Classes

WED 4:30–6pm · 4/17, 4/24, 5/1, 5/8, 5/15, 5/22 · $180 

Are you a "class clown” or an up- and- coming comedian? Is your funny side just waiting to be discovered? Tap into your funny bone and learn how to make Funny Biz! In this class, we will create comedy out of thin air using mime, masks, objects, and clowning techniques. Let your creativity shine with improv, juggling, crafting, and so much more. Once our comedy feast is ready, we’ll share our tricks of the trade and gifts of laughter with family and friends during the last class. 

Instructor: Nancy Gold is a multifaceted performing artist, director, teacher, playwright, and author of Finding Your Funny Bone! The Actor’s Guide to Physical Comedy and Characters. Nancy specializes in writing and directing original plays about empowering women for young audiences. Among them include Thank You! RBG; “Bon Appetit” - Julia!; ONE LAUGH AT A TIME The Legacy of Lucille Ball; Ella!; The Story of Jane; Showdown at the Amargosa; and the film, MY SHOT!. Her teaching experience includes Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, ACT Young Conservatory (ACT Young Mentor Award), Academy of Art University, UCLA, University of Illinois, Foothill College, De Anza College, California Shakespeare Theatre, Marin Theatre and public/private schools in the USA. She has presented at NAIS in San Francisco, and AYCO in Seattle and Boulder. Traditional directing credits include A Servant of Two Masters, Pippi Longstocking, Madeline and the Gypsies, The Caucasian Chalk Circle. She is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and AEA. Mentors are Jacques LeCoq (Paris,), Ctibor Turba, Claude Kipnis. She holds a BFA from the University of Illinois and a Master’s Equivalency. Favorite performances are mime tours with symphonies in Canada/US and performing comedy vaudeville with her partner, Lol Levy.

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WED 4:30–6pm · 4/17, 4/24, 5/1, 5/8, 5/15, 5/22 · $180  

Students will explore the tools of the actor through monologue and scene work by analyzing scripts and performing for one another. This is an opportunity for students to gain valuable rehearsal and stage experience with feedback on their work, improve stage presence and confidence as a performer, and sharpen their text analysis! All experience levels welcome.

Instructor: Eleanor Maples is a local emerging theater artist. As an East Bay native, she has had a long-standing love affair with the Berkeley Rep, and has chased a passion for critically-minded contemporary theatre through her recent years in Berlin, Germany and New York City. As an alum of both Oakland School for the Arts and NYU's Playwrights Horizons Studio, Eleanor has a combined 7 years of advanced conservatory training, and greatly enjoys sharing the lessons she has learned with the next generation of artists. Her creative passions include directing, acting, writing, and costume design, as well as visual arts. Her favorite playwright is Caryl Churchill, and she was most recently seen co-directing The Albatross by Alex Moggridge at Berkeley Rep's 2023 High School Summer Intensive with Dylan Russell.

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TUE 4:30–6pm · 4/16, 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21 · $180

Expand your imagination through improvisation! As an ensemble, students explore technique, theory, games, and tricks that help them open up to the kind of spontaneity that breeds better comedic timing on stage, stronger reactions in rehearsals, laughter at parties, and a lot more fun at family functions. All levels welcome. Returning students will be challenged with more advanced exercises.

Instructor: To be announced

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TUE 4:30–6pm · 4/16, 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21 · $180 

Being funny is a serious business! Explore the art of comedy from every direction — physical, vocal and improvisational.Test the basics of clowning and take the next step in vaudeville and sketch comedy, before graduating to monologues and scene study - all the time improving your improvisational chops. Have fun being funny! Then share your creations with family and friends at our last class. 

Instructor: Nancy Gold is a multifaceted performing artist, director, teacher, playwright, and author of Finding Your Funny Bone! The Actor’s Guide to Physical Comedy and Characters. Nancy specializes in writing and directing original plays about empowering women for young audiences. Among them include Thank You! RBG; “Bon Appetit” - Julia!; ONE LAUGH AT A TIME: The Legacy of Lucille Ball; Ella!; The Story of Jane; Showdown at the Amargosa; and the film, MY SHOT!. Her teaching experience includes Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, ACT Young Conservatory (ACT Young Mentor Award), Academy of Art University, UCLA, University of Illinois, Foothill College, De Anza College, California Shakespeare Theatre, Marin Theatre and public/private schools in the USA. She has presented at NAIS in San Francisco, and AYCO in Seattle and Boulder. Traditional directing credits include A Servant of Two Masters, Pippi Longstocking, Madeline and the Gypsies, The Caucasian Chalk Circle. She is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and AEA. Mentors are Jacques LeCoq (Paris,), Ctibor Turba, Claude Kipnis. She holds a BFA from the University of Illinois and a Master’s Equivalency. Favorite performances are mime tours with symphonies in Canada/US and performing comedy vaudeville with her partner, Lol Levy.

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WED 4:30–6pm · 4/17, 4/24, 5/1, 5/8, 5/15, 5/22 · $180

This class welcomes artists from a variety of mediums: music, acting, film, dance, art, writing, and more! Students will delve into the world of devised theatre and create a unique performance piece entirely written by the class participants. Through a variety of acting and improv exercises, we’ll craft a narrative that pulls from students’ personal experiences, imagination, and individual talents. There will be a final performance on the last class date, open to family and friends.

Instructor: Graham Patzner is a multi-disciplined instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and leader of Bay Area Indie rock band Whiskerman. Born into a musical family, Patzner studied classically since the age of 5. He attended Rutgers University for the Mason Gross conservatory of theater, and he blends his musical and theater training into an experience that is uniquely instinctual and expressive. Ever chameleonic, Patzner can cross multiple musical genres in both improvisation and composition.

Powerful songs, emotional and energetic live shows and a signature soulful voice have made Patzner a staple in the San Francisco Bay Area music scene for over 10 years. After making 4 albums with Whiskerman, Patzner released a solo record, "Ballads". Patzner has opened for notable acts such as Jesca Hoop and Jon Batiste and worked with producers Tony Berg and Jeff Saltzman. Patzner recently released "Kingdom Illusion" through Whiskerman and continues to release singles through his solo project.

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MON 7–10pm · 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13 · $285 

Students will analyze and perform scenes straight from dramatic literature to develop a better understanding of character, voice, and narrative. Special emphasis is placed on encouraging students to make dramatically effective choices by playing provocative actions, discovering the event within the scene, and finding creative obstacles.

Instructor: Jennifer Le Blanc is an actor, director, playwright/adaptor, and teaching artist. Jennifer has acted regionally and internationally. Her plays and adaptations have been produced in the U.S. and Canada. Jennifer has taught for Perspective Theatre Company’s and Livermore Shakespeare Festival’s education programs, taught workshops at Cerimon House, and coached style and movement for productions at several local companies. Jennifer has an MFA from the National Theatre Conservatory and a BA in English Literature from UC Berkeley. 

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WED 6:30–9:30pm · 4/17, 4/24, 5/1, 5/8, 5/15, 5/22, 5/29 · $375

This scene study class is designed for students who have participated in one of Carolyn's previous Meisner classes or have some previous experience with the Meisner technique. The 7 weeks will build on Meisner's foundational "repetition exercise" and start applying the same skills of atunement to text work with the concept of "conversational reality." Carolyn will assign scenes, and students will gradually "grow a performance" in an organic, process-oriented way. Week by week, we will introduce tools of emotional preparation, objectives, actions, and particularizations as students carve out more meaning and specificity in their scenes.

Students should have some acting experience paired with a desire to deepen their listening skills, vulnerability, spontaneity, imagination, and sense of truth when performing in a scene. This course requires consistent attendance and significant work outside of class, including weekly rehearsals with scene partners and additional imaginative private homework. Students will be asked to show up as the most authentic versions of themselves, with an openness to feedback and a willingness to look at the social habits and defenses that may be getting in the way of honest human connection.

Prerequisite: A short, informal interview is required at least one week before the class begins to determine rightness of fit for the course. Interviews must be completed by April 10, 2024. 

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Instructor: Carolyn McCandlish has taught the Meisner acting technique at NYU Tisch’s Experimental Theatre Wing, the Terry Knickerbocker Studio, Acting Studio Chicago, the Actors' Center D.C., and the Greenbrier Valley Theatre. Carolyn trained with Terry Knickerbocker in two subsequent 2-year Meisner conservatory programs, first as an actor at the William Esper Studio, then again as a teaching apprentice while assisting the opening of his own Terry Knickerbocker Studio. Other creative mentors over the years include Maggie Flanigan, Fay Simpson, Richard Armstrong, Elena McGhee, Alisa Endsley, Ted Morin, and Jeff Wirth. Some of Carolyn's favorite theatre credits are The Spoon River Project (Green-Wood Cemetery), Crimes of the Heart (Fable Farm Theatre), Stomp and Shout (Babel Theatre Project), and Donnie Darko (American Repertory Theater). She was a founding member of art.party.theater.company, which specialized in designing creative performance installations and reinvigorating classical texts through site-specific, physical theater, and she co-founded the interactive, dramatic improv ensemble Playing With Reality, with which she performed and taught in Amsterdam and across New York City. Carolyn co-wrote, co-produced, assistant directed and acted in Whispers in the Dark, an interactive 24-hour film project for the New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center. She received a B.A. from Harvard and a Master's in Social Work from NYU with an additional focus on therapeutic drama techniques. She is a firm believer in the healing and transformative powers of acting. 

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THU 7–10pm · 5/9, 5/23, 5/30, 6/6 · $265

Storytelling is an art form as old as human civilization and there has never been a better time to explore personal stories from the heart than in this current moment. Our personal stories are dovetailing into the global narrative, resulting in powerful tales yearning to be told.

Whether you have a solo show dying to be birthed or you want to hone your storytelling skills for professional reasons, this class will help you harness your creativity, trust your instincts, quiet your inner critic, and find your unique voice. Through acting, improv, and writing exercises, we will get that story out of your head and into the world. There will be a final showcase of work on the last night of the class for an invited audience.

Instructor: Joyful Simpson is an actress, writer, and creativity educator who combines improv theatre, behavioral sciences, and mindfulness to create dynamic trainings for businesses and institutions. She studied theatre and psychology at Sarah Lawrence College in New York and earned an MFA in Dramatic Art from UC Davis. While at Davis, she spearheaded an applied improv-based training program for the Graduate School of Management. In 2013 she founded Pro-CreativeArts—an applied theatre organization—and is hired throughout the United States to lead trainings that foster creativity, collaboration, and communication for teams and leaders. Born into an iconic theatre family, she brings to her classes a unique body of experience gained from creating and performing theatre professionally since childhood. Her solo comedy recently won Best of Fringe at the 2016 San Francisco Fringe Festival. Her theatre credits include lead actor and co-author of four plays for “Prize of Hope”-winning company Human Nature and co-founder of the ensemble-driven theatre company Rococo Risqué, winner of SF Weekly Best Theater Ensemble 2005. Joyful has also appeared as an actor in many projects on stage and film, including Odyssey Works, an immersive theatre project; The Pursuit of Happiness, with Will Smith; and Spring Awakening, directed by Broadway and West End director Stafford Arima.

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MON 7–9pm · 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20 · $250

Would you like to land your ideas with more impact? Do you lose control of your breath when anxious? Are you unsure how to gauge or deliver correct volume at auditions or interviews? Whether as yourself or as a character, voice is the epicenter of your communication with the world; when we free our voices, the rest of our expressive instrument follows!

Incorporating movement with vocal exploration, this gently physical class helps you to connect the dots between mindset, gesture, and emotional expression.  In addition to learning how to use your voice and physicality in performance, you will come away from the class with a well-worked piece of speech appropriate to your situation (interview preparation, audition monologue, presentational speech). A complimentary mp3 of the core exercises will be provided to support your practice beyond this class. 

Instructor: Susan-Jane Harrison (aka SJ Harrison) is a British American playwright and performer, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, with a Masters of Fine Arts from UC Davis.  The originator of the Inhabiting Technique for Actors, SJ Harrison has over 20 years experience working internationally. She has taught at UC Davis, ACT, Berkeley Repertory School of Theatre, Empowerhouse Acting Studio, and California Shakespeare Company.  She has a private voice and performance coaching practice locally and globally.   A member of VASTA (Voice and Speech Trainers Association), Susan-Jane specializes in working with ‘third culture’ and multilingual clients.  Unusual collaborations in Harrison’s artistic work have allowed her to develop across disciplines.  Her teaching work draws from Linklater, Stanislavsky, Growtoski, Cicely Berry and Rudolf Laban. To name a few, she has worked at the Pop-Up Globe in New Zealand, with BBC Radio, A&BC Theatre Co, RADA and the Royal National in the UK, and at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Aurora Theatre Company, ACT, California Shakespeare Company in the US.  She has been a Brady Fellow at 3Girls Theatre in San Francisco and continues to work with them on her plays. 

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SAT 10am–1pm · 5/11, 5/18, 6/1 · $220 

Redirect physical responses to stress in high stakes scenarios and learn how to fuel your zealousness while developing soft skills with your team. We will work with improvisation exercises based on the leading principle of "yes and" and work to explore each student’s unique goals. Students will receive practical tools, take aways, and detailed handouts which address how to control your breathing and redirect anxiety, as well as best ways to open yourself to spontaneity.

Instructor: Deborah Eubanks been teaching and directing voice and speech to actors and non-actors for over 3 decades in UK and US. She is currently in her 7th year with Strictly Speaking Group, coaching under EDI, and in her 12th year at Academy of Art University, where she has built classes and is  teaching Acting and Voice. Deb has been with BRT for over 15 years. She received her Theater Arts degree in UK at Harold Pinter Studios, UEA, and has written and performed in Covent Garden Arts Center, Cambridge. Deb has also toured the UK with a series of one woman shows. Deborah has taught Voice, Acting Techniques and Dialects at American Conservatory Theatre,  University of San Francisco and S.F. Shakespeare. Deborah was the 2021, inspirational speaker at Google Women’s summit, and has created workshops specifically for LGBTQ vocal transitioning. She is a trained Registered Nursing Instructor and has an extensive understanding of anatomy of voice and speech. She was in residence with Stephen Hawking’s company and has an acting resume which includes many classic and contemporary roles. She is an SF Divafest Playwright, and in October 2021, she was guest to Ralph Fiennes’s dialect coach for The Dig, on BBC radio. 

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SAT 1:30–4:30pm · 5/11, 5/18, 6/1 · $220

This 3-week class is a combination of the methods of Kristen Linklater, The Tao of Voice, and the instructor's own approach. Hand-outs will be given prior to classes. We will practice warm up exercises designed to release unique vocal freedom, which will serve to build and sustain a safely supported voice and access each clients’ whole range. Each week texts will be chosen in order to build upon vocal variety. Sides and scenes will be practiced incorporating pace pitch power and pauses, and expanding range and resonance. Passion pieces will be chosen by clients in order to weave together unique creative imaging and unique interpretation thereby authentically embodying language, in order to bring the words alive, and truly own the text.

Instructor: Deborah Eubanks been teaching and directing voice and speech to actors and non-actors for over 3 decades in UK and US. She is currently in her 7th year with Strictly Speaking Group, coaching under EDI, and in her 12th year at Academy of Art University, where she has built classes and is  teaching Acting and Voice. Deb has been with BRT for over 15 years. She received her Theater Arts degree in UK at Harold Pinter Studios, UEA, and has written and performed in Covent Garden Arts Center, Cambridge. Deb has also toured the UK with a series of one woman shows. Deborah has taught Voice, Acting Techniques and Dialects at American Conservatory Theatre,  University of San Francisco and S.F. Shakespeare. Deborah was the 2021, inspirational speaker at Google Women’s summit, and has created workshops specifically for LGBTQ vocal transitioning. She is a trained Registered Nursing Instructor and has an extensive understanding of anatomy of voice and speech. She was in residence with Stephen Hawking’s company and has an acting resume which includes many classic and contemporary roles. She is an SF Divafest Playwright, and in October 2021, she was guest to Ralph Fiennes’s dialect coach for The Dig, on BBC radio. 

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SAT 10:30am–1:30pm · 5/4, 5/11, 5/18, 6/1 · $285 

Dive into the possibilities of improvised theatre! We’ll do lots of scene work to deepen comfort and spontaneity in a variety of genres. Work on establishing character, building and exploring the world of the scene, and co-creating story together. You will receive direct, tailored, and supportive feedback. No matter what, we will play and laugh. A lot. 

Instructor: Diana Brown is an award winning performing and teaching artist, a producer, director and playwright. She was named Most Valuable Mentor and Teacher at the San Francisco Improv Festival. She’s taught with Laguna Playhouse, Grupology, and as a guest teaching artist at City College San Francisco. She is Director of Community and Senior Producer with Leela Improv Theatre Companyin San Francisco. She serves as director for the improv ensemble The Professionals. Diana is also a communication facilitator, working with physicians and business leaders, helping them to interact with patients and clients in ways that promote empathy and cultural equity. She is half of the nationally touring improv comedy duo Bingewatch. Bingewatch was awarded Best Improv at the Fringe Festival of Pittsburgh. She’s performed and presented workshops at festivals around the country including San Francisco Sketch Fest, New York Improv Festival, Twin Cities Improv Festival, New Orleans Improv Fest, Vintage Improv Fest, Denver Improv Festival, 2nd Best Comedy Fest, San Francisco Improv Fest, Tucson Comedy Arts Fest. She’s appeared in theater productions in New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C. Diana has studied with master improv teachers from Second City, IO, Annoyance Theatre, UCB, The Pack Theatre. She studied performing arts with the Arizona Theatre Company Conservatory. Diana co-authored and performed the solo play When You Are Called with award winning playwright Susan Jackson. 

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WED 7–10pm · 5/1, 5/8, 5/15, 5/22, 5/29 · $285

Theatre of the Oppressed, conceived by Augusto Boal, is a collection of games, techniques, and exercises for using theatre as a vehicle for personal and social transformation. It uses the dynamized human body and the charged theatrical space as laboratories for exploring power, transforming oppression, and finding solutions to the fundamental problems of conflict, inequality, injustice, and human suffering. This workshop will introduce basic techniques (demechanization, dynamization, image theatre, forum theatre) from the Theatre of the Oppressed, with an end to understanding their application as practical and essential tools for artistic development, creative expression, social engagement, and personal transformation. This class is open to both experienced and beginning performers, as well as anyone interested in exploring art as a method for social and personal change, while developing spontaneity, fluidity, presence, creativity, and critical intelligence. 

Instructor: Jiwon Chung is a professional actor, director, and a key theorist of Theatre of the Oppressed. He is the Artistic Director of Kairos Theater Ensemble, adjunct professor of Theater and Social Justice at Starr King School at the Graduate Theological Union, and past President of the national organization for Theatre of the Oppressed. Author of numerous books, articles, and performances, he is considered a pioneer in the integration of somatics, Theatre of the Oppressed, and socially engaged art. The focus of his work is in the application of theatre as a tool for social and political change, using Theatre of the Oppressed to challenge, resist, and transform systemic oppression and structural violence and to redress large-scale historical atrocity and injustice. His approach to performance and social change is informed by his background as a veteran, a martial artist, and three decades of vipassana meditation.

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SAT 1–4pm · 4/20 · $65 

“Within this fathom-long body, lies the world of suffering, its cause, and its liberation.” - Gautama Buddha 

All oppression involves the body — the body holds and reflects the experience of its oppression. Fear, anxiety, and oppression bleed their way into the habits of our human expression, trapping, binding, and shutting down our natural spontaneity and aliveness, making us mechanized, divided, and imbalanced in our bodies and our minds and isolated, aggressive, or confused in our relationships and interactions. The original form of mindfulness — the mind’s capacity to observe itself, reflect, and transform — is theatre. This workshop will explore the rich, deep, powerful practices of mindfulness, dishabituation, and embodiment within the corpus of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, focusing on practical techniques for transforming and finding liberation through somatic and energetic awareness in the personal, interpersonal, and political dimensions. We will use demechanization, dynamization, image theatre, forum theatre, and rainbow of desire while developing presence, focus, and a strong capacity for meditative awareness. Open to anyone with a desire to use theatre, art, and meditation to explore a powerful approach to transforming self and society.

Please dress comfortably to move.  

Instructor: Jiwon Chung is a professional actor, director, and a key theorist of Theatre of the Oppressed. He is the Artistic Director of Kairos Theater Ensemble, adjunct professor of Theater and Social Justice at Starr King School at the Graduate Theological Union, and past President of the national organization for Theatre of the Oppressed. Author of numerous books, articles, and performances, he is considered a pioneer in the integration of somatics, Theatre of the Oppressed, and socially engaged art. The focus of his work is in the application of theatre as a tool for social and political change, using Theatre of the Oppressed to challenge, resist, and transform systemic oppression and structural violence and to redress large-scale historical atrocity and injustice. His approach to performance and social change is informed by his background as a veteran, a martial artist, and three decades of vipassana meditation.

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THU 6:30–9:30pm · 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23 · $360

Building on approaches developed in the Beginning and Intermediate Voice-Over Acting courses, this 5 week voice-over workshop focuses on polishing those skills needed to submit competitive auditions and begin working in voiceover. Through audition and script analysis exercises in class, we will continue shaping, refining, and individualizing each student’s singular voice. Our focus will be on building competitive reads and approaches on current genres and copy.

Additionally, we will refine the quality of audio from the student’s home studio setup. This class requires recording assignments outside of class sessions. Home recording equipment recommended. Students without a home studio can record assignments on their phone or other device that creates MP3s. Class size is limited. 

Prerequisite: Completion of Intermediate Voice-Over at Berkeley Rep, or permission from the instructor, are required to take this class. 

Instructor: Jim Edgar has been captivated by voice-over and recording his whole life. As a full-time VO, he has voiced a Star Wars Stormtrooper ornament warning kids to stay away from presents, the Levi’s Stadium Talking Scoreboard campaign, and appeared as an ongoing voice for John Muir Health. He works across all areas of voice-over with commercial, narrative, eLearning clients including Adobe, Exploratorium, Samsung, Visa International, Oracle, Cisco, and Eisenhower Healthcare. You may have heard him as several characters in Helheim Hassle, Captain Thorn and the Evil Dr. Houser in the Deadwood Mansion VR Escape Room, Blackfeather the Assassin in VainGlory, Quigley the Robot in Leapfrog’s Letter Machine Rescue Team, The Birdman of Alcatraz in 1954 Alcatraz, or the laconic (and holographic) Bartender in Emerald Theater. With a lifelong love of teaching, Jim has led voiceover classes through the Global Voice Acting Academy and Google Arts. Jim also works as an audio consultant training voice actors to set up home studios and is on the faculty at Voice One, San Francisco.

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THU 7–9pm · 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23 · $220

Learn physical triggers that will help you quickly find the placement, melody, and general sound changes for the Welsh dialect. We will study the dialect in a multi-sensorial way, with a focus on the physical changes, the phonetic sound changes, and immersion/mimicry (listening to and imitating primary sources of the dialect). Once there is a comfort level with the Welsh dialect, we will work on text from films and plays.   

Instructor: Rebecca Castelli holds a BA in voice and theatre and an MFA in acting. Previously from Seattle, she won a Seattle Times Footlight Award for her role of Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, and also had the honor of acting with Tony award-winning actress Judy Kaye in Gypsy at 5th Avenue Musical Theatre Company. She was a company member of the Marin-based Porchlight Theatre Company for five years and had leads in many of their main stage productions, including Chekhov’s Three Sisters and Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband. Locally, Rebecca has also acted with Shotgun Players and Cinnabar Theater Company. She dialect coaches for various Bay Area theatres, including Shotgun Players, Theatre Rhinoceros, Town Hall Theatre Company, Mendocino Theatre Company, Virago Theatre Company, and Ross Valley Players. She is a founding member of The Incidentalists, a long-form improvisational group based in Oakland.

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THU 7–9pm · 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16 · $200 · Audit: $125

Self-taping is a unique skill set that every actor should have. In this class, you will learn how to how to get and use all the equipment you need to make your self-tapes look professional grade (without breaking the bank). You will learn about self-taping, virtual auditions, and callbacks for theatre, film, and television. You’ll walk away with a clear idea of how to create compelling work and most importantly: book the job!

Class limited to 12. Auditors will be able to participate in all discussions, pose ideas, and ask questions; they will not be permitted to participate in or receive feedback on virtual auditions.

Instructor: James Wagner is a Los Angeles-based actor who has taught acting workshops in the Bay Area for over 10 years. As a teacher, he values a mastery of technique, explores a holistic approach, and particularly likes intensive psycho-physical and spiritual approaches. James sees creativity as a sacred process and tries to support each student’s unique voice and process. He is an MFA graduate of American Conservatory Theater and completed a PhD at the California Institute of Integral Studies, exploring spiritual experiences on stage.

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SAT 10–11am · 4/13, 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18 (performance day) · $200 

Great thunderbolts! Olympus is calling! When Zeus and Hera invite you to a heavenly festival in the clouds, chaos and comedy ensue. Become Athena, the goddess of the moon, or her brother Apollo, the sun god. Battle the Hydra or a Cyclops and create new myths based on the adventures of these great mythological beings! This class will introduce young actors to the pantheon of Greek gods and goddesses, and together we will create an original show to share with our mortal friends. Togas included! Families and friends will be invited for a final sharing of our play on the final date of class.  

Instructor: Teresa Salas (she/her) is a performance practitioner, teacher and mother. She has worked in physical theater, dance and movement-based performances. Her voice and acting training took place within the Grotowski tradition, having worked at Grotowski’s Workcenter in Italy for 5 years. She is a member of the dance company Danza CIEC in Chile, and has participated in numerous experimental productions during the past 10 years. She has also worked as a movement lecturer for theater students in various professional schools, and undergraduate Theater programs in Chile. Her work grapples with the study of movement, voice and singing both for stage productions and performance as research. Her interest lies in finding collaborative tools for creation and the study of kinesthetics as a mean to deconstruct our social experience, from an anti-racist, postcolonial and feminist lens her work intends to observe other ways to look at creative procedures. She holds an MFA from University of California, Davis – Dramatic Arts and B.A Performing art —Theatre from Paris University Vincennes-Saint-Denis.

SAT 11:30am–1pm · 4/13, 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18 · $180

Explore the tools of the actor through monologue and scene work. Students will spend time analyzing scripts and lots of time rehearsing with and performing for one another. Learn to access your own inner landscape and bring your character to life through expressive performance. Gain valuable rehearsal and stage experience, and feedback on your work. Brush up your skills, improve your stage presence and confidence as a performer, and hone your text analysis skills! All experience levels welcome.

Instructor: Teresa Salas (she/her) is a performance practitioner, teacher and mother. She has worked in physical theater, dance and movement-based performances. Her voice and acting training took place within the Grotowski tradition, having worked at Grotowski’s Workcenter in Italy for 5 years. She is a member of the dance company Danza CIEC in Chile, and has participated in numerous experimental productions during the past 10 years. She has also worked as a movement lecturer for theater students in various professional schools, and undergraduate Theater programs in Chile. Her work grapples with the study of movement, voice and singing both for stage productions and performance as research. Her interest lies in finding collaborative tools for creation and the study of kinesthetics as a mean to deconstruct our social experience, from an anti-racist, postcolonial and feminist lens her work intends to observe other ways to look at creative procedures. She holds an MFA from University of California, Davis – Dramatic Arts and B.A Performing art —Theatre from Paris University Vincennes-Saint-Denis.

TUE 3/26 & MON 4/1 · 6:30–9pm · $125

Instructors:

SAT 10am–1pm · 3/30, 4/6, 4/13 · $220 

Redirect physical responses to stress in high stakes scenarios and learn how to fuel your zealousness while developing soft skills with your team. We will work with improvisation exercises based on the leading principle of "yes and" and work to explore each student’s unique goals. Students will receive practical tools, take aways, and detailed handouts which address how to control your breathing and redirect anxiety, as well as best ways to open yourself to spontaneity.

Instructor: Deborah Eubanks been teaching and directing voice and speech to actors and non-actors for over 3 decades in UK and US. She is currently in her 7th year with Strictly Speaking Group, coaching under EDI, and in her 12th year at Academy of Art University, where she has built classes and is  teaching Acting and Voice. Deb has been with BRT for over 15 years. She received her Theater Arts degree in UK at Harold Pinter Studios, UEA, and has written and performed in Covent Garden Arts Center, Cambridge. Deb has also toured the UK with a series of one woman shows. Deborah has taught Voice, Acting Techniques and Dialects at American Conservatory Theatre,  University of San Francisco and S.F. Shakespeare. Deborah was the 2021, inspirational speaker at Google Women’s summit, and has created workshops specifically for LGBTQ vocal transitioning. She is a trained Registered Nursing Instructor and has an extensive understanding of anatomy of voice and speech. She was in residence with Stephen Hawking’s company and has an acting resume which includes many classic and contemporary roles. She is an SF Divafest Playwright, and in October 2021, she was guest to Ralph Fiennes’s dialect coach for The Dig, on BBC radio. 

SAT 1:30–4:30pm · 3/30, 4/6, 4/13 · $220

This 3-week class is a combination of the methods of Kristen Linklater, The Tao of Voice, and Deborah’s own approach. Hand-outs will be given prior to classes. We will practice warm up exercises designed to release unique vocal freedom, which will serve to build and sustain a safely supported voice and access each clients’ whole range. Each week texts will be chosen in order to build upon vocal variety. Sides and scenes will be practiced incorporating pace pitch power and pauses, and expanding range and resonance. Passion pieces will be chosen by clients in order to weave together unique creative imaging and unique interpretation thereby authentically embodying language, in order to bring the words alive, and truly own the text.

Instructor: Deborah Eubanks been teaching and directing voice and speech to actors and non-actors for over 3 decades in UK and US. She is currently in her 7th year with Strictly Speaking Group, coaching under EDI, and in her 12th year at Academy of Art University, where she has built classes and is  teaching Acting and Voice. Deb has been with BRT for over 15 years. She received her Theater Arts degree in UK at Harold Pinter Studios, UEA, and has written and performed in Covent Garden Arts Center, Cambridge. Deb has also toured the UK with a series of one woman shows. Deborah has taught Voice, Acting Techniques and Dialects at American Conservatory Theatre,  University of San Francisco and S.F. Shakespeare. Deborah was the 2021, inspirational speaker at Google Women’s summit, and has created workshops specifically for LGBTQ vocal transitioning. She is a trained Registered Nursing Instructor and has an extensive understanding of anatomy of voice and speech. She was in residence with Stephen Hawking’s company and has an acting resume which includes many classic and contemporary roles. She is an SF Divafest Playwright, and in October 2021, she was guest to Ralph Fiennes’s dialect coach for The Dig, on BBC radio. 

SAT 11am–1:30pm · 4/6, 4/13, 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18, 6/1 · $345

This course explores the art of acting in a playful, encouraging, collaborative atmosphere, and offers a dynamic and engaging introduction to the craft of acting. Develop a basic understanding of acting fundamentals through Stanislavski-based practice. Using exercises and scene work, this class introduces students to the elements of dramatic action, text analysis, and character development, as well as the tools for releasing inhibitions and expanding vocal and physical range. May be repeated.

Instructor: Bobby August, Jr. is an actor, improviser, and teacher. Bobby is also a recipient of the prestigious NBC Bob Curry fellowship at Second City. His group just finished an extended run of completely sold-out performances at Second City Hollywood. He earned an MFA in Acting from the University of California, Davis. Some of his favorite past performances include portraying Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Howie in Rabbit Hole, Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew, and The Player in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Bobby also devises physical theatre pieces with long-time collaborator Iu-Hui Chua. They created and performed Crawl and Ligilo at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. In addition, Bobby is the owner and director of the award-winning Made Up Theatre (MUT) in Fremont, California. His theatre specializes in presenting completely improvised plays. He has performed with MUT at improv festivals throughout the country—most recently winning Best Improv Group at the Sacramento Comedy Festival. His improv education includes training at the world-famous Second City and Annoyance Theatre in Chicago. 

TUE 7–9:30pm · 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28 · $345

This course explores the art of acting in a playful, encouraging, collaborative atmosphere, and offers a dynamic and engaging introduction to the craft of acting. Develop a basic understanding of acting fundamentals through Stanislavski-based practice. Using exercises and scene work, this class introduces students to the elements of dramatic action, text analysis, and character development, as well as the tools for releasing inhibitions and expanding vocal and physical range. May be repeated.

Instructor: Marvin Greene is a professional actor and has performed with major regional theatres such as ACT, Aurora Theatre Company, Marin Theatre Company, Westport Country Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and San Jose Rep. Marvin served as an instructor at ACT for over a decade and also teaches at the Academy of Art College and Voice One in San Francisco. Marvin has taught at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre since 2003.

TUE 7–9:30pm · 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14 · $285

Building upon skills and tools learned in Beginning Acting, students will have the opportunity to delve deeper into character development and scene study while exploring new approaches to physicality and vocality. Special emphasis is placed on encouraging students to make dramatically effective choices by playing provocative actions, discovering the event within the scene, and finding creative obstacles. 

Prerequisite: Prior acting experience or previous acting classes at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre or another reputable theatre studio that stressed the fundamentals of text analysis, beat breakdown, and character objectives. May be repeated. 

Instructor: M. Graham Smith is a freelance director, educator and producer. He was raised just outside New York City and has been based in San Francisco since 2004. He served as the producer of Aurora Theater’s new play development program and festival, The Global Age Project, from 2009-2015. Recent directing credits include world premieres of Obie winner Christopher Chen’s Home Invasion, Kevin Rolston’s Deal with the Dragon at Magic Theatre & Edinburgh Fringe, Kait Kerrigan's Father/Daughter at Aurora, west coast premieres of Mia Chung’s You for Me for You at Crowded Fire, and James Ijames’ White at Shotgun. During the pandemic, he directed his first full length film, a hip-hop musical adaptation of As You Like It, produced by American Conservatory Theater, where he has directed MFA students since 2007. Other pandemic projects include the audio cycle of Harrison Rivers’ hold me the forgotten way produced by Tigerbear in collaboration with seven Queer theaters across the country. His most recent world premiere is the new musical, The Mortification of Fovea Munson, which premiered at The Kennedy Center in March. His new project, FDR’s Very Happy Hour is being developed at the Denver Center and is a commission from The Perelman Center in NYC. 

SAT 10am–12:30pm · 4/6, 4/13, 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18, 6/1 · $345 

In this class, students will focus on creating character by thoroughly understanding the relationship between the text, situation, and the technical aspects of camera work. When these fundamental tools are genuinely understood and used correctly, only then can actors be free to work to the best of their ability in front of a camera. Areas of study will include script analysis, scene study, and character development, as well as camera technique, set discipline, and set etiquette. All scenes will be rehearsed with direction from the instructor, and copies will be given to students for their reference; please bring a 16GB SD card. A variety of other subjects will be also discussed relating to the business side of show business, including audition technique, agents, union membership, photographs, and websites. 

Instructor: Marvin Greene is a professional actor and has performed with major regional theatres such as ACT, Aurora Theatre Company, Marin Theatre Company, Westport Country Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and San Jose Rep. Marvin served as an instructor at ACT for over a decade and also teaches at the Academy of Art College and Voice One in San Francisco. Marvin has taught at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre since 2003.

MON 7–9:30pm · 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20 · $325

Discover how to breathe new life into Shakespeare by adapting the original practices of the 16th Century for 21st Century performances. In this class, we'll explore physicality, breath, projection, diction, characterization, and how to combine heightened verse with Stanislavsky techniques. Using techniques developed at Shakespeare’s Globe in London, you will come away from this class with a usable audition monologue and a unique understanding of how to craft a Shakespeare performance for today’s stage. Additionally, students will get a taste of the authentic Elizabethan player experience through the use of onstage music, puzzling “cue scripts,” limited rehearsal time, and lively audience interaction with your fellow classmates! 

Instructor: Paul Jennings, a Bay Area native, has performed Shakespeare locally and abroad over the last 40 years.  A deep love of history, theatre, and travel has led him to performing in places as diverse as Shakespeare's Globe, London, to the streets of Seoul Korea. Notable credits include: Antipholus of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors (Pop-up Globe, New Zealand)  Macbeth (Berkeley Rep) with Frances McDormand and Conleth Hill, Jerry in Harold Pinter's Betrayal (Pacific Repertory Theatre), Richard III, in Dick 3 (Theatrepub), Judge Danforth, in The Crucible (Custom Made Theatre Co.), Pilate in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, and John Wayne Gacy in Behind the Screams: Killer Clown for the Reelz Network. Paul has trained at A.C.T, CalShakes, Berkeley Rep, and Shakespeare's Globe, London.

TUE 7–10pm · 4/9, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28, 6/4 · $470

One of the joys of improvisation is sharing creativity and spontaneity with an audience. This class introduces the skill of performing improvisational games and stories in a light and generous atmosphere. Students explore the philosophy of “giving” rather than “shining,” and practice interaction techniques that demystify the perceived barriers between performers and an audience. There will be two scheduled performances during the 8-week timeframe; scheduling will be decided by the ensemble in class.

Prerequisite: Approval from instructor prior to registration. Please email school@berkeleyrep.org for approval requests.

Instructor: Diana Brown is an award winning performing and teaching artist, a producer, director and playwright. She was named Most Valuable Mentor and Teacher at the San Francisco Improv Festival. She’s taught with Laguna Playhouse, Grupology, and as a guest teaching artist at City College San Francisco. She is Director of Community and Senior Producer with Leela Improv Theatre Companyin San Francisco. She serves as director for the improv ensemble The Professionals. Diana is also a communication facilitator, working with physicians and business leaders, helping them to interact with patients and clients in ways that promote empathy and cultural equity. She is half of the nationally touring improv comedy duo Bingewatch. Bingewatch was awarded Best Improv at the Fringe Festival of Pittsburgh. She’s performed and presented workshops at festivals around the country including San Francisco Sketch Fest, New York Improv Festival, Twin Cities Improv Festival, New Orleans Improv Fest, Vintage Improv Fest, Denver Improv Festival, 2nd Best Comedy Fest, San Francisco Improv Fest, Tucson Comedy Arts Fest. She’s appeared in theater productions in New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C. Diana has studied with master improv teachers from Second City, IO, Annoyance Theatre, UCB, The Pack Theatre. She studied performing arts with the Arizona Theatre Company Conservatory. Diana co-authored and performed the solo play When You Are Called with award winning playwright Susan Jackson. 

WED 7–9:30pm · 4/10, 4/17, 4/24, 5/1, 5/8, 5/15, 5/22, 5/29 · $345

Build a strong portfolio of audition pieces for both film and theater!  Monologues are an important tool to help you thrive in the audition process—and they are a tool that many actors overlook. In this class we’ll look at types of monologues and situations that call for different kinds of pieces, examine how to take a monologue apart, rehearse it, and set it on its feet, and discuss the kinds of monologues that every auditioning actor should have in their portfolio. Lastly, we’ll experiment with the difference between using monologues for theater and for film. The etiquette for each type of audition will be discussed and practiced, as well as how to film your own audition for self-submissions.

Instructor: Marvin Greene is a professional actor and has performed with major regional theatres such as ACT, Aurora Theatre Company, Marin Theatre Company, Westport Country Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and San Jose Rep. Marvin served as an instructor at ACT for over a decade and also teaches at the Academy of Art College and Voice One in San Francisco. Marvin has taught at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre since 2003.

THU 7–9:30pm · 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23, 5/30 · $345 

Let’s dive in and write a song! In this interactive workshop we’ll explore the nuts and bolts of writing, as well as the emotional side of sharing a musical story that means something to you. Each week, we’ll explore a different tool for shaping a song, while also leaving time for you to create your own new piece. In this supportive class for beginners and intermediates, we’ll co-create an environment where we feel inspired to try new things, share our voices, and tell stories through song, all while having fun! 

Instructor: Rachel Garlin is a touring singer-songwriter with 20 years of experience as a teaching artist in the Bay Area, New York, and beyond. Her latest album “The Ballad of Madelyne & Therese” debuted in June 2023 as a one-woman-show and features 13 original songs for the stage. As a recording artist, Garlin has produced 9 albums and written for film and theater, including a production featuring the voice of Vanessa Williams that debuted in Paris in 2019. With recent recognition from the San Francisco Chronicle and Americana Highways, Garlin continues a longstanding performance career while teaching locally whenever she is in town. 

THU 7–9:30pm · 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16 · $285

Do you have a passion for telling stories from script to stage? Do you want to have a better sense of how to orchestrate a production and follow the clues left by the playwright? This course will give an overview of directing and explore the craft from all angles! Together, we’ll explore script analysis, design approach, how to coach actors, and how to synthesize these different skills into a full production concept. 

Instructor: M. Graham Smith is a freelance director, educator and producer. He was raised just outside New York City and has been based in San Francisco since 2004. He served as the producer of Aurora Theater’s new play development program and festival, The Global Age Project, from 2009-2015. Recent directing credits include world premieres of Obie winner Christopher Chen’s Home Invasion, Kevin Rolston’s Deal with the Dragon at Magic Theatre & Edinburgh Fringe, Kait Kerrigan's Father/Daughter at Aurora, west coast premieres of Mia Chung’s You for Me for You at Crowded Fire, and James Ijames’ White at Shotgun. During the pandemic, he directed his first full length film, a hip-hop musical adaptation of As You Like It, produced by American Conservatory Theater, where he has directed MFA students since 2007. Other pandemic projects include the audio cycle of Harrison Rivers’ hold me the forgotten way produced by Tigerbear in collaboration with seven Queer theaters across the country. His most recent world premiere is the new musical, The Mortification of Fovea Munson, which premiered at The Kennedy Center in March. His new project, FDR’s Very Happy Hour is being developed at the Denver Center and is a commission from The Perelman Center in NYC.