Young actors rarely have the opportunity to delve into the art of the actor-combatant, but at Centauri, we have a thriving and exciting Stage Combat Department! Actors discover how to create the illusion of combat both on stage and in front of the camera. Safety is a primary concern, and moves are repeated again and again to ensure complete confidence in fight choreography. Our experienced Stage Combat instructors ensure each participant is well versed in the basics of the art form, before proceeding to more advanced skills. A good level of fitness and coordination is essential to Stage Combat, even for beginners. At Centauri, campers choose one specialty arts program per session. To see a chart listing all the programs and their sessions click here.
Acting & Stage Combat: Celtic Rebellion!
Session 1, ages 13-18. Instructor – Ian Walsh
Join us on a monumental performance journey as we explore unarmed
combat, discover how to fight with found objects, then learn to
wield the mighty broadsword! When the Romans invaded England, no
Celtic leader came closer to defeating them than Boudicca, Queen of
the Iceni. In a thrilling environmental show we will retell the
tragic story of this incredible warrior, described by contemporary
sources as 'a ruler who struck fear into all who saw her'. We'll
work together slowly and carefully, always placing safety first and
rehearsing our combat choreography again and again as we construct
our epic show, one move at a time. Two centuries ago, men and women
of the Iceni banded together in a desperate attempt to repel the
Roman invaders. We'll tell the story from their perspective, roaming
with our audience through the meadows behind camp as we stage the
epic battle that sealed England's fate.
Beginner and experienced
actor-combatants are welcome, but beginners must have previous
experience in dance, gymnastics, martial arts or similar activities
that teach balance, coordination and movement dexterity.
Stage Combat: Tribal Warriors Unite!
Session 2, ages 13-18. Instructor: Hunter Gates
Journey with us to the heart of four intriguing cultures as we meld
myth, history and tribal battles into a final show of epic and
awe-inspiring proportions! As actor-combatants, discover unarmed
combat strategies, then move swiftly on to quarterstaff. Try your
hand at Zulu Stick and Shield, then leap over to Ireland, where
you'll play with the Irish Shillelagh! Take on the challenge of the
Filipino Double Stick and explore the versatility of the English
Quarterstaff. What do you learn about different cultures by
exploring the way that they fight? Join us for this action-packed,
theatrical experience, and find out! Stage Combat is an essential
skill for all actors, and this program is the ideal way to learn it,
as you participate in dazzling fight sequences! We'll work on our
performance technique, learn intriguing combat moves as we study
battles strategies, then rehearse over and over, placing our
re-enactments within a framework of history, culture and myth.
Safety is the first priority as we work together under the
supervision of experienced staff to prepare and mount a thrilling
show the likes of which our
audience may never have seen before!
This program is appropriate for beginner actor-combatants, and
campers who have previously taken stage combat programs at Centauri.
Stage Combat… The Triple Threat!
Session 3, ages 13-18. Instructor: Hunter Gates
Two gangs clash on the streets of New York. An uninvited wedding
guest starts a fight that ends with a death. Characters fall in love
as a city tumbles to revolution. Musical Theatre is filled with
action scenes like these – and we’ll be taking some of them as our
inspiration in this fast-paced Stage Combat program! We’ll follow
our own version of the Triple Threat, beginning with
unarmed combat
and rehearsing moves again and again to ensure they are as safe as
they are spectacular. Next, we’ll move on to found objects, creating
characters then letting them choose how – and with what – they
fight! Finally, we’ll move to rapiers, learning the
art of sword performance for the stage. Joining with the Musical
Theatre Department, we’ll put together a truly spectacular show for
the final day – a ‘Triple Threat Times TWO’ – packed not only with
memorable characters and stunning fight scenes, but with singing and
dancing, as well.
This program is open to experienced actor-combatants, and beginners
who have extensive experience of martial arts, fencing, gymnastics
or equivalent.
Slapstick Theatre & Clown
Session 4, ages 9-14. Instructor: Hunter Gates
In this fast-paced theatre program we will explore some of the most exciting theatrical skills ever invented! We'll discover the wild and wacky world of comedy, play with farce, have fun with masks, discover the joy of commedia dell'arte, exploring tumbling and pratfalls, then move on to Clown performance! Clown is a vital skill for all actors because it is zany and fun, and helps an actor to make the link between playfulness... and putting on a play. Through improvisation and games we'll bring our Clowns to life, then we'll dress them in crazy costumes, and build a final side-splitting show that will have our audience rolling in the aisles. If you love acting, and you want to develop new and valuable skills while having a ridiculous amount of fun, then don't miss this program!
Also check out Theatre and Acting Programs here.