Workshops

Presented by: Vincent Pastore

You’ve worked hard to develop your acting technique—now what do you need to know in order to take on the business? Your job is to hone the materials you use to present yourself—your photos and resume—then build a network of real relationships. When you make a new contact, when you audition or interview for a role, you may have just a few brief moments to show who you are and what you can do. You must have effective monologues prepared, be ready and able to improvise, be able to take a script apart and make it your own. You must be fully prepared to make an impression when your opportunity comes, however it comes. It’s up to you to convince the people at the table that you will solve their casting problem. Once you have the role, you must be able to bring the character on the page to life, walking and talking. No matter what the circumstances, you need to be able to claim your place in the room and to make the role your own.

Award-winning actor Vincent Pastore has starred on Broadway in Chicago and BULLETS OVER BROADWAY and is co-founder of the Renegade Theater Group. His screen and television credits include THE SOPRANOS, Guy Ritchie’s REVOLVER, and HURRICANE with Denzel Washington. Bringing guest speakers from the industry, Mr. Pastore will work with actors in this 4-week workshop to develop habits of preparation that will help you bring your acting skills to the demands of the business. You will learn to be organized and ready, to make strong and truthful choices, discovering the confidence and authority to stake your unique claim.

Presented by: Snezhana Chernova

This class will run for the last 5 weeks of the Spring Term. If purchased with Discovering Chekhov Through the Method of Etudes 1 – Monologues both for $525

You will continue using the structured improvisation style that was developed by Konstantin Stanislavsky, and that you began exploring in Part 1 when working on monologues. You will work on dialogues and scenes from Anton Chekhov’s plays using your own images, feelings, words and personal experiences, communicating and exchanging ideas truthfully and artistically. You will interact with partners more effectively, trusting and connecting, learning to be co-creators, finding an individual understanding and revealing a unique awareness and appreciation of the playwright’s work.

Presented by: Snezhana Chernova

This class will run for the first 5 weeks of the Spring Term. If purchased with Discovering Chekhov Through the Method of Etudes 2 – Scenes both for $525

This method developed by Konstantin Stanislavsky helps to reveal the psychology of a character and the emotional life in a monologue or scene. While focusing on monologues from the works of Anton Chekhov, you will learn a contemporary approach to the Stanislavsky system designed to improve your ability to be in the moment on stage using your impulses, images and words. This method will help you build depth of character in an organic way, exploring psychological, physical and verbal actions in given circumstances. You will improve the effectiveness of your interactions with partners and break through the problems that block you in performance. You will work on a monologue given by the instructor and one of your own choice.

Presented by Broadway Producer Fran Kirmser –

Held in person: 

If you’ve ever wanted to self-produce a project, now is your chance to jump in!

Self-Producing for Artists is a 2-hour intensive workshop for artists who want to ‘self-produce’ a project and need a plan. Walk in with a specific idea or project, and walk out with a comprehensive plan to accomplish it. Students are provided with a packet of essential guides and a roadmap for their creative project. Upon registration, Fran will hold phone conferences with each student to tailor their path. We will swiftly and productively move through the process below to materialize your idea into a specific action plan!

• Writing and Speaking about your Project
• Developing your work
• Fundraising and Budgeting
• Production Timeline
• Team Building, including Casting
• Pitching your work
• Marketing and Audience Development

*Please review registration prerequisites before enrolling.

“Every single thing about her workshop was valuable. It left me feeling empowered and ready to tackle my creative endeavors.” – Julia Boyles (Artist)

“…the most productive, efficient and inspiring workshop ever. Fran has been in our shoes, she understands challenges. She gives you a structure and a master plan. I left really energized and armed with real funding resources. There are a lot of residencies out there or opportunities to show work as a showcase but there are not that many skilled professionals who take the time to equip you with just the right tools to feel ready to leap into producing your work. To that end, Fran is really a gem in the industry. ” – Caroline Brethenoux (Artist)

“Fran has such a wonderful way of taking things that normally seem very daunting and making them do-able and that is a true gift!”
– Jessica Myers (Artist)

Fran Kirmser is a Tony Award winning Producer, Author and Educator. Broadway Credits include BOB FOSSE’S DANCIN’, AUGUST WILSON’S RADIO GOLF, HAIR, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF, and a sports series for stage Fran conceived and produced including LOMBARDI, MAGIC/BIRD, BRONX BOMBERS. She serves as Executive Producer for the feature film LOMBARDI with Legendary Pictures based on the play…read more

Presented by Josiah Bania – 

To be held in person – 

In this Shakespeare workshop for actors, we begin with reading. Through monologues, soliloquies, and scenes from Shakespeare’s plays, you’ll then learn how to liberate the poetry and feeling in yourself by using the essentials of classic drama — rhythm, structure, passion, and ideas. As you rehearse in front of others, we will focus on the crucial process of building and revealing character.