By Merle Exit
For the past 25 years, Sofia Landon Geier has appeared on stages across New York City and has even popped up on TV shows like “Law and Order” from time to time.
But these days, she can often be found in makeshift theaters closer to her Sunnyside home, where since 2009 she has run the Unity Stage Co., a non-profit program that provides young actors with Manhattan-caliber theater training in Queens.
“We have a musical director, choreographer, voice teacher and yoga instructor with a well-rounded approach to stage techniques,” Landon Geier said.
From September through March, children attend classes and workshops in Sunnyside. The younger ones, those in kindergarten up through fifth grade rehearse a musical. The older ones, tweens and teens in sixth through 10th grade opt to tackle a straight play.
“They do mostly non-musicals as they are geared more to learning acting techniques,” Landon Geier said.
At the end of the season, the two groups perform the shows — each one with a double cast — for audiences at a Jackson Heights venue.
During the summer months Unity Stage hosts a performing arts program that Landon Geier calls more relaxed and laid back.
At the summer’s first two-week session, titled “Theater Maker,” the young actors were taught dialogue, songs and choreography from popular musicals and plays.
Last week, the children created characters and devised a play during the “Play Makers” session.
The final session, scheduled Aug. 11 – 22, is called “Two Week Movie Makers.”
Although Unity Stage offers full-blown theatrical training, many of the students may not be seeking a career on Broadway.
“Some parents are hoping to get them out of their shell,” Landon Geier said. “Everyone does get up on stage to experience the feeling of performing. Some who were shy last year are raring to go this year.”
For information about Unity Stage Co., call (917) 548-1086, or visit its website at unitystage.org.
