Learn Creative Writing techniques through short readings, prompts, free writing, and group critiques before binding your finished short story or poetry collection into a beautiful book to take home. We will explore both prose and poetry in this class for all skill levels, and the class will culminate in an optional reading of your work before other class members. Notebooks and bookmaking materials will be provided, but please bring your own laptop or tablet if desired.
Interested in a payment plan option please email kjohnson@academycenter.org.
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Instructor : Suzanne Halka
Bio : Suzanne Halka is a performing arts and creative writing teaching artist, theatrical director, costume designer, and choreographer. She is returning to Academy Center for the Arts after 12 years in San Francisco. She was a Creative Writing major at Hollins University and has taught creative writing both 1:1 and to group classes. In the theatre realm, she has worked in San Francisco as a Junior Acting Troupe director and costume designer, and also as a teaching artist and director for the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Suzanne has taught for The San Francisco Recreation and Parks, The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Destination Art, New Conservatory Theatre Center, and The Jewish Community Center of San Francisco. In Lynchburg, she has taught for The Academy Center for the Arts, The Lynchburg Parks and Recreation Department, and Dance Theatre of Lynchburg. Her favorite theatre roll to date was as The Nurse in Romeo and Juliet: CSI, a deconstructionist version of the well-known play, and her favorite dance roll was as the Autumn Fairy in the Cinderella ballet at The Academy’s predecessor, the Lynchburg Fine Art Center’s Lynchburg Regional Ballet Theatre (company member). Suzanne has also performed in the Oakland, CA based sketch comedy group, Running With Glitter, and also performed with her all-women improv troupe, the HAMAZONS! Suzanne feels privileged to have interned with The American Shakespeare Center and to have studied theatre while abroad in London. Suzanne is excited to rejoin The Academy this spring with The Young Storytellers Program, the all new Young Shakespeare Company, and various other theatre and creative writing classes!