SEMINARS

Jargon Busting for Actors

Upstage, downstage, offstage, backstage; we’ll cover all the basics of what actors need to know to “get around” in the theatre. This workshop covers all the jargon of acting including what are “sides”, “callbacks” or “cattle calls”, what do people mean by “method acting” or what does a “dramaturge” do.  Everything you ever wanted to know about the theatre but were afraid to ask!

Meisner Technique

Actors begin to learn the techniques of Sanford Meisner and what he phrased as “living truthfully under imaginary circumstances” as a means to develop performances that feel spontaneous instead of rehearsed.  A variety of exercises that focus on the technique of “repetition” and the concept of “committing to an objective” help actors to access their emotional life and use that to appear to live moment-to-moment on stage.

Training Programs in the US and Abroad

Degree based programs, conservatory training or private study; this workshop gives actors an overview of the different types of programs and the benefits and drawbacks of each. A list of specific schools in the US and abroad will be discussed and faculty will share their first-hand experiences with their own training as well as give tips on the application and audition process.

Stage Makeup

Actors learn the basics of applying stage makeup to enhance or alter their features. The basics of equipment and application are taught as well as advanced techniques of how to appear older or younger, apply scars or facial hair, change gender or become a non-human character such as an animal or creature. Actors will learn how to consider factors such lighting and size of house and how to adjust their makeup for different situations.

2000 Years of Theatre History in Under 2 Hours

Get a quick and dirty overview of the major movements in theatre history and the plays and playwrights that defined them. From Greek to Absurdist, from Restoration to Postmodern, get a solid beginning in the history of theatre.

Playwrights that Rocked

Bertolt Brecht, Arthur Miller, Samuel Beckett, Tom Stoppard and David Mamet are just a few of the daring playwrights who rocked the theatre world and changed it forever. Find out who the risk-takers were, what they wrote and how the public and critics reacted to it.  The entire student body participates in readings of plays as we discover who ROCKED!