Hand-to-Hand Combat Scenes in Niles North's "Thespian Warriors" Drama Showcase on Feb. 15

Hand-to-hand combat. Punches. Kicks. Throws. All the elements of your favorite fight scenes will be brought to life in the “Thespian Warriors” Stage Combat Drama Showcase presented by the Advanced Theatre Studio at Niles North High School on February 15.

“We’re creating violence on stage, but in a non-violent way,” said Tim Ortmann, Niles North Theater Director and a certified member of the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD). “How do you die eight times a week on stage, in a safe way?”

Timing, technique, choreographed movements, planned distance, and of course, practice, are methods to make audiences feel the tension on stage, without actors feeling the hurt. Combat scenes are an incredible acting tool, said Ortmann, a way to portray life and death situations. “It creates a sense of heightened reality. Showing tension and conflict that can escalate to violence.”

The actors will perform different fight scenes from the intense to the comical. Audiences will see that stage combat is another tool in the actor’s repertoire, a way to convey passion and emotion that is very important in setting a scene, making a character believable.

Show times are 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on February 15 in the Drama Performance Center at 9800 N. Lawler, Skokie. Tickets are $5. Call the Box Office at (847) 626-2122.

Actors performing “Thespian Warriors” include: Anabel Abraham, Maaz Ahmed, Sarah Alkyer, Eden Atkins, Jonathan Berg-Einhorn, William Boersma, Dylan Connelley, Hannah Davis, Clark Fox, Yiorgos Giannetos, Amy Hagedorn, Destiny Hall, Alexander Hammond, Catherine Hensley, Eugene Hyun, Christopher Khoshaba, Anna Poloz, Shannon Rourke, Nina Roy, Rachel Sepiashvili, Leah Shain, and Sebastijan Torgus.