style audition and tell about her experiences on the Great White Way! We will also participate as requested to help demonstrate different aspects of what’s involved. This is a terrific opportunity to ask questions.

Dinner: Inn buffet. Tonight's Farm to Table meal will be presented by our Executive Chef. Before dinner, embark on a golf cart tour out to our Shawnee Golf Island.

Evening: We’ll attend a concert at Shawnee featuring local musicians. It might be anything from classical to doo-wop, bluegrass to rock and roll. Whatever the music, feeling the rhythm and how you move to it as well as hearing the notes is part of learning how to be a performer. If you’d like to get a snack on your own after the concert, the Buckwood Café is open until 8:00 p.m. They make homemade yummy cookies, muffins, and breads.

DAY
4
NYC Field Trip, Broadway Musical
Shawnee on Delaware, PA
B,L
The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort

Activity note: Getting on/off a shuttle bus. Driving about 90 miles, approximately 1.5 hours each way. Walking up to about 3 miles throughout the day. Wear comfortable shoes. Broadway theaters typically have stairs; be prepared for a flight or two to get to our seats.

Breakfast: Inn buffet.

Morning: We’ll embark on an exciting field trip to NYC! We'll explore mid-town before heading to the theater.

Lunch: During our scenic drive through the city, we’ll have boxed lunches provided by the Inn.

Afternoon: Curtain up! It’s time to sit back, watch, learn, and enjoy at a Broadway theater musical. The exact title will be announced before your arrival and is determined by the availability of the theaters in NYC. This production is approximately 2.5 hours in length and includes one intermission.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. We will be in the Times Square area where there are many choices.

Evening: We will regroup at a designated time and place to reboard the shuttle bus. Relax on our way back to the Inn, then have a leisurely evening unwinding after our big trip to the Big Apple! For those with energy to burn, the pool will be open until 10 pm.

DAY
5
Final Rehearsal, Show, Free Time, Performance & Reception
Shawnee on Delaware, PA
B,L,D
The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort

Activity note: Walking, doing stage movement indoors.

Breakfast: Inn buffet.

Morning: We will start the day by adding lighting and sound cues to our production. We’ll then bring all of the different elements together in our final dress rehearsal. Later in the morning, we’ll enjoy a family friendly performance at the Shawnee Playhouse.

Lunch: Inn buffet.

Afternoon: Free time. Take a few hours for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. You may also use this time to prepare for the performance or enjoy the many Inn amenities available. You will need to arrive at the playhouse by 4:30 this afternoon to prepare for your 5:00 PM performance. Tonight’s the night! Time to put everything we’ve learned and done together into action. We’ll celebrate the show’s success with a meet and greet in the lobby of the Shawnee Playhouse. You can even sign autographs! All participants will receive a shareable YouTube link at the close of the program to relive the experience and share with friends and family members.

Dinner: At the Inn, we’ll have a pre-selected, plated meal — made to order by our executive chef — featuring freshly prepared local fare, salad, bread, and dessert, plus coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: After dinner, make sure to exchange contact information with your new friends so you can keep in touch. Prepare for check-out and departure after our closing session in the morning.

DAY
6
Program Concludes
Shawnee on Delaware, PA
B

Activity note: Check-out 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: Inn buffet.

Morning: After breakfast, the program will conclude. Checkout of rooms is by 11 a.m. We hope you have enjoyed your Road Scholar learning adventure and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!






Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.