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The Harlem Theater Company
has been going on for ten years. It's a school where people
from anywhere in the age range from sixth teen to forty five
come to learn or tighten up on their acting skills. They specialize
in speech, dance and advanced acting. They produce lots of talent.
They've had many former students appear in many popular movies
and sitcoms, such as Malcolm X, Boomerang,
Above the Rim, New York Undercover and America's Most
Wanted. The level of talent that comes out of there
is so high because they hold very serious productive classes
with excellent exercises and warm up's for their projects.
James Pringle grew up in Chicago
but attended L.A. City College where he took Drama. He also
moved to Pittsburgh for a little while but it was when he
moved to New York that he found his idea. He got his inspiration
from Hochi Mihn, Sammy Davis Jr, Miles Davis and Elijah Muhammad.
When he saw their achievements with nowhere to perform on a
consistent basis he thought "Hey I like to do that why don't
I start my own?". That's when he got the idea to found a acting
center.
James Pringle
started out as a substitute teacher. He taught at I.S.
95, Taft, Walton, Clinton and at A. Phillip Randolph.
In 1987 he found the Harlem
Theater Company. Now the dream of James Pringle came true. He
also dreamed about putting out two major plays per year and
that also came true. Within his program he and other staff have
a course outline which consists of four semesters.
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James Pringle is the Director
and Founder of The Harlem Theater Company . The company
has been running programs for 10 years. This program helps people
develop their acting skills. It is known to be one of New York's
finest Actors training Program.
James Pringle has been teaching
since he came to New York from Pittsburgh in 1978. He went to
school in Pittsburgh and in Los Angles for acting. When he came
to New York he noticed that there was not any work for black
actors in Harlem. So he started his own company called The
Harlem Theater Company. When he first started there were
only a few actors to be found in Harlem.
In this program he teaches
his students stage movement discipline and analysis. They have
a singing, period & style, and dance which is known as stage
movement. His inspirations were: Hochi Minh, Sammy Davis, Elijah
Muhammad, and Miles Davis.
Many people that he has taught
are now in movies and shows. The Harlem Theater Company
classes takes place at the Victoria 5 on 125 street next to
the world famous Apollo Theater.
"I have traveled many places
in my life, my family were traveling people" said Mr. Pringle.
Mr. Pringle has also directed
some plays like "Innocent Black" and "Steal Away". Which is
about three old women that rob banks. I know it sounds crazy
but that's what he said. "Steal Away" takes place in the 1940's.
The Theater program has just
started a newsletter called "Harlem Arts HYPE". Which includes
information about different things that are happening in the
acting world. The paper started in the Fall of 1997. They also
give ways for people to contact them if they are interested
in joining the program. There are auditions held for any opening
spots, which are limited. It is hard to become one of the students.
I think that they should have
an children's program. That way children that want to act can
join.
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