The Art of Theatre

Acting is not just about learning lines. It is about how actors hold their head, walk, talk, stand and generally move.

Dell'Arte International, a physical acting company based in California, is in town to perform Moliere's Tartuffe at the Reston Community Center on Sunday. Dell'Arte artistic director Michael Fields has been in Reston all week, though, holding workshops for theatre students at South Lakes High School.

Delle'Arte is the only training center with that concentrates physical acting.

"All theatre is physical," says Fields. "I am showing the students comedia, which is mask play, to have a sense of gesture, of physicality."

At South Lakes on Thursday, the students in Maria Harris' Theatre Arts I class learned thorough stage exercises that body language can covey the character's status, mood and age.

Fields, and later the students, donned masks to show that a mask (or costume) alone doesn't make the character. His walk has to match what the mask says.

"That's why your body is essential," Fields told the students.

Holding the school workshops is part of the outreach program Reston Community Center has put into place, says RCC artistic director Damian Sinclair. Each time a professional artist is in town, RCC tries to arrange a community outreach component.

"The longterm goal is to have the professional artists give back to the community in some way," said Sinclair. "It adds a great amount of value."

Harris says that students love learning from touring professionals.

"Fine Arts is a component of the International Baccalaureate Program, " said Harris. "Learning from pros really adds to our program of study."