Teachers' Workshop with Massive Company!

Approaches to using Text – The Massive way

A Workshop for teachers – using scenes from Whero’s New Net by Albert Belz

Sam Scott, Artistic Director and founder of Massive Company, will teach a full day workshop on approaches to rehearsing a text. The workshop will give an insight into how Massive Company created Whero’s New Net, from page to stage.

 Following an acclaimed national tour of Whero’s New Net  in 2009, the play now forms the basis of a unique Massive Company workshop, giving teachers tools and exercises that can be used with their students when working with text.

 The workshop will explore:

• Warm-up techniques used in Massive Company rehearsals
• Ways of approaching characters and scenes prior to rehearsing the actual text
• Key scenes from Whero’s New Net, using the text in rehearsal

Throughout the workshop Sam will give notes and feedback to participants, along with opportunities to discuss approaches to directing – Massive Company style. All Teachers who take part in the workshop will receive a certificate of participation from Massive Company, showing that they have completed the approaches to text workshop.

Whero’s New Net follows the story of a young kiwi musician, Whero Mahana, who has traveled to London to follow her dreams. Using short stories from Witi Ihimaera’s collection The New Net Goes Fishing, playwright Albert Belz worked with Massive Company to create a compelling piece of contemporary theatre that explores themes of home, who we are and where we belong.

“Outstanding… held the attention and imagination of my class. Most had never seen theatre before and I am sure it has made a lasting impression on their lives.”

Bevan Connell,

teacher at James Cook High School, after attending a school matinee of Whero’s New Net

 “Sam's workshops have had an immediate impact on my teaching. Sam's workshops provide simple, but effective structures for getting students to improvise and devise.”

Robert Pollock,

TiC, Drama.  Whangarei Boys' High School