Staged Intimacy: Navigating Performance with Consent and Creativity
Instructor: Alessandra Fanelli
Saturday, October 18 · view days & times
Venue: Bethlehem Visitor Center at SteelStacks presented by Lehigh Valley Health Network
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Saturdays | 4 p.m.- 6 p.m.
October 18 - November 22 | Bethlehem Visitor Center at SteelStacks presented by Lehigh Valley Health Network part of Jefferson Health
Staged Intimacy is a 6-week immersive course that explores the intersection of consent, creativity, and performance across film, theatre, and improv. Designed for performers, directors, writers, and other creatives, this course offers practical tools for building safe, collaborative environments where intimate content can be developed and performed with confidence and care.
Through a combination of discussion, partner exercises, scene work, and performance-based exploration, participants will learn how to integrate the principles of staged intimacy into their artistic practice—whether in front of a camera, on a scripted stage, or in the fast-paced world of improvisation.
Together, we’ll explore how intimacy can be used to deepen storytelling, raise the stakes in comedic or dramatic work, and support performers in moments of vulnerability, tension, and physical connection. You’ll learn how to navigate moments of closeness, romantic interaction, physical touch, and emotional intensity while maintaining clear communication and personal boundaries.
Special focus will be given to intimacy in improvisational performance—how to safely and playfully build physical and emotional connection in unscripted scenes. We’ll examine how consent-forward approaches enhance the quality of performance, foster ensemble trust, and expand the possibilities for bold, grounded, and nuanced storytelling in live comedy and beyond.
Topics Covered Include:
- Foundations of staged intimacy: consent, boundaries, and collaboration
- Physical storytelling and emotional vulnerability in performance
- Choreographing intimacy for both scripted and improvised scenes
- Communication tools for rehearsals, performance, and post-show care
- Building ensemble trust and creative safety in group settings
- Intimacy in comedy: navigating humor, risk, and respect in real time
- Tools for directors, actors, and creators to foster consent-forward rehearsal spaces
Participants will engage in hands-on exercises and performance opportunities throughout the course, with the option to develop short pieces for a final in-class showcase, depending on group interest.
Whether you're an actor looking to feel more empowered in intimate scenes, a director wanting to support your cast with integrity, or a comedian exploring new layers of connection in your work, Staged Intimacy offers a powerful toolkit for ethical, impactful storytelling.
Schedule
- Saturday, October 18, 2025 @ 4:00 PM 10/18/2025 04:00 PM 10/18/2025 07:00 PM 15 Staged Intimacy: Navigating Performance with Consent and Creativity https://www.steelstacks.org/event/17542/staged-intimacy-navigating-performance-with-consent-and-creativity/ Bethlehem Visitor Center at SteelStacks presented by Lehigh Valley Health Network false MM/DD/YYYY
Venue Information
Bethlehem Visitor Center at SteelStacks presented by Lehigh Valley Health Network711 E. First St.
Bethlehem, PA 18015
610-332-1300
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