Abstract:

In 2019, G. Sundukyan National Theatre designed and implemented an educational program unprecedented in the Armenian theatre arena. “Class + Classics” is the first educational program for Armenian theatres. The first stage of the program was designed for high school students living Yerevan. The main goal of the program was to acquaint participants with the phenomenon of theatre in its entirety: directing, acting, theatre history, stage design, theatre-literature-music-dance connections, theatre management, etc. The program consisted of seminars-lectures, which were conducted by the best specialists in the field. In subsequent years, taking into account the interest of the participants, the program has evolved.

In 2020, due to the coronavirus epidemic, the “Class + Classics” educational program switched to an online format using the Facebook platform. The program consisted of 4 subsections: “Theatre critic”, “Conversation with Celebrities”, “Online show”, “Backstage”. The section “Theatre critic” briefly and succinctly covered the history of the theatre from ancient times to the present day, including the pages of the history of the Armenian theatre. “Conversation with Celebrities” presented meetings with representatives of theatrical art. During the “Online show” series the performances of various Yerevan theatres were discussed. “Backstage” revealed the secrets of the theatrical world, introducing the rules of theatrical ethics, the arrangement of the stage and hall, lighting and sound systems, scenography, stage costumes, and the creation of a stage image.

In 2020 another version of the “Class + Classics” was prepared and presented on the Facebook platform. The program presented 11 theatres from the different regions of Armenia and Artsakh. Each of the theatres was presented with a comprehensive and complete four-part narrative: “History”, “Theatrical Panorama”, “Conversation with Artist”, “Backstage”. A total of 44 programs were prepared.

In 2021 and 2022 it was mainly based on acting and was open for all regions of Armenia. The participants are divided into groups of ten to twelve people and work with mentor-lecturers for two weeks. At the end, they present short performances that were staged during the program. Interest in the program has increased greatly, as evidenced by the high competition in 2022.

Keywords:

Theatre education, informal education, Armenia, educational program.