Newtown Yardley, PA Entertainment Guide Announcements
Bucks County Playhouse Education Offers Fall Classes
Classes for ages 13 to adult.
New Hope, PA (August 26, 2025) – Bucks County Playhouse is pleased to announce the lineup of education programs being offered this fall. Classes will take place in Lambertville Hall, 57 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ except for the Acting for Adults class which will be held via Zoom. Visit www.BucksCountyPlayhouse.org for more information and to register or contact Alexandra Kostis, Education Coordinator with questions at akostis@buckscountyplayhouse.org.
Acting For Adults: Virtual Class • October 6 – November 10, 2025 • Mondays, 6:30pm - 8:30pm (EST) • June Ballinger • Ages 17+
Scene study and monologue techniques. This class is for a multi-generational group of students of varying experience. Using improvisation, assigned scenes and monologues, the actor will identify the intersection of their own authentic self to the fictional character. This validating class is fun and encourages compassion and understanding of yourself and those you will be working with. Classes will be held on Zoom.
About the Instructor: June Ballinger has performed on Broadway and numerous off-Broadway theatres in New York committed to new work including Ensemble Studio Theatre, Primary Stages, New Federal Theatre. The Working Theatre, Playwrights Realm. Regional experiences include the Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, New Harmony Theatre, The Great Lakes Theatre Festival and The Kennedy Center. Film/TV credits include the Netflix release “Monster”, “Only Murders in the Building” “The Blacklist” (NBC), ‘Hunters” (Amazon ) “Law & Order” “L&O SVU”( NBC) and various daytime soaps. June was Artistic Director of New Jersey’s Passage Theatre for 22 years where she developed and produced many new plays including a successful annual Solo Show Festival. She wrote and continues to perform her one woman play “Remembrance Day” and has another solo show in development. June is a member of New York’s Ensemble Studio Theatre, a company member of The Actors Center and the National Alliance of Acting Teachers. She teaches Theatre History at Fordham University School of Continuing Education has a private coaching practice as well. She lives in NYC and upstate New York.
Musical Theater Jazz • October 7 - November 11, 2025 • Tuesdays, 4:00pm - 5:30pm • Victoria Scovens • Ages 16+
A high-energy, all-levels class focused on style, performance, and fun! Students will warm up to get moving and then dive into Broadway-inspired dance combos, not just drills.
Contemporary Jazz • October 9 - November 13, 2025 • Thursdays, 4:00pm - 5:30pm • Victoria Scovens • Ages 16+
A feel-it-in-the-soul kind of class! This all-levels experience blends the grounded emotion of contemporary with the dynamic energy of jazz. After a quick warm-up, participants jump into combos that focus on musicality, movement quality, and expression—less about perfect lines, more about feeling the dance.
About the Instructor: Victoria Ann Scovens is an actor, singer, dancer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Easton, PA. She spent three years playing Eliza in “Hamilton” (National Tour) and has performed and taught across the West Coast and Canada. After taking a hiatus to move to Denver, Scovens taught performing arts to at-risk youth in Aurora, CO, while also writing music. Now back on the East Coast, Scovens is focused on continuing their performance career, recording an EP, and helping to create more access to arts education.
Discover Your Authentic Self • October 7 – November 13, 2025 • Tuesdays, from 10:30am – 11:30am • Katherine Kahr • Ages 18+
Lucid Body is a holistic body-mind training that helps anyone become more fully present, expressive, and aware. It is a personal development tool, a wellness practice to reduce stress and unlock authentic expression, a leadership and communication skill-builder and a creativity booster for all. This class helps with team building, public speaking, improved communication and preventing burnout. Discover a body-centered practice that supports letting go of tension, grounding energy, and moving with greater ease. Through guided breath, movement, and mindful exploration, students uncover new pathways to presence, resilience, and self-discovery.
About the Instructor: Katherine Kahr is a passionate storyteller, born and raised on a sheep farm in rural New Jersey. For the last 15 years, Kahr has enjoyed a career in acting, writing, producing, directing and teaching. As a teaching artist, Kahr has worked in both public and private education settings. Kahr’s passion is teaching physical acting to all ages, in the spirit of personal growth and healing with a focus in the Lucid Body Technique. As an actor, Kahr’s credits include work on NBC, Lifetime, Turner Broadcasting and numerous independent films. In the theater, Kahr has worked on projects in NYC with Primary Stages, Ensemble Studio Theater, The Innwood Shakespeare Company, FringeNYC, and Snapped Productions. Kahr is the founder of Owl-Light Theater Company and co-founder of Rag and Bone Theater Company. Kahr has a BA in Theater Arts at Drew University and has attended acting conservatories at The British American Drama Academy (UK) and Michael Howard Studios (NYC). Kahr is a certified Lucid Body teacher and proud member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors Equity Association.
The Art of Storytelling • October 7 - November 25, 2025 • Tuesdays, 6:00pm - 8:30pm • Michaela Murphy • Ages 16+
In this class series, participants will learn the basics of classical story structure and practice how to craft and tell a personal story that is compelling, honest, and memorable. Students will explore story composition, a variety of narrative structures, character development, story pacing, and tried and true techniques to engage and connect with audiences. This 8-week course is designed for all levels of storytelling with the final class culminating in an informal showcase of participant stories at Lambertville Hall.
About the Instructor: Michaela Murphy is a writer, playwright, storyteller and teacher. Her one-woman show, “Something Blue” was performed Off-Broadway (Second Stage Theater, The Atlantic Theater Company), and at HBO’s Comedy Arts Festival (Aspen, CO), and The Improv Theater (Los Angeles, CA). Her stories have been featured on NPR, The Moth Mainstage (NYC and National Tours), the Peabody Award winning “The Moth Radio Hour,” and in the 2024 Moth anthology, A Point of Beauty; Stories of Holding On and Letting Go, The Nantucket Film Festival, The Whitney Museum (NYC), On the Boards (Seattle), Seattle Repertory Theater (Seattle),The Liar Show, RISK!, Word of Mouth (Bucks County Playhouse),TEDx, the Clinton White House and in The New Yorker. She is formerly the Director of Education at Second Stage Theater and was guest Artistic Director for The 52nd Street Project replications (Navajo and Chippewa Nations, Yale University, and See-Hear Theater in London, UK). Michaela is a Co-Founder of “L!FE: Leadership Fueled by Entrepreneur–ism” (Detroit, NYC) an education leadership platform for High School students and was Director of the Entrepreneurs-in-Training program at Barnard College. She is currently Director of Education at Bucks County Playhouse, and continues to perform stories, consult as a speech writer, and coaches thought-leaders, entrepreneurs, and C-level executives. Her stories have been featured on NPR, The Moth Mainstage (NYC and National Tours) and Peabody Award winning “The Moth Radio Hour,” The Nantucket Film Festival, The Whitney Museum (NYC), On the Boards (Seattle), Seattle Repertory Theater (Seattle),The Liar Show, RISK!, Word of Mouth (Bucks County Playhouse),TEDx, the Clinton White House and in The New Yorker. She is formerly the Director of Education at Second Stage Theater and was guest Artistic Director for The 52nd Street Project replications (Navajo and Chippewa Nations, Yale University, and See-Hear Theater in London, UK). Michaela is a Co-Founder of “L!FE: Leadership Fueled by Entrepreneur–ism” (Detroit, NYC) an education leadership platform for High School students and was Director of the Entrepreneurs-in-Training program at Barnard College. She is currently Director of Education at Bucks County Playhouse, and continues to perform stories, consult as a speech writer, and coaches thought-leaders, entrepreneurs, and C-level executives.
Beginner Adult Tap • October 8 - November 12, 2025 • Wednesdays, 4:00pm – 5:00pm • Julie Johnson Thick • Ages 15+
Led by professional dancer, Julie Johnson Thick, in this six-week class students will learn basic tap steps, fun combinations and further explore this great American dance tradition.
About the Instructor: Julie Johnson Thick, choreographer, is an adjunct with priority status, teaching Rider’s Musical Theatre majors tap dance since 2013. Johnson Thick and her husband Bob founded the Off-Broadstreet Theatre in Hopewell where she functioned as Managing Producer and Choreographer. Together they produced over 300 shows in 32 years. In NYC, Johnson Thick danced with Gregory Hines’s Tap Company and Luigi Jazz. Johnson Thick has worked as a guest artist at The Ed Sullivan Theatre, Hines and Hatchet, Broadway Dance Center and continues to teach at a NJ dance studio. Her diversified background even includes being the NJAIAW Collegiate State All-Around Champion in gymnastics.
Free Your Voice: Functional Foundations for Confident Performance • October 8 - November 12, 2025 • Wednesdays, 10:00am - 11:00am • Colleen Kinderman • Ages 16+
Whether a shower singer, a public speaker, or simply wanting to feel more confident using the voice, this class explores healthy, functional voice techniques rooted in body awareness and breath support. Learn how to identify and unlock vocal tension, increase vocal freedom, and connect emotionally with the voice.
About the Instructor: Colleen Kinderman, soprano, is a versatile performer and passionate music educator with experience spanning opera, oratorio, art song, music theater, jazz and choral masterworks. She holds an MM from Westminster Choir College and a BA from Muhlenberg College. This past season, she was the soprano soloist for Mozart’s “Missa Brevis,” Martines’ “Dixit Dominus” and Hegge's “Farewell Auschwitz” and performed Mahler’s “Symphony No. 3,” Verdi’s “Requiem,” “The Planets,” and “Beethoven’s Ninth” with the prestigious Philadelphia Symphonic Choir.
Improv • October 8 - November 19, 2025 • Wednesdays, 7:00pm - 9:00pm • Will Dennis • Ages 18+
This class offers two hours of collaborative acting games, improv techniques and opportunities to nurture creativity. No experience necessary – just a desire to laugh!
About the Instructor: Will Dennis is a local professional actor, teacher and owner/operator of improv studio, UnScripted Productions in Newtown, PA. As a member of Actors Equity Association, he’s been seen on many local stages: Walnut Street Theater, Delaware Theatre Company, Act II Playhouse, Montgomery Theatre, etc. Dennis is also the former Assistant Director of Education at Philadelphia Theatre Company. He lives in Newtown, PA with his family and dog, Mumford.
Mastering the Monologue • October 9 - November 13, 2025 • Thursdays, 4:00pm - 5:00pm • Peter Martino • Ages 13+
In this high-impact acting intensive students will explore what makes a monologue unforgettable and give participants the tools to make every piece that is performed feel personal, powerful, and alive. Through physical and vocal technique, personal coaching, and creative risk-taking, students will learn how to connect with material, build authentic characters, and deliver performances that resonate. By the end of the course, each student will leave with a polished audition-ready monologue, a deeper understanding of their unique voice as a performer, and the confidence to take center stage.
About the Instructor: Peter Martino is the Education Manager at Bucks County Playhouse, where he brings over two decades of experience in theater education, directing, and arts programming. No stranger to the Playhouse, Martino previously worked there from 2003 to 2010 as a performer, set designer, and technical director. His extensive theater background also includes work with companies such as Gretna Theater, Two Rivers Theater Company, Windy City Players, and Porchlight Productions. Peter has also studied intimacy coordination with T.I.E and is passionate about advocating young actors to stay true to themselves while approaching advanced material in a holistic and appropriate manner. Prior to returning to the Playhouse, he served as the theater director at Solebury School, where he produced and directed acclaimed productions while also leading immersive student experiences and community engagement initiatives. Dedicated to fostering creativity and inclusivity, Martino strives to develop dynamic educational programs that inspire the next generation of theater artists.
Breaking into the Voiceover World – Intro Level • November 3 – November 24, 2025 • Mondays, 7:00pm - 9:00pm • Pete DeMeo • Ages 18+
Back by popular demand: Breaking into the Voiceover World with Pete DeMeo! There’s never been a better time to break into the voiceover world. Almost all voiceover work can now be done remotely from home! In this introductory class, students will receive individual coaching on proper voiceover technique for TV and radio commercials and promos, how to approach and personalize copy, how to make a demo and get an agent, and how to work from the comfort of your home.
About the Instructor: You hear Pete every morning as the in-show voice of The Today Show on NBC. As an Emmy-nominated voice over artist, he has voiced hundreds of commercial, promo and political spots for national TV and radio, in addition to narrating over 400 documentaries for The Discovery Channel, HBO, The Learning Channel, A&E, National Geographic, The History Channel, PBS and Animal Planet.
Visit www.BucksCountyPlayhouse.org to register or contact Alexandra Kostis, Education Coordinator at akostis@buckscountyplayhouse.org for questions.
ABOUT BUCKS COUNTY PLAYHOUSE
Steeped in a theatrical history that stems back to its founding in 1939 by a roster of theatrical royalty, Bucks County Playhouse is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its 2012 re-opening and restoration. With more than 75,000 patrons walking through its doors every year, the Playhouse is leading the economic resurgence of New Hope and the surrounding community. In 2014, Tony Award-winning producers Alexander Fraser, Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler took the helm of the Playhouse, reclaiming its reputation of attracting Broadway and Hollywood artists. Playhouse productions of “Company” starring Justin Guarini, and William Finn’s “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” were named by Wall Street Journal to its “Best of Theatre” list for 2015. In 2018, the Wall Street Journal again hailed the Playhouse and Artistic Associate Hunter Foster in its Best of the Year listings for its production of “42nd Street” and in 2019 labeled the Playhouse “one of the best regional theaters on the East coast.” Box office records have been repeatedly broken by signature productions of “Steel Magnolias” directed by Marsha Mason, “Mamma Mia!” directed by John Tartaglia and “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story,” “Million Dollar Quartet,” “42nd Street,” and “Guys & Dolls” (all directed by Hunter Foster). In 2021, the team developed and presented Candace Bushnell’s “Is There Still Sex in the City,” which the Playhouse then partnered to move to New York. The creative teams who come to create new productions at the Playhouse are among the most talented artists working in the professional theatre today and relish the opportunity to work on the historic stage where Grace Kelly, Robert Redford, and Jessica Walter began their careers.
