(ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- Since 2007, Black Box Studios has offered proprietary, uniquely collaborative theater workshops for performing arts students of all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels throughout Bergen County and beyond. The upcoming 2023-24 season brings an exciting array of options for kids, teens, and adults - all at The Black Box’s new 2nd floor loft space at 8 East Palisade between Van Brunt and Dean Streets in Englewood, NJ 08731. At The Black Box - against all odds - no interested student has ever been turned away for financial reasons!
"...My daughter appreciates that Black Box was the first company to take her seriously as an actress....while allowing her to hone her craft with excellent mentors and to perform in several high-quality productions!" - S. Schapiro of Teaneck, NJ
In the company's new home base space, many favorite and new Fall/Winter classes will begin in mid-September and are now open for registration at www.blackboxpac.com. Offerings include the Teen Musical Theater Workshop, the Kids Musical Theater Workshop, Improv Comedy, the Adult Acting Workshop, Writing Workshop, and more soon-to-be-announced. Private lessons for professionals and newcomers to theater, film, or television are offered on a rolling basis and at competitive rates.
Professional Teaching Artists who work in theater, film, television, and music - some of whom are actual Black Box alums - work closely with students on accessing complete creative freedom, specific skills and techniques, group dynamics, confidence/poise, and - in most classes - on an actual production for live audiences at the end of each semester. Black Box also runs popular programs as part of the curriculum and after-school in select area schools and institutions.
“I have known Matt [Okin, Artistic Director] and everyone at Black Box since 2011 when I signed up for an extracurricular program they ran, and still run, at a middle school in Paramus. Later, it was at Black Box that I began playing music professionally and this enabled me to go on to have a successful career as a musician. After all these years, I am proud to be affiliated with The Black Box, and to collaborate with the artists there on a regular basis. I can say with certainty that there is no other space in the area like The Black Box: between the cutting-edge art they produce and the high-level arts education programs, they are an indispensable asset to the community.” - B. Shanblatt of Fairlawn, NJ and Queens, NY
Cutting-edge, risk-taking professional theater, high-level comedy nights, open mics for both comics and other performing artists, and the development of original material for the American stage is all underway at The Black Box of Englewood. The Black Box’s incubation of new and under-produced plays by world-class artists such as John Patrick Shanley, Eric Bogosian, Paul Schrader, Beth Henley, Craig Lucas, Neil Labute, John Guare, and Caridad Svich began in Fall of ‘21.. Collaborations are now underway with The Estates of Edward Albee, Sam Shepard, and IB Singer as well as with artists including Craig Carnelia, Nicky Silver, Migdalia Cruz, John Lahr, Daniel Handler (a.k.a. Lemony Snicket), Ken Levine, Ishmael Reed, Halley Feiffer, and Billy Martin.
As an honor that will long serve as a true highlight of The Black Box’s ongoing artistic endeavors, The Estate of Edward Albee has offered The Black Box the exclusive rights to produce a extended staged reading series of EVERY play written throughout the remarkable career of Mr. Albee. Starting in May, a monthly series began, each followed by a conversation with the cast, director, and Jakob Holder, Mr. Albee's longest-serving assistant and Executive Director of his namesake Foundation. Additionally, the U.S. Premiere of an unpublished, "lost" Sam Shepard play will open the '23-'24 Season on September 21st.
For more information, please visit www.blackboxpac.com/bbs-classes.
