Musical Theatre for 6th Grade & Up | What do ABBA, Katy Perry, Britney Spears and Michael Jackson have in common? They all have songs in Broadway musicals! This semester, students will hone their theatre skills and gain stage experience with songs from the biggest phenomenon on Broadway– jukebox musicals! Act, sing and dance your way through the semester in this fun and inclusive class for all levels. The semester will culminate in an exciting performance for family and friends on the Jerry Russell stage, December 11th. Mandatory dress rehearsal December 4th.

Theatre Games for 6th Grade & Up | Have fun and exercise your creativity while learning valuable skills in mental focus and public speaking! You will learn both short and long form improvisation exercises. Led by an experienced and skilful teacher, this class encourages students to develop performance skills in an engaging, dynamic and supportive environment. The final session is an improv show for friends and family to enjoy.

Stretch your creativity and discover your inner actor with this class for developing performers. Ensemble building, improv, pantomime, acting exercises and scene work are combined in this fun and engaging intro to acting. Students will grow their voice and confidence in a supportive and inclusive environment. Family and friends are invited to an in–class sharing on Nov 18. No class October 7th.

Acting Technique | This special condensed workshop is for actors who have moved past beginner and are ready to take their skills to the next level. Refine your personal creative process for character development, script analysis and collaboration with scene partners. Students will move toward the goal of confidence and ease in auditioning and professional settings. This class is for students who have completed Beginner classes at Stage West (or alternate studio) or have professional experience.

Acting Technique for Beginners | Whether you are new to acting or looking to reground yourself in the fundamentals, here is an opportunity to step into the classroom and explore. While developing tools for artists to employ post–class, students will focus on the basics of character development, refine their connection to “actor’s impulse,” and workshop their individualized pathway to approaching a role. This space recognizes and honors the intersectionality of the storytellers and the stories being told.Whether you are new to acting or looking to reground yourself in the fundamentals, here is an opportunity to step into the classroom and explore. While developing tools for artists to employ post–class, students will focus on the basics of character development, refine their connection to “actor’s impulse,” and workshop their individualized pathway to approaching a role. This space recognizes and honors the intersectionality of the storytellers and the stories being told.

The Reality of Doing Part II: Intermediate Acting Technique | In Part II of this Meisner Basics series, master teacher Douglas Davidson reviews the Foundational Exercises, and then leads students into the Full Exercise. Also known as the Improvisation, this cornerstone of Meisner technique helps the actor achieve a state where they work moment-to-moment off their scene partner’s behavior in a truthful, spontaneous and specific way. Once mastered this becomes a powerful, replicable model for authentically acting any scene. All who have taken Meisner Basics I with Douglas Davidson are welcome to enroll. If think you may have special qualifications, please reach out to education@stagewest.org and describe your previous exposure to Meisner technique in detail.

Improv for All Experience Levels | Whether you have no acting experience, or years on the stage, improv classes are a great way to have fun and exercise your creativity! We will learn and play with both short and long form improvisation. Regularly playing improv games helps with public speaking, mental focus, spontaneity, stage fright, creativity, and getting out of work mode and into play! NOTE This class is 5 Tuesdays and 1 Wednesday. The final session on Wednesday, December 13th is an improv show for friends and family to enjoy!

Directing for 8th Grade & Up | Calling all future directors! Explore your ability to create and inspire while discovering what it takes to be a successful leader. Using devised pieces from resident playwright Rob Bosquez’s Panther City Serenade, students will explore the art of directing, from casting to script analysis to the principles of staging and everything in between.