Lisa Mumpton, Director Educational Theatre
Aurora Fox Educational Theatre Program
The Aurora Fox is offers a variety of educational and performance experiences to young people and the general public. Education programs teach the principles and techniques of drama and theatre arts and how to apply those principles and techniques to enrich the understanding of a wide variety of disciplines and experiences.
Mission: To provide high quality, innovative, participatory theatre arts education and training, taught by theatre professionals and teaching artists; to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, and to help our students develop skills and broaden their horizons as artists and as members of the community.
Classes: Weekly classes offer beginning, intermediate and advanced theatrical training. Courses are designed to build confidence, creativity and a love of the arts. Our professional staff of nurturing, dedicated artists is committed to providing each student the finest instruction in a fun and supportive environment. Summer performance camps offer intensive daily classes over a two-week period. Each camp culminates in a performance for family and friends, with teen camps performing at the Aurora Fox. Click here for a list of our current classes!
Outreach: Standard and custom design programs are offered at the Fox or in your school, home, recreation or community center. These include: After school drama clubs, in class workshops, after school theatre productions, individual coaching, and specialized programming and performances. Outreach programs can be custom designed for adults, as well as children. We also provide private coaching. Email Lisa lmumpton@auroragov.org
*Subjects: Classes and outreach programs include; auditioning, characterization, circus acts, clowning, comedy, costume design, creative dramatics, creativity, dramatic writing and adaptation, improvisation, lighting design, mask making, puppet making and performing, scene study, set design, stage combat, stage makeup, stage movement, stage voice, story creation, storytelling, theatrical dance, studies in Elizabethan and Greek theatre and Multicultural exploration. We also can provide instruction and performance in African Drumming and specialized programs exploring other academic subjects.
**Life skills: Students learn about team building, group dynamics, problem solving, story structure, period styles, how to concentrate, memorize and communicate fully and effectively using their voices and their bodies. Through these classes, workshops and performances, the Aurora Fox provides performance opportunities and an avenue of creative expression while building confidence and interpersonal skills.
Little Foxes Summer Children’s Theatre: Summer time at the Aurora Fox gives aspiring young actors and actresses a chance to see what “life in the theatre” is all about. Auditions are held each spring for two to three children’s theatre productions starring children. The cast and their families must commit to a 2-3 hour, daily, 5-6 week, rehearsal period, and three weeks of performances for every production. One to two adult actors are hired for each production to serve as mentors and to example professional behavior. A professional director, design and production staff supports the actors’ efforts to provide our audiences with a unique and entertaining experience. This is an invaluable opportunity for children to experience the thrills and responsibilities of a professional theatrical production.
Patrons: The Little Foxes Summer Children’s Theatre productions offer public performances that entertain and delight audiences from 4-94 with original works, regional premieres and familiar classic tales of fun and adventure. Ticket prices are deliberately kept low so that these performances are accessible to the entire community.
Main Stage Educational Opportunities:
Professional Acting Opportunities: Class, camp and Little Foxes participants are often recruited as paid performers in our main stage professional productions. Click Auditions
$1 High School Previews Area High Schools are invited to the final dress rehearsal of all Aurora Fox professional, main stage productions throughout the school year. Click Performances
Talk Backs: Public discussions with the director and actor are open to the public.
Click Performances
Educational packets are available on line for each main stage production during its run.
Click Performances
Backstage Tours: Reservations recommended. pwells@auroragov.org
Internships:
-Technical internships are available to high school students throughout the year.
-College assistant director internships are available through our Little Foxes program.
-Administrative internships are available for college students and post college lifelong learners.
Click Jobs
