Star factory

>> Dynamic Theatre is In the I of the Storm

by AMY BARRATT

"It's something I would have liked to have had," says actress-teacher Anik Matern of the Dynamic Theater Factory, a school she founded last fall with Liz Valdez.

"As an actor, you take a workshop for a few weeks, and once it's over you don't necessarily have a job to go to, so you don't get a chance to practice that technique."

Dynamic Theater Factory (American spelling for some reason) offers an eight-month course to both professional and aspiring actors. Apart from length, the thing that most distinguishes it from the average workshop is the "showcase," geared to industry professionals that comes at the end. In the I of the Storm, an original creation which plays June 10 to 12 at MAI, is the culmination of the year's work.

Matern stresses that the training provided at DTF isn't just focused on theatrical acting, because success in the industry demands the versatility to work in film and TV as well.

The fluently bilingual Matern knows about that first-hand. Last seen on the local stage in The Underdogs at last summer's Just for Laughs, she keeps incredibly busy playing an evil sorceress on Back to Sherwood, seen on YTV, Fox and the CBC, and providing the voice of Fantomette for the animated The Secret Adventures of Fantomette.

"I opened the school because I love to teach," says Matern, who formerly worked with teens at Kids in Action. Along with Matern and Valdez, who specialize in movement and character work, respectively, DTF students have also had the opportunity to work with guest artists from the industry.

Students have been improvising and writing since last October around the theme of "In the I of the storm." Although pieces of the show are adapted from existing texts, a good deal of the final product is their original work. Two groups of students--young adults (15­21) and a 22-and-over group worked separately until about a month ago when they came together to mould In the I of the Storm. It's less a standard play than "a series of very entertaining moments and snippets," according to Matern. The showcase will be performed for three nights before an audience that includes casting agents, producers and such.

While it's obvious why unknown actors would jump at the opportunity to be seen by agents and producers, DTF also counts Actra and Union des artistes members among its students. For someone who is already working in the business, Matern says, "the attraction is the opportunity to explore." The school has also turned out to be an opportunity for some francophone professional actors to perfect their English. At the other end of the spectrum are the students who had never acted before.

"It's really based on enthusiasm," says Matern of the choosing process. With their diverse ages and backgrounds, Matern says, the participants "pick up on each other's energy and create an exciting dynamic." How appropriate.

In the I of the Storm, June 10­12 at 8pm at Montreal arts interculturel, reservations: 484-7412, $8-10