|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
Francesca Hoerlein's class paints faces on their pup-pets, Jennie Lee's home schoolers rehearse lines on stage, and Neil Cunningham organizes production schedules in his office at Fairfield's new Iowa Conservatory for the Arts (ICA).
The arts organization is the fulfillment of a long-standing dream for area artists, performers, students, and patrons of the arts. "As the performing, visual, and media arts flourish in southeast Iowa," says board member Neil Cunningham, "the development of ICA and the Iowa Conservatory Theatre can answer the needs of artists and teachers by providing teaching and performance space. ICA is interested in developing an arts curriculum that satisfies a variety of artists' disciplines and it welcomes the community of southeast Iowa to take part."
Located at 1900 West Stone, west of Meritor, ICA's spacious air-conditioned headquarters feature classrooms, dressing rooms, studios, offices, and the Iowa Conservatory Theatre with over 1000 square feet of performance space and 108 (soon to be 150) very comfortable, plush seats. The versatile theater can be used as a small TV studio, Internet streaming studio, movie set, dance and music performance area, theatrical production stage, and rental space for workshops, seminars, and Internet and cultural events.
Instructors Francesca and Bob Hoerlein, Jennie Lee, and Neil Cunningham have top professional training and experience, including the Jim Henson Foundation, Neighborhood Playhouse, Doug Henning Magic, and the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
Says puppeteer Francesca Hoerlein, "Puppetry class is centered on 'play,' the natural way we learn, and the development of the skills to launch our creative potential. It's designed to open kids up to exploring and developing an original personality for their puppet and to bring their puppet to life."
This summer, Neil Cunningham will be offering teen acting classes for video, TV, and Internet (e-acting), a pre-teen class in developing myth and historical characters, and a production class for creating and developing high-speed Internet productions using ICA's high-speed fiber optics. Long-term goals include the development of World Peace Productions for the stage and Internet, and an outdoor amphitheater. For more information, call (641) 919-1939.
