THE MASTER CLASS

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

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. 

Building on the tools learned in Level 1, students will now concentrate specifically on ways to build a character for the camera. The class will include techniques that are designed to further develop and translate a character to film.  *Prerequisite: Successful completion of Film & TV : Level 1 and Acting Level 4 or by permission of a director.

Level 3 will cover character work while on the set, pacing during a film shoot, and more detailed script analysis. This class is a forum for working actors and students to fine tune any or all concerns that they may want to address during a shoot.  *Prerequisite: Successful completion of Film & TV : Level 2 and Acting Level 5 or by permission of a director.

  The Directing Workshop

 Speech for the Actor

 Playwriting: Character and Dialogue

This playwriting course focuses on play development.   Directing and acting techniques, as well as perspectives on the American Stage will also be included.   Each session will feature discussions on aspects of theatre with topics like stage design and technical elements. The class will culminate with an evening of staged readings of participants finished scenes.  Playwriting sessions will be led by Paul Caruso -  professional writer, teacher, and director who will also stage the readings.  In addition to being a seasoned playwright, Paul holds an MA in Dramatic Writing from NYU and well as a MA in Educational Theatre, also from NYU.

Each week the class will create a new play from start to finish!  While using stories from literature, students will learn how to use their imaginations to create characters, places and scenes.  Each child’s unique creativity will be carefully nurtured as they expand their possibilities and shine their light.  Simple props and costumes will be used.  Our favorite play will be presented to family and friends during our final class.

Using familiar songs and scenes from classic Disney films (including High School Musical), students will learn the basics of musical theater performance.  Vocal technique, beginning acting skills and basic choreography will be developed as students “put it all together” in this fun-filled class.   The last session includes a final informal performance.

CLASSES FOR TWEENS / TEENS

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 the Westminster Arts Center at Bloomfield College!.  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!  This semester will feature The Zoom Plays!  The fun and funny sketches, stories, puns, jokes and scenes from the popular PBS series ZOOM.  Performances will be TBA.  (Dress rehearsal will be TBA 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 the Westminster Arts Center at Bloomfield College!.  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 and best of all, the joy of singing! 

Level 2: The Art of Singing

This class is designed to develop the TOTAL performer!  Skills in vocal technique, acting and musical staging will be emphasized.  Group numbers, duets and solos from popular musical theater will be used to teach a core vocal technique.  Scenes from musicals will be used to tell the story of the character.  Basic choreography will be taught to deepen required musical theater skills.  The semester will culminate in a complete staging of musical theater pieces performed at the Westminster Arts Center at Bloomfield College!  *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!