THE MASTER CLASS

Discover the actor inside of you!   By using theatre games, improvisation and scripted material, students will learn basic theatre skills in a supportive, creative and fun environment.   Students learn how to answer the questions all actors must ask in order to successfully approach a script: Who?  Where?  What?  Why?  How?  Exploration of the actor's physical resources of voice and movement will also be studied.

 Speech for the Actor

PRIVATE LESSONS

Students may schedule one on one coaching sessions with a director to prepare for auditions, college admissions or for special projects or needs.  Please call for an appointment

The TV Commercial Industry

  Acting For Film and Television : Level 1

Learn to become more comfortable with dance and movement.  This course combines the traditional styles of jazz, ballet and tap into a fun blend of "Broadway" style dance.  You will learn techniques, steps and combinations commonly used in musical theater dance. 

CLASSES FOR TWEENS / TEENS

NEW THIS FALL!
THE FRIDAY NIGHT SPECIALS

 The Friday Night Acting Club (Ages 10 - 14)

The acting club is a great place to make new friends and have a blast doing different theater activities each week!  The membership card for this “exclusive” club will give you access to performing, games, music, refreshments plus lots of fun!  Activities will include improv with NJSDA’s Nutty by Nature, creating a play, learning musical theater numbers, seeing a 4^th Wall Theater production, Hip Hop, making commercials and more!  Refreshments will be provided!  Card holding club members may invite a guest who must pay an admission fee.  Exclusive restaurant discounts may be available for club member’s parents and guardians!

 TEEN SCREAM!   The Murder Mystery Performance Troupe (Ages 13+)

Get ready for Murder, Mystery and Mayhem!  Creative Teens will perform a “who-dun-it” murder -mystery for a December 14 show.  Murder, suspects, clues and zany scenarios will be created using scripted material and improvisation. Show night will include audience participation during a “cocktail hour” of snacks and soda as they try to solve the mystery for a special prize!  No audition required to be part of the troupe but roles will be assigned during rehearsals.  Rehearsal attendance is required.

Level 3 students will continue to hone their acting technique by working on material individualized for their specific growth.  Work can include monologues, scene study, acting exercises, or other projects of the teacher's choosing.  Continued development of the actor's physical resources will be included.  The semester will culminate in a complete staging of theater pieces performed at our theater!  Prerequisite: Completion of Level 2 AND permission of a director.  Students entering our program for the first time must audition for placement in this program.

Give your imagination a blast of spontaneity!  Learn the basic rules of improvisational comedy and then put them to use playing performance games (similar to "Whose Line Is It Anyway?").  The last class will include a comedy showcase for family and friends.

 This program is designed for our most advanced young performers. Students who are invited to participate in this special performance company have exhibited outstanding merit and desire!  Company members will collaborate on all aspects of the production and each will have a leading-role!  Performances will be Saturday, December 13.  (Dress rehearsal will be Friday, December 12 from 4:30pm - 6:30pm.)  Members are required to be available for the performance and are expected to attend ALL rehearsals. (Exceptions will be considered on an as need basis.)  Prerequisite: Students new to our program must have permission of a director.

This level is for students entering our program for the first time.  The class emphasizes the development of a strong acting technique through the use of theater games, improvisation and scripted material.  Students learn how to answer the questions all actors must ask in order to successfully approach a script: Who?  Where?  What?  Why?  How?  Exploration of the actor's physical resources of voice and movement will also be used.  The last class will be open to invited guests.

In this level we explore characters and relationships on a deeper level. Students discover how action and behavior shape characterization.  They continue to track their character's journey through scenes and monologues;  articulating  the essential elements of building a character, playing objectives, fighting through obstacles and trying to resolve the conflict in the scene.  As always, instructors continue to encourage the unique creativity of each student.  The session culminates in a final open class.  Prerequisite: Successful completion of Level 1 or by interview and audition.

Level 3 students will continue to hone their acting technique by working on material individualized for their specific growth.  Work can include monologues, scene study, acting exercises or other projects of the instructor's choosing.  Continued development of the actor's physical resources will be included.  The semester will culminate in a complete staging of theater pieces performed at our theater!  Prerequisite: Completion of Level 2 AND permission of a director.  Students entering our program for the first time must audition for placement in this program.

This course will teach students how to approach written material for TV and Film: exploring choice, size and physicality in front of the camera. Learn the differences between reading stage scenes and film scripts, and between preparing and developing a character for film versus the stage. Auditioning for the camera will also be covered.  This class is limited to only 10 students!  *Prerequisite: Successful completion or current enrollment in  Acting Level 2 or by permission of a director.

Give your imagination a blast of spontaneity!  Learn the basic rules of improvisational comedy and then put them to use playing performance games (similar to "Whose Line Is It Anyway?").  The last class will include a comedy showcase for family and friends.

Level 1: Voice

In this fun, non-competitive class, students are introduced to the most important element of Musical Theater: the Voice!  By using group numbers, students will learn about vocal technique, proper breathing, diction, projection, the basics of reading music and best of all, the joy of singing!  The last session will be an open class for family and friends.

Level 2: Acting for the Musical Stage

This class is a culmination of the skills taught in levels 1 and 2.  It is designed to develop the TOTAL musical theater performer.  Group numbers, duets and solos from popular musical theater will be used. in addition to scenes from these musicals to help tell the story of the character.  The semester will culminate in a complete staging of musical theater pieces performed at our theater!   *Prerequisite: Successful completion of Level 2 or by permission of instructor.

Learn to become more comfortable with dance and movement.  This course combines the traditional styles of jazz, ballet and tap into a fun blend of "Broadway" style dance.  You will learn techniques, steps and combinations commonly used in musical theater dance.  At the end of the course, we will have an informal performance-an "informance"-where you can share the combinations you have learned!