Classes

Actors

Classes are held daily and are taught by leading artists in various theater disciplines. The core classes for the actor are acting, voice, text, movement and Soundpainting. These are supplemented with workshops (such as audition technique and Laban), in addition to master classes and discussions with artists in residence.

Actors are cast in one of the outdoor productions plus studio projects and workshops. If time and schedule permits, actors are sometimes given opportunites to work alongside the professional company as observers and/or readers of stage directions for one of the Readings Festivals. 

Directors

Directors meet in two sessions, each twice a week, with one session devoted to the reading and analysis of text, and one session devoted to the fundamentals of theatrical composition. In these courses, and with additional rehearsals, students will delve into a laboratory exploration of an assigned one act play. Student will present scenes from this play as part of the Powerhouse season. Additional classes in acting, movement, Soundpainting, and a round table discussion of the Powerhouse season support these sessions.

Directors are also assigned observerships of the rehearsal process for both training company and professional company productions. Each director will have the opportunity to work alongside one of the productions in the Powerhouse season, observing their process as they tackle the challenges of bringing a new project to life.  

Playwrights

A lighter class schedule allows the playwrights to devote more of teir time to writing. Classes are scheduled two times per week and are supplemented by individual consultations with their instructor. Students generate new short plays every week, in addition to in-class exercises, reading and analyzing contemporary plays, and sitting in on rehearsals with the professional company. At the end of the summer, the playwrights will rehearse and present a selection of their work with actors from the company and outside directors. Additional classes in acting, movement, Soundpainting, and a round table discussion of the Powerhouse season support these sessions.

Playwrights are also assigned observerships of the rehearsal process for both training company and professional company productions. Each playwright will have the opportunity to work alongside one of the productions in the Powerhouse season, observing their process as they tackle the challenges of bringing a new project to life.

Master Classes

Master Classes for all disciplines are scheduled based upon the availability of visiting artists and professionals who are on campus working on various projects. 

Some of the members of the Powerhouse professional company who have shared their time through master classes and/or talkback sessions designed exclusively for training program include:

*former Powerhouse Training Program Participant