"Rosa was engaging from the very beginning and had the students transfixed. She was flexible with her program to fit with our schedule and injected humour and life into her workshops. She was able to see the unique personality of each boy and build on his enthusiasm.I would highly recommend this program."

Miriam Rawson, LOTE Coordinator, Xavier College, Kew

Introductory Workshop

This workshop is an excellent introduction to Commedia dell’Arte and is also an ideal way to consolidate a unit on this style of theatre. The recommended workshop length is 90 minutes, however, session times can be adapted to your timetable.

The workshop begins with a quick introductory DVD where we meet the stock characters, discuss the style of theatre and place it in a relevant cultural and historical context. We are then quickly on our feet, and students will actively explore this theatrical form through highly energised improvisations and exercises. Students then learn the physicality for the various masks, discover each characters distinctive voice and use these skills in performance. Some of the characters we look at are: Arlecchino, Pantalone, I Zanni and Il Capitano. The stock characters are referred to in Italian and participants have the opportunity to explore the language through further improvisations.

Click here for a printable brochure.

Extension Workshop

The extension workshops can be catered to your curriculum. The following are some suggestions for how we can extend your students:

• Further develop the stock characters.

• Analyse and explore Commedia dell’Arte scripts ie Goldoni, Machiavelli and Il Canovaccio (Commedia dell’Arte scenarios) as a foundation for creating an ensemble performance.

• Mask construction (materials are to be provided by the school).

Workshop Requirements

• Please provide an adequate cleared space for a practical workshop.

• Please provide a DVD player and a television in the space for the beginning of the workshop.

• We advise that Make A Scene and/or its directors, employees or agents will not be legally responsible for the supervision of the participants. We insist that a teacher or an adequate number of teachers are present to actively supervise the entire workshop.

• Photographs may be taken, however, we ask that the workshop not be filmed under any circumstances. Filming the workshop is in breach of our intellectual property rights and may result in legal action.

• Any photographs taken of the workshop must not be published without prior written consent from Make A Scene.

Bookings

Contact us to tentatively book dates then download the Workshops for Schools Booking Form. Complete and post the paperwork to: Make A Scene, PO BOX 1728, Preston South, 3072 or scan and email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Cost

The cost (including GST) is minimum $250 per workshop for 30 students or less. Add $7.70 per extra student.

Please refer to our payment policy in the FAQ for Commedia dell’Arte Performance and Workshops for Schools.