Our Class Catalog

MEISNER I: Living Truthfully

Days: Mondays AND Thursdays

Times: 10:30am-2pm OR 7pm-10:30pm

Begins: TBD

Instructor: Robb Maus (with Marco DiGeorge)

This semester is focused on finding your unique voice as an artist. Through this program of study, we will guide you in discovering your own unique perspective and assist you in becoming more present, authentic and responsive to the world around you. We will work toward becoming the full expression of everything that is happening as it is happening.

Utilizing a series of progressive exercises, our vision is for you to learn to trust your instincts and learn to live truthfully under imaginary circumstances.

MEISNER II: Emotional Life

Days: TBD

Times: TBD

Begins: TBD

Instructor: Marco DiGeorge

During this semester, we will create tangible tools, and begin to explore how to create the emotional life needed to fulfill the requirements of scenes, as well as leaning how to personalize the text to make it meaningful to YOU!

NOTE: The completion of the Meisner I is preferred before taking this class. Please let us know if you have any questions.

AUDITIONS I: Technique

Instructor: Robb Maus

Overview: This semester is aimed at building your arsenal with tangible tools for auditioning, from leaning how auditions work and what the casting directors are looking for, to how to conduct a proper cold read, to monologues and agent auditions. This is a great class for those who are new to auditioning, or for those who wish to strengthen their skills more specifically.

AUDITIONS II: Life

Instructor: Marco DiGeorge

Overview: Auditions II will help the actor connect quickly with text and learn how to make quick choices to bring it fully to life. This semester will be heavy in audition application work with a focus on reading with intention. We will focus on film/tv auditions, stage auditions, and commercial auditions.

CHEKHOV I: Psychology of Movement

Instructor: Robb Maus

Overview: This semester will be focused on developing an increased sensitivity to the urges and energies that move us both as human beings and as artists. Through specific and repeated use of concentration, imagination, and physical movement, we will begin to explore and to develop an awareness of the limitless creative potential of your own Creative Individuality.

Utilizing the tools of the Michael Chekhov acting technique, our vision is for you to begin to reconnect with universal human truths, to your own unique creative imagery, and to begin to envision, employ and embody them in your artistic expressions.

CHEKHOV II: Creative Physicality

Instructor: Robb Maus

Overview: While Chekhov I gave us a broad overview of the technique, this semester will be specifically focused on further development, deeper understanding and use of the tools learned in Chekhov I through exercises, improvisation and extensive text work. We will continue developing and deepening sensitivity to the urges and energies that move us both as human beings and as artists.

Through specific and repeated ACTIVE use of concentration, imagination, and physical movement, as well as application to text and performance, we will explore and deepen our awareness of the limitless creative potential of the tools as expressed through your own Creative Individuality.

CRAFT I: The Story of Drama

Instructor: Marco DiGeorge

Overview: Through the Meisner Approach, you learn how to create truthful and powerful life. With Craft, you learn how to USE that life to tell the most affective story. It’s ultimately about the audience’s experience, so it’s critical that we learn how to tell the best story so it is received in the most affective way. Through a series of games, exercises, and text work, we will explore how to use your acting life to its fullest potential.

CRAFT II: The Craft of Comedy

Instructor: Marco DiGeorge

Overview: Much of the foundational work that actors prepare for is within the context of the dramatic narrative. However, comedy is also derived from those same basic dramatic principles. The difference is that comedy relies on specific structure and timing – far more than drama does.

This semester will guide the actor into the principles of comedy, learning the basic structures and staples of comedic writing that bring humor to life. As the old saying goes: Dying is easy, comedy is hard!

DIRECTING I: The Art of Storytelling

Instructor: Marco DiGeorge

Overview:Throughout much of an actor’s training, they only get the limited perspective through their own character’s point of view. They work with directors guiding them through the life and blocking, but many times, they never fully understand why.

This course will put the actor on the other side, allowing them to get the full perspective of storytelling, either through the camera or on-stage. The focus of this semester will be on the directing side, learning on how each choice can enhance or diminish a story. All students will direct and act during this semester.

FILM/TV I: On-Camera Technique

Instructor: Marco DiGeorge

Overview: Forming a solid acting process is the first step to creating rich life within the character we inhabit. It’s essential to have a full amount of life under the surface, and to have the ability to express that life when needed.

However, many actors struggle with the technical layer that exists on top of that life. An actor needs to understand the medium and genre of the production they are in to best convey the story to the audience. The technique varies from stage to commercial to television to film.

During this semester, we will be exploring the technical layer needed to adjust your performance and bring your life fully to the camera.

IMPROV I: A Sense of Play

Instructor: Robb Maus

Overview: In this playful skill building course, will explore various forms of improvisation using specific games and exercises to help the student discover and utilize their own sense of play – to get on stage and perform without any preparation or planning — to simply “make it up as they go along.”

Throughout the course, we will lay out the key components of improvisation as well as dismantling and deconstructing the fears and thoughts that may often prevent us from being fully in the game. We will dispel myths and throw away the rules. We will learn to “do something, anything,” to make connections, recognize patterns, and to truly work joyfully without a net.

Play, in its truest sense, will be our beginning and our primary goal.

MEISNER III: Practical Application

Instructor: Marco DiGeorge

Overview: Over the course of the Master Meisner Program many tools were introduced. However, many actors still struggle with their execution beyond a class environment. It is important that we go back to the basics to work efficiently and simply. During this semester, you will gain an understanding of how and when to utilize each tool, resulting in a deeper, more consistent process of working.

VOICE I: Speaking Truthfully

Instructor: Marco DiGeorge

Overview: A strong, clear voice is essential for quality acting. It’s critical that the audience can hear and understand the actor in every performance! During this semester, we will focus on Vocal Clarity and Specific Use of Voice as we apply it to all forms of acting.

We will also explore the art of Voice-Over for an actor, learning how to use the voice to propel performance in such areas as Commercial Voice-Over, Animation, Gaming, Audio Book Narration, and ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement).