Local acting school students attend state conference

Warwick - It seems as though the students at Warwick’s MCC Acting Training School are always on the move. On the weekend of Jan. 6-8, they attended the annual New York State Theater Education Association Conference weekend at the Villa Roma Resort in Callicoon. They joined approximately 600 students from New York State who attended more than fifty choices of workshops including acting, set design, playwriting, dance, directing, make-up, costume design and improvisation among others. The workshops were taught by professionals and advanced teachers from all areas of theater training, including Donna Haley, director of MCC Actor Training School. And there was plenty of fun as well with a huge dance party Saturday night and many other activities at the resort. Students also had an opportunity to audition for several summer training programs such as the New York State Summer School of the Arts and a program at New York University. “Our philosophy is to provide our students with as much professional exposure as possible,” said Haley. “This conference weekend offered that experience as well as an opportunity to meet students from all over the state who have similar interests.” This year the acting school students will also be attending their third Broadway/Off-Broadway performance at MCC Theater in New York. The new play is “The Wooden Breeks” by Glen Berger. “This magical journey,” said Haley, “includes a town full of delightful characters who learn a lesson of compassion, forgiveness and love. And our students will have an opportunity to speak with the cast afterwards.” Each month the MCC students travel to the MCC Theater in New York City where they team up with The Youth Company, a group of students from Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn, to workshop together and develop original theater pieces. Those plays will be presented in Warwick this spring as part of the MCC Annual Playwright Festival. On Sunday afternoon, Feb. 12, the MCC students will test their talents in a winter recital of scene work at the Warwick Valley Community Center.