New 2015 Fall Series!

Let’s Act! – In this series of 10 fun workshops aimed at kids aged 7 to 10 years we will cover the basics of acting and improvisation!

Using theatre games, movement and acting exercises we will work on group and individual creative expression both through storytelling and creating characters.

During these classes the children will;

PLAY WARM UP GAMES
WORK ON CREATING CHARACTERS WITH IMPROVISATION EXERCISES
CREATE SCENES (with help from Catherine) AND ACT THEM OUT!
Teacher, Catherine Allison attended Dartington College of Arts in Devon, England for her BA in Theatre Studies and then went on to train in physical theatre with Jacgues LeCoq and Philippe Gaulier in Paris. She has toured as an actress with theatre companies all over Europe and was recently accepted as a company member at The Actors Gang in Culver City. She has been teaching drama to both adults and children for the past eight years and loves this work!

Series begins MONDAY September 21st from 4 to 5pm
At The Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Avenue, Venice CA 90291.
Free onsite parking!
Cost $25 per class on a drop in basis or $180 for the series.
Contact Catherine for more details – one day advance notice preferred for drop-ins #310.428.7308 or email dramabeekids@wordpress.com

Gearing up for fall!

Our next series is just around the corner! Looking forward to more fun drama with your kids very soon!!

Dramabee Summer Camp Days!

Hello Everyone!

In case you are looking for a fun, dramatic and creative experience for your children I am planning on holding a few short, 2 & 3 day camps this summer.

Thursday, June 25th and Friday 26th, 10am til 3pm
Mask making/performance camp! Using our own faces as the model we will create masks that fit us perfectly and transform us entirely. We can create a whole new character for ourselves and make a scene to perform!

Day 1 Make the mask base & let dry. As a group, discuss the characters of these masks and begin to see how they might interact. Lunch. Swim!…pool break time! Play improvisation games based on our stories!

Day 2 Paint and decorate the mask. Snack. Quick swim! Lunch. Create scenes with masks and act out!

This is an example of a 2 day camp – I plan on having 2 others similar to this on July 1st, 2nd & 3rd and July 8th, 9th & 10th with the themes of Aesops Fables and Shakespeare :)…both including mask making.

Cost for the camps is $60 per day – obviously best if you schedule allows for the full 2 or 3 day experience!

If you know of others who might be interested, please pass this along.

Best Wishes, Catherine
1.310.428.7308
http://www.dramabeekids.wordpress.com

Introducing our next performance workshop! We are putting on a show – this time it will be The Super Duper Circus – the circus of our dreams! We will need lions, tightrope walkers, clowns, a strong man, a parade… And who knows what else? Our work will be inspired by the wire sculptures of circus performers made by Alexander Calder. Spread the word, if you will, about our ‘Super Duper Circus!’

Start date April 14th – meeting Tuesdays from 4:15 to 5:15pm – 8 weeks leading up to a show early June.

At The Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Avenue, Venice CA 90291 (free onsite parking during classes)

For kids aged 6 to 10 years

Cost $225 – or early bird special $200 before March 31st!

For more information email with questions to dramabeekids@yahoo.com or call Catherine 310.428.7308

The Prince rides a Chicken…

This one cracked me up , every time!

*Drama*Bee*Kids*

in the Super Duper Circus!

View original post

THE CIRCUS IS COMING TO TOWN!!! – VIDEO

From the last time we worked on Super Duper Circus – this is a rehearsal!

*Drama*Bee*Kids*

The Super Duper Circus is COMING!!! – Saturday, June 26th @ 2pm!!!

View original post

Up next – the SUPER DUPER CIRCUS!!!

CWe need lions and tamers, clowns and cart wheelers, tantalizing tighrope walkers and teeny tricksters to make up the circus of our dreams! This show will be amazing – inspired by the small wire sculptures of Alexander Calder and wonderful wording of Maira Caldman combined with the imaginations of children – it cannot fail to be a magical experience for all involved!! Please contact me, Catherine (310) 428 7308 to find out more details!

DRAMABEE ‘mini’ series!

The kids from my ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ scene study class had so much fun that they wanted to keep going, and so did their younger siblings….sooooo……..
in the weeks leading up to the holidays I am offering two separate three week series (aimed at different age groups) to give your child’s unbounded enthusiasm and creative energy a positive outlet during this very exciting time for them!

As is the way with Dramabee, each class will present the opportunity for the children to express themselves verbally, mentally and physically…they will be seen, heard and valued for their individual contribution. The classes are as follows:

Monday 4:30 – 5:30pm Age 7-10 years December 1, 8 & 15 – ‘Drama Games!’ – in this class we will play theatrical warm up games and improv games giving the children a chance to create characters and work in groups. The second class will be held upstairs in the theater, giving the kids a chance to see and feel what it’s like to play on a real stage! Cost $75 + $5 towards the cost of the theater.

Thursday 4:30 – 5:30pm Ages 4 to 6 years December 4, 11 & 18 – ‘Storytellers Theater’- Each week we will take a different story and act it out…first of all everyone gets to play everything and then we get to break it down to give everyone a chance to play their favorite part! Cost $75

ALL CLASSES TAKE PLACE AT THE ELECTRIC LODGE, 1416, ELECTRIC AVE. VENICE CA 90292. FREE ONSITE PARKING.

Please feel free to share this with anyone who might be interested.

All the best, Catherine

New Fall Series 2014!!!!!

The series is 10 weeks long (so ending November 17th or 24th depending on whether Columbus Day is a school holiday that we need to break for)

Beginning Tuesday September 16th, 4-5pm: Storybook Theater.This class is aimed at the 4-6 year old age range. Each week we will take a different story…some classics, some modern, read it and act it out. We will have fun exploring the characters all together and then split in to different roles, diving in to the acting on a deeper level, exploring the emotions of the characters and the fantasy world that they live in! No reading ability is required for this class. Cost $225

Beginning Monday Setember 15th, 4:15 – 5:15pm Charlie and the Chocolate Factory scene study class! This class is aimed at children between the ages of 7 to 10 years. During this series we will read the play adapted from the fabulous famous book by Roald Dahl. We will then split into groups and work on our favorite scenes, delving in to character study, emotion, vocal projection and physicality…the goal being to present the scenes at the end of the series. Cost $225.

All classes are held in the basement at The Electric Lodge. 1416, Electric Avenue, Venice CA 90291.

Fun with Improv!

Alternative news reporters 😉

All Dramabee classes include an element of improvisation. This gives a chance for children to fully express themselves and revel in the play that is so important in acting. In the production workshops, improv provides a great tool for character development, encouraging the kids to try out new types of voices, accents and physicality to add depth to their character. Questions are asked of each character…where do you live? How old are you? Do you have a job? The use of costumes and props is particularly useful in liberating the children to create personalities that are far from their own. Improv is not to be underestimated in it’s value – in a show it can save the day…..Dramabee kids know this and are unafraid to use it confidently if lines are forgotten…..thus knowing that they can never go wrong, even in front of a big crowd and ‘mistakes’ can be magical!