Words Before Blows
Shakespeare and Stage Combat Intensive
Aug 17 - 22
Welcome to the Affair of Honor Shakespeare text and Stage Combat Intensive. Five days of training in Shakespearean text and stage combat with a showcase on day six at Presentation House Theatre. Artists will be given a scene from Shakespeare directed by Mike Stack and fight choreography by Fight Directors Nathania Bernabe and Jackie T. Hanlin. This intensive will challenge stage combat skills, choreography retention, text and character work. The goal in this class is to build a scene that brings the text to life that pushes the action seamlessly into the fight.
Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting that would not let me sleep. - Hamlet
In the mornings, participants will work through their scenes with director Mike Stack. These rehearsal sessions will be a playful and active approach to help you bring Shakespeare’s language and characters alive. Everything you need to know as an actor is contained within the verse and prose of the character. Shakespeare is a treasure chest, a Trojan Horse, a fire waiting to be lit. This workshop will help you to unlock the secrets that are contained therein, allowing you to make it vivid as well as authentic.
Give them great meals of beef and iron and steel, they will eat like wolves and fight like devils. - Henry V
In the afternoons, we take up arms. Actors will be given base choreography quickly and as the scene work in the mornings develop, we will work the transitions in and out of the battles. Actors will be given access to space after their choreography is taught and will be expected to rehearse with their partners while other groups are learning. Each scene will have individual needs and weapon systems and will receive a variety of skills and techniques based on the needs of their scene and participants’ skill level.
Through a strong understanding of the safeties behind stage combat all actors will finish this class with an explosive fight powered by the text.
Applications for this intensive are due on July 15th.
Workshop Information and Application Below:
Schedule:
August 17 9am - 5pm
August 18 10am - 6pm
August 19 10am - 6pm
August 20 10am - 6pm
August 21 10am - 6pm
August 22 10am - 8pm Tech and Showcase
Please note that attendance for all 6 days is mandatory for each participant.
Location
All classes located at Presentation House Theatre
333 Chesterfield Avenue, North Vancouver*
Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Territories
*A 15 Min Walk from The Lonsdale Quay Terminal
Total Cost:
$800: General
$650: Member of FDC, AOH Company Class Alumni, PHT Hub Member
Payment plan available:
$150 Deposit on July 22
$325 on July 31st
$325 on Aug 16th
10 spaces are available
Please submit your application through the google form. Applications due on July 15th. Applicants will be notified of acceptance by July 21st.
Documents required:
-CV
-Headshot
Apply here.
Questions please email: aohsignup@gmail.com Subject: Word Before Blows
Instructors
Nathania Bernabe
Nathania is a Filipino-Canadian actor, choreographer, director, writer and producer and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Drama and Education from Concordia University of Alberta. She is grateful for the incredible opportunities to intensively train as an actor in different mediums abroad. Training with such Schools and Companies like the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art(London), SITI Company(New York), Zen Zen Zo (Melbourne), Diavolo Dance (Los Angeles), Rapier Wit (Toronto), DynamO Théâtre (Montreal) and Second City (Chicago). Nathania has a profound love for physical theatre. She is President on the Board of Directors and an apprentice with The Academy of Fight Directors Canada. Nathania is the Artistic Director of Affair of Honor and has had the pleasure to Fight Direct for companies like Caravan Theatre, Project X Theatre Under the Stars (Kamloops,BC), Pi Theatre, Suitcase In Point (St. Catherine's,ON) and Urban Ink Productions.
Jackie T. Hanlin
Jackie T. Hanlin is an actor, fight choreographer and producer hailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia. She received her BA in Drama from Bishops University in 2015, and moved to Vancouver where she began her stage combat studies and work with her fight/producing partner Nathania Bernabe, co-founding Affair of Honor. Jackie is currently an apprentice with The Academy of Fight Directors Canada. Since 2015 she has had the pleasure of being an actor, choreographer, writer and producer within Affair of Honor, producing Qui Nguyen’s Soul Samurai (Vancouver Fringe festival 2017/18) in which the fight and movement design received a Jessie Nomination in 2018, Karen Basset’s Heroine (Edmonton Fringe Festival 2018), House of Arms: an improvised fight episodic (2018), Playthings (Edmonton Fringe Festival 2019/Presentation House Theatre 2021), Fairlith Harvey’s Kill The Ripper (Presentation House Theatre/Rio Theatre 2022) Jovanni Sy’s The Five Vengeances (Shadbolt Centre for the arts 2022) and Multi-Vs (Edmonton Fringe 2023/rEvolver Festival 2024).
Mike Stack
Mike is a local theatre educator, performer, and director. His extensive
Shakespeare teaching experience includes working with Bard on the Beach since 1997; ongoing professional development with Bard as well as virtually with Folger
Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C.; Shakespeare in the Classroom
workshops with Oregon Shakespeare Festival; guest director of six Shakespeare productions with Smithers Secondary and one recently with Sentinel Secondary;
workshop Leader at the Good Will Shakespeare Festival in Vernon, B.C.; and numerous ongoing Shakespeare workshops throughout the Lower Mainland Homelearning community. Mike is also one of the creators and directors for Mortal Coil Performance Society and the Ghost Train in Stanley Park. As a performer, he has worked with many of the city’s theatre companies and has
been fortunate enough to tour throughout North America and overseas. He also serves as an adjudicator of Speech Arts at festivals throughout British Columbia
and Alberta. Mike is a multiple Jessie Award nominee and recipient, and a
graduate of the Studio 58 Professional Theatre training program.