Centenary hosts Regional High School Theatre Festival

SHREVEPORT, LA — Centenary College's Department of Theatre will host 120 local high school students at the second annual Regional High School Theatre Festival February 12 through 14 at the College's Marjorie Lyons Playhouse. Theatre students from Byrd, Caddo Magnet, Captain Shreve, Green Oaks Performing Arts Academy, and Loyola College Prep will participate in an intensive weekend of workshops conducted by Centenary students and faculty as well as other local theatre professionals. Each group will also have the opportunity to present a short performance that is evaluated and scored by experienced local actors and directors.

"Centenary's theatre festival is a wonderful chance to showcase the work of our talented local high school students in a forum of both camaraderie and competition," says Don Hooper, chair of Centenary's Department of Theatre. "To my knowledge, our festival is the only high school festival in the state that offers workshops for students. And the cool thing we do that others do not is give out huge trophies to the top three performances – these trophies rival what a football team wins."

During the festival, participants will attend interactive workshops on topics ranging from scene painting and mask work to improvisation, stage combat, and specific acting and movement techniques such as Meisner and Viewpoints. Other sessions will offer audition tips, highlight the skills necessary to be an effective stage manager, and educate students about the wide variety of careers available in the entertainment industry.

Fun extras include aerial yoga with local yoga studio Aerial Expressions and a demonstration of the Department of Theatre's 3D printer, which has opened up new possibilities in scenic design and engineering for productions at Marjorie Lyons.

Instructors for the workshop sessions include Hooper, Logan Sledge, and Jodie Glorioso from Centenary, Ray Scott Crawford and Jonathon Offutt from Bossier Parish Community College, and Paul Crook and Mark Guinn from Louisiana Tech University.

The Regional High School Theatre Festival kicks off with opening ceremonies at Marjorie Lyons Playhouse on Friday, February 12 at 5:00 p.m. An awards ceremony, also at Marjorie Lyons, will close out the festival at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 14. Both ceremonies and the short performances are free and open to the public.

For more information, please contact Don Hooper at dhooper@centenary.edu.

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