Isn't it time you took charge of your acting career?

Now Auditioning for the Class of 2012
Email Nia Medina to schedule an audition time.

The Curriculum

The Honors Acting Conservatory Curriculum consists of an ongoing Monday night course in acting technique plus a series of six-week courses that meet once a week. Many of these courses have been specially designed for Honors students; others are drawn from the standard Theatre Lab curriculum. Some classes consist of Honors students alone; others are a mix of Honors and non-Honors students. Most courses require fairly extensive preparation and rehearsal outside of class. Honors students receive special assignments, guidance, and evaluation in all their coursework.

Honors students meet every Monday as a group with at least one of the program Directors (Deb, Buzz and Kim) for advanced improvisation and scene study. Students generally have two other classes during the week, to include the core classes listed below and electives from the full Theatre Lab curriculum.

"I'm often asked why I teach, since I've devoted so much of my life to it, and my answer is always pretty much the same, with variations: There's nothing as exhilarating as experiencing a roomful of people hurling their bodies and their minds into an active exploration of what it means to be human, in ways that would be frowned upon in the typical office job. And I love encouraging that kind of behavior."

— Buzz Mauro

Core Classes

•  Ongoing Monday Night Improvisation and Scene Study

Training in a wide range of theatrical styles and periods, approached from many perspectives, with the aim of arming students with as many techniques as possible for bringing dramatic characters of all times and places to life. Periodic showcases will be presented, open to the public.

•  Stanislavsky

An in-depth look at the foundations of “realistic” acting, as put forth by the founder of modern acting technique, including practical work using his original exercises.

•  Theatre History

A survey of dramatic literature and production from Thespis to Kushner.

•  Voice for the Actor

Rigorous training in vocal production and expression.

•  Movement for the Actor

Physical training designed to promote effective use of the body onstage.

•  Dialect

A course in the fundamental priniciples of dialect, with emphasis on how to pick up any new one.

•  One Performance Class

One double-session course culminating in a full production of a play or musical, or a series of staged readings.

•  One Specialized Acting Class

One course in an advanced aspect of script work or improvisation, such as working with a director, incorporating the presence of an audience, or filling out a character's “backstory.”

•  Auditioning

One course focused on acting solo, developing a broad audition repertoire, and/or dealing with technical aspects of the theatrical audition scenario.

 

"My ideal classroom is a laboratory where students can take big risks without fear of failure in an atmosphere of intellectual rigor, wild imagination, and compassion mixed with a little humor. My role in this mix is part catalyst, part midwife, and in no way omniscient guru. The kind of acting I want my students to discover is a marriage of our most human dichotomies: work that is both vulnerable and driven, playful and disciplined, deeply honest and carefully crafted."

— Kim Schraf

 

Final Project

During the second semester, students team up to direct and act in small-cast plays of their choosing. Scenes from the plays receive attention in the Monday night classes and each play receives full public performances.

 

Final Showcase

All students perform in a showcase at the end of the program, presented to decision makers from across the spectrum of Washington 's professional theatres. The work included is drawn from students' coursework throughout the year, including, but not limited to, the Final Projects.

Email Nia Medina to schedule an audition.
Application materials can be found here.
Coursework begins January 2012.