These snow birds are winging it!
Silver-haired thespians will get a chance to show off their acting chops this spring with improv workshops at the Fort Hamilton Library in Bay Ridge, which are aimed at giving local oldsters an outlet to share tales about their lives and the neighborhood.
People tend to disappear from the spotlight as they age, but seniors have a lot to say if they’re just given the stage, said the actor who will lead the sessions.
“It’s a youth-obsessed culture, there’s not a lot of paying attention and people really get something from being listened to,” said Prospect-Lefferts Gardens resident David Deblinger, founder of Ensemble Force, which teaches similar programs at shelters, prisons, and mental health groups. “And when they share pieces of their life with an audience it’s a gift — and they feel that. It gives them voice.”
Every Thursday between March 2 and April 27, the participants in “This is My Story” will work as a company of actors, using wacky improv activities, music, and dance to tell their stories.
The whole thing will culminate in a performance by each attendee, which will be recorded by the Brooklyn Public Library and added to the athenaeum’s archives.
The library is full of older folks keeping to themselves, and the fun-filled classes will hopefully help them open up, said the literary repository’s head book-keeper.
“The library serves as a sort of transitional space for the newly retired and I sometimes feel people are isolated — this will help people come out of their shell,” said branch manager Jay Marcus. “Try something new, take a risk, and have fun.”
And seniors in the nabe say they’re already raring to give it a go.
“What a lovely idea,” said 69-year-old Bay Ridgite Ida Singer. “I have a bit of stage fright but I’m willing to give it a go.”
To register for the “This is My Story” visit or call the Fort Hamilton Library [9424 Fourth Ave. between 94th and 95th streets, (718) 748–6919, www.bklyn
