Rotary grant benefits Sonoma Theatre Alliance teen program

The Sonoma Theatre Alliance (STA) recently received a grant from the Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley for its Teens ‘N Training (TNT) program, which focuses on providing theatrical experiences and training for teens.

Rotary president Bill O’Neal said, “As a strong believer in the performing arts, we are proud to support the Sonoma Theatre Alliance with a $6,000 donation to its Teens ‘N Training program.”

STA Executive Director Jaime Love said, “This grant will help further our goal of providing theatrical opportunities to those kids in town who might not otherwise be able to access it. The Rotary has been a big supporter of our cause.”

Following the successful TNT production of “Rent” last February, in conjunction with Cat Austin’s Experiential Theatre Company, STA sought to expand the educational component of the TNT program. Plans are under way to offer a number of scholarships to TNT workshops through outreach to the Boys & Girls Club, the Mentoring Alliance, La Luz and the Sonoma Valley Teen Services.

One such workshop will take place the weekend of Sept. 25, 26, and 27 in Andrews Hall. The training intensive, for youth 12 to 18, will be conducted by Sonoman Libby Oberlin, newly appointed education director of the TNT program.

Oberlin, who has a master’s degree in educational theatre from New York University, is the founder of The Theatre School, which offers classes for grades kindergarten through 12.

“During adolescence, young people are discovering themselves emotionally, socially, personally, and creatively,” Oberlin said. “It’s important that kids and teenagers are allowed to do so in a safe, meaningful, and exhilarating manner with their peers and mentors supporting and guiding their experiences every step of the way.”

The upcoming three-day workshop, which will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday will include music, improvisation, theater games, and other explorative activities. Participants will collaborate, using their own ideas and talents to create a show, which will then be presented on Sunday. Cost of the TNT Weekend Intensive is $150, with a limited number of scholarships available. To register, call Oberlin at 917-821-6414.

A professional actress with experience in the Bay Area and the East Coast, Oberlin has an extensive background in teaching young people. As an educator for The Girls Leadership Institute, she uses theater-based techniques to lead workshops for girls and parents in the practices of emotional intelligence, assertive self-expression, and healthy friendships. She is a children’s theater director for The Performing Arts Academy of Marin, where she also taught the school’s first on-camera acting class for kids.

As a ninth-grade drama instructor at the Brooklyn Lab High School in New York, she devised and implemented a theater curriculum focusing on discovering and expressing oneself through theater, improvisation, writing, and Shakespeare. Most recently, she performed in two one-act plays in Sonoma Stage Works’ production of “The Many Faces of Love,” the fourth production in STA’s current season in Andrews Hall.

The Sonoma Theatre Alliance and its member companies provide an eight-month festival of theatre on the newly renovated Rotary Stage in Andrews Hall, Sonoma Community Center. For more information about STA, visit sonomatheatrealliance.org.

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