Spring 2025 Classes for Adults

Acting Fundamentals

 

 

Led by Rick Roemer, Jacqui Calloway, Sims Holland, or Sarah-Marie Currythis playful approach to the actor’s craft is conducive to the beginner. This class allows individuals to experience living in the imaginary world of a character and a story while expanding their self-expression and emotional life. Students will learn how to investigate a script and explore their intuition through games, exercises, and scenes from film or stage. The class is designed to be taken more than once, as it is different in meaningful ways each time — ever-changing with the instructor, fellow students, and the material chosen for the class. Acting Fundamentals classes are for EVERYBODY — curious beginners; people who made theatre or films in school but then “real” life interrupted; professionals from non-theatrical industries wanting to perform more comfortably at work; theatre professionals who want to get back to basics and do self-care; empty nesters finally getting to do something they want to do; college students seeking a creative outlet… People like YOU, who want to connect and have more fun!

Acting Explorations I

This course is for those who have had previous acting training. Those who have taken Acting Fundamentals can check in with their instructor to see if Acting Explorations I is recommended or if another Fundamentals would be more helpful. This class is ideal for those with experience and a basic actor vocabulary who are looking to get back into the work after a break. Using scene work and exercises, the focus of this class is strengthening text analysis and following inner impulses to create a powerful need to speak. The work in class will enliven the imagination and increase emotional availability of the actor. This class is designed to be taken more than once, as it is different each time with new students and new scenes to explore. Limited to 10 students. 

Acting Explorations II

Led by Rick Roemer, this more advanced course is for students with acting experience and those who have taken previous classes and would like to continue stretching their acting muscles. Those who have taken Explorations I can check in with their instructor to see if Explorations II is recommended or if another Explorations I would be more helpful. Think of this class as a creative acting gymnasium where you can come and work out! This “workout” will include scene study and monologue work. We will also explore diving deeper into character through an Auto Drama exercise. Everyone is expected to work in every class. The final class, there will be a performance of scenes and monologues for an invited audience. 

Acting on Camera I
Acting on Camera II
Scenes for your Reel
Creativity of Acting for Film & Stage

Led by Babs George, this is a beginning to intermediate class that focuses on delineating the function of left and right hemispheres of the brain for the purpose of strengthening one’s ability to send and receive information in the “moment” of acting. Imagination exercises, improvisation and cold reading from stage and film scripts will be used to access creative and intuitive responses. The hope is to free the actor from the left-brain chatter while acting. Cold reading exercises are based on the Charles Conrad Technique. (See Wikipedia for Charles Conrad).

Improvisation for Actors

Led by Sims Holland! Improv is an indispensable asset for the actor, a great tool for development and self-discovery, and 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.


Self-Taping Your Audition
The Commercial Audition

Led by Jacqui Calloway, this class is designed for actors who are new to commercial and industrial acting. Students will learn how to approach various types of commercial auditions, including MOS (without sound), improv (solo and group), personality-based, and spokesperson auditions. We’ll cover how to slate, techniques for the camera and teleprompter, clothing and styling tips, and strategies for successful callbacks. The class will conclude with a brief overview of business logistics, covering headshots, casting websites, agencies, and casting directors in the Austin market.

Audition Monologue Workout

Led by Sims Holland, auditioning is an essential (and occasionally dreaded) skill that each actor must master. In this class, we will find the FUN in entering a casting room, reframing auditioning into an opportunity to do the thing we love. This class will increase confidence and hone dynamic monologue techniques for stage auditions. Recorded auditions for theatre will be covered briefly. (To focus on film & TV, register for Self-Taping Your Auditions). Skills covered include character study, choosing clear and high-stakes objectives, entrances/exits, and who to be fully present in the room. Register early! Once the class makes students will receive guidance on finding monologues. Students will bring a 1-minute to 90-second monologue of their choice to the first meeting.

Story of a Punch: Hand-to-Hand Combat
Basics of Musical Theatre Dance
Musical Theatre Dance – Next Steps
Introduction to Voiceover I
Introduction to Voiceover II
Accent Modification

Led by Cliff Miller, This course will teach English speakers, especially non-native speakers, how to acquire speech sounds to improve intelligibility. We will learn how pronunciation, oral posture, and prosody create our unique accent. With this awareness, we will develop strategies to gain additional speech sounds to communicate more easily in our daily lives. Our work will focus on gaining sensorial awareness of the vocal tract and breath to make the subtle shifts necessary to change sound. Breathwork, articulation exercises, finding the “music” of an accent, and other speaking strategies will be used to develop clarity when communicating. To ensure success, it is important to understand where we are and where we want to go and to measure our progress from session to session. This course is not intended to “reduce” anyone’s accent, but will teach new and additional ways of producing speech sounds to communicate more clearly.

Training the Speaking Voice

Led by Adam Roberts and Linda Nenno, this class is intended for anyone desiring to increase the power and impact of his or her speaking voice. Training in healthy vocal production is essential to speaking intentionally in any situation, from the stage or screen to the classroom or boardroom. This course teaches you various techniques for preparing and utilizing your natural voice to speak confidently in many environments. The first few classes will focus on active exercises designed to engage the various aspects of vocal production healthily. The final sessions will practically apply what you’ve learned to scenes, speeches, interpersonal communication, or presentations. Limited to 12 students.

Foundations of Singing

Led by Adam Roberts, this course provides an introduction to a vocal technique for the beginning singer. Students will be able to sing individually and as part of a group. This class is ideal for anyone who desires to gain a foundational knowledge of singing, including stage and film actors. Students are encouraged to focus on the musical styles that most interest them, with support from the instructor in identifying specific song choices. By the end of the course, participants will have become better acquainted with the unique qualities of their voices. No prior singing experience is necessary. Limited to 10 students.

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. They may include work toward preparing upcoming auditions, building a rep book, bolstering technique, expanding range, and strengthening a variety of performance skills. Coaching is available for adults from beginning through professional levels and to advanced high school students. Syllabus

Tuesdays  Jan 14 – Feb 4   DRAX 3063 200   Syn 12944
Wednesdays  Jan 15 – Feb 5    DRAX 3063 201  Syn 12945
Thursdays  Jan 16 – Feb 6   DRAX 3063 202  Syn 12946
Fridays  Jan 17 – Feb 7     DRAX 3063 203  Syn 12947 

Tuesdays   Feb 11 – Mar 4   DRAX 3063 204    Syn 12948
Wednesdays  Feb 12 – Mar 5  DRAX 3063 205   Syn 12949
Thursdays  Feb 13 – Mar 6   DRAX 3063 206   Syn 12950
Fridays  Feb 14 – Mar 7    DRAX 3063 207  Syn 12951

Tuesdays   Mar 25 – Apr 15    DRAX 3063 208    Syn 12952
Wednesdays   Mar 26 – Apr 16    DRAX 3063 216   Syn 26820
Thursdays  Mar 27 – Apr 17   DRAX 3063 210   Syn 12953
Fridays  Mar 28 – Apr 18   DRAX 3063 211  Syn 12954 

Tuesdays   Apr 22 – May 13   DRAX 3063 212    Syn 12955
Wednesdays  Apr 23 – May 14  DRAX 3063 213   Syn 12956
Thursdays  Apr 24 – May 15   DRAX 3063 214   Syn 12957
Fridays  Apr 25 – May 16   DRAX 3063 215  Syn 12958



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ACC Highland Campus – 6101 Highland Campus Dr, Austin, TX 78752, Bldg 4000 in our Studio – details sent upon registration.
ACC South Austin Campus – 1820 W Stassney Ln, Austin, TX 78745 – Room number and details sent upon registration.
ACC Northridge Campus – 11928 Stonehollow Dr, Austin, TX 78758 – Room number and details sent upon registration. 
Rio Grande Campus – 1212 Rio Grande Street, Austin TX 78701 -Room number and details sent upon registration