by Michael Goldberg, Drama Specialist

Greetings! My name is Michael Goldberg, and this is my second year as Drama Specialist at OSRUI. I grew up in Deerfield, Illinois, but I currently live in Marshalltown, Iowa, where I teach high school Language Arts and Drama. As a performer, I have been a part of countless improvisational comedy shows, a few student films, and one or two scripted plays. I have also written and directed a few 10-minute plays. My love of theater extends into academia, where I have studied numerous theater and acting styles.

I love bringing my studies into practice with the wonderfully talented OSRUI campers. In Tiferet Aleph, campers studied performance basics such as voice, stage presence, body control, and characterization, as well as explored Iberian theater styles and traditions to link with our limud theme of Sephardic Judaism. Aleph campers performed scripted monologues and scenes, and also tried their hands at the fun, exciting world of improv. Tiferet Bet campers have been exploring, in depth, more traditional schools of acting from famous names like Stanislavski and Strasberg. We have been combining these schools with reinforcement of performance basics to prepare scenes from classic writers like William Shakespeare, and more modern playwrights like Tom Stoppard and Samuel Beckett, that share thematic lines with our theme, Kohelet.

All campers at OSRUI have a chance to learn about dramatic performance. Campers who participate in the drama chug have a great time with theater games, improv, scenes, and other high-energy activities designed to push campers to challenge their comfort zone and try new things. The theater at OSRUI is a safe place for all campers to play around, try new things, and have a heap of fun.