b'F romthetheaterfloor,thegroupseatedcirclingalargetrunkplacedmid-stage appearsabitanxiousthismorning.Thedirector, Julianna,beginsbyremindingtheclassofboth therationaleandrulesfortheirimprovisation exercise.Intheaterterms,improvisactingwithoutpreparationorrehearsal.Fromtheacting students standpoint, its a bit like stepping off a cliff. Youre unsure if youll fly or fall flat.Theprofessionally-designed,500-seatPerformingArts Realizingthis,mostdirectorsstartslowandTheater adjoining the Bradford clubhouse hosts more than easy.aUFOsightingorjobinterview,for100 shows a year. Performers rave about our theater, instance.Onthisparticularmorning,theresidentssays Robin, activities director at Shannondell. makinguptheShannondellActorsStudioclass face a new test. When Julianna opens the trunk lid, To view upcoming Winter season performances, she instructs small groups of two/three residents toscan the QR code with your smartphone. approachwheretheyarehandedpropsandgiven situations or scenes by the director. Theyre given all of 15 seconds to digest everything before going into role and their act begins. directed by Julianna and played to a packed house in Severalarehilarious.Othersmaystumbleandthe Shannondell Performing Arts Theater. bumble, but they always seem to persevere with a smile on their face. Says Julianna, In a way, it bringsBut,whatifaresidentenjoysacting,orthinks the freedom you felt when you were a kid. You gettheymight,butprefersnottomemorizelines? to play, learn and create in an encouraging space.Easy.TheresReadersTheateradistinct Doi, an acting newbie, concurs, I had never actedacting group led by Steve, former Act II Playhouse before moving to Shannondell. Its fun to pretend toco-founderwhoisalsoaShannondellresident. be someone else . the further from who I actuallyMembers are cast and receive a script. So, they have am, the better. This prompts classmate Gordon totime to study the play, including their character. The add, Whether a class exercise or scene work on aimprovements in character development and acting particular play, its all a new frontier for us . everytechnique warm my heart, says Steve proudly. performance pumps the heart! Of course, all resident actors play another common TheresidentsinourActorsStudiocomefromrolethatoftheater-goerwhencommunityand somanybackgrounds.Sure,wehavethoseregionaltheater,Broadwayandoff-Broadway whoveperformedinhighschool,collegeandactors,vocalistsandmusiciansarriveonthe incommunitytheateraswellaschoirsandShannondellstage.Theprofessionally-designed, musical groups. But we also have many first-timers500-seatPerformingArtsTheateradjoiningthe whove never stepped on a stage in their lives. TheirBradfordclubhousehostsmorethan100shows desire to learn, grow and excel is so inspiring to me, ayear.Performersraveaboutourtheater,says Julianna adds.Robin, activities director at Shannondell. And excel on stage they do. Recently, an ensemble of If this all sounds more like the famed Juilliard School Studio members debuted Reunion, an original playin New York than Shannondell at Valley Forge, then scripted by one of our residents. Tracing the lives ofyouve discovered yet another distinct asset of our fifteen West Central High classmates from the seniorinspiringcommunityanencouragingstagefor prom to their 60th reunion, this heartfelt drama wasfriends to learn, to let go and fly. Bravo!The Actors Studio takes the stage 5'