The Shakespeare Theatre Company

Master Acting Classes: Winter 2012

Unless noted otherwise, all classes will be held at Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Rehearsal and Education Studios at 507 or 516 Eighth Street SE and run for a total of six, three-hour sessions (tuition for these classes is $370).

View our full discount policy.

*Due to changing rehearsal and performance schedules, our faculty is subject to change. All registered students will be informed if/when faculty changes.

Classes for Teens (ages 13 – 17)

Blood and the Bard
Saturdays, January 21 – February 25 from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Instructor: Casey Kaleba
Prior Experience: Recommended, but not required.
Shakespeare's audience expected their theatre to be immediate, bloody and exciting. This course will explore Elizabethan performance from the audience's point of view: what did they expect to see on stage? Through a study of Shakespeare's acting style, special blood effects, stock stage combat and audience interaction, students will learn about Elizabethan entertainment from the audience's perspective and discover how plays such as King Lear, Titus Andronicus and Macbeth actually worked on the Shakespearean stage.

Classes for Adults (ages 18 and up)

The Actor’s Monologue Workshop
Saturdays, January 14 – February 4 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Instructor: Floyd King
Prior Experience: Strongly recommended.
Tuition: $225.00
*Location: In partnership with the Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, this course will be held at 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE.
Auditions approaching? Gain insight and skills for both contemporary and classical monologues under the guidance of award-winning, Shakespeare Theatre Company veteran actor, Floyd King (most recently seen in The Heir Apparent). Prior experience and/or training is recommended for this course. Students should come prepared with a two-minute Shakespeare monologue in verse and/or a contemporary monologue.

Classical Theatre Styles
Saturdays, January 21 – February 25 from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Instructor: Wyckham Avery
Prior Experience: Recommended, but not required.
With its heavy emphasis on language, classical theatre requires performers to deliver dynamic physical and vocal performances to match the demanding text. Spanning across centuries to include monologues and scenes of ancient Greek tragedians, Shakespeare and Moliére, Classical Core students will explore several styles of classical theatre performance through a combination of theatre history, movement, voice, speech and stage combat.

Improvisation
Mondays, January 23 – February 27 from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Instructor: Nancy Robinette
Prior Experience: Not required
Communication, clarity, offers, acceptances, objectives and tactics… Using your own creativity and imagination to create motivated characters and dynamic scenes in the moment, this course provides participants with an exciting new skill set and vocabulary that can add spontaneity to any performance.

Acting for Business Professionals
Mondays, January 30 – March 5 from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Instructor: Vanessa Buono
Prior Experience: Not required
Whether it’s the boardroom or lunchroom, client or co-worker, maximize the potential of every meeting, presentation and negotiation in the business world! In a fun, comfortable, interactive environment, learn how to listen and communicate more effectively and become more relaxed, present and persuasive in public through the study of techniques used by actors and directors in the theatre.

Physical Comedy
Tuesdays, January 24 – February 28 from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Instructor: Mark Jaster and Sabrina Mandell
Prior Experience: Recommended, but not required
Explore physical techniques that support comic performance, with exercises in stillness, reaction, focus, clarity of mimetic gesture, illusion, physical characterization, the divided self, status in the duo and trio, the inclusion of the audience, and clown. Mark draws on his training with Etienne Decroux and Marcel Marceau. Sabrina draws on her training in the LeCoq pedagogy with Dody DiSanto with concentration in the realm of the theatrical clown. Their complimentary approaches combine to address nuts-and-bolts physical, technical and structural skills and the more esoteric issues of honesty, presence and accessibility.

Introduction to Acting
Wednesdays, January 25 – February 29 from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Instructor: Dat Ngo
Prior Experience: Not required
Always wanted to try your hand at acting, but never had the chance? The journey begins here with the student’s exploration of the actor’s vocal, physical and psychological instrument, the key skills and core understandings from which to pursue further study. Lessons will include interactive, physical workshops on communication, character, objectives, tactics and given circumstances. The class culminates with a performance for invited guests.

Fundamentals of Scene Study
Thursdays, January 26 – March 1 from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Instructor: Jim Gagne
Prior Experience: Recommended, but not required
Ready to move past improvisation exercises and start chewing on some text? Plunge into scene work through in-depth text analysis, concentrated partner work and full investment in given circumstances! This class will help participants explore ways to activate both classical and contemporary texts in rehearsal and performance.