My 'Life Stories' class started and my oh my what an amazing group of people! We laughed, we shared stories, we felt deep emotions for one another...Truly truly an exciting first day. One of my students plans to keep a journal of the class and has permitted me to include it here....So many stories to tell from my sixteen amazing students....Can't wait for the next class where everyone is to write a half page childhood memory (one minute)... The following was written by Elizabeth Towles (Willie)
The Memory Chair
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
There are sixteen of us and we are here at the Matthews Playhouse for a class listed as: Life Stories.
The chairs form a large circle inside the ample corner room. We are a diverse group, women as well as men, and all with one connecting thread…we are labeled Seniors, as in the time of our life’s number game. In charge is a young woman, Wrenn, who evidently has great courage; she had been the leader of children’s group, and others, and now…our group, carrying a plethora of personalities, experiences, and problems that grew us and shaped our present personas.
We will meet one day a week, for a time of 1 &1/2 hrs, for the next twelve weeks, learning life stories from each other, and eventually drafting a play from one of the stories. Along the way, we’ll have a lot of laughs, oh and ah at surprises, and give hugs when touching becomes a need.
Today, we wore name tags and were paired with another classmate. In turn, we asked each other questions and answered them out loud. Questions like: Your name? Do you have a nickname? What is your favorite color…and why? Why did you join this class? And do you have anything you’d like to share with the group? Needless to say, it was the last question that opened the flood gates of remembrance…only eight people got to participate. It seems when given a chance to have our say…we seniors really have our say. Next week the remaining eight will have their turn.
I was paired with Terry, who I soon learned had asked to partner with me, I agreed, not knowing there was more behind the asking. We exchanged names and small talk before being center stage for our questioning period. When I asked about nicknames, she said she had been called Willie, which is part of my name, and also that she was a writer. As she talked, I found many commons that we shared. Strangers upon meeting, but within a matter of quick minutes, we felt kinship by our past. After dealing with debilitating health problems for the last 10 months, this was my first attempt at stepping back into my life; and Terry seemed put in place by knowing Hands.
The class went by so quickly that I remember only a handful of names from today’s gathering: Ted, who wrote under his name tag, Donald Duck; he gave us a Quack, Quack to validate his note, Barbara, who said her stories would be coming next week, Julia, whose ready smile lit up her face; and Sandy who said she had been wanting to do something for a long time, and with a mischievous look in her eyes, she pulled up a sleeve and on the soft underside of her left arm a message read: Have Faith and Breathe…. Elizabeth
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Thursday, December 30, 2010
News Articles about ACT from Fall 2010
- DavidsonNews.net Guide - http://davidsonnews.net/guide -
Posted By David Boraks On December 7, 2010 @ 10:14 pm In seniors,theater
Davidson Community Players’ Seniors on Stage acting class presents its first workshop production “Young at Heart: A Laugh-In Experience” this Wednesday, Dec. 8, and Saturday, Dec. 11, at Armour Street Theater in Davidson. Wednesday’s show is at 2 p.m., Saturday’s at 11 a.m.
The show consists of a series of skits developed by people ages 55 and above in a senior acting class taught by Wrenn Goodrum. The performances are free and open to the public. Donations will be accepted at the door.
Davidson Community Players’ Seniors on Stage was launched in September as a pilot program for adults aged 55 and over. Through improvisation, character creations, storytelling and vaudeville, the ensemble has created a variety show filled with monologues, short scenes, song and dance set in a ‘Laugh-in’ format. A sampling of scenes from the production include a surfer dude teaching Granny how to surf, a 16-year-old school girl at her prom, and a cook-off between the “Almost Naked Chef” and “Granny.”
“Senior Theatre is relatively new to this area” Ms. Goodrum said in a press release. “The benefits of participation are more than mere entertainment.”
Loretta Banner, who plays Granny, agreed. “Becoming another character – even for a few minutes – enlightens the soul. Learning to improvise keeps your mind and limbs limber and active. Meeting new friends and laughing keeps the heart light. … This is truly a rewarding experience.”
Said artistic director Melissa Ohlman-Roberge: “Little by little, we’ve been expanding and trying different things in our effort to find what’s going to resonate with our community. The need for increased programming for Seniors has been on our radar for some time, and was on our initial list when we opened Armour Street Theatre in 2008. We needed to find the right time, format and person to launch the program. We have that now in Wrenn, and are so pleased to embark on this new phase of our journey with Seniors on Stage!”
Future senior acting classes are also planned. For more information about classes, or for a reservation to one of this week’s shows, call Davidson Community Players’ box office, 704-892-7953.
Article printed from DavidsonNews.net Guide: http://davidsonnews.net/guide
There’s a new activity for area seniors, and it has nothing to do with the letters B-I-N-G-O.
Beginning Oct. 6, Matthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts will play hostess to a local theater company eager to teach senior citizens the craft of theater. And it’ll be good for them, too. Research shows seniors who regularly participate in theater lower their risk of
disease and increase their overall health. Wrenn Goodrum is the leading lady in the local senior theater movement. Founder of Activate Community Through Theatre, or ACT, Goodrum will teach a 10-week theater workshop series for seniors on Wednesday
afternoons from Oct. 6 to Dec. 8 at the Playhouse, 100 E. McDowell St. She’s currently teaching a similar program in Davidson and envisions more area workshops and even a seniors-only theater company. Goodrum, who has more than 30 years of theater experience, also teaches classes for children. In fact, the Cary, N.C. native had her own children’s theater company for 21 years in Rhode Island. A graduate of the North Carolina
School of the Arts, Goodrum made a living first as an actress and then as a theater director and educator in New York City for 10 years. She’s even been an extra on TV shows such as “All My Children,” where she played a nurse. So why seniors? Goodrum has a simple,
honest answer: her mother, Peggy. Goodrum, 59, moved back to the area last year after her mother had a stroke. Visiting her mom in an assisted living facility, Goodrum said she noticed something lacking for the senior residents. “There was no real spiritual, physical
or emotional things going on,” she said. “They had activities, but they didn’t have activities that could really stimulate.” So she volunteered to host interactive workshops, bringing the theater to elderly residents and making them the stars. The program was well received.
“When I started working with them, it was like they were coming out of a cocoon. It was really moving to see the power of theater,” she said, choking back tears. “The theater has that door or it has that window and says ‘come in, come in.’ Some people run through it, and others it takes a while, but when they get throughit, there’s this breakthrough.” And health benefits to boot, research shows. A 2001 study conducted by the Center for Aging, Health, and Humanities at George Washington University showed seniors involved in the arts have fewer falls, fewer doctor visits and take fewer pills than their peers. The study, described as the first of its kind, followed seniors ranging from 65 to 100 years old in
three cities: Washington, D.C., Brooklyn and San Francisco. The study revealed that regular theater participation helped seniors maintain their independence and appeared to be reducing risk factors that drive the need for long-term care, study authors wrote. “I am not sure that people realize that senior theater and acting classes for Seniors, it’s your time to shine Activate Community Through Theatre to lead workshop in Matthews for senior citizens seniors exist,” Goodrum said. “There are over 700 senior-theater companies in
America, and growing by the minute, but not in this area. I want to change the stereotypical
way that society views senior citizens. I want to give a voice and an outlet for seniors to express themselves, share their life stories and wisdom. We’ve got to celebrate the seniors.”
Those attending Goodrum’s workshop don’t need any theater experience, just a willingness to learn – and laugh. “We’ll sing. We’ll do improv. We’ll share stories,” she said. “It’s a safe place to be who you are.” Want to know more? Wrenn Goodrum will lead a 10-week
theater workshop just for seniors at the Matthews Playhouse, 100 E. McDowell St., from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesdays from Oct. 6 to Dec. 8. Cost is $125. For more information or to register, call 704- 707-6757. The workshop will end with a final presentation for family and friends.
by Kara Lopp
kara@matthewsminthillweekly.com
Seniors on Stage: ‘Young at Heart’
Posted By David Boraks On December 7, 2010 @ 10:14 pm In seniors,theater
Davidson Community Players’ Seniors on Stage acting class presents its first workshop production “Young at Heart: A Laugh-In Experience” this Wednesday, Dec. 8, and Saturday, Dec. 11, at Armour Street Theater in Davidson. Wednesday’s show is at 2 p.m., Saturday’s at 11 a.m.
The show consists of a series of skits developed by people ages 55 and above in a senior acting class taught by Wrenn Goodrum. The performances are free and open to the public. Donations will be accepted at the door.
Davidson Community Players’ Seniors on Stage was launched in September as a pilot program for adults aged 55 and over. Through improvisation, character creations, storytelling and vaudeville, the ensemble has created a variety show filled with monologues, short scenes, song and dance set in a ‘Laugh-in’ format. A sampling of scenes from the production include a surfer dude teaching Granny how to surf, a 16-year-old school girl at her prom, and a cook-off between the “Almost Naked Chef” and “Granny.”
“Senior Theatre is relatively new to this area” Ms. Goodrum said in a press release. “The benefits of participation are more than mere entertainment.”
Loretta Banner, who plays Granny, agreed. “Becoming another character – even for a few minutes – enlightens the soul. Learning to improvise keeps your mind and limbs limber and active. Meeting new friends and laughing keeps the heart light. … This is truly a rewarding experience.”
Said artistic director Melissa Ohlman-Roberge: “Little by little, we’ve been expanding and trying different things in our effort to find what’s going to resonate with our community. The need for increased programming for Seniors has been on our radar for some time, and was on our initial list when we opened Armour Street Theatre in 2008. We needed to find the right time, format and person to launch the program. We have that now in Wrenn, and are so pleased to embark on this new phase of our journey with Seniors on Stage!”
Future senior acting classes are also planned. For more information about classes, or for a reservation to one of this week’s shows, call Davidson Community Players’ box office, 704-892-7953.
Article printed from DavidsonNews.net Guide: http://davidsonnews.net/guide
Matthews Minthill Weekly Newspaper by Kara Lopp
Seniors, it’s your time to shine
Activate Community Through Theatre to lead workshop for senior citizens.
There’s a new activity for area seniors, and it has nothing to do with the letters B-I-N-G-O.
Beginning Oct. 6, Matthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts will play hostess to a local theater company eager to teach senior citizens the craft of theater. And it’ll be good for them, too. Research shows seniors who regularly participate in theater lower their risk of
disease and increase their overall health. Wrenn Goodrum is the leading lady in the local senior theater movement. Founder of Activate Community Through Theatre, or ACT, Goodrum will teach a 10-week theater workshop series for seniors on Wednesday
afternoons from Oct. 6 to Dec. 8 at the Playhouse, 100 E. McDowell St. She’s currently teaching a similar program in Davidson and envisions more area workshops and even a seniors-only theater company. Goodrum, who has more than 30 years of theater experience, also teaches classes for children. In fact, the Cary, N.C. native had her own children’s theater company for 21 years in Rhode Island. A graduate of the North Carolina
School of the Arts, Goodrum made a living first as an actress and then as a theater director and educator in New York City for 10 years. She’s even been an extra on TV shows such as “All My Children,” where she played a nurse. So why seniors? Goodrum has a simple,
honest answer: her mother, Peggy. Goodrum, 59, moved back to the area last year after her mother had a stroke. Visiting her mom in an assisted living facility, Goodrum said she noticed something lacking for the senior residents. “There was no real spiritual, physical
or emotional things going on,” she said. “They had activities, but they didn’t have activities that could really stimulate.” So she volunteered to host interactive workshops, bringing the theater to elderly residents and making them the stars. The program was well received.
“When I started working with them, it was like they were coming out of a cocoon. It was really moving to see the power of theater,” she said, choking back tears. “The theater has that door or it has that window and says ‘come in, come in.’ Some people run through it, and others it takes a while, but when they get throughit, there’s this breakthrough.” And health benefits to boot, research shows. A 2001 study conducted by the Center for Aging, Health, and Humanities at George Washington University showed seniors involved in the arts have fewer falls, fewer doctor visits and take fewer pills than their peers. The study, described as the first of its kind, followed seniors ranging from 65 to 100 years old in
three cities: Washington, D.C., Brooklyn and San Francisco. The study revealed that regular theater participation helped seniors maintain their independence and appeared to be reducing risk factors that drive the need for long-term care, study authors wrote. “I am not sure that people realize that senior theater and acting classes for Seniors, it’s your time to shine Activate Community Through Theatre to lead workshop in Matthews for senior citizens seniors exist,” Goodrum said. “There are over 700 senior-theater companies in
America, and growing by the minute, but not in this area. I want to change the stereotypical
way that society views senior citizens. I want to give a voice and an outlet for seniors to express themselves, share their life stories and wisdom. We’ve got to celebrate the seniors.”
Those attending Goodrum’s workshop don’t need any theater experience, just a willingness to learn – and laugh. “We’ll sing. We’ll do improv. We’ll share stories,” she said. “It’s a safe place to be who you are.” Want to know more? Wrenn Goodrum will lead a 10-week
theater workshop just for seniors at the Matthews Playhouse, 100 E. McDowell St., from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesdays from Oct. 6 to Dec. 8. Cost is $125. For more information or to register, call 704- 707-6757. The workshop will end with a final presentation for family and friends.
by Kara Lopp
kara@matthewsminthillweekly.com
ACT Hired by Matthews Playhouse to Teach and Direct 'Life Stories' Performance Workshop
June Bayless, Artistic Director of Matthews Playhouse has hired ACT to teach/direct a performance workshop for seniors starting the first Wednesday in February 2011. Matthews Playhouse received a $2,000 matching grant from the Arts & Science Council for a senior theatre performance workshop where the students aged 55+ will compose monologues of their life's stories. Students will work on acting, storytelling and writing techniques for twelve sessions. A public performance of this multi-media 'Life Stories' production is scheduled for April followed by performances at three senior communities in Matthews and Mint Hill. The fee for the workshop is only $125 and the class size is limited so early enrollment is advised. The workshop will take place on Wednesdays from 10:30 - 12 at the Matthews Playhouse - 100 McDowell Street in Matthews. For more information please call Wrenn at ACT.
Seniors on Stage at Davidson Community Players
ACT was hired by Davidson Community Players to teach a 10 week performance class for seniors aged 55+....We had a most amazing ten weeks working on improvisations, character creations, comedy, laughter yoga, songs and hilarious vaudeville scenes. Several had never performed in public ....but you never would have known it. I so loved working with my students who were fearless and ever so creative...As the video in my mind replays I think of Loretta and her wild sense of humor and artistic contributions to our costumes and props..she (along with her assistants, Sally and Fran) made all the mouseketeers ears, 'Young at Heart' signs and a few other props used in the many scenes of the performance.....her 'Dirty Dancing' with Paw brought the house down. Judy as the dumb blond secretary with perfect comic timing and Fran so courageous to play the eccentric old lady on the park bench with a snarly Rodney....tooo funny! And of course there was Barbara P who took on the role of Stage Manager as well as getting many guffaws in her walk-on as the waitress...Her comic take to the audience was priceless. Marion created a Bostonian woman whose husband invented the chicken and was immensely entertaining in her 'match.com' date with Rodney's 'Tex'. And there was Sally as a 'surfer dude' teaching Loretta's Granny how to surf and Peggy's 16 year old Catholic School girl telling the audience about going to the prom. Barbara H's monologue 'Lightning Bugs' always brought a tear or two and the power of the silence which followed was extraordinary.....BRAVO to the Seniors on Stage in their 'Young at Heart' Laugh-In Experience.
 |
| Young at Heart Song |
 |
| Loretta and Paw doing the Dirty Dance |
 |
| Sally 'Surfer Dude' teaches Granny how to surf |
 |
| First meeting of a 'Match.com' match or was it? |
 |
| Inspired by Artie Johnson and Ruth Buzzi 'In the Park' |
 |
| TEX |
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| Catholic School Girl (Peggy) as a grocery store clerk whose customer, Dumb Blond (Judy) wants to return M'M's because she couldn't peel their shells off. |
 |
| Barbara played an advice columnist who gave sexual advice to seniors....Hilarious! |
Friday, November 19, 2010
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Shakespeare UnPlugged
Davidson Seniors on Stage Present 'Young at Heart A Laugh In Experience
Thursday, September 23, 2010
CHANGES IN UPCOMING PROGRAMS
Edison ACTing Classes
The start date for the classes has been moved to September 28th and 29th providing a minium number of students is met. We are offering a $100 coupon for our fall/winter classes to the Cox Mill Elementary School's 'Bingo Fundraiser' on Friday, Oct. 24th...Come one come all!!!
The Levine Senior Senior
Sadly we had to cancel the production of 'The Phantom of the Soap Opera' as there were not enough people registered to cast the show. So, while I was devastated because I was so excited about working with the new friends I had made at my ACT & SEE presentation in August, I decided to offer classes at the Matthews Playhouse.
ACTing UP with Seniors
ACT will offer Acting classes for seniors at the Matthews Playhouse, Matthews Community Center * 100 McDowell Street in Matthews. ACTing Up will run for ten sessions starting Wednesday, October 6 and run through December 7. An additional class on December 6 will be held. All classes meet at 1pm and run until 2:30pm. No memorization or experience is necessary!!! Did you know that research proves that Seniors participating in theatre have less doctors visits, less medication usage and increased mobility of body? Truly! Truly! Truly!
The start date for the classes has been moved to September 28th and 29th providing a minium number of students is met. We are offering a $100 coupon for our fall/winter classes to the Cox Mill Elementary School's 'Bingo Fundraiser' on Friday, Oct. 24th...Come one come all!!!
The Levine Senior Senior
Sadly we had to cancel the production of 'The Phantom of the Soap Opera' as there were not enough people registered to cast the show. So, while I was devastated because I was so excited about working with the new friends I had made at my ACT & SEE presentation in August, I decided to offer classes at the Matthews Playhouse.
ACTing UP with Seniors
ACT will offer Acting classes for seniors at the Matthews Playhouse, Matthews Community Center * 100 McDowell Street in Matthews. ACTing Up will run for ten sessions starting Wednesday, October 6 and run through December 7. An additional class on December 6 will be held. All classes meet at 1pm and run until 2:30pm. No memorization or experience is necessary!!! Did you know that research proves that Seniors participating in theatre have less doctors visits, less medication usage and increased mobility of body? Truly! Truly! Truly!
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