MICHAEL FOSTER :- PERFORMANCE CONSULTANT

DETAILS OF WORKSHOPS AND COURSES AVAILABLE FOR UNIVERSITY/ COMMUNITY DELIVERY

• BACKGROUND : from 2009 I intend to commence practice as a freelance performance consultant specialising in workshop facilitation , guest directing , actor coaching and sessional teaching
• I have 30years experience as a Director ,Teacher, Actor and performance maker Having most recently completed 19years as Theatre Studies co-ordinator at Griffith University Gold Coast .
• I have attached a selection of specialist workshop packages as a guide to my areas of specific expertise which could be offered either as artist residencies or in intensive delivery mode , or modified as ‘one off ‘workshops.
• In the tertiary teaching context I can turn my hand to most components of most Theatre programs and have a successful record in Honours and RHD supervision. Therefore coverage for colleagues taking leave could be an area of interest for you and your organisation.
• I am also available for engagement as guest director with a repertoire of at least a dozen acclaimed student productions in my resume and an expertise in original group devised performance.
• The performance consultancy aspect of my practice is arguably the strongest .As actor testimony attached suggests I have developed techniques which enable rapid analysis of obstacles faced by directors and actors in performance and suggest strategies to achieve a more effective performance .

SPECIALIST COURSE DETAILS :
1. THE PHYSICAL ACTOR :
Explores a newly developed actor training technique I call Physical Visualisation . Performance research explored the links between Stanislavski, Brecht, Meyerhold and Grotowski expressed in this hybrid acting technique.

2. COMEDY IN PERFORMANCE
Using video excerpts of the great contemporary comedians students explore the nature of Comedy .They learn techniques for and core principles of Stand –up and sketch comedy as well developing the character through clowning.

3. COMMUNITY CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT –COMMUNITY BASED PERFORMANCE
Techniques for the conceptualisation and production of community based projects in for and about specific communities .

4. THEATRE DIRECTION
The core of my PhD research has been synthesised into a course of study which aims to provide an alternative methodology for directors in the creation of contemporary performance.

5. BRECHTIAN PERFORMANCE
In essence the course demonstrates the legacy of Brecht’s praxis particularly in the areas of group devised and political theatre .

ADDITIONAL COURSES :
Greek Theatre – especially Chorus work
Interactive Performance - Event Theatre
Australian Contemporary Theatre Practice
Meyerhold /Artaud/ Grotowski
Building character through Clowning
20th Century Western theatre History
Theatre for Young People

COSTING :
Residencies: Negotiable in the range $A 400 - $A 600 per day . / $100- $150per hour + Travel and accommodation dependent on location
Sessional Engagements : Approved lecture rates
All fees are totally negotiable relative to the interest level of the gig

CONCLUSION :

Assistance for Specialist and or sessional engagements at your institution encompassing the full range of performance contexts .
Flexible approach to all performance and entertainment needs .
Willing and able to travel Nationally and Internationally

CONTACT DETAILS

DR MIKE FOSTER BA-Dip T- MA- PhD
artfozzy@hotmail.com
07 55722504
0434843345

BIOGRAPHY

• 30 years experience as professional director, actor, comedian & teacher
• Co-founder one of Australia's leading youth theatre companies
• Author of “Creating Disturbance Provoking Imaginations : Directing for Radical Theatre”
• Mentor to many current theatre practitioners
• Founding head of Theatre Griffith University
• Internationally published
• Expert in Direction, Acting, Youth Theatre ,Comedy Brecht , Physical Performance

CONTACT DETAILS

DR MIKE FOSTER BA-Dip T- MA- PhD
artfozzy@hotmail.com
07 55722504
0434843345