Doug Berky has been creating and evolving his own brand of physical theater for over thirty years. His performances weave together classic theatre forms of mime, mask theatre, circus arts, physical comedy and storytelling. Doug is also known internationally for his mask construction. He designs and constructs the masks for his own performances as well as creates all of the sets, choreography, scripts and many of the costumes. Doug tours two family and school shows. "No Show” and "Gems: The World's Wisdom Stories”.
- Curriculum Areas: world cultures and traditions; folklore, literature, visual arts, physical fitness, communication
- Weblink: http://loydartists.com/roster/f/c/47 AND https://www.dougberkytheatre.com
TEACHING PERFORMANCES
"Gems: The World's Wisdom Stories" - Pre K - 6th & Family
- Video Link: https://youtu.be/iuvgqz6m72M
- Study Guide - in addition to the study guide for "No Show" : http://loydartists.com/images/resources/DougBerkysGemsSG.pdf
Doug Berky uses classic styles of storytelling from many cultures including masks, mime, puppetry and the power of a good story to introduce this collection of wisdom stories from around the world. All people seek to understand the world, to live in peace, to deal justly with one another. These stories of hope, peace, freedom and justice will inspire while introducing students to literature from other cultures including Greece, India, Native America, and tales from Europe and South America. Doug has three versions of this production for the different age groups including a preschool version to help introduce young students to masks and stories.
"No Show" - K-College and Family
- Video Link: https://youtu.be/qOtjtqvLUAA
- Study Guide: http://loydartists.com/images/resources/MainStudyGuide.pdf
A performance has been scheduled, but the actor fails to show. Or does he? What will happen when a lone spectator finds himself unwittingly on stage? Doug is transformed into several characters ranging from a gorilla to a ballerina as he explores the props and masks on stage. Students experience a variety of theatre forms: mime, mask theater, circus arts, and storytelling. The performance pieces vary in length, characters, and subject depending on the age of the audience.
RESIDENCIES AND WORKSHOPS - Doug has specifically designed residencies of one day to three weeks for elementary to college students and for theater students and professionals including: Mask Making • Mask Theater Technique • Mime • Physical Theater and Comedy • Commedia Del Arte Workshops in communications, movement, cooperation, healing & humor are available for elementary students to adults. Community workshops are also available.
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STUDENT WORKSHOP: "Exploring Communication and Cooperation with Mask and Physical Theatre" - Doug conducts versions of this 45-60 minute interactive workshop for elementary to high school students. Students learn and practice skills in better cooperation and communication by exploring how we "talk to each other through body language." Students engage in movement and character development and experience mask theater and mime. Younger elementary students will participate in physical theater games that encourage cooperation, following directions, communication, and movement. Older elementary, middle and high school school students explore more subtle movements and communication through techniques from mask theater and mime.?
STUDENT RESIDENCY: "Give It A Facelift: Unmasking Literature With Mask Theatre" - Five-day residency for elementary and middle school students. Imaginative literature (stories, folktales, myths), its context and content, can be creatively opened to students using the theatre disciplines of mask, mime, and storytelling. Each class will select an international folktale, myth, or story. After learning about the culture, context, story, and characters, the students will create their own presentation of their selection using these theatre arts. Theatre and mask artist Doug Berky will guide students in this creative process.
TEACHER WORKSHOP: "Building Concentration and Creativity Through Mask Theater" - This movement workshop uses Creative Dramatics to teach skills in observation, creativity, improvisation, cooperation, and concentration. Doug uses mask theater techniques and a collection of masks within this workshop to teach both the art form and demonstrate how masks can be used to teach these skills. Teachers will receive instruction and simple templates they can use to make masks with students.