Professional Fight Instructor Leads FHU Theatre Students Through Stage Combat Training Workshop
Freed-Hardeman University theatre students sharpened their stage combat skills during an intense 14-hour training session in late September led by Sarah Flanagan, a freelance fight instructor and member of the Society of American Fight Directors. Flanagan’s expertise will also be on display as she choreographs fight scenes for the upcoming production of “Pericles,” set to take the stage during FHU’s Homecoming, November 7-9.
FHU Theatre Director Dr. Cliff Thompson invited his Acting II class, as well as other theatre students, to participate in this unique learning experience which taught young artists how to convincingly punch, slap, fall and, of course, sword fight – with only pretend injuries to show for it.
Flanagan demonstrates stage combat techniques
Although many of the skills looked difficult, sophomore Levi Secula, a computer science and theatre performance major, said that Flanagan’s methods made learning easier than he thought it would be. “She’s using very easy, natural movements to explain everything, so it’s always like an easy step by step process that we can follow.”
One such process involves learning how to “knap,” or make the sound of a hit without actually hitting the victim. At times, the auxiliary gym echoed with sounds of simulated violence while students fell to the floor or swung fists at one another. “It looks so real!” Secula said of the process. “Whenever you’re not fully paying attention and you just see it out of the corner of your eye, you think someone just got smacked!”
Ashlyn Chandler, a senior public relations and theatre performance major, said that this workshop has helped change the way she thinks about stage combat. “[Our instructor] talks a lot about the perspective of the audience and which techniques work for certain perspectives. So if your audience is on one side, you should do one technique, but if your audience is on two sides, you should do another technique. I just never really thought about that as much.”
Theatre students practice sword fighting
All participants agreed that successful stage combat relies heavily on cooperation, non-verbal communication and knowing one’s cues. Performers who are in sync with one another will invite their audience to buy into a dangerous situation – without any true risk.
Seth Wilson, an FHU alumnus who majored in performance theatre, is looking forward to putting what he has learned in the workshop to good use. “I’ve enjoyed it a lot, and I’m mainly excited for all of the techniques that we are going to use in the show that we have coming up.”
Associate Theatre Professor Brandyn Graves, who will soon be teaching stage combat courses himself, appreciated Flanagan’s methodical approach to teaching such physically demanding skills. “She first laid a lot of foundation for what she would later build up to,” Graves said. “This is really going to level up the instruction for stage combat as well as the quality of the combat in our future productions.”
Audiences can see these combat skills in action during “Pericles” and other future FHU Theatre productions. Please visit fhu.edu/academics/majors-minors/theatre/season-24-25 for more information or to purchase tickets for FHU’s current theatre season.
2024-2025 FHU Theatre Season
“Pericles” by William Shakespeare
November 7-9 at 7 p.m.
November 9 at 2 p.m.
Black Box Theatre
“After the Blast” by Zoe Kazan
March 6-8 at 7 p.m.
March 8 at 2 p.m.
Black Box Theatre
“On the Verge: or The Geography of Yearning” by Eric Overmeyer
April 24-26 at 7 p.m.
April 26 at 2 p.m.
Black Box Theatre
