The Mercer County Institute for the Arts

A goal of VSA Arts of NJ and the Mercer County Office for the Disabled has been to transform the Mercer County Institute for the Arts into a coordinated succession of quality arts education experiences, involving parents and creating opportunities for aspects of the programming to be continued at home.

By integrating the art forms, while primarily focusing on either visual art, music or drama during each program segment, we believe that continuity has been created and repetition has enabled the students to learn and retain more of what they have learned. This has been achieved through the use of an art therapist with a background in multiple art forms for the music and art segments. A concerted effort has been made to choose activities which can be duplicated at home.

The drama and theatre portion of the program continues its emphasis on multiple art forms, something inherent to the nature of the theatre arts. Site trips to musical and theatrical productions and a museum, all in Mercer County, have added a very exciting dimension. Parents spend an afternoon with their child’s class, and other parents experience the program and learn about cultural activities close to home that they can enjoy with their children.

All classes are limited to 20 participants and are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis by calling VSA Arts and receiving and completing the application by the individual deadline dates.

Theater Mentor Program

For Registration and More Information:

For further info To register your child or young adult or for more information on the program, please contact VSA Arts of New Jersey at (732) 745-3885, (732) 745-3913 TTY or www.vsanj.org or www.Mercercounty.org.

VSA ARTS OF NJ has been fortunate in working closely with the Mercer County Office for the Disabled, which coordinates the registration and serves as a liaison to the public schools, the Mercer County Jr/Sr High School of the Mercer County Special Services school District (which provides space for the program and from whom assistant teachers have been hired in recognition of their experience and familiarity with the children), and Youth Stages, a Mercer County based theatre program whose expertise is utilized for the acting and drama segments of the Institute.

Accommodations for people with disabilities are made on a case-by-case basis and upon request.

The Mercer County Institute for the Arts is sponsored by the Office for the Disabled, County of Mercer, Brian M. Hughes, County Executive.

Program Description: The Theater Mentor Program provides students with opportunities to develop acting skills with the guidance of actors from the Unlimited Potential Theater Company. Serving as mentors, company members will share their talents and enthusiasm as they demonstrate the diverse ways to interpret and create theater. Participants will attend a performance at Kelsey Theatre. Over the remaining weeks, students and their mentors will work together to develop their own performance, based upon the play. During the final session, they will share their performance with family and friends.

Dates:
Saturdays, 1/8, 15, 22, 29; 2/5, 12, 19, 26; 3/5, 12, 2005
Tickets:
will be provided for students and 1 parent/guardian
Location:
TBA
Time:
2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Ages:
10 – 21 years old.
Registration Deadline:
1/5/05

Music

Program Description: The Music Program introduces young people to the fundamentals of music, including identifying and executing musical elements such as rhythm, pitch, tonal perception and tempo. Serving as mentors, experienced musicians will guide the participants as they experiment with different instruments, learn concepts and memorize songs. Participants and their families will have the opportunity to experience a live musical performance.

Dates:
Tuesdays, 1/18, 25, 2/1, 8, 15, 22; 3/1, 8, 15, 22, 2005
Location:
Multi-Purpose Room, Regional Day School
Time:
4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Ages:
8 – 21 years old
Registration Deadline:
1/11/05

Acting Stage

Program Description: Over the course of this eight-week series, students will gain acting skills through the use of theatre games, improvisation and story dramatization. The artists will take complex theatre techniques and break them down into smaller pieces, allowing students to focus on one aspect at a time. Through repetition and by approaching each technique from many angles, including visual arts activities and movement exercises, students will take what they learn and create a dramatic scene to share with parents and friends at the last class.

Dates:
Thursdays, 4/7, 14, 21, 28; 5/5, 12, 19, 26, 2005
Location:
Multi-Purpose Room, Regional Day School
Time:
5:30 – 6:45 p.m.
Ages:
8 – 21 years old
Registration Deadline:
3/23/05

Drama Stage

Program Description: The Drama Stage is an eight-week series that provides opportunities for acting, moving, communicating, drawing and telling stories. Each week, a book will be used as a springboard for participants’ imaginations. They will roar like lions, hop like frogs, explore like detectives, ‘fly’ like heroes and giggle like kids! Interwoven into this fun will be verbal and physical communication skills, self-esteem building activities and games to stretch the imagination.

Dates:
Wednesdays, 4/6, 13, 20, 27; 5/4, 11, 18, 25, 2005
Location:
Multi-Purpose Room, Regional Day School
Time:
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Ages:
4 – 7 years old
Registration Deadline:
3/23/05
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The Cultural Access Network is a co-sponsored project of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts / Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.