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
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Please e-mail your teaching artist DIRECTLY or call the production office at: (925) 283-6673.
About Our Classes
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Town Hall Studio is located in the Lamorinda Music Studios located at 83 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette, CA 94549
About Student Enrollment
Teaching Artists
-
Aero England
Aero England (they/them/theirs) is thrilled to be joining Town Hall Education as a Teaching Artist! Born and raised in the Bay Area, they have been performing since the age of eight and developed a passion for teaching theatre to children. They previously worked at Standing Ovations as a Counselor-in-Training and the Cal Shakes Summer Conservatory as an Instructional Aide for several summers. Aero is also a 2022 graduate of Saint Mary's College of California, majoring in Performance and Theater Studies and minoring in Women's and Gender Studies. Favorite performing roles include Everybody (Everybody), Anfisa (Three Sisters), Sebastian and Scar (Wish Upon a Star) and I (Unmasked, their original play).
-
August Webber
August Webber (he/they) is thrilled to be joining Town Hall's talented team of teaching artists. Born in Texas and mainly raised in the Bay Area, August has always had a passion for all forms of art, especially theatre, and has developed a passion for childcare and education. He was formerly a member of the theatre program at Solano Community College, where his favorite role was Arlie Understudy for the show Getting Out. In high school he was casted as the swing for Into The Woods and went on as the Narrator/Mysterious Man. In his free time he enjoys sewing, crocheting, and spending time with his two black cats, Alice and Rosie.
-
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.
-
Elizabeth Jones (Liz)
Elizabeth Jones (Liz) is overjoyed to be returning to teach at Town Hall! She is a local Bay Area actress who has performed in many productions around the Bay Area. She was recently seen as Nancy/Boz in Center REP’s production of A Christmas Carol. Elizabeth is a graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Arts. She has previously worked as a support Teacher at an Oakland based public Montessori School. She also has years of experience teaching recreational and performance based activities to youth. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her dog Jada and watching her newly adult daughter Caira discover what adulthood actually means.
-
Henry Halkyard
Henry Halkyard is excited to be back in the Bay Area teaching theatre and art to kids and adults alike! Henry graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 2018, where he taught theatre to kids aged 5 through 18, created site-specific performance art in the nearby town of Yonkers, and focused on film acting for short films and commercials in his spare time. He is ecstatic about expanding his roots in the Bay Area with Town Hall Education in mind. In his free time, Henry enjoys producing music, working on cars and mopeds, and feeding his (slightly) pudgy cat, Mochi.
-
Jacquie Duckworth
Jacquie Duckworth has been directing plays and musicals since 2013 as a Teaching Artist/Director for Cal Shakes, SF Shakes, Bay Area Children’s Theatre and the Performing Academy. She is a private acting/audition coach preparing students for college admission and agent auditions, as well as regional and community theater productions. In addition to her work on stage, she has appeared on-camera for commercials (Blue Shield, Youthful Gold), industrials (Safeway, AAA), television (I Almost Got Away With It), and film (The Game, Who Wants to Go to Heaven).
Jacquie played Annette in THT’s production of God of Carnage and is delighted to be back!
-
Jaime Rich
Jaime Rich is a teacher, facilitator and presenter with over three decades of speaking experience. She has been in the field of prevention and wellness for her whole career and has presented to audiences small and large. She has been in the non-profit realm and has led training teams for the non-profits that she has been involved in. She was an entrepreneur with her own speaking business. She has immersed herself in her passion for improv. She is currently the co-founder and executive director of Spontaneous Mind. She is chief education officer and co-producer with Funny Bone Productions and creative director of ACT II Improv. She has been teaching improv classes to all levels and all ages for many years and has cultivated a following of students who follow her from class to class. She is enthusiastic about applying the principles of improv to communication, collaboration and innovation amongst all partners and teams.
-
Jenna Stein-Corman
Jenna Stein-Corman (she/her) grew up immersed in the bay area theatre community. From her first theatre class, at age 5, she fell in love with the art form. After receiving her BA from Sarah Lawrence College, Jenna returned to Oakland to be a musical theatre teaching artist. Jenna is also a stage manager and an improviser, and currently works with multiple local arts organizations including The Berkeley Playhouse, Musical Theatre Works, and SF Playground. She is so excited to be joining Town Hall Education for this fall’s Swamped!
-
Kelly Handler
Kelly Handler (she/her) is very excited to be working with Town Hall. 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. Currently, she works part time as a language arts tutor and acting coach. She loves working with kids and is considering returning to school for a teaching credential. When she's not working, you can find her learning guitar or visiting friends.
-
Larissa Kelloway
Ph.D., B.Sc.(Hons.)Biochem, B.A. (Musical Theatre)
Larissa is a conservatory trained performer and performing arts teacher, specializing in singing voice, bodywork & performing arts health. She equally balances her working life between performing contracts and teaching. She completed her PhD, titled “Investigating the role of Pilates in the posture and vocal production of singers,” in which she researched how vocal production can be supported by posture and strength. Some highlights from her Bay Area performing work include “Electra” in Gypsy, “Dogberry” and “Antonia” in Much Ado About Nothing, “Mrs Lancaster” in Groundhog Day: The Musical, “Marion” in The Boy From Oz, and ensemble roles in 9 to 5: The Musical, and Mamma Mia. Cabarets credits include Always Something There to Remind Me - Love as Portrayed by the music of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, The Ladies Who Lunch, and About Damn Time. Alongside her artistry, she is passionate about performing arts research and teaching, believing that high quality research supports pedagogical practices, enhances student learning, and champions career longevity. In her teaching, she seamlessly blends together her broad knowledge base, and aims to provide artists with the tools that will enhance their performance skills, vocal production and quality, movement efficiency, injury prevention and maintenance, and instrument optimization.
-
Lisa Anne Morrison
Lisa Anne Morrison is very excited to be a teaching artist here at Town Hall! She is a private acting/audition coach and has taught Improv and acting for the last 5 years. Lisa will soon be seen in “Nova”, directed by Emmy award winning director, Joyce Tsang. Lisa has appeared in many episodic TV shows and was last seen as Mrs. Antilly in “13 Reasons Why”. She has also performed at many Bay Area and L.A. area theatres. Some of her favorites are Cal Shakes, TheatreWorks, Z Space, A Noise Within and Laguna Playhouse. For over a decade, Lisa performed and toured with long form Improv troupe “Those Meddling Kids”, who were born out of CalArts where Lisa earned her B.F.A. in acting.
-
Olga Khitarishvili
Olga Khitarishvili (she/her) is excited to be joining the Town Hall Theatre team as an assistant teaching artist! Born and raised in the East Bay, she is excited to share her love of theatre with students in the area and help foster their creativity. She recently graduated from UC San Diego with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. Her most recent credits include costume designer for Small Mouth Sounds (Company 157), stage manager for One Line or Two (Company 157), and playwright of Placeholder (UCSD Winter LABs).
-
Riley Fox
-
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.