Ready your mind - and your weapon! This Stage Combat Workshop is a one-day course for actors ages 12-18 with a love for onstage action! 

Actors, natural movers and athletes with a flair for the dramatic will all find lots to enjoy in this high-energy workshop!  This class will focus on the unique intersection of performance and martial arts - where we want to look as dangerous and exciting as possible to an audience, while maintaining safety, communication, and control.

Our weapon of choice for this workshop is the Broadsword!

Shakespearean actors and LARPers will take away valuable lessons in technique, weapon handling, and proper stage combat etiquette for rehearsal and performance.

Meet your Instructor: Raisa Donato

Raisa Donato is a multi-faceted artist with over 18 years of stage combat experience and instruction. They started their stage combat journey in High School from their mentors Ri Walton and Dennis McLaughlin through Passado Action Theatre. They’ve taught the fundamentals of Stage Combat from middle school students to professional actors, building confidence in their craft by emphasizing the importance of storytelling through physicality. Trained in Rapier & Dagger, Epee, Broadsword, Sabre, Quarter Staff, Katana, Dual Wakizashi, Escrima, Knife, found objects and hand-to-hand combat, they’ve combined their love for martial arts and their passion for theatre into Stage Combat to craft exciting fight sequences that are grounded in realism or high energy slapstick comedy. They’re grateful for the opportunity to expand their reach to the Cinnabar Theater community and are looking forward to meeting the next wave of stage combat warriors! Raisadonato.com

Actors in this class will…

• • Practice solo skills and forms for hand-to-hand and broadsword stage combat.
  • Work with partners on planned combat sequences.
  • Learn crucial safety techniques and guidelines for proper practice and performance of stage combat.
  • Explore elements of stage combat that can be applied to everything from high drama to physical comedy

Stage Combat Workshop with Raisa Donato

Date and Time: Sunday, February 15, 2026
12:30pm-5:00pm (Students must attend entire workshop!)

Location: 2200 Petaluma Boulevard North, Suite 700 

(Cinnabar's Studio Space in the Petaluma Outlet Mall)