OLLI Bonus: Wait… This Was Real? Theatre That Shocks, Sells, and Persuades (DRAKE HALL)

Corporate musicals. Shock-based performance. Political pageantry presented as polite social events. These forms of theatre may seem unusual—even surprising—at first glance. Yet they have been remarkably effective. In this interactive workshop, participants will explore how performance has been used to communicate ideas, provoke reactions, and influence public opinion. Through clips, discussion, and creative exercises, the course examines the strategies behind these unconventional theatrical forms and what they reveal about the cultures that produced them. Participants are invited to reconsider what counts as theatre and to see familiar ideas from new perspectives. 

*Hannah Hammond grew up on a farm in New Hampshire. She is an actor, teacher, director, labyrinth facilitator, and longtime journaler with an MFA in Theatre Performance Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University and a master's degree in musical theatre performance from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. While in the UK, Hannah worked with leading theatre artists, including Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Tony Award winner Martin Lowe, and Tony nominee Grant Olding. In the United States, she has toured as a vocalist with Cirque Dreams and performed at regional theatres across the country, including playing Paulette in Legally Blonde at Midtown Arts Center in Fort Collins a decade ago. Hannah has taught at Berry College, Elmira College, and Vermont State University at Castleton, where she specialized in acting and performance. She brings a dynamic, engaging approach to her teaching, blending theatre, storytelling, and reflective practices to create meaningful learning experiences. 

Notes

• A current OLLI membership is required to register for all courses and lectures.
• If you do not have a Fall 2026 membership, one will be added to your cart at checkout.
• OLLI membership fees and course tuition are critical to the Institute's sustainability and are non-refundable.