About Town Hall Education
Mission Statement
Empowering an ensemble of storytellers to connect, empathize and commit.
Town Hall Education is the education department at Town Hall Theatre Company in Lafayette. THEd is a process-based program committed to serving students from pre-school age through adulthood. Our core values focus on student empowerment; creating connections, empathy, and trust; and supporting student creativity. We believe all of these lessons can be learned through theatre education and applied in every day life.
Town Hall Education is dedicated to providing students of all ages with process-based, high quality, and engaging theatrical experiences. We strive to create classrooms where students can grow in a safe environment and build their voice through theatrical expression. In our classes and in our building, we have built a strong and welcoming community and are so excited to have you join it.
-Erika March, Education Director
FAQs
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A typical class begins with a warm-up, which prepares the students for the remainder of the class time, whether that be creating, acting, singing, or dancing. In all of our classes, student growth and engagement is our primary focus, and these skills are often practiced with the aid of games and theatre activities that align with the class focus. Performance-based classes additionally spend classes learning valuable theatrical skills and preparing for their production.
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Students should arrive to class in appropriate, comfortable clothing, including shoes- ABSOLUTELY, NO FLIP FLOPS or OPEN-TOE SHOES! Students should bring a pencil and something to write in, and any required class materials i.e. provided scripts. We also recommend a light snack and a reusable water bottle.
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As we run an educational program, it is our job to ensure that each student is learning as much as possible from their role in the production. When casting a show teaching artists consider first and foremost what skills each student needs to work and puts them in a role that will best help them to master that skill. Students will also be asked to self-reflect and create goals with specific skills they want to work on in the class. Behavior, commitment, and experience may also be taken into account. For more information about casting, please see our Parent Handbook.
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Please e-mail your teaching artist DIRECTLY or call the production office at: (925) 283-6673.
About Our Classes
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Because we have limited space for classes, our classes often fill quickly! This is why it is important to keep track of registration dates if you are interested in signing up. Out of fairness, students are added to the waitlist on a first-come-first-served basis. There are no exceptions. You may sign up to be on the waitlist by filling out the registration form and selecting which class you would like to participate in. If the class is full, you will automatically be added to the waitlist.
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Your tuition allows Town Hall Education to hire stellar, professional Teaching Artists. It also goes to props, costumes, production materials, and performance rights that are licensed through production corporations.
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If your student is participating in a production based class, our educational program is required to purchase performance rights for the production. In the licensing agreement, we're required to pay royalties per performance. Then there are the facility costs associated with performing and rehearsing in a professional theatre: box office staff, lighting, technical staff, etc. Tuition alone does not cover these expenses.
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We are able to accommodate payment plans on a case-by-case basis. All payment plan arrangements must be made prior to the first class. If you are interested in setting up a payment plan, please contact Education@TownHallTheatre.com.
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We are able to offer scholarships for any students whose family is in need of financial assistance. All scholarship requests need to be submitted before the start of any class. No student is turned away for financial reasons. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please contact Education@TownHallTheatre.com.
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Town Hall Studio is located in the Lamorinda Music Studios located at 83 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette, CA 94549
About Student Enrollment
Teaching Artists
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August Webber
August Webber (any pronouns) is proud to be a Teaching Artist with Town Hall. They have been involved with theatre since they were young, and have worked in various schools around the Bay Area. Getting to teach the next generation of actors and watch them grow is an amazing experience they are thankful for. They are so proud of all their students. In their free time August likes to read, crochet, play video games, and play D&D.
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Tristan Kelley
Tristan Kelley (he/they) is a born and raised Bay Area theatre artist. He is seeking his B.A. in Psychology, but has always had a passion for theatre! They have been performing onstage since they were eight years old and his most recent credit was as Christian in Berkeley Shakespeare Company’s Cyrano. He holds his Early Childhood Education certification and loves working with kids. In their free time, he is playing D&D, reading, and seeing friends and family. Photo credits to @saranicole_mindfulphotography on Instagram.
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Camille La'akea Wong
Camille La’akea Wong (they/them) is so excited to be a teaching artist at Town Hall Theatre! Camille grew up doing children’s theatre in the Bay Area and is so grateful for the opportunity to teach the next generation of theatre kids. In addition to teaching, Camille serves as a director, stage manager, technical director, and actor. Recent projects include Shidaiqu (Stage Manager, SFBATCO) and School of Rock (QLAB operator, Royal Theatre Academy). In their free time, Camille loves to crochet and play dungeons and dragons with their friends.
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Sarah Dove
Sarah Dove has been so fortunate to spend a life invested in the theatre growing up in the Bay. She received her Bachelor’s of Arts in Theatre Performance from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois where she gained experience not only on stage, but also as an assistant stage manager and a teaching assistant. Sarah has performed with theatre companies in the Bay Area such as City Lights Theatre Company, Chanticleers Theatre, and Theatre Cultura. She is so grateful to be a part of the Town Hall Education staff and to have the opportunity to pass on her love of theatre to a community of eager young theatre artists.
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Aubrey Bonham
Aubrey Bonham (she/her) is very excited to start teaching at Town Hall Theater. She is currently studying at Saint Mary’s College of California as a double major in history and theater. Aubrey has been lucky enough to be very involved in theater in her hometown and can’t wait to get involved in a new area. She has experience both onstage and offstage with some of her favorite roles being Anna in Frozen and the Queen of Hearts in Alice by Heart. She also has a background in children’s theater having worked at both Crocker House Creative Arts Center and Sugarloaf Fine Arts Camp for many years. Aubrey loves working with children and looks forward to sharing her love of theater with the next generation!
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Caleb Thomas-Hughes
Originally from New Jersey, Caleb graduated from William Paterson University of New Jersey with a degree in Media Production with a minor in Theatre and Comedy in 2020. Graduating in the beginning of the pandemic, Caleb used his time in lockdown to pursue voice acting, where he was able to work in a few Indie projects as well as produce a few of his own. Alongside his current work in theater education, he continues to work freelance as a VoiceOver artist, actor, writer, director, and producer. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, games with friends, and creating stories of his own. He is so grateful for the opportunity to share his passion for theater and storytelling.
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Eva Vargas
Eva was born and raised in the Coachella Valley and has had a passion for the arts since childhood. Whether it was performing Ballet Folkorico for after-school events or taking the stage at the annual Date Festival's Arabian Nights, she loved absorbing all experiences around dance and live performance. Eva attended Connecticut College where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Human Development. In 2016 she began to work for the Gibney Dance Company’s production team and became the marketing associate for Keigwin + Company in New York City. More recently, she has worked with Dance Mojave on several productions as a stage manager working with 35 or more young cast members. Through these experiences, Eva hopes to cultivate an environment that is based on discovery, self-care and joy. It is her goal to engage and empower her community with techniques and tools that will challenge both their physical and creative abilities; and in doing so building up their confidence so they may present their true selves.
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Kelly Handler
Kelly Handler (she/her) is very excited to be working with Town Hall as both a Teaching Artist and Education Coordinator. Kelly received a bachelors in Theater from Mills College in Oakland in 2021. She has trained and performed at the Young Rep Summer Conservatory as well as SingOut Theatre Company. She loves kids and also works at Village Music School. When she's not working, you can find her learning guitar, going on walks with family, or visiting friends.
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Erika March
Erika March (she/her) is a Bay Area native and is consistently excited to be at Town Hall working as Education Director and Teaching Artist! She has previously taught in theatres and schools around the Bay Area, Seattle, and Oklahoma City regions with a focus in arts integration programming. Erika is a graduate from Oklahoma City University and University College Cork, Ireland. In the past few years, Erika has also spent time as a director, pit musician, homesteader, and mom of four fur kids.