Playhouse Institute, an educational arm of the nonprofit Bucks County Playhouse, is hosting its annual conference virtually May 16-17. The conference that began as an in-person event at the Playhouse in 2018 has expanded its reach by moving the forum online, giving an opportunity for educators around the globe to join in the discussion.
Tuition for the spring conference “Permission to Fail” is $300. The Playhouse Institute is designed to offer training for constituencies ranging from professional educators to members of the corporate community by utilizing theater and communication skills. Details on the programs are available at bcptheater.org or by calling the education department at 215-862-2121. Limited space is available.
Taught by award-winning professional theater artists currently working on Broadway and at some of the best regional theaters in the country, Playhouse Institute conferences for educators offer a variety of virtual workshops, master classes and panel discussions. Playhouse Institute conferences are designed to inspire educators of middle school, high school and college theater with innovative teaching methods, production skills and an opportunity to connect with peers and Playhouse artists. Included with registration is a ticket to a season performance at the Bucks County Playhouse, 70 S. Main St. in New Hope.
As part of the year-long in-school residency program Bounce with Morrisville School District, Bucks County Playhouse announced that four of the school’s teachers will be receiving a scholarship to attend one of the conferences.
The conference takes place both days, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. via Zoom. It’s all about failing forward. Participants will have the opportunity, through the creative process, to safely experience failure while learning to recognize and leverage the signposts pointing the way to success. After the conference, educators will be able to model for their own students the merits and rewards of risk-taking, vulnerability and acceptance within a classroom setting. Twelve hours of professional development credit can be earned by attending.
The facilitator is Will Dennis, a seasoned educator and a seasoned failure. Having worked in both administration and the classroom, he currently teaches 12th grade theology at Villa Joseph Marie High School, Bucks County’s only all-female, private college-prep school, where he makes mistakes of all sizes, degrees and variations on a daily basis. A significant part of Dennis’ work as a high school teacher is the incorporation of improvisation in the classroom. This allows everyone to fail boldly and consistently in a safe and accepting space.
In 2018, Dennis founded UnScripted Productions and has served as its owner/operator since that point. UnScripted is an improv studio offering classes, events, specialized workshops and more. He brings a unique blend of compassion, self-deprecation, humor and deep insight into every classroom he is in. Dennis specializes in “Applied Improvisation,” a set of principles, practices and techniques derived from the art form of improvisation and applied to a variety of contexts, including work, relationships, parenting and life.
Dennis is the winner of the Bucks Happening 2022 Entertainer of the Year and is a nominee again in 2023. UnScripted Productions is also nominated as one of the Best Places in Bucks County.
