Scenic Route
Ellie Duebner (SHP ’17) takes theatrical turn in France Within a refurbished parlor of a 17th century chateau in Normandy, Ellie Duebner is living, breathing, and working her craft. In France this summer for the prestigious Berridge Conservatory, she is one of only 30 students selected from around the globe for a residential, five-week intensive in theatre arts. Led by a phenomenal cadre of working artists from New York and the UK, the program has Duebner and classmates immersed in rigorous study and rehearsal for about 40 hours per week, in courses ranging from contemporary styles to Shakespeare, movement to oncamera acting. Throughout, fundamentals are emphasized while students also experiment with and train in a variety of techniques, working up to a final showcase of individual and group performances. It is a “pedal to the metal” experience in which Duebner is thrilled to take part, hoping to “fine tune” her abilities and deepen her skills related to character development and expression, performance, and musical theater—the latter her elective track for the summer. Adding extra Cast in all four mainstage and black box shows this year, Ellie Duebner plans dimension to the theatrical immersion experience, the to up her game even further through a summer intensive program. student group will also visit local historic sites, from a medieval festival to a thousand-year-old monastery to D-Day cast in a few pilot shows developed for television. And in fact, the landing beaches, to further their cultural knowledge and explore soon-to-be senior is currently looking at college programs in film to emotional connection to place and time. continue her study and successfully convert passion to profession. But for now, the allure and charm of her temporary Berridge Involved in numerous stage productions at Sacred Heart, Duebner home, Chateau le Mont Epinguet, and the satisfaction afforded held leading roles in two of the four works that comprised the by theatrical immersion and shared with this intimate group of most recent SHP season. Nonetheless, she remains clear on her professionals and aspirants, is bien assez. preference for film, having gained both exposure and experience
In March, approximately 25 students from the SHP drama club jetted to New York City for a five-day immersion in some of the country’s finest arts venues. In addition to visiting Big Apple staples like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center, and Rockefeller Center, the group also took an in-depth tour of Radio City Music Hall, exploring the historic deco architecture and practicing a few of their “inner-Rockette” dance moves backstage of the storied structure. Furthering the NYC allure, the thespian troupe paid homage to the mecca of Times Square and Broadway, attending a series of critically acclaimed musicals: The Book of Mormon, Fun Home, Something Rotten, and the recent Tony Award-winner, Hamilton—after which the group had the rare opportunity to privately meet with members of the original cast.
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