New Repertory Theatre

Class Descriptions

Truth in the Moment
Tuition: $200.  A $75 non-refundable deposit is due with registration.  Balance is due at the first class.
Instructor: Eve Kagan
Dates: Tuesdays, November 29, 2011 thru December 13, 2011 and Wednesday, December 14, 2011 from 6:30-9:00PM
Ages: 18-up

This workshop is intended to assist actors of all levels in bringing truth and authenticity to every moment on stage. The class will focus on two main components: actor preparation and the craft. The actor preparation portion will take the “body as instrument” approach, providing actors with concrete tools for preparation including relaxation, sensitizing, involvement, and emotional workouts, all designed to help the actor connect on a deep and personal level with any material. In the craft portion of the class, actors will approach material (scene or monologue) focusing on the emotional obligations required of them and the personal choices available to bring truth to each moment.  For Adults 18-up.  Class size is limited to 10 students.  We will start a waiting list as soon as it is full.  To register for this class, call Bridget O’Leary, Associate Artistic Director, at 617-923-7060 x204, or e-mail studio@newrep.org.

Stage Combat Workshop
Tuition: $125.00.  A $20.00 non-refundable deposit is due with registration.  Balance is due on the first day of class.
Instructor: Meron Langsner
Dates: December 10, 2011 and 11, 2011 from 10:00-12:00PM
Ages: 18-up

This one-weekend workshop will focus on developing skills to safely and effectively execute unarmed stage combat techniques, and more importantly, to recognize how performers can ensure their own safety in such scenes.  All techniques are approached with the aim of developing theatrical storytelling and articulating character conflict.  There will be some discussion of weapons, script analysis, and collaboration with other artists working on a production.  Students should wear clothing that allows them to move easily and comfortably.  For Adults 18-up.  Class size is limited to 10 students. We will start a waiting list as soon as the class is full.  To register for this class, call Bridget O’Leary, Associate Artistic Director, at 617-923-7060 x204, or e-mail studio@newrep.org.

Playing Shakespeare: Without Fear
Tuition: $125.00.  A $20.00 non-refundable deposit is due with registration.  Balance is due on the first day of class.
Instructor: Bobbie Steinbach
Dates: Saturday December 10, 2011 from Noon-6:00PM
Ages: 18-up

Zounds! Perchance thou hast felt like a common recreant when asked to anatomize a Shakespeare play. Anon, thou shalt toss off that coil, and with great dispatch, avoid feeling like a fustian caitiff.

Scary, huh? Not so much. Here it is in everyday English. So much less exciting…

Oh my! Maybe you have felt like a common coward when asked to analyze a Shakespeare play. Not to worry. Soon, actually rapidly (after our one day workshop) you will not feel like a worthless coward.

This one-day workshop will introduce students to the thrilling challenge of playing with Shakespeare. Each participant will work on a short monologue from the canon. We will work on the technical foundations (text analysis, voice, speech, scansion) that you need to bring the Bard’s words to life. Come conquer your fear of the Bard, and discover how much fun it is to act Shakespeare!   At least two choices for monologues will be given to each student well in advance of the workshop. Students are expected to memorize the monologues before the class.  Students should wear clothing that allows them to move easily and comfortably.  Class size is limited to 10 students. We will start a waiting list as soon as the class is full.  To register for this class, call Bridget O’Leary, Associate Artistic Director, at 617-923-7060 x204, or e-mail studio@newrep.org.

No Fear Shakespeare:  Scenes
Tuition: $200.00.  A $75.00 non-refundable deposit is due with registration.  Balance is due on the first day of class.
Instructor:  Bobbie Steinbach
Dates: Tuesdays January 17, 2012 thru February 7, 2012 from 6:30-9:00PM
Ages: 18-up

Though this be madness, yet there is method in 't.
Hamlet act II, scene 2

Class Description
Working in pairs on pre-assigned scenes from the Bard, we'll play with:
-the verse
-the voice
-the text
-the physicality

Take risks
Challenge yourself
Discover
Unlock
Have fun!

Class size is limited to 10 students. We will start a waiting list as soon as the class is full.  To register for this class, call Bridget O’Leary, Associate Artistic Director, at 617-923-7060 x204, or e-mail studio@newrep.org.

Acting with Infinitive Verbs
Tuition: $200.00.  A $75.00 non-refundable deposit is due with registration.  Balance is due on the first day of class.
Instructor: Diego Arciniegas
Dates: Tuesdays January 23, 2012 thru February 13, 2012 from 6:30-9:00PM
Ages: 18-up

This class will meet over the course of 4 sessions and will include a study of the fundamentals of scene study with in-depth scene preparation using verbs to connect action to intention.  This class will work on making complex choices through the use of active infinitive verbs that will create a physical life for the character, and will assist the actor in establishing intentions that motivate and drive the scene.  Students will be given a scene to prepare prior to the first day of class and should try to meet with their scene partner at least once before the class begins.  This class is intended for advanced actors who have had some prior training and acting work.  Students should wear clothing that allows them to move easily and comfortably.  Class size is limited to 10 students. We will start a waiting list as soon as the class is full.  To register for this class, call Bridget O’Leary, Associate Artistic Director, at 617-923-7060 x204, or e-mail studio@newrep.org.

Theatre of the Oppressed
Tuition: $125.00.  A $20.00 non-refundable deposit is due with registration.  Balance is due on the first day of class.
Instructor: Eve Kagan
Dates: February 25, 2012 and February 26, 2012 from 10:00-1:00PM
Ages: 18-up

Theatre is a language through which human beings can engage in active dialogue on what is important to them. It allows individuals to create a safe space that they may inhabit in groups and use to explore the interactions which make up their lives. It is a lab for problem solving, for seeking options, and for practicing solutions.
Augusto Boal

In 1950’s Brazil Augusto Boal, writer, actor, scholar and political activist, created a new radical theatre practice: Theatre of the Oppressed (TO). Boal wanted to empower people through theatre by creating forms that challenged the traditional line between actor and audience in order to bring about new perspectives. In this workshop we will explore the theatrical process established by Boal by engaging in various TO games and delving into issues of oppression in contemporary society. The workshop will culminate with a devised theatrical piece that pushes beyond the boundaries of conventional theatre and engages the audience in innovative ways around these issues. The piece we create will be meaningful and personal, requiring the deep commitment of all participants.  Class size is limited to 10 students.  We will start a waiting list as soon as it is full.  To register for this class, call Bridget O’Leary, Associate Artistic Director, at 617-923-7060 x204, or e-mail studio@newrep.org.

Movement for Actors: Foundations of Yoga
Tuition: $300.00.  A $75.00 non-refundable deposit is due with registration.  Balance is due on the first day of class.
Instructor: Eve Kagan
Dates: Mondays March 5, 2012 thru April 16, 2012* from 6:30-8:30PM
*(no class on April 2, 2012)
Ages: 18-up

Yoga has the power to transform both body and mind. Experience this power firsthand with professional actor and certified yoga instructor Eve Kagan. As actors, awareness of the body is essential – the body is the actor’s instrument and yoga trains the actor to know the body inside and out. Foundations of Yoga sessions will be tailored to beginner practitioners, providing an expert introduction to Vinyasa style yoga with a focus on developing strength, flexibility, and concentration, through creative heat-building sequences that link breath to movement. Hands-on adjustments will guide students towards perfect posture and maximum benefit in every pose. Yoga is a wonderful practice for actors to challenge the body and steady the mind. Students should wear clothing that allows them to move easily and comfortably.  For Adults 18-up.  Class size is limited to 10 students.  We will start a waiting list as soon as it is full.  To register for this class, call Bridget O’Leary, Associate Artistic Director, at 617-923-7060 x204, or e-mail studio@newrep.org.

Cardio Jazz-funk
Tuition: $125.00.  A $20.00 non-refundable deposit is due with registration.  Balance is due on the first day of class.
Instructor:  Maurice E. Parent
Dates: March 3, 2012 and March 4, 2012 from 10:00-12:30PM
Ages: 18-up
Fun and energetic 2-day dance workshop for all levels. Exercises will explore jazz technique fused with dance styles including African, video dance and hip hop. We’ll raise our heart rates and get ready for bathing suit season by learning choreography to your favorite musicals on day 1, and today’s most popular dance music on day 2. Warmups will get your blood pumping, core work with help solidify your foundation and choreography will be fun and keep you motivated. We’ll also spend part of each class working on dance staging. After learning the choreography for the day, we will use it to put together a performance ready staging of a dance number.  Class size is limited to 12 students.  We will start a waiting list as soon as it is full.  To register for this class, call Bridget O’Leary, Artistic Associate, at 617-923-7060 x204, or e-mail studio@newrep.org.

Marketing Strategies for Small Theatres
Tuition: $75.00.  A $25.00 non-refundable deposit is due with registration.  Balance is due on the first day of class.
Instructor:  Ami Bennitt
Dates: March 5, 2012 from 6:30-9:30PM
Ages: 18-up

This 3-hour workshop is specifically geared towards small, community, and fringe theatre companies.  The workshop will focus on marketing and publicity strategies, goals, and timelines.  From e-blasts to customer relationship management, from press releases to preview stories, from direct mail to ticket sales, students in this workshop will work with New Repertory Theatre’s Marketing and PR Director, Gia Podobinski, to gain insight into marketing the arts in the greater Boston area.   Class size is limited to 15 students. We will start a waiting list as soon as the class is full.  To register for this class, call Bridget O’Leary, Associate Artistic Director, at 617-923-7060 x204, or e-mail studio@newrep.org.

Marketing the Audition
Tuition: $100.00.  A $25.00 non-refundable deposit is due with registration.  Balance is due on the first day of class.
Instructor:  David Costa, Bridget Kathleen O’Leary, and Ami Bennitt
Dates: March 12, 2012 from 6:30-9:30PM
Ages: 18-up

This 3 hour workshop is specifically geared towards freelance artists and will focus on strategies, techniques and the best ways to present/represent yourself at auditions and callbacks.  Students in the class will work with New Repertory Theatre’s Marketing/PR Director, Associate Artistic Director, and Boston-based actor/director/choreographer/photographer David Costa. Students will get feedback on their resumes, headshots, and audition materials.  As an added bonus, all who participate will receive a 20% discount off of a headshot session with David Costa and 50% off of a private coaching session with Bridget Kathleen O’Leary.   Class size is limited to 10 students. We will start a waiting list as soon as the class is full.  Students that register for this class and Audition Technique Workshop will receive $50.00 off.  To register for this class, call Bridget O’Leary, Associate Artistic Director, at 617-923-7060 x204, or e-mail studio@newrep.org.

Audition Technique Workshop—For Serious Actors
Tuition: $150.00.  A $20.00 non-refundable deposit is due with registration.  Balance is due on the first day of class.
Instructor: Bridget Kathleen O’Leary
Dates: March 10, 2012 and March 11, 2012 from 10:00-1:00PM
Ages: 18-up

The first step towards getting a role is to give a strong audition. Learn what a strong audition is and how casting in the Boston area works.  This class will focus on ways to be prepared, relaxed, and successful in any audition situation.  This workshop will concentrate on taking control of the audition, preparing monologues, and preparing for cold readings and reading from the text (sides).  On March 11th during the last half of class, students will audition and be critiqued.  Class size is limited to 10 students.  We will start a waiting list as soon as it is full.  Students that register for this class and Marketing the Audition will receive $50.00 off.  To register for this class, call Bridget O’Leary, Associate Artistic Director, at 617-923-7060 x204, or e-mail studio@newrep.org.

Master Class in Scene Study
Tuition: $200.00.  A $75.00 non-refundable deposit is due with registration.  Balance is due on the first day of class.
Instructors: Directors will be announced soon!
Dates: Tuesdays April 24, 2012 thru May 22, 2012 from 6:30-9:30PM
Ages: 18-up

Over the course of 5 weeks, students will work closely with five directors who have worked at New Rep, in the Boston theatre community, and regionally. This year, we will be exploring David Mamet’s translation of Uncle Vanya.  Each Tuesday night, the class will be taught by a different director, but the students and the play remain the same. Students will have the unique opportunity to examine one play using five approaches, each from a different director. Directors will include Ben Evett, Antonio Ocampo-Guzman, Bridget Kathleen O’Leary, our new Artistic Director Jim Petosa and one more director to be announced soon.   Students should wear clothing that allows them to move easily and comfortably.  Class size is limited to 10 students. We will start a waiting list as soon as the class is full.  To register for this class, call Bridget O’Leary, Associate Artistic Director, at 617-923-7060 x204, or e-mail studio@newrep.org.