Two views of our new studio at 12 Mathes Cove Road in Durham, New Hampshire!
LEMON PUNCH THEATRE LAB is an airy, well-lit space for classes and theatre making, located in Durham, NH.
TEACHING: Leslie Pasternack brings over twenty years of experience in the rehearsal room, on stage, and in the classroom to her teaching. Leslie teaches Scene Study, Physical Comedy, Playwriting, Clowning, Directing and more. Browse the CLASSES page to view the current offerings. And CONTACT LESLIE with your questions or requests for future classes, or for script or directing consultations.
DIRECTING: Leslie directs full-length plays as well as shorts and multi-media events for theatres including The Players’ Ring, theatre KAPOW and The Firehouse Center for the Arts. The Lab is a terrific rehearsal space for these projects. (See photos below of two recent productions at the Firehouse!)
PRIVATE COACHING: Leslie provides private acting lessons, movement coaching, and production consultations. If you want to brush up your audition material, dig more deeply into your physical work, devise a new piece, or get advice on a tricky bit of staging, Leslie can help!
WRITING CONSULTING: Leslie has extensive academic and production experience reading scripts and providing constructive criticism on the structure, character development, and overall “stage-ability” of a play. She is also an accomplished playwright. She combines her writer’s outlook with her director’s and actor’s perspectives to ask, “How can this character/plot device/staging aspect accomplish more for the playwright? How can the playwright fine-tune the technical aspects of the work without losing their unique voice?” In addition to her work with college theatre students and local professional playwrights, Leslie has been mentoring an incarcerated playwright, Keith Sanders, since 2011. And, since 2020, Leslie has offered Playwriting Workshops and one-on-one consulting via Zoom to writers across New England.
If you want supportive, thoughtful feedback on your play, and suggestions to increase its attractiveness to potential directors, contact Leslie for a consult.
LEMON PUNCH THEATRE LAB’S VIRTUAL STUDIO!
Due to COVID, Lemon Punch Theatre Lab’s classes and performances moved entirely online from March 2020 until June 2021. Leslie pivoted to Zoom classes in Scene Study, Movement, Physical Comedy and Playwriting. She also produced and directed a series of new play festivals, premiered a new one-act play of her own, and provided hours of one-on-one consultations with actors and playwrights, all on Zoom. Virtual theatre isn’t the same as being in the studio space together, but it’s been a wonderful way to stay connected and keep creating during a time of tremendous stress. We were thrilled to return in-person classes, and we also continue to use Zoom to reach students far and wide, or when in-person class must pop online due to illness or inclement weather.
Visit the CLASSES page for information about upcoming activities and performances–both online and in person.
THE REVOLUTIONISTS, directed by Leslie Pasternack, photo: Tim Gurczak ESCAPED ALONE, directed by Leslie Pasternack, set & photo: Justin Lahue