Register your child for Art Studies International's Theatre Intensive Fall Session taught by founder Billye Constance, who has been writing, directing, and producing theatre for over 25 years.
The Theatre Intensive Fall Session with Mercury Theatre at Metairie Rd. presents "We Are Jazz", a story of the Jim Crow South in New Orleans Jazz scene as it explodes from the true democratic experiment with inclusion, diversity and solving social issues as big as Racism, Immigration, and Women's Suffrage.
Thursdays, September - May 2021-2022
Mercury Theatre Group on Metairie Rd
"We Are Jazz"
$80 a month
• Scriptwriting: Aristotelian Elements of a Play: Plot, Character, Theme, Language, Rhythm, and Spectacle
• Rehearsals: Introduce improvisation, movement, singing, stage cues, character analysis
• Costume & Set Design: measuring stage, creating props with recycled materials, making costumes from thrift items. Time to get creative!
• Production: The show must go on! Final rehearsals learn sound and tech. Getting ready for the end of year production.
REGISTER: asinola.com PAY on VENMO @asinola QUESTIONS: (504) 473-5363 or artstudiesinternational@gmail.com
***FILL OUT YOUR Registration Form and Emergency Contact Form***
Mercury Theatre on Metairie Rd.
Metairie Ridge Presbyterian Church 215 Phosphor Ave Metairie, La 70005
Mission Statement
At Art Studies International we believe by learning about other cultures, students can see through the lens of others elements of humanity that bring us together. We develop a creative environment to nurture creativity and a love of learning through our Study Abroad Program, Theatre arts, Literature and an Anthropological approach to understanding the human condition. We produce plays treating social justice, celebrating diversity, dealing with deep psychological and philosophical questions.
About the Founder, Billye Constance
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Billye Constance has run a successful theatre arts program at International School of La since 2016. Former Montessori teacher and student of, Lee Strasberg School of Theatre Arts, founder of Method Acting in NYC, Billye has been writing, directing, and producing theatre for over 25 years. She studied screen writing and cinematography at New York Film Academy. She has worked at The Latin Film Festival in San Francisco and learned stop animation film at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. She has worked with set designers painting back drops and lighting for theatre with Epic Productions NYC 1994-2000 and produced numerous plays nationally. Upon returning home to NOLA, she created a non-profit art foundation and produced multimedia art fundraising events at Rock-N-Bowl including artist Rebirth Brass Band and Bebe fashion show, that promoted local film directors and musicians.
After becoming mother to her amazing children, she became a professional clown and worked at Children’s Hospital with terminal patients. Producer of Flambeaux Theatre’s 24 hr. play fest 2018, voted best production, playwright. Mentored by the late Dr. Henry Hoffman from NOCCA, Billye has been immersed in the dramatic arts scene in New Orleans and found her passion for teaching youth theatre.
Her love for children is exemplified in her unique drama program teaching history, social justice and helping kids find their voice through significant historical drama. In her hit musical play, We Are Jazz, set in the Jim Crow South, characters deal with racism, women’s suffrage, and the democratic experiment of New Orleans Jazz. She loves teaching classical mythological plays, Art History scavenger hunts at NOMA and Architectural walking tours uptown and in the French Quarter for youth.
“Kids have a natural wonderment for learning if we don’t make it unfun. If we plant the seeds, they will grow a garden. My students are my greatest teachers. Their imagination is fertile, and I am blown away by their creativity which inspires me all the time.” ~ Billye Constance
About Assistant Teacher, Ludovica Ballou
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Ludovica Ballou is a former student at Bard College NY where she studied Theatre Arts and Creative Writing while producing a youtube channel for her college. Since COVID 19 she has returned home to LSU to continue her creative writing degree and work alongside her previous theatre arts teacher at ASI where she was formerly a student then intern and now producing children’s plays. She has been in De la Salle High School’s drama club, Empowerment thru Arts Theatre Arts program since she was nine years old, under the tutelage of Misty Marshal Rosiliogni from NOCCA. While there she studied Kabuki theatre and Commedia del Arte as a student, stage manager and intern.
She is a songwriter and has authored short stories and poetry. She was in tap and ballet as a young girl, Livingston Parish Children’s choir, New Orleans Children’s Choir, First Presbyterian Church of N.O. Youth Choir, chorale, NOCCA art workshops, student at Southern Art Society which has made her an irreplaceable set and costume designer. Her love of children and social justice has manifested in a documentary film she produced with Crossroads NOLA to help raise awareness to the need and sustainability of foster care in New Orleans. She has been in several productions including, JPRD Drama Club, Flambeaux Theatre Co, International School of La Drama Club, De La Salle Drama Club, Vagina Monologues at Terrance Osborne Gallery, Bard College theatre classes and many more arts, dance and music classes. Currently a vocal and piano student of Olga Ljungholm at Loyola. She has been to Louis Armstrong Jazz camp for vocals and works with students in choir and musical numbers.
Outside of the arts Ludovica has participated in Rhodes College Mock Trial program, Harvard Mock Trial, she has interned with the Jefferson Parish Office of Public Defenders, Sewanee Environmental Institute, and volunteered at NOMA. She is the media arts and marketing manager of Art Studies International.
“If we are lucky enough to do what we love, that energy is healing and far reaching, filling our lives with all the riches we could desire. Finding that with the pressures in our fast-paced society is challenging. I try to start everyday with the intention of sharing my gifts and receiving gifts from others so we can all get closer to doing what we love.” Ludovica Ballou
