Sign up for Our 2025 Workshops — For Free!
Join CPC’s expert workshop leaders for these free sessions beginning in January and running through June. These are great opportunities to learn new things, sharpen your theatre skills, and make new friends in a fun, casual environment.
All workshops will be held at the Players’ Studio, 435 Josiah Bartlett Road, Concord, NH. For directions to the Studio, please CLICK HERE
For more information about individual workshops, please contact the presenters.
To save your spot in any workshop, please email Cindy Dickinson at Cynthia.dickinson@communityplayersofconcord.org
Please indicate which workshops you want to take and include your phone number.
CREATING YOUR BACKSTORY
Presented by Cindy Dickinson
Saturday, February 8, 2025 – 9am-12pm
This workshop will give you practice in creating and using a backstory in your acting. Participants will explore their personal backstories and apply techniques of factual and textual reference and emotional imagination to a character of your choice. For participants currently playing a role, we can use that character, or you can bring a character from a show of your choice. The session will culminate with presenting your backstory to the group along with a brief scene. Discussion of how you use your backstory will follow.
Saturday, February 8, 2025 – 9am-12pm
For more information contact Cindy at Cynthia.dickinson@communityplayersofconcord.org
Cindy Dickinson has worked in professional, educational, and community theatre since her professional apprenticeship at The American Stage Festival in 1975. She taught Theatre, Speech, and English at ConVal High School, where she ran the theatre program for the better part of 30 years. Cindy has directed more than 100 plays and musicals–everything from Shakespeare to Sondheim–including CPC’s Sound of Music and the upcoming production of Our Town. She has played Amanda Wingfield, Lady Bracknell, among other cranky old gals, and appeared in Inherit the Wind with James Whitmore at The Peterborough Players.
SET DESIGN: THEORY & PRACTICE
Presented by Wally Pineault and Jim Webber
Saturday, March 15, 2025 – 10am-1pm
This three-hour workshop with Wallace Pineault and Jim Webber will cover set design theory, play requirements, stage and venue evaluation, research, directorial and production concepts and design execution. Special emphasis will be placed on communicating set design requirements to the Lead Builder and Painter as well as budgeting, scheduling and working with a Technical Director to ensure the set functions correctly in the final production.
Saturday, March 15, 2025 – 10am-1pm
Contact Jim at jbw1026@aol.com, or Wally at. wpineault@comcast.net for more information
Jim Webber and Wally Pineault have designed over 50 productions throughout their many years with The Community Players of Concord.
SHAKESPEARE’S COMIC WIT
Presented by Betty Lent
Saturday, April 19, 2025 – 9am-1pm
Do you have Shakesfear?
Want a good laugh?
Interested in a different take on the Bard?
This workshop will afford participants the opportunity to explore Shakespeare’s genius in his comedies. These plays provide a rich insight into the history and culture of Shakespeare’s life and times. Besides these plays are very funny and contain some really naughty bits. We will tackle some sections of several of the comedies – examine the language, and perhaps stage a bit or two to get at the humor. No preparation or experience with Shakespeare necessary.
Saturday, April 19, 2025 – 9am-1pm
For more information contact Betty at bettylent54@gmail.com
Betty Lent is a freelance theatre educator, director and practitioner. During her career, Betty has directed scores of productions in secondary and community theatre settings, has led workshops and taught courses in acting, improv, directing, stagecraft and Shakespeare. She is also Past President, Life Member, Wardrobe Mistress, and longtime Main Stage Director for The Community Players of Concord, NH. Over the past 20 or so years, she has studied all things Shakespeare at the American Shakespeare Center.
SCENERY CONSTRUCTION
Presented by Rick Silverberg
Tuesday evenings, May 6, 13, and 20, 2025 – 7pm-9pm
Join Master Builder Rick Silverberg for this interactive, hands-on opportunity to learn the basics of scenery construction. Participants will work in small groups to learn how to use power tools (table saw, chop saw and a variety of drills and bits), to understand various building materials, and learn to read plans for constructing basic scenery components including flats, platforms, and wagons for rolling scenery pieces. Participants will also learn shop safety. A side benefit of the workshop will be construction of several new flats.
Participants should expect to get dirty. Please wear old clothes, preferably with short sleeves, and have hair tied back with no items hanging from the neck.
Tuesday evenings, May 6, 13, and 20, 2025 – 7pm-9pm
For more information, contact Rick at rsilverberg54@gmail.com
Instructor Rick Silverberg has been building for the stage for over 50 years and loves to share the joy of construction with others.