Building on the work begun last summer at CBU’s Broadway at the Boardmore, accomplished local performer and director Robyn Vaughn Cathcart has gathered an impressive faculty to share the wealth of their experience during Taking the Stage, March 11-13 at the New Dawn Centre for Social Innovation in Sydney.
Aimed at aspiring singers, actors, dancers and storytellers, Taking the Stage is a three day performance program for youth, ages 13-18. Ideally suited to those with stage experience or a true love of music, singing and performing, the program will include a mixture of yoga, movement, dance, vocal production, diction, visualization, body work and master classes, with a concentration on auditioning and audition preparation.
“These type of intensives are important for so many reasons,” says Cathcart, Artistic Director of Taking the Stage. “They allow similarly minded young people to come together and create a family/community that, at its heart, seeks to instil and nurture creativity, integrity, healthy confidence, education, and the ability to actively live one’s dreams.”
With a mission to inspire, renew and strengthen the fundamentals of successful singing, dancing and acting, Cathcart and fellow instructors Julie Martell (Assistant Director), Barb Stetter (Coach / Guest Artist), Lucy Wintermans (Dance – Jazz/Musical Theatre), Shannon Forrester-McMullen (Dance – Celtic/Highland), Bruce Cathcart (Text, Scene Work), and Peter MacDonald (Collaborative Piano) will work with participants in such areas as vocal technique, stage craft and interpretation, acting methods, performance power, audition preparation, portfolio building, physical conditioning and co-ordination, movement, repertoire selection, and more.
“These sessions provide a necessary link between established performers/faculty to share what has taken years in study or on the stage to learn, effectively handing the reigns to future generations,” says Cathcart. “These type of programs not only emphasize growth, but require participants to adapt and deliver. In short, it is great training for life on and off the stage.”
Taking the Stage wraps up with a final concert Thursday, March 13 at 7pm at the New Dawn Centre for Social Innovation. Students will present vocal solos, be joined by faculty for several musically staged numbers, and present a Glee style Show Choir of 4-5 pieces. Tickets are $10 general admission and $25 for families.
Cathcart cannot speak highly enough of the people at The New Dawn Centre for Social Innovation. “They are proving themselves to be a major player within the CBRM arts and culture scene. I really feel that this is only the beginning of what will come to be known as a golden age for education, creativity, community building and world-class Cape Breton First initiatives.”
“The fact that we get to explore this type of work here in Cape Breton speaks volumes of the people who call the island home…usually offerings of this type are found in larger urban centres – even Halifax does not have this going on in the same way.”
There are still spots available in the Taking the Stage program, running March 11-13. Tuition is $150. Contact Robyn Cathcart at (902) 562-5911 or robynvaughncathcarttenor@gmail.com to book a space or for additional information.