Symposium
Sunday, November 15, 11am
luncheon included
$10 or free with admission to Garden Cycle

The question of training is at the heart of many of the most significant theatre movements and ensembles of past decades. The myriad methods, goals, philosophies and applications of actor training that have developed all point toward a deep awareness of the need for training as an ongoing process parallel to the creation of performances. This Conversation brings together an international panel of artists and educators who from experience, study, and application, bring different perspectives to the question of training, both in educational and professional contexts. Joining us for this discussion are:

Gennady Abramov, the leader of a major movement in contemporary dance and performance in Moscow, who founded the Class of Expressive Plastic Movement, originally part of Anatoly Vasiliev’s School of Dramatic Art. Trained as a classical dancer, Abramov’s revolutionary approach as director and teacher has influenced a generation of Russian performers.

Jarek Fret, director of the Jerzy Grotowski Institute in Poland, and leader and founder of Teatr ZAR, having previously worked with the Gardzienice Theatre. The Institute hosts workshops and training with artists in Jerzy Grotowski’s lineage, and as Director, Fret oversees these collaborations, as well as leading training and workshops with his own company.

Stephen Nunns, Director of the MFA program in Theatre Arts at Towson University in Baltimore, MD. Towson’s MFA program is uniquely interdisciplinary, with a focus on “Total Theatre,” tailored to the skills and interests of each student.

Joan Schirle, Founding Artistic Director of Dell’Arte International, and the director of the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre. An actor, director, writer, and teacher, she designed Dell’Arte’s MFA in Ensemble-Based Physical Theatre, and is a Senior Teacher of Alexander Technique.

Maria Shevtsova, Editor, New Theatre Quarterly, and Professor of Theatre at the University of London. Maria Shevtsova is an internationally known expert on theatre in France, Russia, and the United States, having written about Robert Wilson, Jean Genet, Lev Dodin, Eugenio Barba, and many others.

Peter Van Heerden, performance artist based in South Africa and member of the erf[81] cultural collective, whose work combines political theatre with ritual action and live art installation. His work has been seen in international festivals, and aims for intense audience engagement.

Stacy Klein, Founder and Artistic Director of Double Edge Theatre, has led Double Edge since its founding in 1982, directing its performances and creative process, and developing the theatre and its home, the Farm Center, into a place of international collaboration and exchange, a vital part of which is its year-round training and internship programs.

Carlos Uriona, Master Actor and Producing Director of Double Edge Theatre. For the past 15 years, Uriona has helped to lead the development of Double Edge’s training and creation methodology, creating a merger with the work he had previously done in Argentina, based around street theatre and puppetry.


For information or tickets, call 413.628.0277
Double Edge Theatre
948 Conway Road
Ashfield, MA 01330