Adult Classes & Workshops
Fall classes
We are thrilled to continue our work with the Native community by offering two free classes for Native artists and performers of all ages. Additional education offerings will remain paused until January 2022 as we review your feedback and build a reimagined slate of adult classes — hopefully in person.
Watch our social channels and your inbox for updates in the coming months. If you have questions or feedback, email classes@guthrietheater.org.
Classes for Native community members
To build cohorts of community-minded artists and theatermakers, it is essential to provide places to practice and learn the fundamentals of the craft. In our ongoing collaboration with Native artists in the Twin Cities, the Guthrie will offer free eight-week classes for Native community members who wish to grow their theater and storytelling skills. If you have questions, email Director of Community Engagement Rebecca Noon at rebeccan@guthrietheater.org.
BEGINNING IMPROV: CREATING ENSEMBLE FOR NATIVE PERFORMERS
Using community and acting techniques, we will learn the fundamentals of improvisation: conceptual agreement, character creation, team building and active listening in order to create intelligent and honest scene work. This class places a strong emphasis on ensemble building and creating a community of artists while building confidence and doing great scene work that is way more than comedy. All ages welcome. Capacity: 15 participants.
Course Objectives:
- To develop, understand and perform the fundamentals of improvisation
- To understand the importance of ensemble and community in arts creation
- To develop the confidence to trust your instincts in a situation
Dates: Sundays, October 24 ‒ December 12 | 10 a.m. ‒ noon CDT
Location: Classrooms 1 and 2 (in person at the Guthrie)
Class Fee: Free
Instructor: Ernest Briggs (White Earth Band of Chippewa)
Please visit www.guthrietheater.org/health for our current health and safety policies.
Ernest Briggs (White Earth Band of Chippewa) is Artistic Director of Turtle Theater Collective and a proud Native American professional actor from the Twin Cities who has worked in Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles and Florida doing film, TV, stage and commercial work for over 10 years. He received his M.F.A. in Acting from the University of Florida and attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. He also studied improv at Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis and Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles.
As an actor, Briggs has been seen onstage at the Guthrie Theater, Park Square Theatre, Mixed Blood Theatre, Teatro del Pueblo, Nimbus Theatre, Turtle Theater Collective, Artistry Theater, Sidekick Theatre, History Theatre, South Coast Repertory (California), Tilted Windmills Theatricals (Florida) and Native Voices at the Autry (California). He has also played supporting roles in independent feature films, including Atarax, A Method, Area of Conflict, To Say Goodbye, Sold Out and Nina of the Woods.
When Briggs isn’t acting, writing, directing and producing, he spends time with his family, including his 2-year-old daughter.
DIY THEATER MAKING FOR NATIVE ARTISTS
Navigating the performing arts industry can be challenging, especially for someone who wants to lead creative projects as a writer, solo performer and performance/interdisciplinary artist. While it may seem like there is only one path to get where you want to be, there are actually many. All it takes is the right guide. In this class, we will explore pathways to production for artists interested in working outside the box. We’ll connect you with work-in-progress nights, cabarets, playwriting submissions and more while helping you hone your DIY theater dreams and create your own 10-minute piece. Capacity: 15 participants.
Course Objectives:
- To understand the wide range of performance making opportunities available in the Twin Cities
- To connect performance artists and makers with Twin Cities-based opportunities
- To help participants create a 10-minute, performance-ready piece
Dates: Thursdays, October 14 ‒ December 16 (no class November 18 and 25) | 6:30‒8:30 p.m. CDT
Location: Virtually via Zoom
Class Fee: Free
Instructor: Marcie Rendon (White Earth Nation)
Marcie Rendon (White Earth Nation) is a Pinckley Prize-winning author, playwright, poet, freelance writer and community arts activist who supports other artists, writers and creators in the pursuit of their art. She is the recipient of the McKnight Foundation’s 2020 Distinguished Artist Award and a speaker on Native issues, leadership and writing. Her second novel in her Cash Blackbear Mystery series, Girl Gone Missing, was nominated for the Sue Grafton Memorial Award. She was recognized as a 50 Over 50 change-maker by AARP Minnesota and Pollen in 2018. Rendon lives in Minneapolis.
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