LAKEPORT — Did you ever watch a play put on by the local theater company or professionals in San Francisco and say to yourself, “I bet I could act if someone would show me how. That would be fun.” Then your fear factor starts up.”I couldn”t do that. I wouldn”t know where to start. I would probably make a fool out of myself.” Sound familiar? Well, have we got a deal for you!
A new class began this week and will be offered from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. each Monday and Wednesday at the Main Street Gallery, 325 N. Main St. in Lakeport. Sponsored by Mendocino College, “Theatre 103, Community Based Ensemble,” will present a unique format designed to bring out the creative part of your acting interest. It will work on improv techniques, character development and even script writing.
The teacher will be John Tomlinson, a young actor who settled in Lake County after getting his Masters in Theater at the College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in Chicago. In recent months, you may have seen him in “Little Women,” “Cinderella,” “Gramercy Ghost,” “The Pajama Game” and “The Bad Seed.”
Tomlinson has a unique approach to theatre. He feels that acting is personal interpretation based upon reflection and research into the character. Good scripts should creatively evolve in the same way, and Tomlinson hopes that this class will produce a completely original script and theater production that will reflect the interests of the members of the class.
You may enroll in the class at the first or second meeting. Just one more thing: If you have acted before but think you could improve or if you are a musician and would like to be involved in a truly creative endeavor, think about joining this class. Learning, creating and having fun will all definitely be part of the curriculum. If you have questions, feel free to call 279-2595.
