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Staff

Program Director and instructor, Jessamine Unruh, has been involved in the performing arts for over twenty years. She has performed such parts as Elizabeth Bennet Pride & Prejudice, Anne Shirley Anne of Green Gables, Abigail Williams The Crucible, Jo March Little Women, & more, including roles in The Importance of Being Earnest, Romeo & Juliet, and Sense & Sensibility. She's taught acting to homeschooled elementary-aged students, co-written and produced two original musical adaptations.

Jessamine took a few years away from performing to work as a full-time minister to students at CSU and CU, and birth three children in less than three years. She has a 4 yr old, a 3 yr old, and a 20 month old, and a husband whom she describes as "her rock." The hiatus ended in 2023 with a foray into improvisational and sketch comedy.

Her desire to offer high quality theater training and performance opportunities to homeschooled students comes from her own experience. Jessamine was homeschooled until the age of 16; she then attended community college before transferring to CSU. Since she didn't attend a public or private school, she missed out on the built-in theater programs. However, she has a mother who is also deeply passionate about theater. Jessamine's mom, Karen Hamer, ran a community theater company which gave Jessamine and her siblings access to excellent theater. Now, she plans to provide that same access to the next generation of homeschooled students.

I am thrilled to launch this brand new theater company! I believe homeschooled students of all ages are creative, collaborative, and highly capable. I can't wait to help train and mentor these young artists.

You can reach me at jessamine@rmsperformingarts.com, submit a form via the website or find me on Linkedin.

At Rocky Mountain Student Performing Arts, we nurture creativity and confidence in students through engaging theater and acting techniques tailored for homeschooled students aged 8-18. By offering a a program that prioritizes both excellence and fun, we develop young artists into skilled performers who are creative, self-aware, and kind.

We believe that children are highly capable of being serious partners in the creative process. Students are encouraged to share ideas, feedback, and take ownership of their education. Class sizes are small to create an intimate environment where students feel safe to be fully present and fully themselves. Parents are THE critical component of a homeschooled child's education; we respect and desire parental collaboration with this program. We are also deeply committed to children's exploration of the theater space as independent, young artists and hope you will support your child's theater education by allowing them some time free from parental supervision! The creative journey with acting is so vulnerable and children can become self-conscious in front of family, feeling pressure to preform too early in the process. That being said, we're always willing to connect on a family by family basis, and discuss what is best for you and your child in the context of this program.

EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY

CURRICULUM

We teach the same acting techniques adult and professional actors learn. The content is always age-appropriate and never "dumbed down". Children are smart, creative and enthusiastic. We want to feed this enthusiasm with real ideas and give them tools which they'll use for the rest of their lives.

Curricula are developed from techniques utilized and popularized by Stanislavski, Mamet, Meisner, and more. We always work from the understanding that "acting is action". Students learn to analyze scenes to discover what their character wants, how they plan to get it, and what stands in their way.

Improvisation technique is core to our curriculum; not like the games you see in "Whose Line is it Anyway" - although we may do some of those sometimes - we focus instead on being present in the moment and with your fellow actor, and living truthfully under imaginary circumstances.

Finally, we always provide a way to apply what we learn. It's no good for an actor if all they do is listen and watch. Acting is DOING. Students will prepare and perform either an abridged classic or a collections of scenes, applying what they're learning as they learn it, while experiencing some of the technical aspects of live theater.

Location

Classes will take place at Flipside Theater in Superior. Flipside is operated by Superior Improv Co. Though RMSPA is not affiliated with Superior Improv Co, we enjoy a strong working relationship and history of collaboration.

Address

Flipside Theater

502 Center Dr Suite M

Superior, CO 80

Superior Improv Co. offers workshops, classes, and events geared toward 18+, as well as summer camps for youth.
Please visit their website!

superiorimprov.co

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