ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ, OH β Porthouse Theatre, ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊβs summer professional theatre, recently held its inaugural Porthouse International Academy. Sixteen students and one faculty member from South Koreaβs SangMyung University participated in the comprehensive theatre experience.
During the three-week long academy, running July 12 - Aug. 3, students attended theatre and dance classes with ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ State faculty and observed rehearsals for Porthouseβs production of Hairspray. Additionally, the students participated in master classes with theatre professionals, took an English as a Second Language course, and experienced student life on ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ Stateβs ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ campus. The International Academyβs participants will receive college credit from SangMyung University for the classes they took at ΒιΆΉΣ°ΤΊ State.
βThe International Academy allows Porthouse to expand its cultural resources and offer students from other countries experiences in working with artists and educators in a professional theatre environment,β explains Porthouseβs executive producer and Eric van Baars. βAs international collaboration has become integral to higher education, Porthouse understands the benefits of sharing the work with students from other countries and fostering collaboration.β
International Academy coordinator and associate professor Jakyung Seo described the academy as βa bridgeβ between the South Korean and American students all studying at Porthouse this summer. βNot only it is a great opportunity for international students but also a wonderful experience for domestic students participating in the program with them.β
The International Academy is Porthouse Theatreβs third educational outreach program. Dedicated to theatre education, Porthouseβs college academy, offering in-depth musical theatre training, was founded in 2008 and a comprehensive theatre arts academy for high school students was created in 2012.
For more information on Porthouse Theatreβs academies, please visit porthousetheatre.com.
###