Center Stage Kids

A summer theatre experience for kids 8-14!
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APRIL WORKSHOP!

FROM CENTERSTAGE TO BACKSTAGE!

Backstage is just as important as being center stage!

Join us as we talk with Ragan Hoffman, Professional Stage Manager, on the importance of the work done behind the scenes and how it can be just as important to make a production successful. We will cover all aspects of Technical Theatre jobs, from Stage Management to Design.

Ragan Hoffman is a South Jersey native who recieved her Bachelors of the Arts in Technical Theatre and an Arts Administration Minor at Rider University in Lawrenceville,  New Jersey. Theatre has always been a huge part of Ragan’s life from watching her brother perform, to performing herself, and then eventually taking the plunge into the Tech side where she found her forever home. 

Ragan has spent the last 9 years stage managing and light designing for the Off Broad Street Players Theatre Company at The Levoy Theatre, Commercial Township Performing Arts Department, Broadway Theatre of Pitman and just recently finished Stage Managing the World Premiere of New Musical: CLEAN SLATE in a Co-Pro between her Alma Mater and Passage Theatre in Trenton. Ragan has stage managed over 30 and light designed over 20 shows in her career.

Upcoming Adventure: BIG FISH! @ Broadway Theatre of Pitman!

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MARCH WORKSHOP!

CREATING A CHARACTER!

Actors tell a story using their voices, posture, movement, and more! Join us with celebrated area performer and teacher Anne Buckwheat as she shares strategies and techniques for becoming adept at creating a character on stage! We will also design masks to reflect the qualities of the character. 

Anne Buckwheat has portrayed a wide range of characters on stage and in independent films. Her favorite roles include Madame Thenardier in Les Miserables, Widow Corny in Oliver, Golde in Fiddler on the Roof, Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie and Violet Weston in August: O’Sage County for which she won the 2015 NJACT Perry Award for Best Actress.

Her favorite film roles include: Secretary to the City Planner in Jason’s Letter, Peggy Moretti in Spending Thanksgiving with the Moretti’s and Mrs. Williams in the recently release Indi-horror film, Human Hibachi. Anne is an adjunct professor at Rowan College of South Jersey in the Theatre Department, teaching Stage Make-Up, Acting for Television and Children’s Theater. She is also a teaching artist at the Broadway Theatre of Pitman, MainStage Center for the Arts and Appel Farm.

 

 

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FEBRUARY WORK SHOP!

STAGE COMBAT FOR YOUNG JEDI 

Join us for a fun day where students will learn basic strikes, blocks, falls, and force powers, delivered with safe foam light saber replicas (provided). The class will culminate with short choreography performed by students.

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Meet The January Workshop Presenters!

IT’S STILL CHRISTMAS!

Jennifer Carll-Simon, owner of the Squirrel’s Nest Art Studio in downtown Woodstown, taught elementary and middle school art for 26 years, before retiring in 2020. For more than 20 years, she taught Art at the Stow Creek Elementary and Morris Goodwin schools. At the Squirrel’s Nest, Jennifer teaches children and adults to explore their creativity through formal instruction and open studio time. This includes: Doodle Club for ages 7 to 14, art classes for home-school students, Wednesday Workshop for artists over 60, monthly Pizza and Painting for 8 to 13 year olds, monthly Sip and Paints for adults, and birthday parties for all ages. She also provides opportunities for local artists to teach and display (and sell) their work. This is Jennifer’s second year working with the Center Stage Kids. Jennifer grew up in Lower Alloways Creek, graduated from Salem High School and earned a bachelor of fine Art Degree from Kutztown University. She lives in Shiloh with her family and two dogs. 

 

 

 

 

Designer Cookies with Melissa Harnois. 

Melissa is a self-taught home baker who loves creating delicious desserts for friends and family. She first started cookie and cake decorating with her grand mom as a teenager and has stayed baking for the last 25 years.  Some of her favorite projects have been her 2 tier unicorn cake and her Christmas snowflake and Santa Claus cookies.

 

 

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COME AND SEE US!

Come out and see us on Saturday, September 10 from 10:00-3:00 at the Squirrel’s Nest Art Studio (9 North Main St, Woodstown), where we will be partnering with Jennifer Carll-Simon to spread the word about opportunities in the arts in the upcoming months. Info on workshops, photo displays, and little treats will be available! Hope to see you there!

 

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OUR LATEST!

We wrapped up our 2022 season with amazing performances of “Moana Jr”. Our biggest group, and most challenging show yet! The campers took on Samoan language, Pacific Island dance, and difficult harmonies. We’re very proud of the work they did and the friendships they formed!

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Audition Workshop!!!

Ms. Beardsley and Mrs. Sheridan are excited to help you get ready for any audition! We will work on resume prep, song choice, and how best to present yourself-as well as how to quell those audition jitters (we all get them!) Register today for this fun and informative workshop being held June 26 from 1:00-3:00 at the Blue Moon Theatre!

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Audition workshop!!!

What should your resume look like? What song should you sing? How should you dress? Do I need a headshot? What if..?

We’ll answer all your questions in our June workshop! We’ll help you prepare a resume, learn some theatre terminology, give you song suggestions, and time to prepare and try out some choices for us. Camp and summer shows are coming up-be ready!

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Choreo and Camp!

Be sure to join us for our Choreography workshop on Saturday, May 29 from 1:00-3:00 at First Baptist Church of Woodstown NJ , 117 S Main St. Our guest artist, Jenn Gordon, is incredibly qualified and talented and will be teaching us choreography for “Under the Sea’! We are excited to have her with us!

Also, camp registration is now open for our summer program July 6-23, weekdays from 9:00-3:00. We will be performing Tomie DePaola’s “Strega Nona-the Musical”. Based on the beloved children’s stories, we travel to Italy and learn some magic and the love of family!

Click on over to our registration page and be a part of the fun!

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Gotta Dance!

Our May workshop is all about MOVEMENT! So excited to have Jennifer Gordon as our instructor for choreography!

Mrs. Gordon is the artistic director and choreographer of Allegory Dance Theatre, a successful dance educator, and an accomplished professional ballerina. She has studied ballet and pointe at locations such as the Dinshah Studio of Dance, the Atlantic Contemporary Ballet Theatre, and Joffrey New York. Mrs. Gordon has also trained in styles such as pas de deux, jazz, contemporary, modern, acting, singing, and conditioning. As a professional dancer, she has worked with Atlantic City Ballet, Reverie Dance Theatre, several dance/entertainment companies and in many theatrical productions. Her performance credits include various roles in the Nutcracker, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty, Victoria in Cats, the Spring Waters pas de deux, Side Effect Earth, and Concerto Vivaldi

 

For just over 20 years, she has been teaching traditional dance styles along the eastern United States and virtually to students worldwide. Mrs. Gordon places emphasis on proper technique, artistry, and maintaining the joy of dance. Several of her students have gone on to successful careers in ballet and contemporary dance companies, performed in national/international tours, and have become choreographers and teachers. Within Allegory Dance Theatre, she founded and implemented the Hope Dances program that brings the vast benefits of dance to senior citizens living with dementia.

 

Jennifer Gordon is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.   Mrs. Gordon is also a Level 1 certified teacher through the Progressing Ballet Technique® created by Marie Walton Mahon.

 

Mrs. Gordon has choreographed numerous works for Allegory, Reverie Dance Theatre, student pieces, pageant pieces, and musical productions such as Pippin for which she won an award for Outstanding Choreography. She was also nominated for a Perry Award for Best Choreography award for her work on Cabaret.  Mrs. Gordon uses real life experience and classic tales to inspire her choreography and teaching style. She has presented her work around the Philadelphia metro area and in the Jersey Fringe Festival.