Classes

SAT 1–4pm · 7/19 · $85

The Meisner technique (one of the most widespread and renowned acting techniques of the past century) was designed to create work that is raw, spontaneous, truthful, and alive. This teaser workshop will give participants a taste of the technique’s foundational principles in order to hone students’ listening skills, which are essential to every great performance.

With practice of this technique, students will develop more self-awareness about their inner experiences, respond organically and intuitively to an acting partner's emotional life, and break through habitual patterns to spark more freedom in their work. This course is equally suited for seasoned actors looking to deepen truthfulness and spontaneity in their performances as well as any human interested in cultivating their voice and taking risks in a safe space. Participants will be encouraged to show up as the most authentic versions of themselves, with a willingness to look at the social habits that may be getting in the way of honest human connection.

Instructor: Carolyn McCandlish has taught the Meisner acting technique at NYU Tisch’s Experimental Theatre Wing, the Terry Knickerbocker Studio, Acting Studio Chicago, the Actors' Center D.C., and the Greenbrier Valley Theatre. Carolyn trained with Terry Knickerbocker in two subsequent 2-year Meisner conservatory programs, first as an actor at the William Esper Studio, then again as a teaching apprentice while assisting the opening of his own Terry Knickerbocker Studio. Other creative mentors over the years include Maggie Flanigan, Fay Simpson, Richard Armstrong, Elena McGhee, Alisa Endsley, Ted Morin, and Jeff Wirth. Some of Carolyn's favorite theatre credits are The Spoon River Project (Green-Wood Cemetery), Crimes of the Heart (Fable Farm Theatre), Stomp and Shout (Babel Theatre Project), and Donnie Darko (American Repertory Theater). She was a founding member of art.party.theater.company, which specialized in designing creative performance installations and reinvigorating classical texts through site-specific, physical theater, and she co-founded the interactive, dramatic improv ensemble Playing With Reality, with which she performed and taught in Amsterdam and across New York City. Carolyn co-wrote, co-produced, assistant directed and acted in Whispers in the Dark, an interactive 24-hour film project for the New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center. She received a B.A. from Harvard and a Master's in Social Work from NYU with an additional focus on therapeutic drama techniques. She is a firm believer in the healing and transformative powers of acting.

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SAT 10am–1pm · 8/9 · $85

Good acting requires bold, truthful action in order to achieve our objectives. Using a variety of exercises, games, and neutral scenes, actors will explore actions (otherwise known as tactics or verbs) that are strong, embodied, and effective, resulting in performances that are both specific and alive.  

Instructor: Carolyn McCandlish has taught the Meisner acting technique at NYU Tisch’s Experimental Theatre Wing, the Terry Knickerbocker Studio, Acting Studio Chicago, the Actors' Center D.C., and the Greenbrier Valley Theatre. Carolyn trained with Terry Knickerbocker in two subsequent 2-year Meisner conservatory programs, first as an actor at the William Esper Studio, then again as a teaching apprentice while assisting the opening of his own Terry Knickerbocker Studio. Other creative mentors over the years include Maggie Flanigan, Fay Simpson, Richard Armstrong, Elena McGhee, Alisa Endsley, Ted Morin, and Jeff Wirth. Some of Carolyn's favorite theatre credits are The Spoon River Project (Green-Wood Cemetery), Crimes of the Heart (Fable Farm Theatre), Stomp and Shout (Babel Theatre Project), and Donnie Darko (American Repertory Theater). She was a founding member of art.party.theater.company, which specialized in designing creative performance installations and reinvigorating classical texts through site-specific, physical theater, and she co-founded the interactive, dramatic improv ensemble Playing With Reality, with which she performed and taught in Amsterdam and across New York City. Carolyn co-wrote, co-produced, assistant directed and acted in Whispers in the Dark, an interactive 24-hour film project for the New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center. She received a B.A. from Harvard and a Master's in Social Work from NYU with an additional focus on therapeutic drama techniques. She is a firm believer in the healing and transformative powers of acting.

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TUE 7–9:30pm · 7/8, 7/15, 7/22, 7/29, 8/5, 8/12 · $290

This course explores the craft of acting in an encouraging and collaborative atmosphere. Students will develop a basic understanding of acting fundamentals through Stanislavski-based practice. Using exercises and scene work, this class introduces students to the elements of dramatic action, text analysis, and character development, as well as the tools for releasing inhibitions and expanding vocal and physical range.

No experience necessary. May be repeated.

Instructor: Marvin Greene is a professional actor and has performed with major regional theatres such as ACT, Aurora Theatre Company, Marin Theatre Company, Westport Country Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and San Jose Rep. Marvin served as an instructor at ACT for over a decade and also teaches at the Academy of Art College and Voice One in San Francisco. Marvin has taught at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre since 2003.

This class is now SOLD OUT. Please register for our waitlist.

SAT 10am–12:30pm · 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/9, 8/16 (no class 8/2) · $265

This course explores the craft of acting in an encouraging and collaborative atmosphere. Students will develop a basic understanding of acting fundamentals through Stanislavski-based practice. Using exercises and scene work, this class introduces students to the elements of dramatic action, text analysis, and character development, as well as the tools for releasing inhibitions and expanding vocal and physical range.

No experience necessary. May be repeated.

Instructor: Teresa Salas (she/her) is a performance practitioner, teacher and mother. She has worked in physical theater, dance and movement-based performances. Her voice and acting training took place within the Grotowski tradition, having worked at Grotowski’s Workcenter in Italy for 5 years. She is a member of the dance company Danza CIEC in Chile, and has participated in numerous experimental productions during the past 10 years. She has also worked as a movement lecturer for theater students in various professional schools, and undergraduate Theater programs in Chile. Her work grapples with the study of movement, voice and singing both for stage productions and performance as research. Her interest lies in finding collaborative tools for creation and the study of kinesthetics as a mean to deconstruct our social experience, from an anti-racist, postcolonial and feminist lens her work intends to observe other ways to look at creative procedures. She holds an MFA from University of California, Davis – Dramatic Arts and B.A Performing art —Theatre from Paris University Vincennes-Saint-Denis. 

This class is now SOLD OUT. Please register for our waitlist.

WED 7–9:30pm · 7/9, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30, 8/6, 8/13 · $290

Building upon skills and tools learned in Beginning Acting, students will have the opportunity to delve deeper into character development and scene study while exploring new approaches to physicality and vocality. Special emphasis is placed on encouraging students to make dramatically effective choices by playing provocative actions, discovering the event within the scene, and finding creative obstacles. 

Prerequisite: Prior acting experience or previous acting classes at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre or another reputable theatre studio that stressed the fundamentals of text analysis, beat breakdown, and character objectives. May be repeated.

Instructor: Deborah Eubanks been teaching and directing voice, acting, and speech, to actors and non-actors for over 3 decades in UK and US. She is currently in her 7th year with Strictly Speaking Group, coaching under EDI, and in her 12th year at Academy of Art University, where she has built classes and is  teaching Acting and Voice. Deb has been with BRT for over 15 years. She received her Theater Arts degree in UK at Harold Pinter Studios, UEA, and has written and performed in Covent Garden Arts Center, Cambridge. Deb has also toured the UK with a series of one woman shows. Deborah has taught Voice, Acting Techniques and Dialects at American Conservatory Theatre,  University of San Francisco and S.F. Shakespeare. Deborah was the 2021, inspirational speaker at Google Women’s summit, and has created workshops specifically for LGBTQ vocal transitioning. She is a trained Registered Nursing Instructor and has an extensive understanding of anatomy of voice and speech. She was in residence with Stephen Hawking’s company and has an acting resume which includes many classic and contemporary roles. She is an SF Divafest Playwright, and in October 2021, she was guest to Ralph Fiennes’s dialect coach for The Dig, on BBC radio. 

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MON 7–9:30pm · 7/7, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4, 8/11 · $290

Advanced Acting is an intensive scene study course. Students focus on solidifying technique, deepening internal connection, and strengthening textual analysis skills. Scenes will be drawn from the absurdist genre, which grapples with existential themes while utilizing dark humor and satire to disrupt traditional storytelling conventions.

Students should plan to spend time rehearsing assigned scenes outside of class.   

Instructor: Phil Wong (he/him) is a multi-hyphenate, award-winning artist from the city of Oakland. As an theatre actor, recent regional credits include Duch in the national tour of Cambodian Rock Band (A Contemporary Theatre), Louis in Revenge Song (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Henry in The Headlands (American Conservatory Theater), and as a guest artist in the national tour of the Tony Award-winning Freestyle Love Supreme (American Conservatory Theater, Portland Center Stage). Local credits include work with SF Playhouse, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, ZSpace, Word for Word Performing Arts Company, Marin Theater, Shotgun Players, Lamplighters Music Theatre, Killing My Lobster, Hillbarn Theatre & Conservatory, Los Altos Stage Company, Palo Alto Players, Ray of Light Theatre, California Shakespeare Theater ("RIP!"), Bay Area Children's Theatre ("RIP!"), EXIT Theatre ("RIP!"), and Cutting Ball Theater ("RIP!"). 

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THU 7–9pm · 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31, 8/7, 8/14 · $265

Find new meaning in your approach to text through the lens of theatre history! In this class, we will read and discuss 6 plays from 6 major eras of theatre history. Starting with Sophocles, we will move through time with Shakespeare, Molière, Chekov, O’Neil, and finally Beckett.

This is not a literature class – each week we read and break down scenes from each play – beat by beat – focusing on how analysis might change throughout different historical periods and how script analysis can empower your work in rehearsal and performance. We will draw heavily on script analysis techniques from “Backwards and Forwards”, “The Persuasive Actor” and Stella Adler’s books.

Note: This class is online and will be held via zoom. Zoom links will be sent to students 24 hours before the start of class. 

Instructor: James Wagner is a New York based actor with a BFA from UC Santa Barbara, and MFA from The American Conservatory Theatre, and a PhD from CIIS. James has been acting professionally for 25 years and teaching for almost as long. He loves intensive study of playwrights and is passionate about understanding the history of theatre and the evolution of acting as a craft.

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MON 7–10pm · 7/7, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28 · $250

Clowning is an inclusive art-form open to all actors and non-actors who want to embrace the importance of community, communication, healing through humor, and discovering spontaneity within an authentic performance. Through a series of fun exercises that challenge students to step out of their comfort zone by donning a red nose, the take away can be intoxicatingly joyous, transformative, and thrilling in it’s power to heal and embrace your inner child.

Instructor: Since 2006, Stefan Haves has specialized in building and fixing clown acts for Cirque du Soleil. He is an award-winning cirque/theatre director and master teacher who spans the globe elevating spirit through the lens of physical comedy, circus, and clown. Haves was a scene-study and improvisational comedy teacher in Los Angeles and acting coach on the hit television show Roseanne. In the Bay Area, Haves directed the dinner-variety hit show Teatro Zinzanni for six years, and has collaborated with such luminaries as Joan Baez, Val Kilmer, and Tim Robbins. He is a best-selling author and published his first book on clowning, “The Power of HA” in 2023.  

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WED 7–9:30pm · 7/9, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30, 8/6, 8/13 · $290

Discover how to breathe new life into Shakespeare by adapting the original practices of the 16th Century for 21st Century performances. In this class, we'll explore physicality, breath, projection, diction, characterization, and how to combine heightened verse with Stanislavsky techniques. Using techniques developed at Shakespeare’s Globe in London, you will come away from this class with a usable audition monologue and a unique understanding of how to craft a Shakespeare performance for today’s stage. Additionally, students will get a taste of the authentic Elizabethan player experience through the use of onstage music, puzzling “cue scripts,” limited rehearsal time, and lively audience interaction with your fellow classmates! 

Instructor: Paul Jennings, a Bay Area native, has performed Shakespeare locally and abroad over the last 40 years.  A deep love of history, theatre, and travel has led him to performing in places as diverse as Shakespeare's Globe, London, to the streets of Seoul Korea. Notable credits include: Antipholus of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors (Pop-up Globe, New Zealand)  Macbeth (Berkeley Rep) with Frances McDormand and Conleth Hill, Jerry in Harold Pinter's Betrayal (Pacific Repertory Theatre), Richard III, in Dick 3 (Theatrepub), Judge Danforth, in The Crucible (Custom Made Theatre Co.), Pilate in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, and John Wayne Gacy in Behind the Screams: Killer Clown for the Reelz Network. Paul has trained at A.C.T, CalShakes, Berkeley Rep, and Shakespeare's Globe, London.

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SAT 10am–12:30pm · 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2, 8/9, 8/16 · $290

Students will focus on creating character by thoroughly understanding the relationship between the text, situation, and the technical aspects of camera work. When these fundamental tools are genuinely understood and used correctly, only then can actors be free to work to the best of their ability in front of a camera. Areas of study will include script analysis, scene study, and character development, as well as camera technique, set discipline, and set etiquette. All scenes will be rehearsed with direction from the instructor, and copies will be given to students for their reference; please bring a 16GB SD card. A variety of other subjects will also be discussed relating to the business side of show business, including audition technique, agents, union membership, photographs, and websites.

Instructor: Marvin Greene is a professional actor and has performed with major regional theatres such as ACT, Aurora Theatre Company, Marin Theatre Company, Westport Country Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and San Jose Rep. Marvin served as an instructor at ACT for over a decade and also teaches at the Academy of Art College and Voice One in San Francisco. Marvin has taught at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre since 2003.

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WED 7–9:30pm · 7/9, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30, 8/6, 8/13 · $290

Build a strong portfolio of audition pieces for both film and theater!  Monologues are an important tool to help you thrive in the audition process—and they are a tool that many actors overlook. In this class we’ll look at types of monologues and situations that call for different kinds of pieces, examine how to take a monologue apart, rehearse it, and set it on its feet, and discuss the kinds of monologues that every auditioning actor should have in their portfolio. Lastly, we’ll experiment with the difference between using monologues for theater and for film. The etiquette for each type of audition will be discussed and practiced, as well as how to film your own audition for self-submissions.

Instructor: Marvin Greene is a professional actor and has performed with major regional theatres such as ACT, Aurora Theatre Company, Marin Theatre Company, Westport Country Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and San Jose Rep. Marvin served as an instructor at ACT for over a decade and also teaches at the Academy of Art College and Voice One in San Francisco. Marvin has taught at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre since 2003.

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THU 7–9:30pm · 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31, 8/7, 8/14 · $290

Six days.  Six classes. Six tools for your artistic tool kit. Each class with explore a different concepts and exercises from the teachings of Jacques LeCoq. You will begin to see the world around you in a new way whether as an actor, director, writer or deviser of theatre. You will taste test the economy of movement, the elements, color, the neutral mask, the clown and auto-cours. On the sixth class we will hold a short presentation for friends and family. 

Instructor: Nancy Gold is a multifaceted performing artist, director, teacher, and author of Finding Your Funny Bone! The Actor’s Guide to Physical Comedy and Characters. She has studied physical theatre in Paris with Jacques LeCoq, mime with Claude Kipnis, and clowning with Ctibor Turba. She has a BFA from the University of Illinois and a Master’s equivalence. She teaches at Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, ACT Young Conservatory, Academy of Art University, California Shakespeare Theater, Marin Theatre, UCLA, and public and private schools throughout the country. Directing credits include A Servant of Two Masters, Pippi Longstocking, Madeline and the Gypsies, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, as well as numerous original plays about empowering women for young audiences and adaptations based on literature. Nancy performs comedy and vaudeville with her partner, Lol Levy.

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THU 7–9:30pm · 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31, 8/7, 8/14 · $290

Play helps us stay connected — through improv you can bring play and laughter into your life! This class is designed to introduce you to the thrills and chills of improv and to develop your acting and narrative skills to boot, all while reconnecting with others in real time. Tap into your sense of joy, connection, and creativity as you learn the basic building blocks of improv! 

Instructor: George Higgins was a public defender in Alameda County for 28 years. He currently teaches an improv class entitled Listening and Communicating: Stagecraft for Lawyers at Berkeley Law. In 2021, he was appointed the Distinguished Practitioner in Residence at Cornell Law School. At Cornell he created a class in improv, storytelling and trial advocacy. He has taught that class at Cornell the past three years. He was a guest lecturer in the Trial Skills Program at Stanford Law School from 1997 to 2020. He has been an active improviser since 2007 and has performed with the Berkeley Rep Performance Lab, Stone Soup Improv and the (i)ncidentalists. He has also been a student performer at BATS Improv in the summer intensive program. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School. 

This class is now SOLD OUT. Please register for our waitlist.

TUE 7–10pm · 7/8, 7/15, 7/22, 7/29 · $290

Instructor Stefan Haves is an avid improv performer and teacher who has trained with pioneering  teachers and studios such as: Paul Sills, Keith Johnstone, Dell Close, Second City, and the Groundlings. The class is open to actors and non-actors alike and will delve into character, object, and space work. Students will thrive in a safe container enabling creativity and risk-taking in order to harness their imaginative potential. No matter what, we will play and laugh. A lot.

Instructor: Since 2006, Stefan Haves has specialized in building and fixing clown acts for Cirque du Soleil. He is an award-winning cirque/theatre director and master teacher who spans the globe elevating spirit through the lens of physical comedy, circus, and clown. Haves was a scene-study and improvisational comedy teacher in Los Angeles and acting coach on the hit television show Roseanne. In the Bay Area, Haves directed the dinner-variety hit show Teatro Zinzanni for six years, and has collaborated with such luminaries as Joan Baez, Val Kilmer, and Tim Robbins. He is a best-selling author and published his first book on clowning, “The Power of HA” in 2023.  

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TUE 7–10pm · 7/8, 7/15, 7/22, 7/29, 8/5, 8/12 · $350  

This class introduces the skill of performing improvisational games and stories in a light and generous atmosphere. Students explore the philosophy of “giving” rather than “shining,” and practice interaction techniques that demystify the perceived barriers between performers and an audience. There will be two scheduled performances during the 9-week time frame.

Prerequisite: Students must have taken Intermediate Improv and/or a previous session of Improv Performance Lab at Berkeley Rep, or must email school@berkeleyrep.org for instructor approval prior to registration.

Instructor: Diana Brown is an award winning performing and teaching artist, a producer, director and playwright. She was named Most Valuable Mentor and Teacher at the San Francisco Improv Festival. She’s taught with Laguna Playhouse, Grupology, and as a guest teaching artist at City College San Francisco. She is Director of Community and Senior Producer with Leela Improv Theatre Companyin San Francisco. She serves as director for the improv ensemble The Professionals. Diana is also a communication facilitator, working with physicians and business leaders, helping them to interact with patients and clients in ways that promote empathy and cultural equity. She is half of the nationally touring improv comedy duo Bingewatch. Bingewatch was awarded Best Improv at the Fringe Festival of Pittsburgh. She’s performed and presented workshops at festivals around the country including San Francisco Sketch Fest, New York Improv Festival, Twin Cities Improv Festival, New Orleans Improv Fest, Vintage Improv Fest, Denver Improv Festival, 2nd Best Comedy Fest, San Francisco Improv Fest, Tucson Comedy Arts Fest. She’s appeared in theater productions in New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C. Diana has studied with master improv teachers from Second City, IO, Annoyance Theatre, UCB, The Pack Theatre. She studied performing arts with the Arizona Theatre Company Conservatory. Diana co-authored and performed the solo play When You Are Called with award winning playwright Susan Jackson.

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MON 7–10pm · 7/7, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4, 8/11 · $350 

Advanced Improv Performance Lab is designed for experienced improv artists looking to continue developing their craft. We’ll be placing an emphasis on acting for the theatre combined with a rich exploration of improvisational theatre forms and practices.

Moving beyond simple games, the ensemble will explore genres and narrative structures, enabling them to create spontaneous theatre with rich, fully developed characters that celebrate the human condition. We’ll create an ensemble whose goal is to present professional level, improvisational theatre performances, providing students opportunities to learn about branding and marketing an improv ensemble, with the goal of appearing at improv festivals and theaters. We’ll also explore Applied Improvisation in business and educational settings. 

Auditions will be held on May 31 from 10:30am–1pm at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, located at 2071 Addison St. Please bring a current photo and resumé sharing your acting and improv experience and training.

Prerequisites: Beginning Improv, Intermediate Improv, and two cycles of Improv Performance Lab. Commensurate experience will also be considered. 

Instructor: Diana Brown is an award winning performing and teaching artist, a producer, director and playwright. She was named Most Valuable Mentor and Teacher at the San Francisco Improv Festival. She’s taught with Laguna Playhouse, Grupology, and as a guest teaching artist at City College San Francisco. She is Director of Community and Senior Producer with Leela Improv Theatre Companyin San Francisco. She serves as director for the improv ensemble The Professionals. Diana is also a communication facilitator, working with physicians and business leaders, helping them to interact with patients and clients in ways that promote empathy and cultural equity. She is half of the nationally touring improv comedy duo Bingewatch. Bingewatch was awarded Best Improv at the Fringe Festival of Pittsburgh. She’s performed and presented workshops at festivals around the country including San Francisco Sketch Fest, New York Improv Festival, Twin Cities Improv Festival, New Orleans Improv Fest, Vintage Improv Fest, Denver Improv Festival, 2nd Best Comedy Fest, San Francisco Improv Fest, Tucson Comedy Arts Fest. She’s appeared in theater productions in New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C. Diana has studied with master improv teachers from Second City, IO, Annoyance Theatre, UCB, The Pack Theatre. She studied performing arts with the Arizona Theatre Company Conservatory. Diana co-authored and performed the solo play When You Are Called with award winning playwright Susan Jackson. 

Direct registration link will be sent to selected students after auditions.

SAT 10am–2pm · 6/28, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2, 8/9 (staged readings 8/14–8/17) · $575

This program is for playwrights who are interested in an intensive developmental workshop period of 6 weeks, followed by a staged reading of the work in an open workshop setting. The workshop is an exciting process that moves scripts from the page to the first stage of production: a staged reading. It’s a hands-on production program that requires writers to take the lead in the staging of your play, participate in the readings of other writers in the group, and generate an audience for your own reading (if you want one). The culminating showcase amounts to the presentation of eight new plays in four days. It's an exhilarating experience, and a demanding one. Be prepared to work hard and learn a lot. 

All writers are required to participate as readers in workshop presentations. Class size is limited to 8 writers.

Instructor approval required for enrollment. Please submit the following by e-mail to school@berkeleyrep.org: 

• A brief description of the project you plan to work on in the class.
• A PDF draft of the script (partial drafts are acceptable).

Instructor: Gary Graves is a playwright and director living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since 1998, he has been a company co-director of Central Works “The New Play Theater” in Berkeley, California, where he has overseen the development of over 65 world premiere productions. He received a PhD in dramatic art at UC Berkeley in 1994, and he teaches playwriting at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre throughout the year.

Direct registration link will be emailed to approved participants.

MON 7–9:30pm · 7/7, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4, 8/11 · $290

In this class students will examine the principles of directing for the stage including : 

• The dynamics of staging and creating beautiful pictures that tell the story efficiently and effectively 
• Best practices in rehearsal – managing actors, time and energy 
• Working with actors – nurturing relationships, the language of actors, conflict negotiation, and how to effect a meeting of minds 
• Play and scene analysis – detailed steps for breaking down a scene for actors 
• Communicating with a creative team and incorporating lights, costumes, props and set effectively 

This is a class for beginners and experienced directors. Instructor is prepared to meet you where you are. Students will work on a scene for the six-week period which will be presented at the close of the semester. should come with an idea of a play they are interested in directing and a chosen scene from that play. Students should choose scenes that are easily cast (one or two people) unless they already have actors committed to their project. Monologues are also welcome. 

Instructor: Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe is an award-winning theatre artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than 30 years. Edris is founding director of experimental theatre company, Black Artists Contemporary Cultural Experience (BACCE), an affiliate artist of Campo Santo, and a core company member of Word For Word. Locally Edris has directed at Magic Theatre, TheatreWorks, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, American Conservatory Theater, SF Playhouse, Z Space, Aurora Theatre, Cutting Ball, Word For Word and BACCE. Edris has directed nationally at Trinity Rep in Providence, Curious Theater in Denver, WaterTower Theatre in Dallas (for which she received two Rabin nominations), Wolly Mammoth Theatre in DC, Mark Taper Forum in LA, Southern Rep in New Orleans, Albany Rep in New York,42nd Street Playhouse, NYC and Alabama Shakespeare Festival. 

Edris has performed with San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Campo Santo, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, Word for Word, SF Playhouse, Aurora Theatre, Magic Theatre, Brava Theater, Theatre Works in Palo Alto, Carpetbag Theatre (Knoxville), Baltimore Theatre Project, Los Angeles Theater Center, Dixon Place (NYC), Theatre Arts in Ibadan, Nigeria and San Diego Rep. Edris holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Iowa and is a member of the National Institute of Directing and Ensemble Creation (NIDEC). She is a resident artist at Brava Theater Center in San Francisco. 

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TUE 7–9:30pm · 7/8, 7/15, 7/22, 7/29, 8/5, 8/12 · $290

Learn to find dramatic material within your life and craft a dynamic, creative, and engaging performance! Through acting, voice, movement, and other creative avenues, students will learn what it takes to mount a solo show. Students may bring material that has been worked on before, or come with an open mind and create something never seen before. Above all, students of all walks of life are encouraged to bring their authentic selves to class, and will be asked to use their bodies, memories, inner life, and imagination in order to tell their unique story.

Instructor: Joe Orrach is a choreographer, director, performer and educator. Orrach started out as a boxer, but soon realized he had better ways to communicate and entertain. The ballet he studied for his boxing footwork led him to tap dance and performing vaudeville throughout the US and Europe. Orrach has conceived, written, performed, and directed original plays and solo shows for live stages worldwide. His dramatic pieces are frequently in collaboration with a jazz trio. Orrach choreographed and was featured in Terrence Blanchard’s opera Champion at SF Jazz and with National Opera at the Kennedy Center. Orrach gives back to the community through Joe Orrach Performance Project (JOPP) a 501 © (3) nonprofit and has taught for LA’s Urban Peace Institute and the Latino Leadership Institute. Orrach has created performance workshops with lockdown juveniles in San Francisco General Hospital, for formerly incarcerated at Delancey Street Foundation Headquarters, and for the general population at San Quentin State Prison. Joe is the recipient of the Dance Studio Life "Generous Heart” Teaching Award, for his work with at-risk communities. He has taught acting and movement as far away as St Petersburg, Russia as the American cultural ambassador for Track Two Diplomacy Institute.  Mr. Orrach has an MFA from University of Southern California’s School of Dramatic Arts.

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THU 7–10pm · 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31, 8/7 · $290

Theatre of the Oppressed, conceived by Augusto Boal, is a collection of games, techniques, and exercises for using theatre as a vehicle for personal and social transformation. It uses the dynamized human body and the charged theatrical space as laboratories for exploring power, transforming oppression, and finding solutions to the fundamental problems of conflict, inequality, injustice, and human suffering. This workshop will introduce basic techniques (demechanization, dynamization, image theatre, forum theatre) from the Theatre of the Oppressed, with an end to understanding their application as practical and essential tools for artistic development, creative expression, social engagement, and personal transformation. This class is open to both experienced and beginning performers, as well as anyone interested in exploring art as a method for social and personal change, while developing spontaneity, fluidity, presence, creativity, and critical intelligence. 

Instructor: Jiwon Chung is a professional actor, director, and a key theorist of Theatre of the Oppressed. He is the Artistic Director of Kairos Theater Ensemble, adjunct professor of Theater and Social Justice at Starr King School at the Graduate Theological Union, and past President of the national organization for Theatre of the Oppressed. Author of numerous books, articles, and performances, he is considered a pioneer in the integration of somatics, Theatre of the Oppressed, and socially engaged art. The focus of his work is in the application of theatre as a tool for social and political change, using Theatre of the Oppressed to challenge, resist, and transform systemic oppression and structural violence and to redress large-scale historical atrocity and injustice. His approach to performance and social change is informed by his background as a veteran, a martial artist, and three decades of vipassana meditation.

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SAT 1–4pm · 7/12 · $85 

“Within this fathom-long body, lies the world of suffering, its cause, and its liberation.” — Gautama Buddha 

All oppression involves the body – the body holds and reflects the experience of its oppression. Fear, anxiety, and oppression bleed their way into the habits of our human expression, trapping, binding, and shutting down our natural spontaneity and aliveness, making us mechanized, divided, and imbalanced in our bodies and our minds and isolated, aggressive, or confused in our relationships and interactions. The original form of mindfulness — the mind’s capacity to observe itself, reflect, and transform — is theatre. This workshop will explore the rich, deep, powerful practices of mindfulness, dishabituation, and embodiment within the corpus of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, focusing on practical techniques for transforming and finding liberation through somatic and energetic awareness in the personal, interpersonal, and political dimensions. We will use demechanization, dynamization, image theatre, forum theatre, and rainbow of desire while developing presence, focus, and a strong capacity for meditative awareness. Open to anyone with a desire to use theatre, art, and meditation to explore a powerful approach to transforming self and society.

Please dress comfortably to move.  

Instructor: Jiwon Chung is a professional actor, director, and a key theorist of Theatre of the Oppressed. He is the Artistic Director of Kairos Theater Ensemble, adjunct professor of Theater and Social Justice at Starr King School at the Graduate Theological Union, and past President of the national organization for Theatre of the Oppressed. Author of numerous books, articles, and performances, he is considered a pioneer in the integration of somatics, Theatre of the Oppressed, and socially engaged art. The focus of his work is in the application of theatre as a tool for social and political change, using Theatre of the Oppressed to challenge, resist, and transform systemic oppression and structural violence and to redress large-scale historical atrocity and injustice. His approach to performance and social change is informed by his background as a veteran, a martial artist, and three decades of vipassana meditation.

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WED 7–9:30pm · 7/9, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30, 8/6, 8/13 · $290

Would you like to land your ideas with more impact? Do you lose control of your breath when anxious? Are you unsure how to gauge or deliver correct volume at auditions or interviews? Whether as yourself or as a character, voice is the epicenter of your communication with the world; when we free our voices, the rest of our expressive instrument follows!

Incorporating movement with vocal exploration, this gently physical class helps you to connect the dots between mindset, gesture, and emotional expression.  In addition to learning how to use your voice and physicality in performance, you will come away from the class with a well-worked piece of speech appropriate to your situation (interview preparation, audition monologue, presentational speech). A complimentary mp3 of the core exercises will be provided to support your practice beyond this class. 

Instructor: Susan-Jane Harrison (aka SJ Harrison) is a British American playwright and performer, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, with a Masters of Fine Arts from UC Davis.  The originator of the Inhabiting Technique for Actors, SJ Harrison has over 20 years experience working internationally. She has taught at UC Davis, ACT, Berkeley Repertory School of Theatre, Empowerhouse Acting Studio, and California Shakespeare Company.  She has a private voice and performance coaching practice locally and globally.   A member of VASTA (Voice and Speech Trainers Association), Susan-Jane specializes in working with ‘third culture’ and multilingual clients.  Unusual collaborations in Harrison’s artistic work have allowed her to develop across disciplines.  Her teaching work draws from Linklater, Stanislavsky, Growtoski, Cicely Berry and Rudolf Laban. To name a few, she has worked at the Pop-Up Globe in New Zealand, with BBC Radio, A&BC Theatre Co, RADA and the Royal National in the UK, and at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Aurora Theatre Company, ACT, California Shakespeare Company in the US.  She has been a Brady Fellow at 3Girls Theatre in San Francisco and continues to work with them on her plays. 

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THU 7–9pm · 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31, 8/7, 8/14 · $250

In this class, we will learn physical triggers that will help you quickly find the placement, melody, and general sound changes for the Chicago dialect. We will study the dialect in a multi-sensorial way, with a focus on the physical changes, the phonetic sound changes, and immersion.  

Instructor: Rebecca Castelli holds a BA in voice and theatre and an MFA in acting. Previously from Seattle, she won a Seattle Times Footlight Award for her role of Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, and also had the honor of acting with Tony award-winning actress Judy Kaye in Gypsy at 5th Avenue Musical Theatre Company. She was a company member of the Marin-based Porchlight Theatre Company for five years and had leads in many of their main stage productions, including Chekhov’s Three Sisters and Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband. Locally, Rebecca has also acted with Shotgun Players and Cinnabar Theater Company. She dialect coaches for various Bay Area theatres, including Shotgun Players, Theatre Rhinoceros, Town Hall Theatre Company, Mendocino Theatre Company, Virago Theatre Company, and Ross Valley Players. She is a founding member of The Incidentalists, a long-form improvisational group based in Oakland.

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WED & MON 7–10pm · 7/9, 7/16, 7/23, 8/11, 8/13 · $290

Unleash your inner Cyrano! Learn to create the illusion of violence while studying the swashbuckling style of single rapier. Students will learn cuts, parries, thrusts, evasions, punto reversos, and more! This class will also give students tools to layer acting skills and stage combat technique to create convincing scenes containing theatrical violence.

All students will have the opportunity to rehearse and perform scenes that include a choreographed fight and take a skills proficiency test for recognition as a Theatrical Combatant with Dueling Arts International. 

Class size is limited to 10. Full fingered gloves are required. 

Instructor: Dave Maier is a prolific fight director who has choreographed violence for over 300 professional and college productions. He is the resident fight director at San Francisco Opera, California Shakespeare Theater, and Oakland Theater Project. He has been awarded several honors including six San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards, five Theatre Bay Area Awards, and a Falstaff Award. He is recognized as a senior instructor with Dueling Arts International and is a founding member of Dueling Arts San Francisco. He has taught combat related courses at Stanford University, University of California Santa Cruz, St. Mary’s College of California, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Studio ACT, Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, and national workshops for Dueling Arts International, as well as independent workshops through Dueling Arts San Francisco.

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