PLAN WOULD PUT BIT OF DRAMA IN CLASSROOMS.

Byline: Sonia Giordani Daily News Staff Writer

In an age of action movies packed with high-tech special effects, the Thousand Oaks Arts Commission hopes to bring the ageless classics of the stage alive to Conejo Valley kids.

Teaming up with the Santa Susana Repertory Company, a professional theater company based at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, the commission is recommending that the city adopt a pilot program to present scenes from Shakespeare's most famous dramas to schoolchildren in the region.

``We are trying to incorporate into the schools a greater awareness of the arts,'' said Patrick McMinn of the 11-member commission. ``We don't want to just teach our kids to read drama in books, but to bring them a user-friendly approach to understanding theater and, more broadly, performance.''

The pilot program, Performing Arts Into The Schools, would not only have professional actors perform the classics but also discuss the substance of the work in the classrooms with children in grades 3 to 12.

McMinn said the goal is to boost opportunities for arts appreciation in the schools and to bring the younger generations back into the live theater.

``This is something that has many levels of return. It's not just, `Let's entertain the kids for an afternoon,' '' said McMinn. ``There's more to learning than just the basic curriculum.''

The Thousand Oaks City Council will consider the proposal at its meeting Tuesday night. If approved, McMinn said the next step would be raising about $10,000 from local organizations to underwrite initial rehearsals and to train actors to effectively communicate with the children.

Additional funds would have to be secured to sponsor each school performance, which are expected run about $750 each.

``We hope to raise that money so we don't have to charge the schools,'' McMinn said.

``I think it's a great idea. It brings art into the schools,'' said Mayor Pro Tem Linda Parks, who will vote Tuesday.

Santa Susana Repertory actors said they could be prepared to start the first performances in the schools by next fall. As the company established itself first in Simi Valley and then in Thousand Oaks three years ago, the group looked for opportunities to participate in an outreach program in the schools. McMinn's proposal opened up a perfect avenue.

Lane Davies, artistic director for the 9-year-old company, said he has prepared a production called ``Patchwork Shakespeare'' that would present a series of classic scenes to the kids.

``We want to teach the children to use their imagination and focus on language - not special effects,'' said Davies.

He said stage props are minimal and arbitrary to encourage kids to paint scenes of their own while they listen to the words and watch the interaction of actors on the stage.

For instance, a ladder is used to indicate that Romeo stands beneath Juliet's balcony in a scene from ``Romeo and Juliet.''

``Theater is all about identifying with characters and using the imagination. The sooner you expose a child to the arts and especially to theater, the deeper his appreciation will be,'' Davies said.