Lights Up
CELEBRATING YOUTH AND THE ARTS AT CENTERSTAGE
Come celebrate a weekend of youth and the arts at the Genworth BrightLights Education Center at Richmond CenterStage. All programs and performances are free, but registration and tickets are required.
"Lights Up" presents over 30 workshops, master classes, lecture-demonstrations and live performances featuring the Resident Companies of Richmond CenterStage:
- Richmond Symphony Orchestra
- Richmond Ballet
- African-American Repertory Theater
- Richmond Shakespeare
- Theater IV/Barksdale Theatre
- Virginia Opera
- SPARC (School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community)
- Elegba Folklore Society
The weekend also features the Latin Ballet of Virginia, Richmond Boys Choir and Friends of City Dance.
Genworth BrightLights Education Center at Richmond CenterStage is located at 600 E. Grace Street, Richmond, VA 23219.
FREE Family Festival and Open House
Saturday, January 23, 2010
12 to 5 p.m. – Education Workshops, Classes and Lecture–Demonstrations (Registration opens at 10:30 a.m. and continues throughout the day in the Carpenter Theatre Lobby. Registration is on a first come, first served basis.) Workshop Descriptions & Schedule
7 p.m. (SOLD OUT) – "Lights Up" Performance in the Carpenter Theatre featuring young performers of Resident Companies.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
3 p.m. (SOLD OUT) – "Lights Up" Performance in The Carpenter Theatre featuring young performers of Resident Companies.
All workshops, classes, lecture-demonstrations and performances are free, but registration or tickets are required.
Workshop Descriptions
African American Repertory Theatre
Voice for the Theatre (Ages 14-18)
Students will explore multiple elements of speech, using poetry and monologues.
Elegba Folklore Society
Feel the Beat (All Ages)
In a West African dance workshop, participants will throw off their shoes and socks and immerse themselves in the body-mind-spirit of the experience. Enjoy dancing, learn dance technique and cultural traditions, feel good inside and out! Led by dancers, folklorists and drummers. Wear loose-fitting clothing, and be prepared to dance in bare feet.
Latin Ballet of Virginia
Spanish through Dance and Music (Ages 5-12)
A bilingual, educational program that will emphasize self-love and confidence while learning Spanish language, identity, history and culture of Hispanic countries.
Richmond Ballet
Minds In Motion Class (Ages 8-10)
A dance class that is accessible to students even if they have no prior dance training. Class focuses on the connection between dance and music and what it takes to be a strong performer!
Musical Theatre Dance Class (Ages 9-13)
This class focuses on the styles and steps used in musical theatre productions, and is accompanied by music from Broadway musicals--both past and present. The class culminates with the learning of a piece of choreography from a musical with a focus on style and character.
Jazz Dance Class (Ages 9-13)
This jazz class will focus on core strength. Students will move through a series of isolations, head, shoulders, torso, and hips. Technique will include an introduction to the Horton flat back series. The entire class will be done to house/techno music very high energy and up beat.
Invitation to the Dance (Ages 6-7)
The School of Richmond Ballet Invitation to the Dance class will introduce your child to ballet through movement and music. Your child’s natural love of dancing will be enhanced through body awareness, listening skills, and rhythm in a structured yet imaginative environment.
Lecture-Demonstration (All ages)
Observation Event
The Richmond Ballet Lecture Demonstration is a 45-minute performance that consists of several dance pieces, dialogue relating to a theme, and a student interaction/participation section, all presented by five members of the professional company. The theme for 2009-2010 is Self Discipline. Dancers will take students on an exciting and entertaining journey exploring aspects of self discipline such as setting goals, striving for success, self control, and respect for others.
Richmond Shakespeare
Shakes 101 (Ages 7 and up)
In this workshop, students get an introduction to Shakespeare by putting his words in their mouths and in their bones. In Richmond Shakespeare's signature fast-paced and interactive style, workshop leaders get students up on their feet throwing Elizabethan insults and playing characters in one of Shakespeare’s plays.
Clued In – Scene Reading (Ages 7 and up)
In this workshop, students become players as they investigate the text by getting up on their feet and reading selected scenes. Our actor/teachers help them discover the clues in the text that Shakespeare used to guide his players. (He had to--there was virtually no time for rehearsal!) These clues help us understand character and emotion and that gives students the chance to delve deeper into what makes Shakespeare so great – his words. This class is best suited for advanced learners who are familiar with Shakespeare already and need to take it to the next level.
Character Acting (Ages 9-14)
Students learn how to create distinctive characters through changes in voice and body.
The Shakespeare Nursery Rhyme (Ages 5-8)
Young students get a taste of Shakespeare by playing a simple game and singing a song filled with Shakespeare facts.
Richmond Symphony
Instrument Demonstration (All ages)
Presented with Richmond Philharmonic Orchestra
Observation event
Come and hear the experts – musicians from the Richmond Symphony and the Richmond Philharmonic – explain how sound is made on different instruments in the orchestra.
Musical Ambassadors Program (MAP) (All Ages)
Observation event
Chamber ensembles of the Richmond Symphony perform over 100 concerts annually for approximately 30,000 local school children. Performances for students are upbeat, informal and last approximately 30 – 45 minutes.
Musical Petting Zoo (All ages)
This is your chance to touch and play the instruments in the orchestra. The Richmond Symphony offers budding musicians of all ages hands-on exploration of string, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments.
Music Together® Class (Ages Infant-5)
The Richmond Symphony invites children and their caregivers to Music Together classes with Carol Smoot. Music Together® is an internationally recognized early childhood music program based on the recognition that all children are musical.
Violin Class (1st session: Ages 3-5, 2nd session: Ages 6-9)
Have you ever wanted to play the violin? Children have the chance to see what violin lessons are all about with teachers from the Richmond Symphony.
SPARC
Act It Out (Ages 5-8)
Theatre is play. Come play with us! Learn how to express yourself through acting games and exercises as we let loose the creative imagination.
Audition Skills (Ages 7 and up)
What’s the first thing someone looks for in an audition? What are some simple techniques to get that part? Come to the Audition Skills workshop and find out!
Musical Theatre Intensive (Ages 9-14)
Come enjoy a dynamic workshop on Musical Theatre! Students will learn three songs from a popular Broadway Musical, with choreography and acting instruction combined.
Musical Theatre Review (Ages 8-12)
Students will learn how to prepare a musical theatre audition and learn one song with choreography.
Theatre IV/Barksdale Theatre
I Have a Dream: The Life and Times of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (All ages)
Touring productions from Theatre IV, the Children’s Theatre of Virginia, are presented in over 1,000 performances in Virginia schools each year. I Have a Dream was co-produced with the Virginia Historical Society.
Let’s Make a Hat! (All ages)
Theatre IV’s costume shop will lead in the creative construction of clever hats, start to finish, using everyday materials. Fun for both boys and girls.
Puppets on Parade (All ages)
Using Theatre IV’s puppet collection, we teach kids about hand puppets, marionettes, rod puppets, and shadow puppets—a hands-on experience.
Careful Combat (Ages 11-14)
Theatre IV and Richmond Shakespeare team-up to teach kids how professional actors can appear to fight on stage, with nobody getting hurt.
Virginia Opera
Wig-Making (All ages)
Virginia Opera Wig and Make-up Designer Jim McGough will demonstrate how to make a performer look their best in Glamour Looks. Session will require a volunteer for demonstration.
Make-up is Fun (All ages)
Virginia Opera Wig and Make-up Designer Jim McGough will demonstrate some basics of stage make-up. Exploring ghouls and scars with Horror Make-up. Session will require a volunteer for make-up application.
MASTER CLASSES (special arrangements)
Richmond Ballet
(pre-auditioned with some limited availability)Observation Event
Richmond Ballet is presenting a ballet master class in the Balanchine style, which will be taught by Jerri Kumery. Ms. Kumery performed with New York City Ballet for 10 years and worked directly with "Mr. B." (George Balanchine) during her time there. Prior to accepting the role of Ballet Master for Richmond Ballet, Ms. Kumery served as repetiteur for Pacific Northwest Ballet and Associate Artistic Director and repetiteur for North Carolina Dance Theatre. She currently serves as a repetiteur for the George Balanchine Trust and is also the curator for the Salvatore Aiello ballets. The Balanchine master class is limited to 25 advanced ballet students. Please contact Viki Atkinson at (804) 344-0906, ext. 227, or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to register for the class.
Theatre IV/Barksdale Theatre
(limited space for ages 16-18*)Observation event
Theatre IV and Barksdale Theatre’s Musical Theatre Dance Master Class will be taught by Leslie Owens Harrington, acclaimed choreographer and member of SSDC (The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers). This master class will cover tap, jazz and myriad other musical theatre dance styles. Many participants have been pre-auditioned, however some additional spots are available for age 16-18; (*ages 14-15 with instructor recommendation). Those interested in participating may contact Christina Billew at (804) 783-1688, x 1132 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Many others can observe the class as well.
Richmond Symphony’s Violin Master Class
Observation Event
The Richmond Symphony’s Violin Master Class will be taught by RSO Concertmaster, Karen Johnson. Three students have been selected to perform for this event:
- Alan Hauser, a student in the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra, performing the first movement of the Bruch Violin Concerto
- Annika Brynn Jenkins, a student from Virginia Beach, performing the first movement of the Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto No. 5 in A minor
- Jee Eun Hong, a student from Fairfax, performing the first movement from the Mozart Violin concerto No. 4 in D major
All are welcome to observe this class in the Carpenter Theatre.
