Washington's Comprehensive Acting Conservatory
for Young Adults

The 2008
Summer Acting
Institute
for Teens

Registration is now closed.
We hope you will apply next year!

An intense four-week training program for 13-18 year olds
culminating in a full production of

The Crucible
by Arthur Miller

Monday-Friday, 1-6pm
June 30-July 25
with evening performance on July 24

 

ABOUT THE SUMMER ACTING INSTITUTE

The Theatre Lab’s Summer Acting Institute for Teens is designed to immerse young adults in the art of acting—from mastering the essential principles of the craft to participating in a public performance of The Crucible at the end of the four weeks.

The curriculum includes audition seminars, improvisational workshops, voice and movement training, and scene study, as well as special programs designed to give interested students insight into the workings of the professional theatre community.  In addition to the daily training, students perform The Crucible, Arthur Miller’s thrilling drama set during the Salem Witch Trials, at the conclusion of the four-week session.

All institute classes are taught by professional actors and directors.  The summer program is directed by actor Deb Gottesman, a founder and co-director of The Theatre Lab, and includes a staff of highly trained instructors and specialists.

 

ACTING CLASSES

Summer Acting Institute participants take all of the following courses:

The Drama Workshop: An improvisational workshop designed to explore core acting skills, including: creating a character, activating needs, developing spontaneity and focus, and communicating effectively with others on stage.  Students will be challenged to discover new ways of thinking, expressing themselves, and creating.

Auditioning:  A two-day seminar designed to prepare students to perform monologues in an audition setting, this course focuses on developing confidence, rechanneling nervous energy into creative energy, and using the body and voice effectively to tell a story.  At the conclusion of the seminar, students use their monologues to audition for the Scene Showcase.  All students who audition for the Showcase receive substantial and interesting roles.

Stage Movement:  Designed to increase the actor’s range of movement and physical expressiveness, this course incorporates elements of mime, dance, and improvisation, as well as training in relaxation and posture development, in order to maximize the potential of the body on stage.

Voice and Speech:  Designed to give students the skills they need for clear, effective speech on stage, this course focuses on developing proper breath control, improving diction and projection, dialect, and maximizing the flexibility and range of the voice.

Scene Study:  An intensive exploration of scripted work, this course focuses on developing the actor’s process through the introduction of powerful rehearsal techniques.  Course culminates in a free, public performance of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.  All students will receive substantial roles in the final production.

In addition to the above classes, students participate in a variety of special workshops—such as acting for film and TV, mask work, and stage combat—led by guest artists from the Washington theatre community

 

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DIRECTOR

Deb Gottesman (Program Director, Session II) is a professional actress who has appeared frequently at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, where she originated the role of Cass in the premiere of Wonder of the World—a role subsequently played off-Broadway by Sarah Jessica Parker. She has also appeared at Arena Stage, Signature Theatre, Source Theatre, Washington Jewish Theater and with the Washington Shakespeare Company, among others. She received her M.F.A. from Catholic University and has taught drama at the Round House Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre and American University. She has also served as Director of Afterschool Activities for the Sidwell Friends Lower School. Along with Buzz Mauro, she founded and directs The Theatre Lab and has co-authored three books on applied acting, all published by Penguin Putnam.

 

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ADMISSION

The Theatre Lab is dedicated to providing affordable, accessible training for students seriously interested in learning about the acting process. 

All applicants must complete a written essay expressing their interest in the program. Applicants must also prepare a 90-second monologue for an audition that will be scheduled upon receipt of completed application.

Please note: Due to the limited nature of our enrollment, admission is competitive. After we receive your application, you will be contacted to schedule an interview.

 

TUITION

Tuition for the Summer Acting Institute is $625. Partial financial aid is available through our Work Study program. In addition, two full scholarships will be awarded annually. (Criteria: exceptional community involvement and financial need.)

Registration is now closed.
We hope you will apply next year!

Auditions will be scheduled upon receipt of completed application.

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COMMENTS FROM THEATRE LAB PARTICIPANTS

"The Theatre Lab pushed me to greater heights. I needed motivation and it gave it to me."

"I feel like I learned much more than I ever would have expected to learn in one month."

"The people were incredible. I made friends I'll never forget."

"This was what I was looking for. The program challenged me and gave me upgraded acting techniques along with less self-consciousness.”

"I can honestly say that this is the most fun I have had in anything I have done."

 

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WHAT MAKES THE SUMMER ACTING INSTITUTE UNIQUE?

The Summer Acting Institute was founded by people who believe that acting is the most FUN thing you could ever do. We therefore create an atmosphere that encourages students to have a great time and develop strong friendships with others who share this special interest.

We not only offer young actors the opportunity to study with working theatre PROFESSIONALS, but we also treat our students like the serious artists we know they are.

Our focus is on TRAINING, not performance. Our classes are designed to give students an exciting, intensive acting experience that will prepare them to work in any theatre setting—not just ours.

We believe that every student who has a committed interest in learning to act should be given a chance to do so. We guarantee that everyone who participates in the program will have CHALLENGING ROLES to play. In other words, no one will be "third person from the left in the chorus"!

We also care about our students as people—not merely as actors. We understand that theatre is a means through which individuals make DISCOVERIES about themselves and their lives, and we look forward to seeing our students take this creative journey.