QUEZON CITY, Philippines – The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) just ended its annual Summer Program but aspiring thespians need not fret as PETA readies for a variety of workshops available year round. PETA, not only known for its hit productions, also prides itself in being a strong believer of using educational theater as a means of empowerment and self-development.
PETA will be offering three different educational programs suited for all kinds of aspiring stage performers: PETA’s Workshop Weekends for working professionals, PETA’s Professional Acting course for advanced performers, and the PETA Summer Program for kids and teens.
Opening up a year-round educational program with three batches of Workshop Weekends for students and young professionals wanting to take hold of their creative pursuits, an international professional acting workshop handled by New York-based master teachers experienced in several productions on and off Broadway, Andrew Wade and Ron Burrus, and ending the season with another fun-filled Summer Program for kids and teens, PETA braces itself for an incredibly creative and adventurous educational journey on theater and the arts.
One of a kind
PETA workshops are tackled with a distinct Integrated Theater Arts (ITA) Approach. What makes the ITA approach stand out is its use of the varied elements of theater in discussion and practice. This means that PETA workshops are not focused on only one aspect of theater such as drama or acting but instead it will also touch upon other elements such as visual arts, creative writing, creative music and sound, and dance and body movement.
Another factor that makes PETA workshops different is its use of the enrollees own stories and experiences in teaching and understanding theater. Workshoppers relate better to their characters and the learning experience runs smoother as they make use of grounded experiences and emotions to portray their role.
Taught by experienced artist-teachers who have been trained specifically to facilitate and head the PETA workshops, they formulate a specific curriculum for each of the classes depending on the enrollees’ strengths and needs. Enrollees are ensured of a fulfilling experience at the very end of the workshop every time as they culminate with an original performance produced by the class.
“Whenever I get to attend a workshop at PETA, I am enveloped in a nurturing environment. I am allowed to make mistakes so that I learn from them. I am allowed to be myself, share myself, and live as myself while learning from others who are undergoing the same experience as well.”, expresses J Villanueva, a regular PETA workshopper.
Creative Weekends at PETA
Starting on July 25, PETA welcomes another batch of theater hopefuls with the Workshop Weekends. Young professionals and students wanting to take a break from the stresses of the work week are once more challenged to trade in their paper work for music sheets and suitcases for stage props as they open themselves up to the arts every weekend.
For this theater season, PETA will be offering three batches of the Workshop Weekends. The first batch starting on July 25 will end on September 6 with a final performance originally produced by the enrollees. Courses offered are Theater Arts for beginners, Basic Acting for more experienced thespians, and Creative Musical Theater for the musically-inclined. All workshops include 10 6-hour sessions with PETA’s artist-teachers every weekend (Saturday or Sunday).
The Workshop Weekends will have two other batches by the end of the year in October and a specialized set of workshops at the beginning of 2016.
Professional acting
Professional actors are invited to take part in the coming together of two theater cultures as pioneer theater group, PETA, invites back New York-based theater master teachers, Ron Burrus and Andrew Wade, for an advanced acting workshop at the PETA Theater Center in New Manila, QC. Both teachers are definitely no stranger to the international theater scene with Burrus having been trained under and taught with stage stalwart, Stella Adler, and Wade who previously held the position of Head of Voice at the Royal Shakespeare Company. They have also closely worked with some of Hollywood’s most lauded talents such as Helen Hunt, Samuel Jackson, Marlon Brando, and Claire Danes.
Professional actors will get the chance to work with these highly experienced thespians as PETA invites them back for an Acting Techniques workshop in December
A summer kids will never forget
Not forgetting theater for the little ones, PETA will also be bringing back its Summer Program for kids and teens next year not just in Quezon City but also in two other locations inside and outside Metro Manila. Due to the successful partnership PETA has established with the Meridian International (MINT) College for this year’s summer theater workshop, PETA will be holding a batch of workshops in the Taguig-Makati area at MINT College’s art space and classrooms. For the incoming Summer Program, PETA pushes and strives for something bigger as they are currently working on bringing their Summer program to other locations not limited to the Metro Manila area.
Kids, teens, and even adults are in for a treat every summer with PETA as they let their talents and artistic inclinations unfold through PETA’s workshops.
For more information on PETA’s incoming workshops and educational programs, interested applicants may call PETA at 725 6244, forward their inquiries at petatheater@gmail.com, or visit www.petatheater.com.