April 9, 2014
High school drama students will have a chance to build their acting skills and perform with their peers this summer thanks to a program being offered by the Department of Drama at The Catholic University of America.The CUA High School Drama Institute, a two-week summer drama training program, will take place July 7 through 18 at the Hartke Theatre, 620 Michigan Ave., N.E., Washington, D.C. Open to rising high school juniors and seniors and rising college freshmen, the institute will include daily classes focused on voice, movement, and acting. The program will culminate in a workshop performance of monologues and short scenes. Directing the institute is Rosalind Flynn, head of CUA Drama's Master of Arts in Theatre Education program. Flynn, who earned her bachelor's from CUA in 1978, was involved in the institute for several years as a young alumna. During her first year, one of the students who participated was the famous actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus. "I clearly remember her because she had an unusual name and she was extraordinarily talented," Flynn said. M.F.A. alumni Kelly Renee Armstrong and Brandon McCoy will serve as instructors during the institute. Additional drama faculty will teach master classes on subjects like improvisation and stage combat. Flynn hopes the institute will be fun and invigorating for young actors, challenging them to take their skills to a new level. "We specifically limited it to students who are older in the hopes of attracting more serious students of drama," Flynn said. "This will definitely be educational, but we also want them to have fun and enjoy the work and meet other like-minded students who are passionate about drama." For more information on the High School Drama Institute, visit drama.cua.edu/HSDI or call 202-319-5358.