Olympic Theatre Arts’ Young Thespians starts online programs

By Sequim Gazette Staff • June 10, 2020 1:30 am
Olympic Theatre Arts instructor Lorra Cornetet teachers her young actors and actresses. Photo courtesy of Olympic Theatre Arts
Olympic Theatre Arts instructor Lorra Cornetet teachers her young actors and actresses. Photo courtesy of Olympic Theatre Arts

Young actors and actresses can now rehearse and get lessons from instructors in preparation for live performances in August through Olympic Theatre Arts’ Young Thespians program.

OTA instructors Bonne Smith, Lorra Cornetet and Sarah Tucker have designed a class via Zoom for “Ten Ways to Survive In a Quarantine,” a play written specifically for video streaming and designed for thespians of ages 8-18.

Registrants will be invited to join together each Wednesday via video conference from 3:30-4:30 p.m., for warm-ups and class expectations for that day. They will receive in advance a script to study before classes begin.

The class kicks off with a check-in on June 17 to test participants’ online connection and fill out online audition forms. Proper classes start June 24 and run through Aug. 12.

For the balance of the one hour class time, the young thespians divide into separate “breakout rooms” in smaller groups to rehearse. At the end of the eight-week session, on Aug. 5, the group will put on two live performances at no additional charge for registered families; others outside the family can enjoy the show for a $10 ticket.

For young actors who have technology challenges, OTA will loan computer tablets.

“We need robust participation for this to work financially,” says executive director Carol Willis. “Fifteen students could keep us narrowly in the black, 20 students would be ideal (and) more would be better.”

Tuition for the eight-week session, including access to the two performances, is $80.

Registration forms will be posted on the OTA website at olympictheatrearts.org with early registration required in order to determine viability.

In addition, OTA offers a new regular story-telling program called “Tuesdays at Two with the Jellybean Queen” for Jellybeans — actors and actresses of ages 4-8 (generally). Cornetet, dubbed the Jellybean Queen, will be live on Zoom at 2 p.m. each Tuesday starting June 16 for a 15-minute story reading, complete with costumes, hand puppets, funny voices and more.

For more information about OTA’s youth programs, contact Sarah Tucker at volunteers@olympic theatrearts.org.