Upcoming Fall Events at The Actors Theatre Workshop

THE ACTORS THEATRE WORKSHOP

Thurman E. Scott
Artistic Director, Executive Producer and Founder

145 West 28th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10001
www.ActorsTheatreWorkshop.com

September 8, 2011

Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of 9/11:
a month-long multi-media event
Ten Session Intensive Workshop
Creativity and Leadership Training -
Special Evening Workshop
Volunteer and Internship Opportunities
Support our Work in the Community

Dear Friend,

In these waning days of summer we await the fall with memorable images of past seasons, looking out from under the brims of our hats into the glistening sun, twinkling our toes in the cool water as the fish swim downstream. Time stops as we reflect on the image of September and the coming fall. The embryonic colors of the changing season stimulate our imaginations - - and as the leaves begin their journey into dust we know that the rebirth of spring has ended.

But for all of us, this particular September will mark more than the changing of the seasons. We will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the tremulous and world-changing events we now refer to as 9/11 each of us revisiting this explosive, perplexing and profound memory in our own unique way. At the Actors Theatre Workshop we have chosen to present our remembrances of the past and our vision of the future in a month-long multi-media event encompassing a video documentary, a new theatre piece and an art exhibit.

FROM RAGE TO REBIRTH: VOICES OF 9/11
A month-long multi-media event commemorating the 10th Anniversary of 9/11
Video Documentary, Art Exhibit and New Theatre Piece!

Reserve a Seat!

Immediately following the 9/11 attacks, The Actors Theatre Workshop held a special session of The Builders of the New World, ATW's theatre and education program for homeless children and at-risk youth. During this session the children and their families, led by ATW's Artistic Director and Founder Thurman E. Scott, joined together in a creative process to create original artwork and stories, expressing their understanding of the attacks and bringing hope back to our community.

For these young New Yorkers, the attack on the World Trade Center was a profound and confusing experience. Under instruction from Mr. Scott to express their feelings by drawing and writing, and with the help of their BNW mentors, the children produced a remarkable collection of powerful creative work. The benefits were obvious as these young people-some as young as five-displayed the self-confidence they had gained in the BNW program by standing proudly in front of an audience in a celebratory performance to read their stories and describe their art, putting into practice the creative education techniques they learned in order to share their insights and new vision for our future.

ATW filmed this tremendous outpouring of creative work and created an inspiring documentary that will open our 9/11 commemoration. Read a moving and uplifting testimonial from one young woman who found relief and a new sense of hope and faith after seeing this powerful film.

"Ten years sounds like a long time but the tragedy of what took place on 9/11/2001 remains a fresh memory in my mind. I'm sure everyone can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when the first tower got hit. Like many Americans, I was heartbroken and furious. I believed in God when I heard the stories of those I knew who, for some reason or another, were running late or not going into work at all that day; the ones who escaped death. However, as I sat in my classroom and watched the second tower get hit and bodies flying from the burning buildings, I doubted God's existence. When the towers collapsed, so did my faith in humanity and in any kind of God. It was the first time I ever remember feeling honest hatred.

I wrote poems and attended memorials but the fear and fury I felt did not subside. For the past ten years I have never been able to see the light in this situation. However, when Mr. Scott said, "It is important to know that this is a situation you'll all get through", the clouds in my mind that I thought were permanent began to perish. As he continued, he said, "God exists in all human beings". I silently asked, "how?", and he answered by saying we all have to power to do great things and the few individuals who carried out this horrific act chose to use their power to do destructive things. By emphasizing that God gives us the power to choose and not necessarily the power to choose all that is good, I started to understand my faith again."

Ashley R. Carr, March 23, 2011

Join us in experiencing all the elements of ATW's inspiring Multi-Media Event:

Video Documentary: See the creative process unfold as homeless children and members of the community come together and create powerful images of rebirth after the 9/11 attack.

Art Exhibit: View the powerful drawings and original stories the children created 10 years ago, in which they envisioned new symbols to replace the twin towers that represented hope for humanity.

Original Theatre Piece: The children's vision of hope has now inspired a new theatre piece that reflects on what we as a community and nation have taken from the experience of 9/11, and provides inspiration as we confront the new challenges facing our nation today. Performed by ATW's ensemble acting company and members of the NYC community. Developed and Directed by Thurman E. Scott.

When: Sundays, 9/18 and 9/25
Art Exhibit: 2:00 pm
Video Documentary Screening and New Theatre Piece: 3:00 pm
(Q&A with Director Thurman E. Scott directly following each performance.)
Where:
The Actors Theatre Workshop, 145 W. 28th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY
(between 6th and 7th Avenues)

Please click here to reserve a seat. Suggested donation is $20.

MORE UPCOMING FALL EVENTS AT ATW:
Ten Sessions That Will Change Your Life
&
A One-Night-Only Opportunity

Ten-Session Intensive Workshop: Creative Expression Class

Would you like to learn to experience your individuality, make effective powerful choices, and express new ideas? All this is possible in the Ten-Session Intensive Class, a creative expression acting workshop designed for people from a wide range of backgrounds and professions.

Perhaps you are a business executive seeking new ideas to increase productivity, or an educator trying to answer the challenging questions you confront each day by accessing your untapped creative potential or an actor who hasn't yet met a teacher with the understanding, talent and commitment to see who you are and guide you toward the expression and fulfillment of your creative vision. Whatever your background, if these are your goals and dreams, the Ten Session Intensive Workshop is for you.

The workshop is taught by ATW's Artistic Director and Founder Thurman E. Scott. Considered by Stella Adler to be the inheritor of her own, as well as the Stanislavsky legacy, Mr. Scott brings many years of study and professional accomplishment as a teacher, actor and director to his ability to create a surrounding in which students feel secure enough to reach their full creative potential. (Read Thurman E. Scott's biography here.)

Classes for the upcoming Fall, 2011 session will take place on October 30; November 6, 13, 20; December 4, 11, 18; January 15, 22 and 29. To be considered for the class (or added to our waiting list), we strongly recommend you submit your application as soon as possible. Detailed information and an online application form can be found here.

Creativity and Leadership Training - Special Evening Workshop

Develop a strong presence. Learn to make powerful, effective choices. Unleash the power of your unique intelligence. Accomplish all this through study with award-winning actor/director Thurman E. Scott in an in-depth one-evening creative training workshop.

This special evening workshop will take place on Wednesday, October 19th from 6 to 10 pm, and will provide a powerful introduction to a highly effective creative technique based in theatre principles. More details and an application form here.

VOLUNTEER AND INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Thinking about volunteering your professional expertise to assist the Actors Theatre Workshop in fulfilling its Mission? Or eager to learn "hands on" what it takes to run a non-profit arts organization that makes a difference in the community and the world? Then check out all the details on our Volunteer and Internship programs here.

IN CLOSING . . .

As we look forward to all of the upcoming events on ATW's calendar, we are confident that the emotional challenges of this September will be balanced by many opportunities for creative and spiritual growth. We close with some words to ponder from Thurman E. Scott's essay The Necessity of Creative Process in Our New Century and Beyond:

"We face a future in which our humanity, compassion, spiritual and creative courage will be challenged to rise up in new ways, for we are being tested now as never before. In the days to come and beyond, how will creativity and technology work together for the good of all people? How can the artist of today inform the creative processes that will lift us into tomorrow?"

Sincerely,

Eileen M. Burke
Treasurer

Join Us!!

P.S. Please make a tax-deductible donation and support the Mission of the Actors Theatre Workshop to develop individual potential, create tangible change and liberate the hidden talents and abilities in people from all walks of life!

The Actors Theatre Workshop, Inc. | 145 West 28th Street, 3 Fl | New York, NY 10001
www.ActorsTheatreWorkshop.com