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  • 1.  Peter Sklar's Beginning's Workshop NYC

    Posted 04-25-2019 09:03
    I recently had Mr. Sklar talk to some of my theatre students and he has invited several of them to participate in his NYC workshop this summer.  If you have had experience with these workshops can you give me some idea of how valuable the opportunity is or any other details?

    Thanks!

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    Toni Thomas
    English Teacher, Theatre Director
    West Branch MI
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  • 2.  RE: Peter Sklar's Beginning's Workshop NYC

    Posted 04-26-2019 11:40
    I have never met him, nor had him give a talk with my students. However, his name got brought up in a discussion on here back in...September? Search his name on this board, and you can find it. I'd also do a Google search on him...There are some pretty negative (unsubstantiated) accusations out there about him that would give me pause...

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    Christopher Hamilton
    Drama Teacher
    Kennewick WA
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Peter Sklar's Beginning's Workshop NYC

    Posted 04-27-2019 09:34
    He came and talked to my students last year.  He gave them very good advice, although it was clear that he was promoting his summer camps.

    My students googled his name and found those very negative posts, which appear to be suspicious, since the original poster had removed them. (There are far more positive posts, by the way.) However, I was alarmed with the negative comments so asked adults to check around and none of us could find documented or official proof to support the negative claims.  If they are not true, it is unfortunate - as they defame this man and the good he has done. The problem is today we can never be too safe.

    One of my students (a graduating senior) did attend his camp as a counselor and found it very worthwhile. She did not experience anything negative.  Mr. Sklar was very transparent during the entire process, as I received updates, etc as to what was going on at the camp that summer.  My student came back very excited, and even though she is attending a local college, she came back to help with the fall show.

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    Valerie Farschman, Drama Director
    MLS Theatre Company, Troupe 1422
    Marion L Steele High School
    Amherst, Ohio
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Peter Sklar's Beginning's Workshop NYC

    Posted 04-30-2019 11:31
    I'm so glad that you had a positive experience with this man.  Mine was not so.  He was not transparent at all about his workshops and basically made me feel very awkward and uncomfortable when at the end of his talk (which was awesome), he started to tell the students about how they would now be "auditioning" for him.  I felt undermined and that the work I had done with my kids was invalid.  Who is this guy who has not worked with my students and thinks from a five-minute "interview" whether or not they are talented enough for his workshop?  We are a rural school, and fairly poor, and I felt like he was exploiting my students without even knowing them.  He made several of them cry during his interview process, and without telling me ahead of time, the whole thing felt really "off".  I would recommend his talk, absolutely, but not as a promotional tool for his own well-being.  I hope this "substantiates" some of the unsubstantiated remarks out there.  Sorry to sound so negative, but what he offered and what he delivered were two totally different things.

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    J. Michael Beech
    Gastonia NC
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    Original Message


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