Spring Youth Classes

Join us for a class where we encourage girls to sing loud and proud! Master Piven teacher and accomplished opera director Susan Payne-O’Brien will coach girl-identifying students to share their voices confidently while exploring signature Piven performance tools: theatre games, improvisation, and story theatre. Class will culminate with a never-before-seen devised musical theatre piece created by the ensemble.

Spring Only!
Mondays •4:30-6:00pm $455

Perfect for the young student who wants to begin exploring theatre arts in a fun and supportive environment! Students stretch their creative muscles through theatre games while they begin to discover the art of storytelling and improvisation. This class provides the perfect introduction to the Piven training technique!

Tuesdays • 4:30-5:30pm $265

Come play with us! Students learn vital acting skills while learning to build ensemble, explore improvisation, and adapt and perform stories. Open to new and returning students who wish to unlock their creative impulses and find new ways to share their voices.

Thursdays • 4:30-6:00pm or Saturdays • 12-1:30pm $355

In this scene study focused class, students use the fun and impulsive play of improvisation to create lively characters and realistic relationships. Students rehearse scenes from contemporary plays under the expert direction of their Piven teaching artist. Open to new and returning students, and perfect for those who wish to learn how Piven’s training can heighten their performances in school, community, and professional plays.

Saturdays • 9:00-10:30am $355

Advanced students learn how the Piven Technique can bring their scene work to the next level. By training creative impulses through signature Piven theatre games and exercises, students in this program learn to capture the spontaneity of improvisation in scripted work while developing truthful performances.  Students rehearse scenes from contemporary plays, under the expert direction of their Piven teaching artist.

By instructor recommendation or submission of resume.

Tuesdays • 4:30-6:00pm/ $355

Learn the games that form the core of the legendary Piven training method! Students are introduced to vital acting skills while learning to build an ensemble and explore improvisation. Students use signature Piven theatre games and improvisation exercises to create dynamic and fun improvised pieces within a close-knit, cohesive ensemble.

Saturdays • 10:00am-12:00pm • 6 weeks only, November 3- December 15 $275

Explore improvisation as a tool for the actor! This is a great class for high school students new to Piven and for experienced actors who want to expand their improv skills. Students use games to build ensemble and explore improvisation, while also learning to apply the Piven Technique to scene work to bring spontaneity, deeper relationships, and realistic characterization to scenes from contemporary plays.

Saturdays• 2:00pm-5:00pm• 6 weeks only, February 2 – March 9 $325

Join us for this exciting opportunity to work with members of the Young People’s Company, Piven’s professional youth ensemble for students in grades 10-12, to workshop brand new story theatre adaptations. This directing and collaborating-focused program is an invaluable learning opportunity for any aspiring theatre artist, where students will have the chance to work side-by-side to generate and workshop new material—some of which may be further developed for the YPC 2019 show! High school students who have enrolled in 3 out of the 5 available high school classes or completed at least one session of High School Performance Lab are eligible to participate in Directors’ Institute.

Rehearsals: Saturdays, April 20-May 25, 2:00-5:00pm

Open Workshop: May 25, 5:00pm

Cost: $355

Performance Project is comprised of Piven’s most advanced students in 7th – 9th grade. Students in this performance troupe study with us for several years before being invited into the ensemble, so they are already well-versed in the Piven Technique and are building the skills necessary to move on to more advanced coursework at the Workshop. Performance Project company members undertake an intensive 9-month training program focused on improvisation, ensemble-building, and crafting Story Theatre adaptations of myths, folktales, fairy tales, and modern short stories. Every winter, Performance Project presents a week-long festival of world premiere adaptations for Piven students as well as the wider community.

By invitation only

Performances February 11-February 16

This advanced, performance-oriented program is an intensive experience for actors in grades nine through twelve. Meeting for ten weeks, this class explores the full Piven canon, blending improvisation, theatre games, scene study, adaptation, and directing opportunities within a three-hour intensive class. At the end of the program, students perform the work they’ve explored on the Piven stage for family, friends, and the wider Piven community! This class is open only to high school students and admission is by invitation only.

Fall: Saturdays • 10:30am – 1:30pm 10 weeks only, October 6 – December 15

Spring: Saturdays • 10:30am – 1:30pm 10 weeks only, February 2 – April 13

Fall Final Performance: Saturday, December 15th at 12:30pm $395

Spring Final Performance: Saturday, April 13th at 2:00pm $395