State School of Acting - Fall Classes

BEGINNING ACTING FOR FILM & STAGE  1st and 4th sessions led by MJ Vandivier, 2nd and 3rd sessions led by Paula Russell
Our most popular class series! A gentle approach conducive to the beginner, this class will focus predominantly on scene study for film and stage. Learn how to establish meaningful and honest relationships through the art of active listening and responding. Learn the tools necessary to be “believable.” Develop your imaginative capacities, unleash your creative impulses, deepen your intuition, and sharpen the analytical skills necessary to “breakdown” a scene.
Sept 6- Oct 11       (6 weeks)       Thursdays            1-3:30PM    $165        DRAM 3034 103
Sept 11-Oct 16      (6 weeks)        Tuesdays             7-10pm      $185        DRAM 3034 100
Sept 19-Oct 24      (6 weeks)        Wednesdays        7-10pm      $185        DRAM 3034 101
Oct 11-Nov 15        (6 weeks)       Thursdays            7-10pm      $185        DRAM 3034 102  

IMPROVISATION 101  Led by Irene White
This class is for students of all levels who are ready to have fun and explore their creative side!  Learn the fundamentals of improvisation from Irene White, an experienced actress and improviser with over 40 national commercials and numerous film credits.  The class’s interactive exercises build listening and communication skills, heighten awareness and teach you how to be more playful, spontaneous and flexible.  Learn improvisation exercises for performance or rehearsals that teach you how to think on the spot, how to manipulate your physicality, how to tell stories and a whole bunch more.
Sept 4-Oct 9          (6 weeks)       Tuesdays             7-10pm       $185        DRAM 3040 100
Oct 30-Dec 4         (6 weeks)       Tuesdays             7-10pm       $185        DRAM 3040 101

ACTING FOR FILM  1st session led by Carol Hickey, 2nd session led by Irene White
This beginning to advanced beginning acting for film class is the most popular class in our Film series.  We focus on achieving a naturalistic acting style through honesty and vulnerability.  The emphasis is on energy, personal power, personality and enjoyment.  The students’ work will be explored through improvisation and scene study from film and television scripts with some videotaping and playback for critique.  Also, short clips will be watched to learn more about filmmaking and the requirements for the actor. 
Sept 5-Oct 10      (6 weeks)       Wednesdays        7-10pm      $185          DRAM 3010 100     *Class Full - Please Call for Wait List* 
Nov 8-Dec 13       (5 weeks)       Thursdays            7-10pm      $160          DRAM 3010 101     (No class Nov 22)   *Class Full - Please Call for Wait List* 

THE CREATIVITY OF ACTING FOR FILM & STAGE  Led by Babs George
This class is led by celebrated Austin actress Babs George (Multiple B. Iden Payne and Critic’s Table award winner for Best Actress).  Intuitive acting- what does it mean?  Where does it come from?  How do you get there consistently?  Ms. George uses the teachings of Charles Conrad to explore ‘living in the moment’.   Improvisation and cold reading scenes will be the bulk of the class work.  Both film and stage scripts will be used, with some work filmed for playback and critique.
Sept 10-Oct 15    (6 weeks)        Mondays               7-10pm       $185         DRAM 3003 100 

BEGINNING ACTING II  1st session led by Paula Russell, 2nd session led by Joyce Aldridge
This pre-intermediate course is for students who have taken previous beginning acting classes and would like to build upon the foundation they have received. Students will practice scene study and/or monologue work.  Focus will be on strengthening scene breakdown, listening and responding to one's scene partner and following one's inner impulses. Additionally, students will explore their imaginative responses and emotional accessibility.
Oct 30-Dec 4        (6 weeks)        Tuesdays              7-10pm      $185          DRAM 9002 100   *Class Full - Please Call for Wait List*
Nov 7-Dec 12        (5 weeks)        Wednesdays        7-10pm      $185          DRAM 9002 101   (No Class Nov. 21)

MUSICAL THEATRE  Led by Adam Roberts
This is a beginning to advanced beginning class. Participants in this class will explore acting and vocal techniques for musical theatre.  Learn the skills necessary to build a dynamic, powerful singing voice and meld your acting and singing into one. Topics covered will include acting your song, vocal alignment and placement, choosing unique audition cuts, developing a rep book and more. Students should come prepared to the first class with a song from the musical theatre repertoire.
Sept 6-Oct 4        (5 weeks)         Thursdays            7-10 pm       $160        DRAX 4040 101

SCENE STUDY THRU IMAGINATION  Led by Carol Hickey    *NEW CLASS*
This class is for Advanced Beginners to Intermediate Actors. Carol studied extensively with Master Teacher, Harry Mastrogeorge in Los Angeles and teaches his technique. Mr. Mastrogeorge hit upon the idea of changing one’s “state of mind” through the power of the imagination in order to realize a deeper level of reality in performance, resulting in more authentic, dimensional and resonant work. Taking the mystery out of the creative process, Ms. Hickey offers a straightforward approach to both the mentality of acting as well as the work. This work of this class differs from typical scene study classes in that it involves creating the world of the character using a comprehensive imagination process. The class requires no outside rehearsal, but at least one hour of homework each day.
Oct 14-Dec 9        (8 weeks)          Sundays               6-9 pm         $245        DRAX 3023 100  (No Class 11/18)

CREATIVITY ONGOING CLASS  Led by Babs George
This class is designed to continue the work begun in The Creativity class for Film & Stage. Accessing right brain, intuitive state is a constant challenge, and this class focuses on continuing Charles Conrads’ exercises. Cold reading and preparing scenes both from film and stage scripts are the bulk of the work. Script analysis will be a part of the investigation of scene.  Monologues will be worked on for the General Audition for the stage, as well as for assessing close-up work for the camera.  Come prepared with a 1-2 minute monologue.
Oct 29-Dec 3       (6 weeks)         Mondays               7-10pm       $175         DRAX 3008 100

IMPROVISATION 102  Led by Irene White
This class is for students who already know the basics of Improvisation and want to expand their scene work and understanding of the pieces of a long-form piece of theatre.  In this class, while focusing on Relationship, we will work extensively on Openings, Space Work, and Tag Outs. We will emphasize group mind and ensemble to perform a fearless Montage by the sessions end.
Sept 9-Oct 21      (6 weeks)         Sundays               5-8pm           $185        (No class Oct 14)
Oct 28-Dec 9       (6 weeks)         Sundays               5-8pm           $185

INTERMEDIATE ACTING FOR FILM   1st session led by Irene White, 2nd session led by Carol Hickey
We focus on achieving a naturalistic acting style through honesty and vulnerability.  The emphasis is on energy, personal power, personality and enjoyment.  The students’ work will be explored through improvisation and scene study from film and television scripts with some videotaping and playback for critique.   Pre-requisite: Must have previous training or experience.
Sept 13-Oct 18    (6 weeks)        Thursdays            7-10pm        $185        DRAM 3011 100
Oct 31-Dec 12      (6 weeks)        Wednesdays        7-10pm        $185        DRAM 3011 101   (No class Nov. 21)

CREATING CHARACTER/ THE PHYSICAL ACTOR  Led by Paula Russell
Contemplate this year's award nominated performances- the actors who thrill us are doing complex character work. We will focus on each individual actor creating a Real Life character physically and then discovering the Here and Now emotional life based on Circumstances and Urgent Intentions. Think of Chaplin, Monroe, J. Edgar, Thatcher, Capote (2 different and brilliant versions), Cate Blanchett as Dylan!  Research and rehearsal is essential for this class- students must enroll at least a week in advance of the first class as prep work will be assigned before the first session. It will be fun: you get to steal and imitate and then make it yours.  Prerequisite: Previous acting training or experience.
Sept 14-Oct 26    (6 weeks)        Fridays                 11am-2pm    $185       (No class Oct 19) 
Nov 9-Dec 14      (5 weeks)        Fridays                 11am-2pm    $160       (No class Nov 23)

ADVANCED MUSICAL THEATRE INTENSIVE  Led by Adam Roberts
This musical theatre intensive will provide a rigorous, eighteen-hour workshop experience for advanced participants.  Our work will center primarily on each student's existing rep and be conducted in master class format; additional topics covered will be determined by the needs and desires of the class as a whole.  We'll focus on musical theatre-specific vocal technique and methods for acting songs, as well as developing a new audition cut for each participant.  Enrollment is limited to advanced students with prior training and experience.
Oct 6- Nov 17      (6 weeks)       Saturdays              11am-2pm     $225       DRAX 4040 10

THE SPEAKING VOICE 101  Led by MJ Vandivier
An actor’s voice is one of their most important tools-–discover how you can make a great first impression with your voice or talk for hours without losing steam. Mj Vandivier, a Certified Lessac Voice and Body Trainer, leads, encourages, and grounds students in processes of voice dynamics. She’ll guide you through vocal and body warm-ups and teach you the most effective way to use your ‘instrument’. This class is a pre-requisite for the Dialect training class.  This class has a $10.00 materials fee, due at the first session.
Sept 10-Oct 15    (6 weeks)        Mondays               7-10pm         $185       DRAM 3019 100     *Class Full - Please Call for Wait List*

DIALECT TRAINING FOR FILM & STAGE  Led by Mj Vandivier
This fall we’re offering two of the most frequently requested dialects especially for games and apps–Russian and British (RP), and British is always needed for the stage.  Instructor Mj Vandivier, practicing certified Lessac teacher, encourages actors to not only speak well, but also have the ability to step into a variety of accents whenever they are asked to do so.  The Lessac approach to dialects is one of the easiest to understand, yet most comprehensive methods to learn. 
Oct. 29-Dec. 3      (6 weeks)        Mondays               7-10pm         $185       DRAX 3017 100

Several State Theatre School of Acting teachers offer private studies to older teens and adults. Areas of study range from auditioning for film and stage, Shakespeare, Voice, Monologues and more. Contact the school for more information: 512-692-0517.