News & Events

TRANSGRESSIONS: Six evenings, Six plays-in-process

TRANSGRESSIONS
Six evenings, six plays-in-process: staged readings of new works.

June 26 – July 1, 2018 | 7pm
HB Playwrights Theatre
124 Bank Street, NYC
RSVP

June 26 – LOVE, ROSE by Reneé Flemings
Set during the Age of Jazz, “Love,Rose” is one woman’s story of overcoming challenges of loving who you love and how the truth becomes malleable when race is at the heart of the matter.

June 27 – HARLEM NOCTURNAL EMISSIONS by Arthur W. French, III
Six people’s lives collide while looking at Art at a Museum in Harlem.

June 28 – NIGHT SHADOWS by Lynda Crawford
Russian poet Anna Akhmatova is keeping her promise to tell of the “true twentieth century”—of lives disrupted, her poetry banned, and so many loved ones lost under Stalin’s brutal regime.

June 29 – MR. WAHEEB by David Loughlin
A young black man has been picked-up by Federal agents and taken to an interrogation room in lower Manhattan. He is suspected of being connected to a massive terror strike against the United States. He is young, naive, and very possibly innocent.

June 30 – HOT AND HOLY by Susan Eve Haar
Sex in a coma, a love story.

July 1 – WHAT’S NEXT MAX? A LOVE STORY by William Shuman
For more than fifty years, Max and Maxine shared their lives and more often than not the stage; now comes the hard part.

All shows at 7PM

HB Playwrights Theatre
124 Bank Street, NYC

Featuring plays selected from the 2018 Rehearsal Space Residency Applicants.

CASTING CALL: 2Y20M (Two Years Twenty Minutes) by Catherine Castellani

Synopsis

In 1991 a crew of eight was sealed into Biosphere 2 to conduct the largest closed-system experiment ever devised or attempted. Two years and twenty minutes later they emerged: skinny, triumphant, controversial, celebrated, and maligned. This is one story of their before, during, and after and what it meant for conducting science on a grand scale.

Cast (5 women, 5 men, + stage directions)

  • JANE W, 27, British, sharp, humorous, the youngest crew member
  • ABIGAIL W, mid-30s, American, earnest, intense
  • LINDA W, 40s, American, conscientious, agreeable
  • SIERRA W, 50s, British, no-nonsense, sharp
  • MARGRET W, mid-30s, political, sharp, aggressive, off/on lover of John
  • TABER M, early 30s, man, American, easy-going, confident
  • LASER M, 40s, Belgian, emotional, volatile
  • MARK M, 50s, American, business-like, taciturn
  • ROY M, early 70s, American, affable, unflappable, an MD, the oldest crew member
  • JOHNNY M, 60s, American, the patriarch & founder of the Synergists
  • Stage Directions, any willing reader–aspiring directors welcome

2Y20M is a the recipient of an HB Rehearsal Space Residency, which starts on May 30 and runs through two public readings on July 21 and 22.

You do not need to be available throughout the residency to participate! It’s a large cast and the plan is to cycle through lots of actors in the first month, so come try it out.

If you are interested, please send your picture/bio to Catherine Castellani at cmcastellani @ gmail.com. Thank you!

People Who Make Theater – Tectonic Theater POSTPONED

POSTPONED: PEOPLE WHO MAKE THEATER 
Tectonic Theater (The Laramie Project)
A conversation with Jimmy Maize

Moderated by Pablo Andrade

This event has been postponed until further notice. 

RSVP at hbstudio.eventbrite.com

TECTONIC THEATER PROJECT is an award-winning company whose plays have been performed around the world.  The company is dedicated to developing innovative works that explore theatrical language and form, fostering an artistic dialogue with audiences on the social, political, and human issues that affect us all.  In service to this goal, Tectonic supports readings, workshops, and full theatrical productions, as well as training for students around the country in their play-making techniques.

Tectonic Theater Project was founded in 1991 by Moisés Kaufman and Jeffrey LaHoste. Tectonic refers to the art and science of structure and was chosen to emphasize the company’s interest in construction — how things are made, and how they might be made differently.

Its groundbreaking plays, The Laramie Project, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, and I Am My Own Wife among others have sparked national discourse and have inspired artists and audiences worldwide.

BEE – June 2018

Presented in partnership with The LES Shakespeare Company 
BEE
Created & Directed by Melody Erfani
Written by Sean Michael Welch

June 8-9, 15-16, 22-23 | 7pm
June 10, 17, 24 | 3pm
HB Playwrights Theatre
124 Bank Street, New York City

RSVP – Free!

BEE is the story of Izat, a young Iranian girl trapped in an abusive marriage in the 1940s. After years of suffering both physically and mentally at the hands of her spouse she knows the only way she will survive is if she is able to leave him. In an unprecedented move her father is able to use his influence to secure a divorce for her. Moving back and forth in time from 1940 to 2009, the story weaves together Izat’s struggles with her path to a happier life. Based on a true story and inspired by a collection of interviews from Middle Eastern immigrants and refugees.

www.lesshakespeareco.org

Join a Summer Class Today

Registration open until July 3.

Summer Term will run 10 weeks, June 13 – August 22, 2018. (No classes July 4)

BROWSE CLASSES

UNION DISCOUNT:* Industry union members receive 10% OFF Summer Term Classes. Present your membership card in the registration office or email a copy to registration@hbstudio.org.

INTAKE AUDITION / CONSULTATIONS: Interested in our upper level classes? Audition & consult with a panel of HB’s faculty on Friday, July 6 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. For details and sign up info, visit Auditions & Prerequisites.

REEL SUBMISSIONS: Are you a working professional seeking a place to practice? Submit your reel for placement into our studio practice classes.

*Discounts valid for Studio Classes only; not valid for workshop offerings, full-time programs or merchandise. Discounts cannot be combined nor applied retroactively.

Race, Casting and Representation – A Panel Discussion & Live Podcast

PEOPLE WHO MAKE THEATER

Curated by Peter J. Kuo
Hosted by Peter J. Kuo, Melissa Slaughter, and Alex Chester.
Recorded live for the podcast We’re Not All Ninjas.
Featuring a panel of industry pros, including Annie Henk and Tonilyn Sideco.

Monday, April 30 | 3:30pm | FREE | RSVP
HB Studio, The Speech Room, 3rd Floor, 120 Bank Street

Join us for a panel discussion and live podcast recording about race, casting and representation in the theater, film and TV industry. This will be an intimate roundtable forum, with a Q&A with an invited audience.

Sound Engineering by Alexandra Chludzinska

About the participants: Continue reading →

PEOPLE WHO MAKE THEATER: The Immigrant Arts Coalition- May 7, 2018

A Conversation with Co-Chairs
Ayse Eldek Richardson & Christopher Massimine
Monday, May 7 | 7:30pm
HB Playwrights Theatre, 124 Bank Street
Suggested donation $5-$10
RSVP
The Immigrant Arts Coalition is a network of multi-disciplinary arts organizations and artists united to empower immigrant arts, advocate for diversity and fair representation of all cultures, and celebrate the immigrant arts contributions to American culture. Formed in July 2017, The Immigrant Arts Coalition recognizes the importance and ongoing contribution of artists and arts organizations, who represent America’s diverse cultural mosaic. Members – represented by artists and organizations – will serve as the united front for advocacy, audience development, and work to collaborate with ongoing and continuous shared programs.

Casting Call for GET MINES

“GET MINES” by Frank Delessio
A staged reading in HB Studio’s TRANSGRESSIONS Reading Series.

Schedule: Rehearsals May 1 & 2 with the performance on May 2, 2018.

A pregnant African-American woman is at odds with an envious client. With her livelihood threatened, and her character questioned, she can only hope that those around her see through the lie.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:

Kayla (29): African-American. Kayla is very sweet. Someone you can rely on. She’s six months pregnant. She’s a receptionist at a veterinarian clinic.

Niesha (24): African-American. Niesha is very feisty. She’s carefree and careless. She’s been in some trouble before. She is also a receptionist at a veterinarian clinic.

To schedule an audition, submit headshot and resume to Director Patricia Golden at: goldencasting@aol.com

Weekly Notice

Classes | Workshops | Calendar | DONATE

Summer Term 2025 registration is already here and classes and workshops are beginning to fill up!

HB is a studio for both beginning actors and seasoned professionals. This summer’s course catalog is filled with opportunities for both. Whether you’re in transition from school to regular auditioning or need to hone your skills to a place where you can be cast more regularly, HB offers summer classes and workshops to make your goals a reality.  Our team of instructors includes Emmy, Oscar and Tony Award-winning actors and active Broadway professionals.

Summer term runs from June 12 to August 22.  Sign up now through May 31 for an Early Bird Discount of 5% off any and all classes using code SUMMER25. If you’re a SAG or AFTRA Union member, you can save 15% by registering before June 1, and 10% thereafter – register now!

Class Spotlight

Scene Study – Studio Practice (Invitational) with Jessica Hecht: Led by HB instructor Jessica Hecht (2025 Tony Award nominee for her role in Eureka Day), this invitational class is for experienced, professional performers who want to return to – or maintain – their state of continual learning. Register via application.

Shakespeare Basics with Daniel Pearce: Daniel Pearce – currently playing Brabantio in Othello on Broadway – and class actively engage with Shakespeare’s work out loud in performance. Students will leave this class with a solid foundation for performing and understanding The Bard through personal experience.

Theater to Camera with Hadi Tabbal: This workshop, taught by new HB Studio instructor Hadi Tabbal (star of the 2025 Tony-nominated play English), will help working actors carry over their strengths and talents from theater to television and film through scene work, camera engagement, script analysis, and guided peer-to-peer discussions.

The Business of Acting with Fran Kirmser and Alexis Suarez: Top level instruction from Tony-winning Broadway and Off-Broadway producer Fran Kirmser and New York City actor Alexis Suarez will offer perspectives from both sides of the casting table.

Live at HB Studio

Playwriting with José Rivera – Spring 2025 Showcase
Saturday, May 10 at 7pm
at Helen Gallagher Studio Theatre, 120 Bank Street
Pay-What-You-Wish, $30 Recommended

Community News

HB Studio News

The great actor and educator Uta Hagen understood that working in the theater is not magic. Acting is a practical, improvable skill that can be taught. The Hagen approach to acting focuses on the repetition of a series of core training lessons that have repeatedly proven to unlock the actor within everyone and to give performers at every level the confidence and knowledge necessary to excel.

HB Studio’s Summer Intensive Program is a rigorous six-week  (June through August) bootcamp that applies the Hagen approach to see you become a more complete thespian. Through intense scene study, script analysis, acquisition of Alexander Technique and technical movement, and vocal exercises, Hagen’s “Six Steps” will sit at the center of your mastery of your craft. Amidst a faculty of seasoned practitioners, you’ll be immersed with direct and in-depth methods that will strengthen your instrument and expand your skills. The Intensive meets June through August, Monday to Friday, 40-hours-a-week. At $3600 for three months, HB Studio training costs a fraction of similarly nationally accredited programs.

For artists looking to elevate their talents – or professionals who want to reinvigorate their vocation – the Summer Intensive can provide a joyous jolt to the system and structure to your craft  – apply now.

Faculty News

Peter Francis James directs, and Charlotte Bydwell assistant directs, All’s Well That End’s Well at the Old Globe in San Diego from June 8 – July 6.

Mercedes Ruehl directs two HB alums, Michael S. Horowitz and T.M. Rawlins, in Heisenberg at the Chain Theatre from May 1-11.

Daniel Pearce performs as Brabantio in Othello on Broadway (starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal) at the Barrymore Theatre through June 8.

Lisa Pelikan performs in Cracked Open at Theatre Row from May 6 – June 28.

Alumni & Student News

Brendan Walsh is producing Heisenberg, directed by Mercedes Ruehl and starring Michael S. Horowitz and T.M. Rawlins, at Chain Theatre through May 11.

Chris Jaymes is a recurring character on Season 5 of Law & Order: Organized Crime, out now on NBC and Peacock.

Wynn McClenahan performs in Doughboys at The Vino Theatre from April 24-30.