SUNY Orange to host theatre workshop on March 14

MIDDLETOWN — Theatre workshops-master classes are not sessions for sitters. They are active and insist that attendees be interactively participatory either imagining, speaking, acting, playwriting, doing face-paced physical work-ups or a combination of these.
When Donald Garverick comes on Wednesday, March 14, to present a theatre workshop-master class, be ready for action.
Two-part workshopThe session, Acting the Lyric, will be stimulating because he intends to get students and community people immediately involved. The concept is based on a lyric-based open scene challenge. Attendees will work with a topic provided by Garverick. This comes in the form of a lyric and each participant acting on his/her own will interpret in monologue form.
Beginning at 1 p.m. on the stage of the William and Helen Richards Theatre at Orange Hall, the focus will be on a surprise lyric because at that time the Improvisation for the Theater class normally meets.
“Participants will explore improv games using lyrics as a springboard," Garverick said. "Since it is an improv class, the attendees will receive the lyrics during this session, and they must come up with on-the-spot material.”
Then, after a quick ten minute break, the workshop-master class will continue at 2:30 p.m.
This second session centers on the acting fundamentals.
“Attendees work with the sample lyric which has been given a few days ahead of the workshop," Garverick said. "Participants are encouraged to bring in their own interpretations of the material as a monologue so the session can explore the many and various choices available within any lyrics/text.”
For this session the Lyric is:
“I could chalk the whole thing off
to a paid vacation
and head for the railroad track
but I don’t want to be
just another Hollywood casualty…
I’m not going back.
I just can’t go back. So….”
The instructor's creditsGarverick is a SUNY Orange alum who went on to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, a hands-on, in-depth performing arts conservatory academy in New York City.
He is a director/choreographer and writer/lyricist who works Off-Broadway, and in various New York and regional theatres and festivals as well as in film, cabaret, and stage readings.
His recent director/choreographer credits include: 90210: The Musical - Off-Broadway at Theatre 80 and Broadway Playhouse in Chicago, The Red Shoes from An Evening with Kathryn Morgan at The Kennedy Center, To Dance - The Musical at the FringeNYC, and Changing Minds Children’s Musical Theatre Festival at The Broadway Workshop.
He also co-authored Show Choir! - The Musical and Casual Bob as well as wrote new lyrics and book converting Pirates of Penzance to science fiction/fantasy Space Pirates of Planet Penzance. Garverick is a member of BMI.
This workshop-master class is free and open to the public.
Questions may be directed to Cultural Affairs at 845 341-4891 or cultural@sunyorange.edu. Check out the website at www.sunyorange.edu/culturalaffairs. Orange Hall is located at the corner of Wawayanda and Grandview Avenues (GPS: 24 Grandview Avenue), Middletown.