Summer Arts Program at Fresno State | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Friday, July 3, 2009

Fresno, CA If all the world's a stage, then the Summer Arts Festival at Fresno State is THE place to be. This July, hundreds of college students from across California are here to learn from professional artists, actors, directors, authors, and filmmakers.

Budding actors and directors are scattered all over the campus. Theatre arts are one of more than a dozen summer arts courses being taught at Fresno State by professionals. Bernardo Solano, a Course Coordinator with the CSU Summer Arts program says, "They're going to learn the kinds of things they won't be able to get, necessarily, in their University programs, especially in such concentrated fashion."

Professionals like Christopher DuVal are the core instructors. He's an actor and a certified stage combat instructor from the famed Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Christopher DuVal says, "Sixty students and 6 teachers, just sharing and communicating and discussing the craft of the regional theatre actor."

Acting craft also includes the art of deception--like the "stage clap."

Mastering the illusion of sword play takes a lot more practice and starts without a sword. Wild or tame--Abbie Bauer of Lemoore is committed to the theater.

Abbie Bauer says, "It's something that I want to do for the rest of my life, too. So to see people who have been successful at it is the chance of life time."

The students' two weeks of theatrical education ends with a free public performance. A second 2-week session follows this one.

For more information visit http://www.csusummerarts.org/index.shtml