By Chris Frost
EAGLE TIMES NEWS EDITOR
CLAREMONT, N.H. — Youngsters across Claremont are gaining great experience in acting, as the Claremont Savings Bank Community Center features its Summer Drama Club, designed to spawn a new community of thespians.
Acting Coach Ethan Laushance teaches students from the fourth grade through senior year. They work on many different theater aspects.
“We teach them to improve characterization, volume and character development,” he said.
Laushance has worked at Claremont Middle School for around 11 years. He directed the Drama Club at the school for nine years. He started the Summer Dram Club because there is little opportunity in the area for theater students to grow.
“Having the time to focus on theater solely, I think this helps them become better actors,” he said.
Getting the children together to understand the internal (voice) with the external (character movement) into one force, he said, can be challenging because the children bring “so much of themselves” into a performance.
“They have to find that fine line where they can be a character and bring elements of themself into that character,” Laushance said. “They’re young and have a difficult time with that sometimes. It’s good to have older kids with many years of experience to help them bring that out every day we’re in camp.”
Laushance started with theater during his senior year in high school and pursued acting opportunities after college, before stopping and then directing plays at the middle school in 2015.
“It’s a great thing because we’ve had kids who don’t think they’d be very good actors,” he said about children in the program. “They really shined through. When you see a kid, who doesn’t think much of themself and then becomes a lead in a play and does so well, there’s so much growth. I have a student who is trying to audition for Broadway and he’s using me as a huge inspiration for him. It puts a tear in my eye.”
Olivia Sargent is 14. She wanted a way to express herself and learned is a perfect fit.
“I don’t have to be me on stage. I can be someone else,” she said. “This club gives me a chance to learn more about what I am doing and understand how to do improvisation.”
She said Laushance taught her almost everything about acting and, before they met, she was in one play and said one word. “I was ‘Banshee’ in my last play, Gravestone Manner, and I had to scream everything,” she said. “I’m good at projecting my voice.”
Jordyn Theetge is 11. He said he has a lot of personality and wants to play different characters.
Acting is something I’ve loved my entire life,” he said. “I like dramatic acting more than light comedy stuff.” He loves meeting new kids through the Drama Camp. “It’s fun,” he said.
Laushance said kids who want to try acting should go for their first audition.
“If you don’t make it that first time, don’t give up and never give into that negative pressure,” he said. “ Keep trying, work with family and friends and get into a theater program.”
The Drama Club meets from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Claremont Savings Bank Community Center, 152 South Street. Those interested in joining the class may call 603-542-7019 or email [email protected]
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