Helen O'Grady drama student finalist at IMTA Awards in July 2012

Well done to Katleho Mallela (age 17 years) who has reached the finals of the IMTA awards in July 2012. Katleho has been attending the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy in Kempton Park for the last 5 years. Our Youth Theatre  programme which focuses on performance has certainly helped her to become such a wonderful performer.
 The  IMTA holds a number of competitions for  Actors, singers and dancers to demonstrate their potential .The agents, personal managers and casting directors who are judging are not only scoring the participants, they're also scouting for new talent to represent or cast.
Katleho, as are all the kids who are with the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy Johannesburg North East belong to our casting agency Take10. Katleho was recently featured in a PSA  advert  for Aids. The casting directors were very impressed with her.
Lets keep our fingers crossed for Katleho at the Awards!

Kensington Upper Primary make it to Youtube!

At  the end of last term our Lower (5-8yrs) and Upper Primary kids (9-12yrs) had great fun performing "The Marionettes" mime to Music-The story of Cinderella at the ball.The kids had to move like Marionettes (puppets).  Kensington Upper primary class were so excited at the prospect that they all dressed up and two of our boys - Bohale and Ryan decided the week before to be the ugly sisters and turned up in dresses and wigs!!And then just to compliment them , Dominic quite happily put on a wig and became the step mother! They had such fun that we decided to put it on video- check it out on Youtube!!
http://www.youtube.com/embed/KdGdN5wJfSU

Boksburg Upper Primary class having a ball!

 The Boksburg Lower and Upper primary classes,held at The Boksburg Methodist Church, had great fun  performing a " Mime to Music" called "The Marionettes" . The students acted out the ballroom scene of Cinderella but had to move like puppets. The students could only communicate the story through their body and facial expressions. Lindsey Fyfe their wonderful teacher had taught them the movement skills required over the previous two weeks. We even had the two ugly sisters and the horrible step mother dancing together in order to get Prince Charming's attention!

Some of our other Lower Primary  classes really dressed up and the ugly sisters really took on their characters with gusto !

 

And then there is Prince Charming and Cinderella

Youth Theatre in Action !

The Kensington Youth theatre class held on Thursdays from 5.30-6.30pm at the Kensington Tennis and Bowling club have a wail of a time . Many of the students in this group have been attending The Helen O'Grady Drama Academy in excess of 5 years and it shows!! They are extremely talented and their enthusiasm never waivers. The international youth theatre programme helps in public speaking, communication skills and it is fantastic for anyone who want to follow a career in acting. The programme compliments the drama matriculation course and puts into practice the theory that is covered at school!

Benoni Studio on the Move!

 The Benoni studio held at St John's Congrgational Hall, Farramere were in awe of their amazing teacher, Stephanie Nel who was demonstrating certain techniques in our movement programme. Drama trained and specialising in dance, Stephanie taught the children about rhythm and co-ordination. Our unique drama programme incorporates a movement section which teaches the students that acting is not just about using the voice- its abut the whole person.

The first part of the lesson envolves them warming up their voices and loosening up!

The Show must go on!

Last week our upper primary classes acted out being on a real live stage show where everything was going wrong ! Someone was sabotaging the play- did they find out who it was ? Our Upper Primary classes in Edenvale and Sunninghill had great fun with their fantastic teacher Cindy Hammond who was teaching them improvisation and miming skills as well as spacial awareness. The Helen O'Grady programme also helps develop self confidence , communication skills and social skills.

 

The Hunt !

Our Lower and Upper primary classes had great fun acting out a mime to music called "The Hunt". Mime to music teaches the kids how to communicate non verbally  through their facial expressions and through the whole body.The Sunninghill Lower primary class, held at St Stephens Church certainly got into character and came with war paint, spears and African wrap arounds.
Sandton Lower Primary  pose to give their hunting faces!