SHAKESPEARE 360º is a 5 day residency that has students explore and experience the text from a performance stand point. Classes will cover fundamental concepts which can be applied to all of Shakespeare’s work, including:

• Iambic pentameter
• Punctuation shifts
• Active approaches to analyzing the language
• Using words as weapons
• Physically exploring character archetypes
• Textual analysis of characters, objectives, and conflict

This residency can be extended up to 10 days to include scene work.

The Alley is offering special Shakespeare curriculum in conjunction with our upcoming production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. For more information, visit alleytheatre.org/dream-houston.

ARISTOTLE TO SOPHOCLES:  THE GENESIS OF DRAMA is a 3-5 day residency for Theatre and ELA classes. This residency focuses on the use of rhetoric and the necessity of ethical conversations through drama.  During the residency students are introduced to:

• The structure of Greek theatre
• Agon, debate theatre, and persuasion
• Ethos, logos, and pathos
• Protagonist and antagonist relationships
• The function of a chorus as public opinion

Students demonstrate their understanding of the concepts through performance based exercises on a current event or theme. This residency may be adapted to include a brief history and context of theatre in ancient Greece upon request.

THEATRE THROUGH THE AGES is a 5 day residency which explores the history of theatre, various performance styles, and the surrounding social and political context of the times.  We currently offer: 

• Greek Theatre
• Shakespeare
• Commedia Del Arte

Each unit is approximately 3 hours, culminating in short ensemble-devised pieces in which students demonstrate their understanding of the style, context, and dramatic structure of each genre.

SLAM POETRY is an 8 - 10 session residency.  Students explore poetry as a medium of written and spoken expression. This residency covers literary techniques used by poets such as:

• Metaphor
• Simile
• Symbolism
• Point-of-view
• Interpreted meaning

The overall objective of this residency is to help students gain a greater understanding of their abilities as writers and performers. Participating schools have the exclusive opportunity for select students to perform their work in the Alley Neuhaus Theatre as part of the Slam Poets @ Alley Theatre fall and spring slams.

MONOLOGUE 101 workshops explore the basics of monologue prep in 3 - 5 sessions which include script analysis and character development in preparation for auditions and competitions. UIL does not stress monologue training, yet a primed monologue is one of the most useful components for young actors as they begin to pursue their careers.

PLAYWRITING 360° is a 12 session residency for high school ELA and Theatre students to create and develop their own 10 minute play. Students are guided through a series of writing exercises to develop clearly defined characters, build linear plots, shape scenes, and learn how to give and receive constructive feedback.

MOVEMENT 360° is a 3 - 5 day residency which introduces students to practices such as Laban and Rasa Aesthetics to increase physical and emotional flexibility and encourage awareness of the actor's body. Laban Movement Analysis enables students to develop a movement vocabulary, discover the creative impulses of the body and explore new ways to physicalize a character. Rasa Aesthetics provides students with the tools to access, express and manage feeling and emotions within the context of performance.

VOICE 360° is a 5 day residency in which students work on developing a connection between voice and body. Through a series of exercises students will learn to strengthen breathing muscles; improve vocal resonance and pitch; and express themselves clearly and effectively using articulation and projection. Voice 360 makes an excellent companion class to Monologue 101 and Slam Poetry to give students an extra edge on their performance.

First Draft is a residency where students learn to transform memories into personal narratives through a guided process which combines play writing and creative non-fiction techniques. The stories generated could be used as college essays, monologues, or crafted into a devised theatre piece.