Well-known Fresno television personality Kopi Sotiropulos will perform in a free acting workshop at Hanford's Temple Theatre from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Jan. 20.

Sotiropulos will lead off the workshop with his 15-min comedic show entitled, "The Mad Greek," which describes his personal experiences growing up as the son of Greek immigrants in Fresno.

The hands-on workshop will feature local theatre group, Kings Players Inc., and is designed to show the public how they can bring a personal story to life onstage.

Before he was a weatherman and later co-host of "Great Day" for KMPH Channel 26, Sotiropulos spent 10 years working as an actor in Hollywood. He had speaking roles in many television shows and a bit appearance in "Beverly Hills Cop II."

Sotiropulos also spent many hours doing community theatre at Hollywood's "Theatre East." Sotiropulos said community theatre was a safe place for actors to hone their skills.

"Every Tuesday night we'd do scenes from plays," Sotiropulos said. He said they'd perform for each other, not in front of the public.

It was at Theatre East that Sotiropulos met Thomas Bellin.

Bellin is a professional writer/actor/director who will be directing the Hanford acting workshop. He currently works in Los Angeles, but has a home in Hanford.

Bellin explained how he expects the workshop will go.

"After Kopi does the 15-minute show, Kopi and I will work together as an actor/writer team," he said.

Bellin said the demonstration will show how actors and directors work together to develop material.

Following the demonstration, one of the Kings Players actors will be asked to get up and perform.

"I'll direct them through one of their experiences, then I'll ask audience members to come up," Bellin said. "You'll see the hands shooting up and people saying, 'I want to try it.'"

Bellin said his hope is the workshop will bring out some local talent.

"I want to put the Kings Players on the community map," Bellin said. "It's my thesis that if we go ahead and this workshop is successful and we get a core group of 25-30 people, we'll have one of the most exciting community theatres west of the Mississippi.

"Because no one else will be doing original work like this and exploring this," Bellin said. "I think the community will be very surprised what talent is here."

Bellin said he hopes to get a few actors who will be willing to work with him to develop scripts of their personal life experience and then perform that experience in a showcase on April 14.

Kings Player Charmayne Huntley said she hopes the workshop will create a larger pool of talents for their future productions. Huntley said the theatre group is in need of actors, directors, technical workers and box office workers.

But first, they need to get people to come to the workshop.

Carol Bellin, wife of Tom Bellin, lives in Hanford full-time and works as a substitute school teacher. She has spread the word about the workshop to other community theatre groups, high schools and drama clubs in Kings, Tulare and Fresno Counties.

Bellin said his ultimate goal is to have the workshop continue on.

"I would like this to evolve into an ongoing workshop that will meet every so often and they'll work on scenes of plays," Bellin said. "What I'm hoping is that some of them will want to write plays."

The Temple Theater is located at 514 Visalia St.

The reporter can be reached at 582-0471, ext. 3052.

(Jan. 12, 2007)