Students will learn about theater terminology, character study, emotional work, and the Stanislavsky method as well as advanced acting training in rehearsal techniques, monologues, script analysis, scene work, and improvisation. Class members will perform monologues, scenes, and short plays.

Teacher: Richard Oberbruner

Richard aka Mr O is an English Major from the University of Wisconsin, as well as a graduate from the Players Workshop of The Second City and The Second City Training Center. He is a member of the Applied Improv Network which teaches improvisational skills in non-theatrical settings (businesses, organizations). During the Great Recession, Richard was a job coach at WorkNet DuPage and taught improv skills to bolster the spirits of thousands – yes, thousands – of unemployed people. Richard is also a figurative abstract painter.

Students will learn about theater terminology, character study, emotional work, and the Stanislavsky method as well as advanced acting training in rehearsal techniques, monologues, script analysis, scene work, and improvisation. Class members will perform monologues, scenes, and short plays.  This class is for students 18+.

Teacher: Richard Oberbruner

Richard aka Mr O is an English Major from the University of Wisconsin, as well as a graduate from the Players Workshop of The Second City and The Second City Training Center. He is a member of the Applied Improv Network which teaches improvisational skills in non-theatrical settings (businesses, organizations). During the Great Recession, Richard was a job coach at WorkNet DuPage and taught improv skills to bolster the spirits of thousands – yes, thousands – of unemployed people. Richard is also a figurative abstract painter.

Students will receive the fundamentals of improv work. Students will learn to work collaboratively on improv scenes. Lastly, students will learn how to put together a sketch show and see how the process goes from improv to scripted.

Teacher: Richard Oberbruner

Richard aka Mr O is an English Major from the University of Wisconsin, as well as a graduate from the Players Workshop of The Second City and The Second City Training Center. He is a member of the Applied Improv Network which teaches improvisational skills in non-theatrical settings (businesses, organizations). During the Great Recession, Richard was a job coach at WorkNet DuPage and taught improv skills to bolster the spirits of thousands – yes, thousands – of unemployed people. Richard is also a figurative abstract painter.

Students will receive the fundamentals of improv work. Students will learn to work collaboratively on improv scenes. Lastly, students will learn how to put together a sketch show and see how the process goes from improv to scripted.  This class is for students 18+.

Teacher: Richard Oberbruner

Richard aka Mr O is an English Major from the University of Wisconsin, as well as a graduate from the Players Workshop of The Second City and The Second City Training Center. He is a member of the Applied Improv Network which teaches improvisational skills in non-theatrical settings (businesses, organizations). During the Great Recession, Richard was a job coach at WorkNet DuPage and taught improv skills to bolster the spirits of thousands – yes, thousands – of unemployed people. Richard is also a figurative abstract painter.

This class will be perfect for individuals who have never tap danced before. You will learn tap technique, musical theatre tap technique. Additionally you will learn how to shuffle, ball change, shuffle ball change, single time step, paradiddle, cramp rolls, single Buffalo, rolling shuffles, drawbacks, maxiford, Irish’s, back to Broadway, and other introductory steps. Our goal is to perform 1-2 musical theatre tap dances.

Teacher: Liv Benson

Liv Benson has been tap dancing since the age of 2, all thanks to Shirley Temple. She started performing, in musicals, at age 6 and started performing professionally at age 8. Before even going to college, Liv attended The School of Performing Arts and Lou Conte for tap/musical theatre dance training throughout her childhood into her highschool years. She holds a BFA from AMDA (Los Angeles) in Performing Arts. After she graduated from AMDA, she appeared on numerous Disney Channel Shows. Liv teaches tap but also teaches the tap students how to prepare for a dance audition and helps them understand musical theatre/tap history as well. From print work to Broadway in Chicago to Disney Channel, her heart has always been with musicals. Liv is currently in Into the Woods as Little Red. She is overjoyed to be back!!!

This is the perfect class for individuals looking for the next step in tap. You must be able to do pullbacks and triple time steps to be in this class. We will continue with our tap and musical theatre tap technique. Additionally we will learn/continue to learn: pullbacks, double pullbacks, single pullbacks, double time step, triple time step, traveling time steps, military time step, waltz clogs, double Buffalo, double/triple maxiford, maxiford turns, intermediate rhythms, introduction to wings, and other intermediate steps. Our goal will be to learn the opening number from 42nd Street (modified slightly).

Teacher: Liv Benson

Liv Benson has been tap dancing since the age of 2, all thanks to Shirley Temple. She started performing, in musicals, at age 6 and started performing professionally at age 8. Before even going to college, Liv attended The School of Performing Arts and Lou Conte for tap/musical theatre dance training throughout her childhood into her highschool years. She holds a BFA from AMDA (Los Angeles) in Performing Arts. After she graduated from AMDA, she appeared on numerous Disney Channel Shows. Liv teaches tap but also teaches the tap students how to prepare for a dance audition and helps them understand musical theatre/tap history as well. From print work to Broadway in Chicago to Disney Channel, her heart has always been with musicals. Liv is currently in Into the Woods as Little Red. She is overjoyed to be back!!!

An introduction to jazz dance technique, emphasizing both lyrical and percussive styles. Develop skills and techniques needed for dancing in Broadway musicals.

Teacher: Haleigh Hutchinson

Haleigh has been dancing since the age of three. She began dancing at the park district, then went on to train more seriously at a local studio, and eventually pursued it in college as a dance minor. Haleigh has enjoyed teaching musical theatre, recreational and competitive dancers for almost ten years! Haleigh has trained at esteemed studios from Steps On Broadway in New York City to Pineapple Studios in London, England. She has trained in ballet with Melissa Sallée, a student of Marie Tallchief, and in jazz with Lisa Biagini, a student of Luigi. She has collegiate training both from the esteemed Dance Center at Columbia College of Chicago and at North Central College, from where she holds a BA in Musical Theatre and a Dance Minor. She continues to take classes at Steps On Broadway, and believes dancers are never done improving!

Also a working actress, Haleigh has performed in a variety of professional musical theatre venues in the Chicagoland area and Connecticut, from The Den Theatre to Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Haleigh especially loves performing in, and the development of, new works of musical theatre. In addition to performing professionally, Haleigh has choreographed over ten musicals, including a diverse range of shows from Junie B. Jones to Heathers The Musical. In the competition dance world, Haleigh’s choreography has won numerous Overall and special judges awards, both at regional and national dance competitions. Haleigh is a certified Progressing Ballet Technique instructor. She was inspired to achieve this certification after healing from her own dance injury and resulting surgery. She is passionate about injury prevention, creating correct muscle memory, and solidifying healthy dance technique. Through her teaching, Haleigh passes on her love of continued learning & a strong work ethic to her students young and old. In the words of Luigi, “Never stop moving,” Haleigh encourages her students not to aim for perfection but to grow and move forward every time, both in dance and in life. Though performing and teaching are two of her loves, her favorite job is as Mama to her son Charlie and dog Dottie.

This course is designed to further the skills learned in beginning jazz. Emphasis will be placed on turns and leaps.

Teacher: Haleigh Hutchinson

Haleigh has been dancing since the age of three. She began dancing at the park district, then went on to train more seriously at a local studio, and eventually pursued it in college as a dance minor. Haleigh has enjoyed teaching musical theatre, recreational and competitive dancers for almost ten years! Haleigh has trained at esteemed studios from Steps On Broadway in New York City to Pineapple Studios in London, England. She has trained in ballet with Melissa Sallée, a student of Marie Tallchief, and in jazz with Lisa Biagini, a student of Luigi. She has collegiate training both from the esteemed Dance Center at Columbia College of Chicago and at North Central College, from where she holds a BA in Musical Theatre and a Dance Minor. She continues to take classes at Steps On Broadway, and believes dancers are never done improving!

Also a working actress, Haleigh has performed in a variety of professional musical theatre venues in the Chicagoland area and Connecticut, from The Den Theatre to Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Haleigh especially loves performing in, and the development of, new works of musical theatre. In addition to performing professionally, Haleigh has choreographed over ten musicals, including a diverse range of shows from Junie B. Jones to Heathers The Musical. In the competition dance world, Haleigh’s choreography has won numerous Overall and special judges awards, both at regional and national dance competitions. Haleigh is a certified Progressing Ballet Technique instructor. She was inspired to achieve this certification after healing from her own dance injury and resulting surgery. She is passionate about injury prevention, creating correct muscle memory, and solidifying healthy dance technique. Through her teaching, Haleigh passes on her love of continued learning & a strong work ethic to her students young and old. In the words of Luigi, “Never stop moving,” Haleigh encourages her students not to aim for perfection but to grow and move forward every time, both in dance and in life. Though performing and teaching are two of her loves, her favorite job is as Mama to her son Charlie and dog Dottie.

An introduction to classical ballet technique. This course is designed to develop body awareness and alignment, to increase strength and flexibility while creating a strong foundation for all genres of dance.

Teacher: Haleigh Hutchinson

Haleigh has been dancing since the age of three. She began dancing at the park district, then went on to train more seriously at a local studio, and eventually pursued it in college as a dance minor. Haleigh has enjoyed teaching musical theatre, recreational and competitive dancers for almost ten years! Haleigh has trained at esteemed studios from Steps On Broadway in New York City to Pineapple Studios in London, England. She has trained in ballet with Melissa Sallée, a student of Marie Tallchief, and in jazz with Lisa Biagini, a student of Luigi. She has collegiate training both from the esteemed Dance Center at Columbia College of Chicago and at North Central College, from where she holds a BA in Musical Theatre and a Dance Minor. She continues to take classes at Steps On Broadway, and believes dancers are never done improving!

Also a working actress, Haleigh has performed in a variety of professional musical theatre venues in the Chicagoland area and Connecticut, from The Den Theatre to Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Haleigh especially loves performing in, and the development of, new works of musical theatre. In addition to performing professionally, Haleigh has choreographed over ten musicals, including a diverse range of shows from Junie B. Jones to Heathers The Musical. In the competition dance world, Haleigh’s choreography has won numerous Overall and special judges awards, both at regional and national dance competitions. Haleigh is a certified Progressing Ballet Technique instructor. She was inspired to achieve this certification after healing from her own dance injury and resulting surgery. She is passionate about injury prevention, creating correct muscle memory, and solidifying healthy dance technique. Through her teaching, Haleigh passes on her love of continued learning & a strong work ethic to her students young and old. In the words of Luigi, “Never stop moving,” Haleigh encourages her students not to aim for perfection but to grow and move forward every time, both in dance and in life. Though performing and teaching are two of her loves, her favorite job is as Mama to her son Charlie and dog Dottie.

Shakespeare is for EVERYONE!  In this class you will be given instruction on how to break down Shakespearean scenes and monologues to be easily understandable, learn how to present it, and make it sound natural.  You will receive personally assigned characters and scenes with a newfound comprehension of Shakespeare’s themes and intentions that will give you the confidence to present Shakespeare with ease and have fun along the way!

Teacher: Jocelyn Adamski