Evelyn Gaynor – CV

Roosevelt University, City College of Performing Arts, Theatre Department 2017-2018

Director: Freshman Spotlight, Adjunct Professor: Creative Process

Spotlight: Directed a showcase style production highlighting the freshman acting majors in a series of scenes and songs. Process was entirely student driven in terms of creating a through line, choosing material, building transitions to tell story, and writing music for said transitions. As faculty director, I built lasting relationships with the student designers and student stage management team. The goal was ownership of the process of performance at the early stages of training.

Creative Process: In collaboration with Vocal and Physical prep classes, this class is focused on the IPA(International Phonetic Alphabet) in both study and practice. Although only an introduction to these concepts, students learn the symbols of the IPA, as well as the corresponding sound and placement of the voice. Students learn anatomy of articulators. Students learn their own habit or regionalism, and are able to use the IPA as an acting tool in their speech.  Students will develop the actor’s ear in aurally identifying speech sounds (phonemes) and develop the ability to properly perform speech sounds.

The Chicago High School for the Arts, 2014- 2018: Voice and Speech, Acting for Vocalists Instructor

Voice and Speech: Introduction for freshmen and sophomores. Students learn the basics of breath and sound production for the stage as well as basic anatomy, how the body produces sound, and how to connect image to breath to sound and creating a vocal presence on stage that is healthy and allows for the ability to project without yelling. School follows the Chicago Public School standards and all lesson plans follow National Arts Standards. Lessons plan creation is adaptable and constantly changing due to the needs of the students. Texts: The Right to Speak, The Actor Speaks, Rodenburg, Patsy. Freeing the Natural Voice, Linklater, Kristin.

Acting: Second level scene study for Vocal Performance Majors. Building on the course foundations of Acting I, as well as introduction of new concepts of fundamental acting technique, we will explore ensemble, physical and vocal gesture, focus and concentration, script and text analysis, performance, and partner connection. The objective is to supplement the vocalists’ musical skill set with the skills of an actor in order to help them fully realize their performance potential as singing storytellers.

The Centered Actor 2016 – present

Co created and taught with Erica Sartini-Combs (former associate casting director, Goodman Theatre), this class is a technique class that draws on meditation, thought patterns, and image work to create a whole artist. The Centered Actor has identified a path to meet and overcome the external factors of an audition in which the actor cannot control, as well as discover with confidence, all the factors one can control. The P.A.T.H. encourages the centered actor to be present, adaptable, thoughtful and honest in navigating the audition process and in their work. Taught for UIC and Vagabond School of the Arts.

Chicago Youth Shakespeare 2016 – present

Teaching Artist with a focus on text and voice for in school residencies focusing on ensemble building, textual study and analysis, devised ensemble pieces, character development and scene study, and final performance. Team teaching, collaborative creation of performance work with students, promoting the development of student driven work, voice workshops designed to free the voice and discover character in the voice, relating it to the specific texts worked on residency to residency. Created and directed programming for summer training program, a rigorous and advanced acting program for high school aged actors.

The Viola Project, 2015 – present

Teaching artist for summer programs using the work of Shakespeare with girls ages 10-16. Creating week long lesson plans that culminate in performance, viewing Shakespeare’s work through specific lenses that relate to girls of today, with the ultimate goal of empowering them through finding confidence in acting, text analysis, understanding of language, character development, and creating an ensemble. Specific camps taught: Comedic Heroines of Shakespeare, Monologue Workshop., Taming of the Shrew study, Shakespeare and Ambition.

Barrel of Monkeys, 2015 – present

Teaching artist and company member for in school residencies with a focus on language and theater arts, performing, and playwriting. Implementing the specific company curriculum that involves team teaching and a cumulative lesson plan to create and build creative writing skills that are learned through performance techniques over six weeks. Classroom management, team- building skills, coordinating with classroom teacher and administrative support. Also, administrative, leadership, and fundraising duties as a company member, as well as collaborative adaptation and performance of student written work both in school and professionally.

Indiana University, 2011-2014: Associate Instructor of Voice and Speech, Acting I for Non Majors

Voice and Speech: Introduction to voice production. Emphasizing relaxation, breathing, and the production of vocal sounds; dealing with vocal habits and cultural holds through exercises and vocal workouts. Freeing the voice and redeveloping a passion for language. Finding your right to speak. Freeing the natural voice through warm ups, textual study and classroom participation. Texts: The Right to Speak, Rodenburg, Patsy.

Acting I: Introduction to the fundamentals of stage acting with an emphasis on playing objectives/intentions and personalizing the experience through “if” and the reality of action/activity. Introduction to monologue work. Texts: A Practical Handbook for the Actor, Bruder, Melissa, et. al., Audition, Shurtleff, Michael.Vocal Coach: Vocal Coach for student run theater organization University Players. Attended rehearsals and performances and advised on voice work, including accent and dialects. Liaised with directors and actors of productions to work towards clarity, power, expression, heightened moments, and specific challenges for each production. Individual work was done outside of rehearsal as continued coaching.