Study and Perform Classic Drama in Greece this Summer!

The University of Detroit Mercy offers the entire program as "TRE 400 Classic Acting," (3 hrs.) and "TRE 405 Classic Drama," (3 hrs.) for either graduate or undergraduate credit, which is transferable to any accredited institution. Applications will be accepted until April 30. But hurry! Space is limited!

Location and Facilities

Spetses is a small and charmingly green island at the mouth of the Argolic Gulf, just a few minutes by ferry from the mainland at Costa. It is accessible from Athens by daily hydrofoil and ferryboat service. Long a favorite resort of wealthy Greeks and British, it has a variety of restaurants, shops, discos, historic 18th century villas, secluded beaches, and quaint horse cabs. It is close to the famous island of Hydra.

The company will be housed in either the A & K School, or the Kastro Hotel.  The A&K, a non- profit center for learning and research on the island of Spetses, was formerly a private boys' school. It has large dormitories with private and semi-private rooms, sports facilities, classrooms, kitchen, dining room, canteen, charming gardens, its own 700 seat amphitheatre high on a hill, and a private beach on the Aegean Sea. Surrounded by pine, palm, olive, and lemon groves, it is quiet and restful--but just a few minutes walk from the island's bustling harbor and colorful tavernas.  The Kastro Hotel, halfway between downtown and the school, has air-copnditioned double rooms with full bath and kitchenette, plus a courtyard where continental breakfast is served.

The Classic Theatre Company will live on Spetses for three weeks, providing a leisurely introduction to the culture, and culminating in a performance at the A&K amphitheatre.

Itinerary

For the first three weeks, our daily schedule is as follows:

• 8 - 9: Breakfast served
• 9- 10: Physical warmup, dance workshop
• 10 - 10:30: Vocal warmup, voice class
• 10:40 - 12: Acting workshop
• 12 - 1: Drama lecture or modern Greek language class
• 1 - 2: Lunch served
• 2 - 6: Free time
• 6 - 9:30 Rehearsals

The Greek day begins early, when it is cool. After the midday meal, work stops--siestas are common. Work begins again about 5 p.m., and the main meal is enjoyed in the cool of the evening, about 10 p.m. Our schedule conforms with local practice, and allows plenty of daily free time, as well as time for weekend trips. During the third week, some workshops are given over to chorus and principal rehearsals, which are held in the morning and evening, and some afternoon time is given to technical work, leading up to opening night in the School Amphitheatre.

Fourth Week: 

We begin our tour with a boat ride to the mainland and climb aboard our private air-conditioned coach. We explore the ancient theatre of Epidauros, see a professional production there, settle into our hotel in Nauplion or Tolo, tour Mykenae, the Palamedes castle, present our plays in the ancient amphitheatre of Argos, tour ancient  Corinth and  Delphi, and go on to Athens, with tours of the Acropolis and major sites, time for shopping and nightlife, closing shows at the American College amphitheatre, and a farewell party!

Faculty

Dr. Arthur J. Beer, Program Director
Associate Director of The Theatre Co. of The University of Detroit Mercy, and winner of many awards for acting, directing, and writing, he has produced classic dramas in Greece (many in his own translations or adaptations) since 1973.

Mary F. Bremer, Associate Director
Ms. Bremer directs up to ten plays a year for The Theatre Company and Detroit area professional theatres. She has won all of Detroit's major acting and directing awards. She has taught and directed with the Classic Theatre Program since 1989.

Brian Wilson, MusicDirector
Dr. Brian F. Wilson, co-chair of music at Sonoma State University and frequent ASCAP award winner, has worked with the Company on and off since 1989, composing ten original scores Including the opera Agamemnon, and the rock musical The Birds.  He will compose this year’s scores, teach vocal music, conduct and play for performances.

Gregory Patterson, Choreographer
Mr. Patterson is Associate Director of Dance at Oakland University and Artistic Director of the Patterson Rhythm Pace Dance Co.  He will teach dance and movement, and create dances for both shows.

Kerro Knox, Scene Designer, holds a degree from Yale, and is head of design at Oakland University, and faculty of record for that school.  This is his fourth year with the program.

Eric Maher, Light Designer & Technical Director designed and is Artistic Director of the Planet Ant Theatre.  This is his eighth year with the Classic Theatre program.    He has played several leading roles for us as well as supervising student technicians and crews.

Trained technicians and stage managers with extensive backstage experience are chosen from those who apply.   Staff jobs are part paid.

Dates and Program

We will be recruiting from January to April.   The company will fly out of Chicago/Detroit on June 16th and the program will conclude in Athens on July 16th.   This summer, we plan to present a new version of ‘Euripides’ Hippolytus, and an Aristophanic comedy.  The final choice of plays will depend on the talents we recruit.

Costs

Since the introduction of the Euro, costs have risen greatly in Greece; but with our years of experience, we are still able to offer:

• Airfare (Detroit or Chicago to Athens and return).
• Semi-private air-conditioned rooms with private bath & kitchenette, breakfast daily on Spetses, and during tour week.
• Six hours of 400 level academic credit (graduate or undergraduate).
• All scheduled travel in Greece, all costs of the production, admission to all sites, museums, classes and performances.
• Immersion in the wonders of Greece from the Acropolis to the tavernas, from the mountains to the beaches, from Aeschylus to Zorba--all this and more for approximately $6600 with tuition, or $5000 without.*

*That is, six hours of college credit for $1600; an unprecedented bargain. In addition to the fixed charges, we recommend about $800 in personal cash. Actual figures depend on the rate of exchange and flight costs when we book in the spring. Also, please note: If you have your own way of getting to Europe, or if you can get credit for the program through your own University (as Oakland and Sonoma students do), program charges may be considerably less.

Eligibility

Audition is required. Acceptance is based on talent and maturity. Primarily aimed at students and teachers of acting and dance, we also serve professionals, technicians, and classics students. Participants range in age from 16 to 65, and from novices to professionals. Minimum age requirement is 16, with parental permission.  Detroit and Chicago auditions are held in February and March. For those unable to attend, taped auditions are accepted. For information on auditioning please call (586) 264-2611 or e- mail  beeraj@udmercy.edu

Nature of the Classic Theatre Program

The Classic Theatre program was designed for U of D Mercy's pre-professional undergraduates, but it has attracted the attention of many teachers and professional performers, and the company typically includes actors who are members of Actors Equity, Screen Actors Guild, and AFTRA. For this reason, the Ministry of Culture has given us permission to perform in certain amphitheatres. The opportunity to work with people of this caliber and in such sites is an education in itself.

The Classic Theatre program is unique in several respects. It is the only program sponsored by an American University abroad which is permitted to perform in ancient amphitheatres, which is taught and directed by working professionals as well as academics. Its fully-mounted productions are offered free of cost to anyone who cares to attend, and are well-publicized by the Athens Centre. This means that participants have the invaluable opportunity of testing their intensive study by appearing in classic roles before large audiences.

Detailed Syllabus

Classic Drama. (15 hrs)
Dr. Beer will present a series of lectures on classical history, culture and drama. Literary discussion will be supplemented by visits to major ancient amphitheatres and ancient sites intimately related to the myths under study. Visits to museums and the opportunity to view a production by the National Theatre of Greece also complement this course material.

Dance and Movement. (30 hrs)
The Dance Instructor/Choreographer will begin each session with a basic physical warmup. The course will include a series of group movements, physical expression, improvisation, and text-related exercises specifically designed to prepare the participants for work in a classic production.

Acting Workshop. (60 hrs)
Students will combine a daily workshop session in the morning with rehearsals in the evening, to understand both theory and practice of classic acting. Beginning with the body electrics exercises developed by Dr. Beer to put actors in touch with their creative potential and teach them to develop and control it, Dr. Beer and Ms. Bremer will teach exercises developed by Stanislavsky, Brecht, Hall, Grotowski and other famed teacher/directors, to give a broad range of methods for developing the enlarged style of classic drama. The rehearsals will culminate in a production of a classic comedy and/or tragedy. It will be presented at the Anarghirios Foundation amphitheatre on Spetses, in the ancient amphitheatre of Argos, and at the new theatre of American School in Athens.

Vocal Training.(20 hrs)
There will be daily vocal warmup, chorus and solo rehearsals, and vocal and instrumental coaching under the direction of the Musical Director.

Past Productions

• 1974: Lysistrata (Athens)
• 1975: Trojan Women (Athens, Detroit), The Strong Men (Hydra)
• 1976: The Bacchae (Athens, Argos)
• 1977: The Bacchae (Athens, Eretria, Spetses)
• 1980: Trojan Women (Poros, Argos, Athens)
• 1988: Trojan Women (Chios, Athens, Argos, Detroit)
• 1989: The Birds (Spetses, Argos, Athens)
• 1990: Agamemnon & The Birds (Spetses, Argos, Nauplion, Athens)
• 1991: The Bacchae & The Spanish Blade (Volterra, Italy)
• 1992: The Congress of Women (Spetses, Argos, Athens)
• 1993: Lysistrata (Spetses, Argos, Athens)
• 1994: The Bacchae (Spetses, Argos, Halandri)
• 1995: The Libation Bearers (Spetses, Argos, Athens)
• 1996: The Frogs & The Trojan Women (Spetses, Athens)
• 1997: The Furies & Echo and Narcissus (Spetses, Athens)
• 1998: Oedipus at Colonus & The Long Way Home (Spetses, Athens)
• 1999: Medea & The Birds (Spetses, Loutraki, Athens)
• 2000: Iphigenia in Aulis & The Twins (Spetses, Loutraki, Athens)
• 2001: Bacchae & The Frogs (Spetses, Loutraki, Athens)
• 2002: Antigone & Lysistrata (Spetses, Loutraki, Athens)
• 2003: The Long Way Home (Spetses, Loutraki, Athens)
• 2004: Trojan Women and Narcissus & Echo (Spetses, Loutraki
• 2005:  Electra and The Birds (Spetses, Argos, Athens)

Scripts

Anyone interested in reading any of these adaptations for production should contact Dr. Beer.