New tech master classes offered by students

Organizers hope for an ExCo class in the future.

Spotlighting a new haven for Oberlin theater buffs, a series of student-run master classes was held this week in Little Theater, offering hands-on tech experience in a casual learning environment.

Aiming to combine the theater experience of faculty and students, the master classes ran Monday through Thursday evenings. Topics included Scenic Design and Production, Costumes, Directing and Stage Management, and Lighting, Sound and Production: the complete array of elements for any successful show. However, despite the accurate preparation offered through the classes, an actual show was not on the agenda. Rather, hands-on learning and instruction was the focus.

"We created [the classes] as a resource for people working in theater, as well as anyone else who was interested," said college senior Abby Bush, a co-leader of Wednesday's Directing and Stage Management class. "We wanted everyone to be able to learn more about theater at an informal session."

The master classes are separate from the college theater department and were created to complement the department's opportunities. "It's just that there's no organized time to get together and talk about building sets," Bush explained, elaborating on the attractiveness of such a casual setting for the master classes.

"[The classes] are mainly just to help people out with instruction and building a few lights. Stuff like that. We just wanted to try things out in a place where this kind of work usually takes place."

Though attendance was smaller than expected, Bush noted that those who did participate in the activities seemed to be genuinely motivated and got a lot out of the classes. Both theater majors and first-years with little experience provided for a mixed group of attendees, which Bush felt was beneficial to the group.

Additionally, individuals instructing the courses possessed various levels of experience in theater. "We just got together a really good group of people to work with," Bush said.

The master classes were initially thought to have been the basis for a play production Experimental College (ExCo) class, as was the "lifetime dream" of former Obie Ruth "Ru" Robbins. As a close friend of Robbins's, Bush explained that the ExCo class members would have functioned as a crew, and eventually put on a play in Little Theater.

Unfortunately, the vision missed last year's deadline. When the Theater's open slot was passed on, Bush and company began to formulate a worthwhile project to take advantage of the available theater space. "We're taking baby steps to getting there someday," said Bush of the prospect of a future ExCo class.

For now, however, she and others are fairly happy with the week's standings, and the enthusiastic feedback from the intimate group of participants. Definite future plans have not yet been made for next semster, but Bush commented, "We're hoping the idea will keep expanding into something more for the future."