DESCRIPTIONS & SCHEDULES | Winter Session: January 22 - March 13, 2019

FUNDAMENTALS OF ACTING  |  ACT I BASIC SKILLS
Learn the fundamentals of acting through exercises in basic improvisation skills, scene study and monologues. Explore and develop all the actor's artistic tools: body, voice and imagination. Students will learn to be both quicker on their feet and freer with their minds. Character monologues will be chosen and analyzed to stretch and develop the student's natural gifts of expression. Students will learn techniques that professionals re-visit and refresh throughout their careers. Students also will explore monologues with an eye toward using them as audition pieces. This class is an excellent place to honor and examine the acting “bug.” This class is designed for full group participation as well as carefully tailored one-on-one work. The atmosphere is friendly, highly supportive, stimulating and fun.
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Instructor: Richard Soto
An actor, teaching artist, writer and fight choreographer, Soto’s varied career includes theatre, film, television, stunts, and comic books. He has performed at theatres throughout Southern California including South Coast Repertory, San Diego Repertory, The Old Globe and for 16 years as a resident artist at A Noise Within. His film, television and web credits include: Believers, Third Degree Burn, Firebirds, “The West Wing” and “General Hospital,” as well as numerous commercials. Soto is an adjunct professor of stage combat at Vanguard University and has choreographed fights for theatres in southern California including Teatro Meta, American Coast Theater, Los Angeles Theatre Center and South Coast Repertory. He recently published his comic book, The Legend of El Lobo, about a Latino comic book artist with the power to become a shape-shifting Aztec warrior who battles the gangs of East L.A. for the salvation of the barrio, also to be produced as a web series/feature film. Soto believes being a constant student of life to be the basis of a good artist and teacher, and is eagerly working on many other projects involving his passions of theatre, art, film, education and people. He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Actors and of Actors Equity Association. Follow him on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/thelegendofellobo Learn more about Soto.

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FUNDAMENTALS OF ACTING  |  BASIC SKILLS AFTERNOON ACTING CLASS
This daytime version of our popular Basic Skills Acting Class is designed especially with mature adults in mind. Whether you’re seeking personal growth and development or would like to polish communication skills, gain a little spontaneity or just to try something new, this is the class for you. There’s no pressure; it’s all about relaxing and enjoying the acting experience—and making new friends along the way.

Learn the fundamentals of acting through exercises, basic improvisation, and introductory text work. Explore and develop the actor's artistic tools of body, voice and imagination. Learn to be both quicker on your feet and freer with your mind, developing techniques that professionals re-visit and refresh throughout their careers. The class is designed for full group participation as well as carefully tailored one-on-one work. The atmosphere is friendly, highly supportive, stimulating and fun. While we designed this class to make seniors feel both comfortable and challenged, all adult students are welcome to join!
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Jenna (Jan) Cole is an actor, educator and director who has taught in the SCR Conservatory since 2006, and appeared in The Wind in the Willows, the first production to open the Julianne Argyros Stage. She has also taught at Geva Theatre Center, Pomona College, Chapman University, Point Park University and West Virginia University, teaching such courses as voice and speech, beginning and intermediate acting, text analysis, playwriting, acting Shakespeare, acting style, scene study, acting for the camera and advanced directing. She has directed As You Like It, Under Milkwood, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, La Ronde, The Beard of Avon, Blithe Spirit, Old Times and The Shape of Things. As a longtime resident artist at A Noise Within, Cole taught in the youth acting, summer with Shakespeare, and acting internship programs, and performed in such plays as The Way of the World, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Hay Fever, The Three Sisters, The Seagull, King Lear, The Winter’s Tale, Much Ado About Nothing, Design for Living, A Flea in Her Ear, Tartuffe and A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. She has also performed at the Pasadena Playhouse, the Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson, Shakespeare Orange County, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Sacramento Theatre Company, Geva Theatre Center, Arizona Theatre Company, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, the Pittsburgh Playhouse and PlayMakers Repertory Company. She also appeared in television shows as "Picket Fences," "The George Carlin Show," "Pros and Cons" and "Her Last Chance," as well as in numerous commercials, voiceovers and DVD narration. Cole holds an MFA in acting from the American Conservatory Theater and is a certified associate teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework.

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​IMPROVISATION  |  IMPROVISATION I
If the mere thought of having to "make it up on the spot" chills your blood, makes your palms go sweaty and raises your voice an octave, this is the class for you. This fast-paced, fun workshop focuses on acting, characterization, creativity and spontaneity through improvised scenes and theatre games. The emphasis is on thinking faster, making stronger choices and increasing confidence.
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Instructor: ​Greg Atkins
Atkins has written and/or created shows for DreamWorks Studios, Buena Vista, Sony, Fox, Universal Studios, Sea World, the Torch Ceremonies for the Atlanta and Salt Lake City Olympics, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, the Walt Disney Co., numerous corporate clients and was a consultant on "Whose Line is it Anyway." His book IMPROV! is in its 19th printing and his many published plays are produced around the world (see samuelfrench.com, bakersplays.com, and hitplays.com). As a director/performer, Atkins travels with an international team of improv actors to such exotic locals as Prague, Singapore, New Delhi and Irvine. Atkins has worked at South Coast Repertory as a playwright, director, actor or teacher for more than 30 years.

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MUSICAL THEATRE

Musical Theatre offers an approach to the repertoire of Broadway song from the standpoint of the actor—how to ACT a song, not just sing it. It starts with the idea that if you can SPEAK you can SING, and approaches songs as musical monologues, seeking new techniques of expression, relaxation and freedom. Students from all levels of musical experience are welcome.

Students will be assigned at least two contrasting solo pieces suitable to their level of skill, but with an eye toward challenge and growth. If desired, these pieces can be fine-tuned for use at auditions. They will also team up for duets, occasionally with scenes attached. Though not strictly speaking a class in vocal technique, Musical Theatre will address fundamental vocal fears, phobias and bad habits. Students will learn a series of warm-up methods and as a group will sharpen sight-reading skills, be exposed to varied kinds of theatrical music, and indulge in the sheer pleasure of singing together by tackling group numbers.

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Instructor: Tom Shelton 
Shelton is an award-winning composer/lyricist as well as an acclaimed vocal coach and professional accompanist. He has appeared on many local Southern California stages including South Coast Repertory (The Trip To Bountiful, In the Next Room, A Christmas Carol and many more), Pasadena Playhouse, Musical Theatre West (1776), La Mirada Theatre, and Laguna Playhouse, as well as off-Broadway at Manhattan Punch Line. He has written on commission half a dozen murder-mystery scripts for The Gourmet Detective over its 19 year history. His other works, which include musical adaptations, original plays, screen and radio projects, have been produced and seen nationwide, most notably Caddie Woodlawn, the original musical, and The Boy Who Ruled the Moon And Sun for the San Diego Opera.  Other original works include The Man Who Shot the Man Who Shot Jesse James, The Disciples Undoing, Darling, You Slay Me! and a long string of classic fairy tales musically adapted for the Barnsdall Theater in Hollywood. He is working on a new musical with Gary Davis about World War II heroine Claire Phillips, Highpockets.

DESCRIPTIONS & SCHEDULES | Winter Session: January 22 - March 13, 2019

FUNDAMENTALS OF ACTING  |  ACT II SCENE STUDY
Take the next step in the study and performance of scenes and monologues, with tools for creating precise, focused, relaxed and playful relationships on stage. First, through monologue work, students revisit key basics: objectives, text analysis, listening, relaxed awareness and focus. Next, through scene work with partners, they apply these tools, with the primary focus on cultivating the ability to openly and honestly listen and respond. Students will present one monologue and at least one scene. Using in-class exercises, they will also hone such skills as concentration, body awareness, emotional freedom and specificity, actions, play, heightening emotional connection, self-awareness, self-confidence, commitment, comfort, confusion, fear, character physicalization, stage fright, memorization and storytelling.  If this sounds like a lot, it is! In this class, we work, we laugh and we learn a great deal. Prerequisite: at least one semester of actor training.

Instructor: Emily Heebner
Heebner was an understudy on Broadway in Noises Off and then played the role of Brooke on the play's first national tour with Carole Shelley. She has worked extensively with such regional theatres as SCR, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Huntington Theatre Company, Arizona Theatre Co., Virginia Stage Co., Capital Repertory, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival and was a resident artist at A Noise Within for seven seasons. Her television guest spots include "Chicago Hope," "Picket Fences" and "The Equalizer," as well as many commercials. She holds an MFA from the American Conservatory Theatre and has earned several Drama-Logue Awards. Her directing work includes The Diviners and The Odd Duckling at Antelope Valley Performing Arts Theatre and Our Town and Wilde Tales for Isis Theatre Company in Idyllwild. She also teaches acting at Chapman University. Learn more about Heebner.

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IMPROVISATION  |  ADVANCED IMPROVISATION
This is a class for students who have moved beyond the basics of improvisation and want a more intense experience. Instructor Greg Atkins' no-nonsense, high-energy approach to improvisation will help students break through fear of the unknown and prepare for any acting (or life) challenge, whether on stage or off. Using the beginning improv class as a springboard, this class will show students how to:

• liberate spontaneity
• think quickly on their feet
• enhance creativity
• make exciting dramatic choices

As Atkins says in his best-selling book IMPROV!, "There are only four areas in which improvisation will help you: auditions, performances, business and life."

Prerequisite: Improvisation I or similar improvisation experience. ​
Instructor: ​Greg Atkins
Atkins has written and/or created shows for Dream Works, Buena Vista, Sony, Fox, Universal Studios, Sea World, the Torch Ceremonies for the Atlanta and Salt Lake City Olympics, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, the Walt Disney Co., as well as numerous corporate clients and was a consultant on "Whose Line is it Anyway." His book IMPROV! is in its 19th printing and his many published plays are produced around the world (see samuelfrench.com, bakersplays.com, and hitplays.com). As a director/performer, Atkins travels with an international team of improv actors to such exotic locals as Prague, Singapore, New Delhi and Irvine. He has worked at SCR as a playwright, director, actor or teacher for more than 30 years. Learn more about Atkins.

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FUNDAMENTALS OF ACTING  |  ACT III ADVANCED SCENE STUDY AND CHARACTERIZATION
Digs deeper into creating more believable, focused and truthful onstage relationships. By this point, students should feel comfortable with the language of the basic tools and may find more and more consistency in the ability to apply these tools. Among the skills we concentrate on are relaxation, commitment, listening, truthful response, characterization and speaking heightened language. There will be time to address any individual blocks actors might be struggling with. By working on multiple scenes in eight weeks, students learn how to make committed choices in a relatively short period of time, which is one of the hallmarks of the professional actor. Prerequisite: completion of two semesters of actor training.

​PLEASE NOTE: This class requires a commitment to outside rehearsal time with assigned scene partners.

Matthew Arkin
Arkin's Broadway credits include the revival of Neil Simon's;The Sunshine Boys with Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, as well as Mr. Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor (also national tour). He has numerous Off-Broadway and regional credits including his Drama Desk-nominated performance as Gabe in Donald Margulies’ Pulitzer Prize-winning Dinner with Friends, and he received acclaim for his portrayal of the 600-pound Charlie in the West Coast premiere of Samuel D. Hunter's The Whale, one of his many appearances at SCR. Films include indies Second Best, and Raising Flagg, as well as Death to Smoochy, Liar, Liar, North, and An Unmarried Woman. Television appearances include recurring roles on "Rescue Me," "100 Centre Street," "Third Watch" and "All My Children," and guest spots on "Aquarius," "NCIS," and "Switched at Birth," among many others. He is an adjunct professor at Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University, has taught Technique and Scene Study at New York's world-renowned HB Studio, and now teaches privately in Los Angeles. He studied technique, scene study and Shakespeare with Uta Hagen, and studied as well with Austin Pendleton and Sheldon Patinkin.

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ON-CAMERA AUDITION AND PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUE
Learn audition, call-back and performance technique for use in on-camera situations. And do this in a fun, supportive learning environment. Actors rehearse in the class using real scripts, video playback and discussion. They'll explore by using working television and film scenes directly on camera. Scene work will include older and currently filming scripts, and include current filming techniques. We will cover drama, comedy and commercials from guest star to co-star and will discuss the business of acting, from headshots and resumes to building credits. Enrollment is limited. Prerequisite: At least one year of actor training and ability to memorize.

Prerequisite: At least one year of actor training and ability to memorize. ​

Diana Burbano is a Colombian immigrant, a playwright, an Equity actor and a teaching artist at South Coast Repertory (SCR).​ Her written work include Policarpa (Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Brown Swan Lab, Latinx Play Project 2017); Fabulous Monsters (San Diego Repertory Theatre Latinx Festival); Picture me Rollin’ (35th annual William Inge Festival); Silueta (English and Spanish about Cuban artist Ana Mendieta, with Tom and Chris Shelton); Caliban’s Island (winner, 2017 Headwaters New Play Festival at Creede Repertory Theatre); and Enemy|Flint (Rio Hondo 2018 , both published by YouthPLAYS). Libertadoras, Vamping and Linda were written for the 365 Women a Year Project and have been performed around the world, with Linda featured in more than 20 festivals over the last year, including Center Theatre Group’s community library series. Her short plays Rounds Per Second and The Ring are featured in #CodeRed Playwrights Say #NeverAgain to School Shootings. She has written material for Center Theatre Group’s Chisme y Queso series and for Rogue Artists Plummer Park project. She has been a working actor since leaving SCR’s Professional Actors Conservatory (now the Acting Intensive Program) in 1991. She originated the roles of Ama de Casa in the Spanish version of Menopause the Musical, Thumb in Imagine, and Holo-1 in The Labors of Hercules. She played Ana Guerrero in Jose Cruz Gonzales' Long Road Today/El Largo Camino de Hoy Dialogue/Dialogos project at SCR. Her television credits include "The People v. OJ Simpson," "Cold Case" and "Betas." She played a punk Praetorian guard Viv in the cult movie musical, The Isle of Lesbos. She manages Sleep Till Noon Productions and The Gourmet Detective. Burbano is one of the original members of the writers circle for Latino Theatre Association/Los Angeles. She is a member of The Dramatists Guild and The Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights. Learn more about Burbano.

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ACTING SHAKESPEARE
Students will perform and analyze monologues in order to explore Shakespeare’s use of language and create text-based characterization. This is the class serious acting students have been waiting for. But even those who attend the program’s evening classes in order to overcome shyness and gain spontaneity, can now add a little Shakespeare to their developing skills.

Prerequisite: completed Act I and II at SCR, two semesters of acting training elsewhere or permission from the instructor. ​
Instructor: ​Hisa Takakuwa
Takakuwa is a classically trained actor, director and educator. She has worked at many theatrical institutions around the country including the Sundance Children’s Theatre, The Music Center on Tour and the Indiana Repertory Theatre. At SCR, she appeared in The Man Who Came to Dinner and in 14 seasons of A Christmas Carol and Education Touring Productions. As SCR’s Theatre Conservatory Director, she has directed numerous Players productions including Metamorphoses, Hard Times, Cinderella, Mansfield Park, Into the Woods, Snow Angel, Seussical, Annie, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins and Bliss. While a longtime resident artist at the classical repertory company A Noise Within, she appeared in many productions including The Triumph of Love, The Comedy of Errors, The Misanthrope, Another Part of the Forest, The Seagull and Our Town. She directed Henry V, Twelfth Night and Shooting Stars at the Actors Co-op theatre in Hollywood. She holds a BA from Smith College and an MFA from the California Institute of the Arts.

DESCRIPTIONS & SCHEDULES | Winter Session: January 22 - March 13, 2019

PLAYWRITING  |  DISCOVERING YOUR VOICE: INTRODUCTION TO PLAYWRITING
Do you have a story that you’re dying to tell? Let us help. We’ll explore writers, writing and most of all—getting your story down on paper. This class will be equal parts active (we’ll write, of course), constructive (we’ll break it down, to build it up) and appreciative (we’ll see what other writers are doing these days). Of course, this is SCR, and we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of new and exciting work, so we’ll come at your story theatrically. However, screenwriters and solo performing artists are welcome as well. If you’ve got something to share, let’s hear it.

Instructor: Kristina Leach 
Kristina Leach has been working in the theatre professionally for more than 15 years. As an instructor at SCR, she has taught in the kids, teens and adult Theatre Conservatory programs. Once upon a time, she was a member of SCR's artistic team where she served as a Literary Associate for 7 seasons. An alumna of California State University, Fullerton, she is a playwright, actor and director. Her award-winning plays have been produced in New York and Los Angeles and in the U.K. Her other interests include her kid, her husband and their grumpy dog, Murray.