You may know the Wilbury Theatre in Providence for its cutting edge theatrical productions, but did you know they offer thespian classes? Whether you’re acting professionally, emerging in the field or simply curious, the Wilbury Theatre Group (WTG) offers classes in everything from auditioning and on-camera acting, to scene study, playwriting, and more. Whatever your interest or skill level, all classes at The School at Wilbury are taught by local professionals and are tailored to meet the individual needs of the students.
WTG has a longstanding commitment to community engagement through various outreach and education programs. They continue this tradition by providing access to high-quality inclusive theater education for aspiring artists, while fostering a vibrant arts community in Rhode Island, emphasizing values that distinguish it from traditional performing arts institutions. Current offerings include the transformative two-year certificate program in Theatrical Creation, designed to provide accessible, high-level actor training within a community-focused environment. The certificate program features three courses. Each class typically has 10-12 adult students.
Founder and director of The School at Wilbury, Mycah Hogan, created and launched the certificate program after four successful years of a drop-in model that he teaches called Embodied Action. This weekly drop-in experience serves as an entry point for those interested in exploring acting, regardless of their skill set. It’s designed to get people into the state of play and help them build capacity. Students interact with shared written and verbal reflections. They may play games such as Seven Bells, experimenting with sound, movement, breath.. Movements get bigger and louder with each toll of the bell, up to the seventh chime. This can foster a connection to desire, calling you to go after what you want despite any obstacles. Classes are held at night, and Part II of this course may be taken first if the timing better fits your schedule.
Booboisie (a term for the public as stupid people, i.e., boobs. Yes, seriously!) is a two-year structured certificate course, intensive in physical theater forms, which are complemented by monthly performance opportunities to help sharpen individual hard and soft skills. (Clown nose optional!) All participants who are in the ensemble for two years will graduate with a certificate from The School at Wilbury.
Community Performance Lab is a cohort for those who wish to develop original productions. This class offers mentorship, teacher training, plus performance opportunities to enhance personal artistic styles and creative perspectives.
Also offered is The Director’s Forum, a roundtable discussion of theory and practice — a new community program offered by the Brown Arts Institute (BAI) in collaboration with the WTG. Led by WTG Artistic Director Josh Short, participants engage in weekly Monday night sessions, exploring different artistic themes tied to WTG, BAI, and Providence-based performance work through a unique blend of theoretical study and practical exploration. Here, participants can explore content and discuss concepts with the creators.
“I think for me it’s all about community. I think people really like to come together, move around, eat together, make noise and process their work. They can decide what they want to create and make it work together,” says Hogan, whose wealth of experience as an educator and theater-maker, along with his diverse background in clowning at the International Theater Workshop in Amsterdam, and teaching at Brown/Trinity Rep’s MFA Program, influences his teaching approach.
“We are currently at the end of the first inaugural year of a two-year program,” adds Hogan. “It’s about community members coming together to learn how to make and create the theatre that they want to see. We are building towards a performance on June 21 at Movement Ground Farm in Tiverton, which is a devised immersive rendering of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
The WTG occasionally offers weekend workshops you can — and should — check out. Many community programs have also turned to TWG for their theatre education programs.
To learn more about outreach programming, or for more information about the certificate program in Theatrical Creation and other fun and educational offerings, visit thewilburygroup.org or contact Education Programs Manager Mycah Hogan at mycah@thewilburygroup.org.
