Workshops

Dear Sirs and Ladies

Since year 2000 Witkacy Theatre has introduced a new proposal of the set of meetings with its spectators. They are the workshops led by the actors of our theatre. Their goal is:

• approaching to the basic techniques of actor’s work
• working on the consciousness of your own body, on concentration and memory
• learning of breathing and correct diction
• skill of using vocal apparatus without the excessive loading of vocal chords
• skill of presenting yourself during the public appearance
• invigorating of imagination
• experiencing of unusual theatrical adventure,
• classes of the text interpretation.

The workshops last 3 days and they consist of the following classes:

• movement classes - carried by Andrzej Bienias or Adrianna Jerzmanowska
• voice classes - given by Marek Wrona
• text classes - guided by Katarzyna Pietrzyk
• “scenes from Witkacy” - elementary actor’s tasks – led by Dorota Ficoń

The classes are organized for a group of a few people. Maximum 15 people can take part in one workshop class. The classes last from 9.30 -10.00 am to 6 pm with a lunch break.

• Day 1. Getting know the history of Witkacy Theatre.

  1. 1. Introducing exercises - 90 minutes
     • warming up
     • relaxing
     • gymnastics
     • work on eurhythmics
     • deepening of consciousness of your own body
  2. Breathing exercises - 90 minutes
     • warming up of vocal chords
     • observation of your own body in the process of breathing
     • conscious breath control
  3. Diction classes - 90 minutes
     • articulation exercises
     • reading of the text
     • variations on the exercised text
  4. Scenes from Witkacy’s dramas - 90 minut
     • work on the realization of the particular part of the drama

• Day 2.

  1. Movement classes - 90 minutes
     • studies invigorating imagination
     • reflex exercises
     • work on the memory
     • studies helping in contact with a partner
     • influence of the environments on actor’s behaviour
     • work on given studies
  2. Voice impostation classes - 90 minutes
     • exercises loosening the body with the help of breathing
     • various ways of giving the sounds
     • intention versus breathing
     • work on the power of sound
     • correct pronounciation classes
  3. Text exercises - 90 minutes
     • work on the text and diction
     • interpretation of given excerpt
     • prose versus poetry
     • ways of giving the text from the stage
  4. Scenes from Witkacy’s drama - 90 minutes

• Day 3.

  1. Studies - 90 minutes
     • work on the consciousness of the body, reflexes, behaviour
     • plastics of movement
     • contact with the group
     • elements of pantomime
     • dancing exercises
     • gestures and eurythmics
     • individual and group studies
  2. Voice emission - 90 minutes
     • individual work on the voice emission, the scale of sound
     • right breathing
     • teaching the music
     • work on diction
  3. Interpretation of the text - 90 minutes
     • exercises warming the speech apparatus
     • work on the text
     • memory exercises
     • actor’s tasks
  4. Scenes from Witkacy’s dramas – elementary actor’s tasks - 90 minutes

We offer you the classes enforcing the energy which sleeps in each of us and which is muted day by day, from various reasons. These classes improve the silhouette and , first of all, help in finding the balance between BODY AND SOUL.

They are the classes, thanks to which movements are smooth and cumulated energy will always be ready to serve us and to act in the direction set by us. All the exercises which we offer you are the result of our stage work and training and also careful observation of human behaviour. They include the elements of many techniques like: dance, pantomime, eurythmics and also relaxation and stretching techniques , they use yoga, tai-chi and actor studies.

Eurhythmics and correlating exercise intensify the feeling of confidence in us and theatrical studies accustom us to stressful situations which happen to us every day, both at work and in life. The classes also let play with the text, with various interpretations of the same piece, “packing” the text with emotions, different emphasizing of the words. They teach to control the emotions, good presentation in public.