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Teaching
Workshops Intensives |
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Commedia
dell'Arte short Summer Intensive Because
this workshop is only 6 days; enrollment will be limited to 10 people
These are the areas this workshop will concentrate
on Much of our scenario and improvisation work will be taken from our new translation of three of Flaminio Scala scenarios believed to be of the legendary Gelosi Company 1572 to 1604. For
registration, information and to reserve your place
or if you have any questions please
feel free to call or e-mail. For
more information - Commedia
dell'Arte Winter Short Intensive Workshop RCCU is indebted to our teachers, the late masters of physical theatre and Commedia dell'Arte Jacque Lecoq and Carlo Mazzone-Clementi. Stanley's
recommended
books on Commedia
dell'Arte!
Mask Making I teach Mask Making in groups and privately. There are three areas of mask making I teach: Sculpture of the Mask, Papier-mâché Mask Making and/or Leather Mask Making. If you would like me to teach a Commedia dell'Arte Workshops designed for your situation contact me to discuss your project. |
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Sculpture of the Mask Developing
your ideas and needs for your mask. Your sculpture map of your character,
sketching your mask, Once you can sculpt your mask in clay you have a choice of making the mask in Leather or Papier-mâché. $150 - $500 |
From Roving Classical Commedia University mask making class. Fellow teacher Hovey Burgess and others sculpting in candlelight. |
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Papier-mâché Mask Making This is less expensive for mask making and much simpler and quicker. Papier-mâché or cloth meche masks can be very effective, strong, long lasting masks. This is a much shorter class and good for almost all ages. Price
$100 - $300 |
Papier-mâché hands at work. |
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Leather Mask Making You learn everything from how to buy and make tools, choose leather, making the master mold, different leather techniques, dyeing, staining, finishes and how to put in hair. This can be done over a period of 3 months or a quick intensive 2 to 3 weeks. $1,500 |
Private student Alfredo Denaia |
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Performing in the Mask How
to perform in a mask and make it come alive, doing various physical exercises
and exercises in the mask. I can also go into Neutral masks as well. These
exercises have been developed from studying with Jacque Lecoq and over
30 years of experience as a performer, mask maker and teacher. $150 to
$600 |
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Clown Most of my performing career has been spent as a theatrical clown doing my solo show in theatres from very intimate houses with less than 100 seats to 3,000 seats. And I have a very nice stack of rave reviews. Developing your personal clown, developing original material, various physical exercises, mime, working with props, making them come alive, solo show, non-solo theatrical clown shows and more. $200
- $600 |
Photo by Jim Moore |
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Classical Commedia dell'Arte To study Commedia dell'Arte go to the web site of my traveling school Roving Classical Commedia University* (*Totally Unaccredited) |
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Directing, Coaching, Developing Full Shows and Solo Shows Current directing project is "Duet for Solo Voice" by David Scott Milton with Jonathan Slaff. The opening run will be this fall starting September 24 at Theater for The New City in New York, NY. More people are coming to me as a coach or director to help them develop a solo shows, clown shows and theatrical shows. Here are three show that I have directed, "Bride of Beowulf", "John Paulsen's Lonely Banquet" and the latest solo show that just toured China "Gautham" Gautham
in China backstage with the Peking Opera Sometimes
I feel bad because I'm not doing the exact same show that we worked on
together. I've had to change so much so these audiences will appreciate
it. Then I realize that although I've changed things in the physical
show, I'm still applying the principles we practiced. I'm taking my time,
finding the moments, letting myself discover, finding the joy. In short,
I'm really grateful for the work we did together. It's opened up so much
for me. Thank you!! The photograph below is John Paulsen from his show."John Paulsen's Lonely Banquet". John brought me in to work with him on his show for the run at "Here Art Center" in NYC.
Created and directed the show "Life After Vaudeville". Directed the Equity Stage Readings of the play "The Golem of Gavah" written by Gil Marks and me. The synopsis is below. Coached various solo performers. If
you would like to speak with me about helping you with your show, either
directing, helping you develop or just coach (be a show doctor),
give me a call or e-mail me. Contact Stanley
Allan Sherman 212-243-4039 Plays written with co-writers or by myself. Back to the Top "The
Golem of Gavah" By Gil Marks and Stanley Allan Sherman These plays are available for productions. If you are interested in producing any of these plays for any kind of production email me or give me a call. "The
Golem of Gavah" Synopsis Gavah (from the Hebrew word for vanity) is a mythical town whose very devout inhabitants obsess over rituals, while neglecting their underlying meanings. When the town's latest rabbi arrives, the people immediately take a disliking to the young scholar because he fails to live up to their image of a rabbi. However, since they have already gone through three rabbis in less than three years, they decide to give their new spiritual leader a six-month probationary period. During that time, the increasingly frustrated young scholar discovers a book that reveals how to make a golem. The creature turns out to be handsome and charismatic and immediately captivates the residents of Gavah, who install him as their spiritual leader. Ignoring signs that their new rabbi is not all that they imagined, the golem sets into motion a series of events that culminate in tragedy for Gavah and its residents. Mixing drama, humor and music, The Golem of Gavah explores, among many contemporary issues, the dangers of becoming enamored by superficialities. "Shadows" Synopsis Healing cannot be shown without showing the pain. "SHADOWS" shows this pain combining sensuality and horror at the same time. "SHADOWS" is balanced with spirituality and flashes of wit and humor. Various studies show that four to six out of every ten women are sexually molested as children. Statistics also show from two to four out of every ten men are sexually molested as children. "Talmudic
Vaudeville" Synopsis Humor and drama are used throughout on many different levels. From simple slapstick to running gags about Jews having horns. About 90% of the stories are from the Talmud and can be broken down into many different formats. They can be presented with many different sizes of casts. Directors have chosen to do some of the stories and not all of them to suit their situation.
One reason I am an excellent mask maker is because I am a performer, director and actor. I know what it is like performing in the mask, as I have been performing with and without masks since 1972. I have had several solo shows, "Aero Show" was critics choice in the LA Times and received a stack of rave reviews. In the 90's I moved more into acting, performing as a member of the original cast of the Off Broadway's hit "Grandma Sylvia's Funeral" and for some reason I keep on being cast as a Rabbi a lot, appearing in comedy bits on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" 34 time and "David Letterman". Here is Stanley Allan Sherman's acting photos for those interested in casting me in Film, Television or Theatre Productions. Email me or give me a call for my acting resume Contact Stanley Allan Sherman - Mask Arts Company 212-243-4039 |
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Photos by Mark Schafer www.markschafer.com |
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One of the short films I did "The Nose Job Jew"made its way on to youtube. If you like to see it click on the link. It won the award for Best Comedy in the Montral Jewish Film Festival. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbezJZNYcyE&NR=1 |
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To
place an order, questions, other information or to be put on the e-mail
list for newsletters and announcements
Contact
Stanley Allan Sherman - Mask Arts Company Copyright © 1976-2009 Stanley Allan Sherman. All
rights reserved.
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RCCU
is in its eight year of teaching Classical Commedia dell'Arte as close
to its original form as we believe it was performed in the 1500's and
1600's. Students
develop their personal historical Commedia dell'Arte characters and
style with their individual qualities.
Master mask maker and Commedia dell'Arte expert Stanley Allan Sherman
will lead this one week Summer Commedia dell'Arte intensive.
...There
were a couple of people missing so they asked me to go on for the very
first time slot. I agreed. I got ready early and went backstage. They
introduced me and I went out. I lost it. There were 400-500 people out
there! My biggest audience by far. It was about 70% children. The stages
are outdoors so there are lots of distractions but these guys were watching
my every move. I took an extra minute or two with my entrance because
I was responding to how huge the audience was. I started my routine. I
took my time. It was amazing! I had a blast out there. It was like flying.
Later in the day I was having lunch with another performer. We were talking
about clown stuff. He had watched the first few minutes of my show and
gave me a great compliment. He said he was impressed with how I took
my time. I was able to go out there and just "be" without having
to do a bunch of stuff. He said he has been performing for 30 years and
he still has a hard time with that. 
"Stanley
challenged me to pursue the territory within myself unvisited, to
take my work to the place of the uncommon. He demanded that I not be satisfied
with just entertaining people, but to give them theatre. Stanley should
have walked into the theatre wearing a demolition helmet because that
is the level to which he demands, demolish your safety zone, demolish
your safety net. Break it and show me your unique self, your unique
vision for our ailing world. Working with Stanley was like the difference
between seeing a vacation postcard to actually soaring through the Grand
Canyon. Don't show me the postcard, he demands, take me there, take
me to the Grand Canyon. I want to feel it through you, and I want you
to experience it too. Scared of the edge? Great. Me too. Let's go!
And Where did we find commonality? A single moment of collapse, of chaos
on-stage when for one brief moment the audience was literally on the edge
of their seats because nobody actually knew what was going to happen.
How exciting!" John Paulsen
I
also developed and directed "Bride of Beowulf", a two
person children's show that toured for 4 year with Young
Audiences. The show was based on the story Beowulf and incorporated
clowning, puppetry, movement, opera, acting and story telling. Here are
a few Young Audiences reviews: