SpecialtySmarts teaches children about the world of Fringe Festival Theater and the various artistic disciplines utilized in this field.
Our SpecialtySmarts programs include areas within mixed media and performance art that are less traditional but equally fulfilling for the student. We offer classes in theatrical puppet making for both children and juniors, and study in performance art such as mime, stilt walking, Black Light Theater, juggling, and cirque-de-soleil type movement.
What is black light theatre and how did it develop?
Black light theatre is an optical trick known as the black box trick, which takes advantage of the imperfection of the human eye: the eye cannot distinguish between black on black. In the theatre the trick is in fact very simple: the audience cannot see an actor dressed in black against a black background. Props operated by actors dressed in black are able to move independently before our very eyes. Inanimate objects become participants in the drama, attaining equal status with the live actors.
Some black box tricks include actors flying in the air directly in front of the audience, a combination of wide screen projections, live actors on stage and huge puppets, as well as the use of artistic elements as an essential part of the visual performance, music and live singers.