About the program

This is a new program from the SCC&L as a part of our mission to bring the best of the Nordic arts to all. We are excited to showcase a work that is a part of Norwegian culture and bring it to a wider audience.

The workshop will run for three weeks, and is more focused on the process and enjoyment of producing a show than it is on perfecting the final product. Our goal is for students to feel ownership of the production, and that there is no limit to their creativity. The role of staff is to encourage students and help them figure out how to bring their ideas to life, while also teaching from their own experience and shaping a safe and comfortable atmosphere.

Days will consist of games and activities, rehearsals, work on sets/costumes/props, lessons about theater and the play, and lunch/snacks/free time outside (see a sample schedule below).

About the play

Peer Gynt is a play written in 1867 by famous Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, perhaps his most renowned work. Based on a Norwegian folktale, it follows the titular antihero through his life as he adventures from his village in Norway across the world and back. The version we will be performing has been translated and adapted to appeal to a broad audience.

Originally in five acts, the production will feature five different actors to play Peer Gynt from childhood to old age as he encounters many fantastical characters. Peer will meet a kingdom of trolls, sail stormy Moroccan seas, and speak with the Great Sphinx of Egypt in his search for wealth and power.

The performance will be lighthearted and fun and involves a lot of room for creativity:

• What clothes do you think a troll would wear?
• How would you build a talking pig?
• What sound effects would enhance the show?

We are excited to host a wealth of ideas and for everyone’s voice to be heard and celebrated.

Sample schedule

This is just an example of what a day might look like! We will have four activity periods each day and two break periods as well as lunch. The activity periods will be different each day, so these are just provided to get an idea.

9:00 Drop off

9:00 – 9:30 Morning meeting and warm-up

9:30 – 10:45 Split into small groups of 4 or 5 to work on sets, costumes, and props. These will all be designed by the kids and will begin with sketching and a shopping list of materials and will work towards making them, putting on the finishing touches, and keeping track of and moving them between scenes!

10:45 – 11:15 Break – we will all head to the courtyard for some free time and snacks. Kids can run around, read in the shade, make friendship bracelets, or a bit of everything.

11:15 – 12:15 Acting workshop: learn how to project your voice so that you can be heard by an entire theater! We will talk about techniques for projection and then practice with a game to see who can project their voice the farthest, using silly sentences and with different inflections so we can learn to put emotion into our words, as loud as possible!

12:15 – 1:00 Lunchtime – after washing our hands, we’ll head outside if the weather is nice and sit down for lunch. Staff will supervise and hand out food to those who have chosen to have lunch served.

1:00 – 2:15 Split into groups for rehearsals. We’ll run through scenes, starting with our scripts, but work towards memorizing lines! Kids who are focusing on their backstage roles will practice transitioning scenes and creating sounds and special effects.

2:15 – 2:45 Break – another supervised break in the courtyard for snacks, play, and rest.

2:45 – 3:45 Free choice – choice between rehearsal, an acting game, and working on sets.

3:45 – 4:00 Wrap-up – get everyone gathered and make sure everyone has what they came with and go over the plan for tomorrow.

4:00 Pick up