Our Education coordinator, Dan Klarer, has been teaching and preaching the joy of theatre for two decades. He recently spent time as an interim lecturer of acting at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, teaching movement, voice, scene study, and acting for camera. His full background in the performing arts gives him a unique perspective and he has brought that with him to our wonderful community here in Sturgeon Bay and greater Door County.
“I truly believe that theatre education is human education. I’ve said this a lot in the past year. Every skill that a student of theater brings to the table is invaluable to any job or group of people that they are a part of. A student of theater can be anyone from a Master of Fine Arts grad from a prestigious theatre school or a patron and lover of the arts to someone who takes an occasional workshop or helps with a community play. There are so many applications of theatre skills in the “real world.” The benefits are exponential,” says Klarer.
“I have a background in sketch comedy and clowning and I was always fascinated by the technical aspects of performance. The nuances of timing, dialects and articulation, and physical mastery are so important and I’ve found that these skills can help anyone be not only a better performer, but a more embodied and grounded person. When someone needs to address a crowd or any group of people, the thing that sets a “good” speaker apart is seemingly confidence. That and the elusive skill of “charm.” What is “confidence” and “charm” if not being an embodied, grounded person, with mastery of their voice and body language. Someone with the skill of good timing, vocal nuance, and a well-placed hand gesture can hold a room with little effort. These skills can all be learned just like any other and theatre teaches all of it. A sense of ease and social depth is all part of a performer’s well balanced diet,” he continues.
Klarer has a goal in mind for the future in our community: “I love teaching and working with performers, but what I really am hoping to do here at TAP [Third Avenue PlayWorks] is work with people and students in our community that are not actors, not “theatre people,” and those that haven’t even been to a play. Skills learned through theatre games and exercises include (but are certainly not limited to): self-confidence, public speaking, social-emotional learning, critical thinking, adaptability, resilience, communication, teamwork, empathy, time management, active-listening, and of course, creativity. “
Klarer adds, “I have taught theatre and the exploration of human behavior all across the country and I have always started with theater games and clowning as a basis. Theater games and Improvisational theater have been made popular by Viola Spolin and her son, Paul Sills, who founded Chicago’s Second City and Story Theater. Paul and his wife Carol used to run theater game workshops in Door County and worked with Northern Sky Theatre when it was still American Folklore Theatre back in the 1990s and his daughter, Aretha Sills, lives in our community of Door County and has been a wonderful mentor to me. When I was starting out as a young performer and working at American Folklore Theatre, Paul’s influence was still very much a presence and a part of the fabric of the organization and that resonated with me a lot. Having attended high school theater camps at UW-Whitewater and participated in a sketch comedy group during my undergraduate experience and even giving tours of the Cave of the Mounds, I was developing all of the skills that made me an asset to any job. I want to give that back to my community.”
“Over the years, in between shows, I get a non-theatre job. It is a must not only financially, but for the life experience and community building it provides me. The first thing that sets me apart from the rest is my people skills, open mind, and adaptability. I fully attribute every job I’ve ever gotten to my background in theatre. Just because a person doesn’t go into the arts as a career does not mean that those skills aren’t essential to well-balanced education. I truly believe that theatre, in and out of school, makes people the best versions of themselves. It shows us who we are and keeps our creative mind active.”
Klarer reminds us that a community can only thrive with all aspects of humanity represented in our education. “To provide classes at TAP and go out into the schools of the region is such a great opportunity and I am so grateful that I can give back to my community in a way that is really meaningful.”
TAP will host acting classes for teens and adults in 2026. If you’re in a position to support our work, please consider donating!