Arts and Culture
Self Discovery Begins On Stage By Stephanie Seaberg, Resident since 2010
T
he thrill of the spotlight is an adrenaline induced roller coaster that is often hard to understand. Some would call it an acquired taste, like cilantro or Tarantino films. You either love it or hate it. The very thought of standing on stage while hundreds of eyes are fixated on you sounds terrifying to some, yet hundreds of children flock to the charming and intimate Village Theater that occupies downtown Danville on Front Street just around the corner from the famous and beloved oak tree.They are there to fulfill an unbridled desire to set their spirits free on stage. It is all done through the artistic outlet of the Theater Performance Workshop and KAOS Camp. Theater Performance Workshop, also known as TPW, is a beginners course in acting for kids ages 7-14 that meets twice a week at the Village theater in Danville. After 10 weeks of rehearsals, a weekend long public performance is showcased for friends and family. KAOS Camp encompasses all the same goals and core values as TPW, condensed into a two week long summer camp at Hap McGee Park. Over the last 15 years, TPW has been home to more than 4,000 young and eager actors and seen over 90 productions in its tenure. To call this seasoned theater company unconventional would be quite the understatement. As the students arrive to class, they are greeted with a ruckus call to order by the director who enthusiastically proclaims “Friends, Romans, countrymen” then the students all cry back “Lend me your ears” and then take their seats for rehearsal. It is one of the many quirky aspects of this program that the kids love. Each and every play is hand written and custom crafted for the students and class. You won’t see any fanciful Disney characters in these plays, but you also won’t see
anyone playing “Tree #6” on stage either. The writers prefer to spread the story out to every character, giving everyone a chance to shine on stage for a moment. Every show also includes a random dance number, where children spontaneously break out into a choreographed dance that gets the audience’s toes tapping. It is the creative brain child of resident actor and writer, Jeff Seaberg who has been a rather familiar face in Danville these last 20 years. He was the writer, producer and director of the madcap hair salon musical, “Wigged Out”, which ran for several years and was a staple of the Danville scene.”The journey of self discovery really begins on stage,” he proclaims, as he staples and stacks a pile of scripts. The scripts are on their way to a rehearsal for his latest show “A Very Jingletown Christmas.” Seaberg has been producing Christmas themed musicals in December for the last seven years as part of a TPW holiday special, and so far, they have been very well received. “We’re a small operation with only my husband and myself, and a handful of assistants, which is a good fit for us.” If your household has an aspiring young actor that is pining for the spotlight, Contact the Danville Community Center at (925) 314-3400.
20
DECEMBER 2018
