Dodgeball Theatre Brings Teen Performances to Herndon

Gathered in a tight circle in a small room at ArtSpace Herndon, 14 area teenagers who comprise Dodgeball Theatre’s Teen Ensemble nervously giggled and joked. 

The teens listened to a few directors’ notes and then started their warm-up exercises involving yoga stretches, movement memory and fast thinking impromptu stories about an assigned stage prop. 

Despite an occasional moment of laughter the group settled into a familiar routine that calms nerves and draws their focus before they hit the stage. After months of working together as an ensemble, it was finally time to “go live.” 

A few students refreshed their make-up while the rest gathered their headshots as they quietly made their way to the stage and awaited their queue.

Established in 2009 by director Haley Murphy, Dodgeball Theatre is in residence at ArtisTree Studio in Herndon where they offer performing art classes, workshops and camps for youth.

By providing a wide range of creative opportunities for emerging performers of all ages, Dodgeball Theatre hopes to develop and support the many facets of a young actor’s creativity by combining both traditional training and technique with new, unconventional self-expression. 

As a way to help nurture the creative and performing abilities of teenage students, Dodgeball Theatre formed a teen ensemble three years ago. Students must audition for the ensemble program. Once accepted into the program, the group of students age 12-17 collaborates and works together through a series of classes and workshops to develop a true ensemble relationship. 

By spending several hours together each week for several months, the students through peer encouragement, gain the confidence and teamwork needed to create performance pieces reflecting today’s teenage lives. 

Their most recent original production is a cutting edge performance piece titled “Places” that combines acting, writing, movement, improv and discussion. 

If you missed the Dodgeball Theatre’s performance at ArtSpace Herndon, the ensemble will continue to perform “Places” at other locations in the area through June. 

You can catch their production June 3 at the ArtisTree Studio, 1141 Elden St., June 9 at Forest Edge Elementary in Reston and June 12 at Cascades Library in Sterling.