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All classes online for Spring 2021 – Zoom Platform
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Classes for Ages 18 and up
BEGINNING TO ADVANCED BEGINNING ACTING & DIRECTING CLASSES
ACTING FOR FILM
led by Tony Sears
This is a beginning to an advanced beginning acting class focusing on work for the camera. The emphasis is on developing a naturalistic acting style through connection, honesty, and vulnerability, and following intuitive impulse. The students’ work will be explored through exercises and scene study from film and television scripts. Some videotaping and playback will be used for critique. It is suggested that you have had at least a basic acting class before joining.
Limited to 8 students. Online platform: Zoom *Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video capability with computer or tablet.
Jan 12-Feb 16 (6 weeks) Tuesdays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAM 3010-200 Class extended to March 2 due to weather Class is full!
Feb 3-Mar 10 (6 weeks) Wednesdays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAM 3010-202 Class extended to Mar 24 due to weather-no class Mar 17 (spring break) Class is full!
Mar 23-Apr 27 (6 weeks) Tuesdays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAM 3010-201 NEW CLASS DATES due to weather – Class is Full, taking waiting list!
BEGINNING ACTING FOR FILM & STAGE
led by Rick Roemer
A gentle approach conducive to the beginner, this class will focus predominantly on character development, script analysis, and monologue
work for film and stage. Learn how to establish a character through uncovering their desire, utilizing an imaginary space, and developing a biography for your character. Develop your imaginative capacities, unleash your creative impulses, deepen your intuition, and sharpen the analytical skills necessary to “breakdown” a monologue.
Limited to 8 students. Online platform: Zoom *Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video capability with computer or tablet.
Jan 13 – Feb 17 (6 weeks) Wednesdays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAM 3034-201 (Extended to Mar 24 due to weather) Class is full!
Feb 1 – Mar 8 (6 weeks) Mondays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAM 3034-202 (Extended to Mar 29 due to weather) Class is full!
Mar 2 – Apr 13 (6 weeks) Tuesdays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAM 3034-206 (No class 3/16) New dates due to weather Class is full!
Apr 20 – May 25 (6 weeks) Tuesdays 7:00-9:00pm $141 DRAM 3034-203
Ricks Beginning Acting Syllabus
BEGINNING ACTING FOR FILM & STAGE
led by Paula Russell
A gentle approach conducive to the beginner, this class will focus predominantly on character development through script analysis for film 
and stage. Discover how to make specific, unique, personal choices to raise your character’s stakes and energize moment-to-moment work. Learning active, alert relaxation will unleash creative impulses, deepen your intuition, and sharpen the analytical skills necessary to “breakdown” a scene or monologue.
Online platform: Zoom *Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video capability with computer or tablet.
Jan 9 – Feb 13 (6 weeks) Saturdays 10:00-12 Noon $141 DRAM 3034-200 Class is full!
IMPROVISATION FOR THE ACTOR
led by John Ratliff
Improv is an indispensable asset for the actor, a great tool for development and self-discovery, and — maybe most important — FUN. In this class, we will explore the fundamental improv skills of paying close attention and reacting honestly, the essential ingredients of compelling scene work. It’s not about thinking fast or being funny! This class is open to everyone, from actors who want to upgrade their technical toolkit to people with no performance experience who want to try something a little challenging (but FUN!) in a super-supportive environment. This class will include a weekly 30-minute homework assignment that can be done in any space.
Limited to 10 students. Online platform: Zoom *Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video capability with computer or tablet.
Jan 27 – Mar 3 (6 weeks) Wednesdays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAX 4042-200 Class extended to March 10 due to weather Class is full!
Apr 8 – May 13 (6 weeks) Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAX 4042-201
PAGE TO PERFORMANCE
led by Craig Nigh
This class is a must for film and television actors, particularly for auditions. The course offers a step by step process for examining scripts quickly and thoroughly. Having a clear perception of the writer’s intentions will help inform the choices an actor makes and gives ultimate creative freedom inside the context of the story. This class also focuses on a connection (with another actor or reader), and basic camera technique. Scenes are recorded for playback and critique.
Limited to 8 students. Online Platform: Zoom. Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video capabilities with computer or table.
Feb 20 & 21 (2 days) Saturday & Sunday 10:00am-2:00pm $96 DRAX 3062-210 New dates due to weather One spot available!
April 10 & 17 (2 weeks) Saturdays 10:00am-2:00pm $96 DRAX 3062 201 Class is full! Taking waitlist
INTERMEDIATE ACTING CLASSES
ACTING AND THE BIZ
Be in the “know” about your business
led by Paula Russell
Students will learn what makes a great headshot to get you in the door and how to build upon and format your resume. We will go over and practice the “7 simple steps to a great agent interview”, audition etiquette and technique from entering the room to slating, to working with copy, cold reading and improvising. The workshop is suitable for anyone with previous training and experience who is interested in pursuing acting and seeking representation as well as anyone interested in learning about the Business of acting. Limited to 8 members. PLUS a private online session with Paula is included.
Online Platform: Zoom. Materials Needed: internet connection & audio/video capabilities with computer or tablet.
Mar 6 & Mar 13 (2 weeks) Saturdays 10am-Noon $76 DRAX 3034-200 Full-taking waitlist
IMPROVISATION II FOR THE ACTOR
led by John Ratliff
This class expands on the basic principles of improv by going deep into the nuts and bolts of scene work. The class will cover the most common categories of improv scene and explore the many different approaches to playing them. (There’s never just one right answer!) Other topics include the practical challenge of creating fully realized characters on the fly and the productive tension between absurd circumstances and emotionally grounded performance. Important note: this class is also a lot of fun!
This class is for students who have successfully completed Improvisation for the Actor I. Students who have taken introductory improv classes elsewhere may be eligible to take this class at the instructor’s discretion.
Limited to 10 students. Online platform: Zoom *Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video capability with computer or tablet.
Mar 24 – Apr 28 (6 weeks) Wednesdays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAX 3081 210
ACTING II FOR FILM & STAGE
led by Rick Roemer
This pre-intermediate course is for students who have taken previous beginning acting classes,
including Beginning Acting
for Film & Stage, and would like to build upon the foundation they have received. Students will practice using scenes or monologues. The focus will be on strengthening text breakdown and analysis and following one’s inner impulses to create a powerful need to speak. Additionally, students will explore their imaginative responses and emotional accessibility.
Limited to 8 students. Online platform: Zoom *Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video capability with computer or tablet.
Mar 24 – May 12 ( 8 weeks) Wednesdays 7:00-9:00 $176 DRAM 9002-200 Class is full!
SELF TAPING YOUR AUDITION
led by Tony Sears
For years, the Film and Television industry has been conducting more and more auditions via “self-tape,” and during the current health crisis, 100% of auditions are now being self-taped and submitted by actors! …Which means actors have far more control over their auditions, but it also means actors shoulder additional responsibilities beyond simple audition prep. This course covers the technical how-to’s of self-taping – setting up the proper space, framing, lighting and sound, slating, editing, labeling, and uploading. Students will also learn how to make blocking and behavior choices that work within the confines of the camera frame to create auditions that look good and stand out. For actors with previous training and/or experience.
Apr 8 – May 13 (6 weeks) Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAX 3046 200 Class is full!
ACTING FOR FILM II
led by Tony Sears
This class is for students with previous film acting training. Tony Sears focuses on achieving an honest and vulnerable performance for the camera. The emphasis is on energy and making choices that highlight the actor’s power to tell a story. Students will explore the work through scene study from film and television scripts with some videotaping and playback for evaluation. Suggested prerequisite: Two or more beginning acting classes, Acting II For Film & Stage, or other previous acting training/experience.
Limited to 8 students. Online Platform: Zoom. Materials Needed: internet connection & audio/video capabilities with computer or tablet.
Jan 28 – Mar 4 (6 weeks) Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAX 3003-201 Class extended to Mar 11 due to weather Class is full!
Apr 19 – May 24 (6 weeks) Mondays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAX 3003-200
SHAKESPEARE’S VERSE
led by Babs George
This class is for the actor interested in unveiling the mysteries of Shakespeare’s verse by understanding the meter, poetic forms, and rhetoric Shakespeare so deftly employed. Using monologues, the students will have an opportunity to shape their character’s intentions, passions, and thoughts through understanding the structure of the verse line. This class is for intermediate to advanced acting students who may be new to Shakespeare.
If you have a monologue you’d like to work on, bring it to the first class, otherwise, the instructor will help you find one. Monologues: 1-2 minutes in length. There will be one private coaching session with each student. Class size limited to 8 students.
Online Platform: Zoom. Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video capability with a computer or tablet.
Apr 6 – May 11 (6 weeks) Tuesdays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAX 4023-200
DIRECTING
INTRO TO DIRECTING FOR THE THEATRE
led by Adam Roberts
This course serves as an introduction to the process of directing a stage production. Some of the components of the director’s work to be covered include show selection, the casting process, script study and interpretation, read-throughs and table work, blocking rehearsals, design elements and production meetings, the technical process, dress rehearsal and previews, and opening night. If you’ve ever wondered about the directorial process in the theatre, this course will give you with a foundational understanding.
Apr 1 – May 20 ( 8 weeks) Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm $175 DRAX 3082 211 NEW DATES!
VOICEOVER, SPEAKING VOICE & ACCENTS
THE ACTING VOICE AND RADIO THEATRE
led by Mj Vandivier
The voice is the most important tool for effective communication. Discover how you can make a great first impression with your voice or talk for hours without losing steam. Mj Vandivier, a Certified Lessac Voice & Body Trainer, leads and grounds students in the process of voice dynamics. From body-voice warm-ups to the most effective ways to master your “instrument,” Mj will guide you to a greater awareness and use of the power of your own natural voice. The last 3 classes of the session will focus on Radio Theater. Students will rehearse and record a performance in a drama or comedy radio show from the archives of Classic Radio Theater.
Online Platform: Zoom. Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video capability with computer or tablet. Best to have a recording device such as your phone, as well as a computer or tablet. Limited to 8 students.
Jan 21 – Mar 11 (8 weeks) Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm $186 DRAM 3019-200 Class ending April 1 due to weather (No class Mar 18-Spring Break) Class is full!
INTRO TO VOICEOVER
led by Cliff Miller
This online course provides an introduction to the field of voiceover for actors and curious individuals. We will cover acting for voiceover, home studio setup, mic technique, and recording and editing. Through analyzing, performing, and critiquing voiceover copy, we will explore the many areas of voiceover while focusing on commercial and audiobook narration. Through repeatedly sharing our work and learning from others, we will develop foundational voiceover skills and reinforce the course’s learning objectives. There will be 12 hours online as a class and one private coaching session per person.
Limited to 8 students. Online platform: Zoom Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video capability with computer or tablet.
Jan 26 – Mar 2 (6 weeks) Tuesdays 6:30-8:30 $156 DRAX 3068-200 Class extended to Mar 23 due to weather – No class Mar 16 (spring break) Class is full!
Mar 30 – May 4 (6 weeks) Tuesdays 6:30-8:30 $156 DRAX 3068-201 NEW DATES due to weather – Class is full!
Apr 12- May 17 (6 weeks) Mondays 6:30-8:30 $156 DRAX 3068-202 New Section
INTRO TO VOICEOVER II
led by Cliff Miller
Must have taken Cliff’s Intro to VO to be eligible for this class. The class builds on the techniques and industry-knowledge established in Intro to Voiceover 1. This class is designed for the individual who would like to take their interest in VO beyond the classroom and into the industry. We will continue to analyze, perform, and critique commercial and audiobook copy. In addition, we will begin working on the growing field of e-learning narration. Quality recorded and produced voiceover “auditions” will be assigned and critiqued regularly. The course will culminate in a “mock” commercial demo. The demo will NOT be an industry standard product. The project will make you familiar with the process of selecting and producing copy and help prepare you for when you are ready to invest in a professional commercial demo. There will be one private coaching session per person.
Limited to 8 students. Online Platform: Zoom. Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video with capability with computer or tablet.
Feb 1 – Mar 8 (6 weeks) Mondays 6:30-8:30pm $156 DRAX 4053-200 Class has been extended to Mar 29 due to weather. No class Mar 15 (spring break)
May 11- June 15 (6 weeks) Tuesdays 6:30-8:30pm $156 DRAX 4053-202 NEW DATES! (due to weather)
ACCENT MODIFICATION
Do you want to soften your regional accent? This class is for actors and non-actors.
led by Mj Vandivier
Is it possible your accent is holding you back from advancing professionally? Or do you often hear, “Sorry, I can’t understand you, would you repeat that.” Americans love accents if they don’t have to work too hard understanding what you’re saying! An accent is lovely to hear. And, you don’t want to lose yours because it’s part of your identity. Certified Lessac Voice and Body Trainer, Mj Vandivier, has helped nationals and foreign students learn to speak more clearly using the General American Accent through the Lessac approach. Mj uses Lessac to help students of all ages acquire the General American dialect. It is not difficult. It simply takes commitment, and incorporation into daily speech. Limited to 6 students.
Online Platform: Zoom. Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video capability with a computer or tablet. Best to have a recording device such as your phone, as well as a computer or tablet. Limited to 8 students.
Mar 22 – Apr 26 (6 weeks) Monddays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAX 3024 300-200
ACCENTS FOR FILM & STAGE
led by Mj Vandivier
This course introduces two important accents used for stage, film, television, and video games. The Spring offering is a standard Southern Accent and German. Instructor Mj Vandivier, a practicing certified Lessac teacher, encourages actors to not only speak well but also have the ability to step into a variety of accents whenever they are asked to do so. This streamlined Lessac approach to accents is one of the easiest methods to learn in a short amount of time. The need for accessing accents continues to grow for voiceover actors, narrators, with games and apps as well as for film and the stage. Limited to 8 students.
Online Platform: Zoom. Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video capability with computer or tablet. Best to have a recording device such as your phone, as well as a computer or tablet. Limited to 8 students.
Apr 8 – May 13 (6 weeks) Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm $141 DRAX 3065-201 NEW START DATE (Due to weather) Class is full!
ALL THINGS MUSIC & SINGING
INTRO TO MUSIC THEORY
led by Adam Roberts
PRIVATE COACHING FOR SINGERS
led by Adam Roberts
Private coaching sessions with Adam Roberts are offered in musical theatre and contemporary vocal styles such as pop, folk, rock, etc. Coaching packages are tailored to each student’s unique goals and may include work toward preparing upcoming auditions, building a rep book, bolstering technique, expanding range, and strengthening a variety of performance skills. Coachings are available for adults from beginning through professional levels, and to advanced high school students. Call or email for an appointment time: info@adamrobertsvoice.com
Online Platform: Zoom. Materials needed: internet connection & audio/video capability with computer or tablet.
Jan 15 – Feb 13 (5 weeks) $401 DRAX 3063-200/201
Book lessons for once a week for 5 weeks. (5 lessons)
Contact Adam, info@adamkroberts.com, to schedule your day and time during the weeks indicated
Feb 26 – Mar 13 (3 weeks) $241 DRAX 3063-202/203
Book lessons for once a week for 3 weeks. (3 lessons)
Contact Adam, info@adamkroberts.com, to schedule your day and time during the weeks indicated
Mar 26 – Apr 24 (5 weeks) $401 DRAX 3063-204 /205
Book lessons for once a week for 5 weeks. (5 lessons)
Contact Adam, info@adamkroberts.com, to schedule your day and time during the weeks indicated
May 7 – May 22 (3 weeks) $241 DRAS 3063-206/207
Book lessons for once a week for 3 weeks. (3 lessons)
Contact Adam, info@adamkroberts.com, to schedule your day and time during the weeks indicated
PRIVATE COACHING
Several teachers at The Actor’s School offer private studies to older teens and adults. Areas of study range from auditioning for film and stage, Shakespeare, Voice, Monologues and more.
Contact the school for more information at theactorsschool@austincc.edu
Where our classes are held:
CURRENTLY ONLINE ONLY FOR SPRING & SUMMER 2021
Primarily at ACC Highland Campus – Bldg 4000 in our Studio space
ACC Highland Campus -Bldg 1000 in Classrooms
Highland Business Center – In classrooms
South Austin Campus – In classrooms