Tantrum Theater Education

2023-24 Education & Outreach Highlights

Rebecca VerNooy, Director of Education

Athens Middle School Drama Club

Tantrum Theater partnered with the Athens Middle School and Arts West to run the AMS Drama club. The program introduces and cultivates fundamental performance skills including acting techniques, ensemble building, and script writing.

Being Better Bystanders

Tantrum Theater partnered with the Athens City School system, Ohio University School of Theater, the Racial Equity Coalition of Athens County, and the Athens Community Relations Commission to offer practical training in confronting racism and other forms of oppression.  This is a yearlong program developed by the Director of the School of Theater, Merri Biechler, that uses Applied Theater to strengthen community and promote kindness and right action.

High School Shakespeare

Workshops and classes in reading, interpreting and acting Shakespeare. Led by Professor Emerita, Shelley Delaney, Tantrum Education hosted dramaturgical talks about Twelve Night at Athens and Federal Hocking High Schools. Professor Delaney taught a 5-class series in staging scenes from Romeo and Juliet with an Honor’s English class at Athen’s High. Assisted by MFA actor, Jane Reagan (November 2023 and March 2024)

High School Masterclasses

Masterclasses for the AHS Drama Club in Audition Technique and Improvisation led by MFA actor, George Carpenter. (October and December 2023)

9-5 at The Lindley Inn

Cast members sing for the residents at The Lindley Inn, a local Assisted Living facility. (February 2024)

Staging Theatrical Intimacy, Boundaries and Consent

A three-day residency with MFA alum and Chicago based actor, Intimacy Director and Voice Over Artist, Courtney Abbott.  Courtney taught 3 days of workshops for all levels of School of Theater Acting and Directing Studios. Tantrum also hosted a workshop for Ohio Valley Summer Theater and ABC Players. (March 2024) https://www.courtneyabbott.com/ served over 100 graduate and undergraduate students.

West Side Historic Walking Tour

Tantrum Theater partnered with Invisible Ground and the Andrew Jackson Davis Club at the Athens Middle School to combine media, local history and creative work. The project included workshops in storytelling, Local history, and audio/video production. The project will culminate in 2024/25 with a multi-media walking tour.

Tantrum Kid’s Summer Camp

A five-day intensive led by MFA Actor, Jane Reagan and Undergraduate BFA and PACE student, Liz Amstutz

For more information contact:
Rebecca VerNooy at vernooy@ohio.edu

^{Tantrum Theater Education is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically}