Young at Heartland Acting Workshop

Seniors Acting for Seniors

"Life is filled with surprises, from the trivial to the momentous. No one knows this better than seniors. If faced with the situations our plays illustrate, would you have reacted as these folks did?"

Young at Heartland’s eighth season will begin in April, 2012. Class sessions are dedicated to the study of the craft of acting, culminating in performances at senior activity centers in the area. Ensemble members will collaborate with the instructor in choosing appropriate material to be memorized or performed as a reading.

Eight 120-minute acting workshop sessions for persons 55 and over, will be held at Heartland Theatre Company taught by an experienced theatre instructor.

Young at Heartland strives to build an ensemble of seniors who share the values of continuing education, creative self-expression, and community outreach. It is designed to accommodate and support performers’ comfort levels with memorization. We aim to find appropriate pathways to showcase performers’ gifts in a fun, stress-free atmosphere.

TO SIGN UP: Limited enrollment ! You must be registered in advance. Those interested are asked to call YAH Program Director Ann White at (309) 452-5647 for more information or email boxoffice@heartlandtheatre.org. Heartland’s Acting Workshop, called “Young at Heart-land” is a program of HEARTLAND THEATRE COMPANY and is funded in part by the McLean County Arts Center Regranting program.

News & Views Magazine featured Young at Heartland

Learn, Love and Laugh - Heartland's Senior Acting Program
Teaches Life's Lessons.
Read the story online.

For more information:

Call Ann White at 309-452-5647 or

email boxoffice@heartlandtheatre.org

Due in part to a grant from the McLean County Arts Center and the Illinois Arts Council, Heartland is teaching, coaching and directing senior actors who are performing for seniors in the area.

Praises for the YAH Acting Troupe:

“The smiles, chuckles, and joy you elicited were obvious.” – Janice Kiper, Westminster Village

“Residents have talked about them for days now. It makes them feel like they went to a play and has brought back many memories for them.” – Rosalyn Martin, Activity Director, Hopedale Commons

“The program demonstrated the tremendous local talent you have brought together." – Mary Lou Lawson, Adult Outreach Librarian, Normal Public Library

“One comment I kept hearing was ‘We want them back!’” “What a great time for all of us! You had their attention constantly.” - Judy Franciosi. Golden K Kiwanis

Member testimonials

Rosemary Luitjens: “Learning new skills and performing with this wonderful group of seniors has been great fun. Performing for other senior groups is very fulfilling and makes me feel very blessed."

Bob Weldon: “YAH has given my grandchildren (even my children) a chance to see a side of me not too often exposed. I may even have surprised myself.”

Elsie Cadieux: “I joined YAH because I had never had an experience in theater performance in my entire life. At age 70, I thought it’s now or never and this was the least scary way of getting a try at it.”

Vicki Hill: “I say to anyone who has ever secretly thought about acting, Come join us. You will learn so much in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere with a group of wonderful people who are supportive and so much fun to be around.”

Janet Grupp: “It is rewarding to see the joy that these performances give to others in our audiences. The improvement in our acting abilities is a wonder to see.