Actors' Gang Spring After School Program connects students with artists

Culver City Unified School District students, through a unique style of Commedia dell’Arte – a form of 16th century Italian theatre – will be encouraged to share and develop their voices and ideas in an upcoming free Spring session with the Actors’ Gang Spring After School Program running from April 8 to June 10 on Wednesdays from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at The Ivy Substation. 

This program will feature Artists teaching up to 22 fourth and fifth graders improvisation games, how to build characters and community, and practice writing exercises. The Spring session will culminate in a performance on June 14 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with students performing a play written in collaboration with the Teaching Artists.

A theatre group and nonprofit who has partnered with CCUSD since 2005, The Actors’ Gang offers multiple programs with various courses dedicated to different age groups. In addition to their classes with CCUSD, the group offers classes to the great Los Angeles area to all ages. The program’s goal in educating budding actors and young students, according to their website, is to create a space for students to gain confidence in expressing themselves and in interacting with others.

The Actors’ Gang’s distinct brand of large emotions and movements is rooted in the style of Commedia dell’Arte, a long-lasting form of theater originating in Italy. It is characterized by masked performers and physical comedy and centers around archetypal characters that do not require large backstories, which allows performers to improvise witty lines and comment on timely political issues.

Since this group’s small beginning in 1981 as eight UCLA students, the Actors’ Gang have remained committed to telling relevant stories in the same way Italian performers added political commentary in the 16th century. 

“We wanted to tell stories that meant something about the world around us, stories that stood boldly in front of power and mercilessly exposed hypocrisy,” The group’s website states. 

Other sources of inspiration reinforced their effort to focus on timely stories, developing a focus on emotional states.

“Developed over the last 40 years by founding Artistic Director, Tim Robbins, and Cynthia Ettinger with roots in Théâtre du Soleil, Grotowski, Viewpoints, punk rock and popular culture,” the Actors’ Gang’s website page notes, “our signature ‘Style’ is used in all of our productions and outreach programs.”

In creating an experimental style of performing, their methods extend to the ways Teaching Artists interact with their students. Young actors are encouraged to take a larger role in the creative process, writing plays and contributing to costume and makeup. They are encouraged to find and develop their artistic voice. 

To find the application for the program, which is due by Friday, April 3, click here. To learn more about the Actors’ Gang, visit their website here.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this story claimed applications were due on March 3. This was an error on the editor's part, not the author. We apologize for the inconvenience.