HuckleBerry
Center for Creative Learning
Rebecca Oca-Nussbaum
Rebecca Oca-Nussbaum is a Los Angeles-native performer, teaching artist, and arts administrator. Her recent performance credits include Much Ado About Nothing at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, Last Call Theatre’s original immersive hit Love Game, and the World Premiere of Bernardo Cubría’s The Hispanic Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latine Vote. Rebecca is currently working to obtain her Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts from California State University of Northridge. For the past few years, Rebecca has trained at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, studying under esteemed Company Director Ellen Geer. When she’s not onstage, Rebecca can be found in the classroom passing on her love for storytelling and live performance. As a teaching artist throughout the Los Angeles area and Director of Education & Marketing for the nonprofit theatre organization Santa Clarita Shakespeare Festival, Rebecca uses her classical theatre training to cultivate play, safety, and engagement for all students.
Great Stories
Fall: Reader’s Theatre ~ The Gingerbread Man at Christmas!
This is a fun class for readers of ALL levels. While we are reading (and sometimes acting) the script we will ALSO be working on expression as well as good pacing and pronunciation. As we prepare for a presentation of this holiday classic during lunch on the last class day of the Fall trimester, all students will have parts to play best suited for their comfort and reading level. The script has parts suitable for emergent AND transitional readers which allows our students to work with their classmates who may not be in their reading groups and allows fluent readers to model good reading habits and let struggling readers participate in reading a “meatier” text WHILE having FUN! This program provides a safe, fun and supportive atmosphere where students will be encouraged to their best potential. We’ll bring it all together as we prepare for a short presentation during our last class for friends and family.
Winter: Exploring Shel Silverstein
A weekly performance class exploring the poetic works of beloved children’s author, Shel Silverstein. Each week students will analyze poems, build confidence in their public speaking skills, and learn performance technique. Class culminates in a final presentation for parents during the last session!
Spring: Aesop’s Fables
Aesop was an oral storyteller believed to live in ancient Greece. Originally told for adults addressing religious, social and political themes it was later during the Renaissance (and onwards) that his stories were then used as ethical guides in child education. Each week we will learn, discuss and explore these Fables THEN using fun active theatre exercises PHYSICALLY explore these great stories, characters and themes. This program provides a safe, fun and supportive atmosphere where students will be encouraged to make bold and creative acting choices, while also developing new levels of personal confidence, finding their voice and ensemble skills while learning this great story.