Acting for the Camera—With Don Stephenson

This 12-part course is designed to provide an introduction to acting for the camera. Students will gain knowledge in techniques specific to television/film using a variety of scripts from productions currently or formerly cast/shot in the New York area or in Los Angeles, and will provide a practical method of acting for the camera through intensive scene work.

Students will have online access to a variety of scenes from television/film projects currently or formerly in production, and will be assigned multiple scenes (dialogues) from this collection during the class. Students will be expected to fully prepare, memorize, and present the scene to be shown/discussed in class and participate in follow-up, in-class scene work. Students will be expected to become familiar with the characters, plot lines, and style of the shows represented in the assigned material.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will acquire:
· An understanding of techniques specific to acting for the camera.
· A understanding of the difference in acting techniques between acting for the camera/acting for the stage

For adults and kids ages 13 and up!

Don Stephenson directed TITANIC at Lincoln Center, BROADWAY CLASSICS at Carnegie Hall, OF MICE AND MANHATTAN for the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, NOISES OFF at Asolo Rep, THE OTHER PLACE at The Alley Theatre, A COMEDY OF TENORS (BroadwayWorld nom. Best Director of a Play), THE PRODUCERS, VANYA, SONIA, MASHA, AND SPIKE and LEND ME A TENOR at Paper Mill Playhouse, THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT -THE SMELL OF THE CROWD (BroadwayWorld nom. Best Director of a Musical), WILL ROGERS FOLLIES (BroadwayWorld nom. Best Director of a Musical) and GUYS AND DOLLS at Goodspeed Opera, BUYER AND CELLAR and NOISES OFF at Pittsburgh Public Theatre, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING (BroadwayWorld nom. Best Director of a Musical), and SISTER ACT at the Marriott Theatre, THE COTTAGE at Theatre Aspen, I’LL EAT YOU LAST: A CHAT WITH SUE MENGERS at Theatreworks/Hartford, LEND ME A TENOR at Bay Street Theatre (BroadwayWorld nom. Best Director of a Play), TITANIC at The MUNY, the Hangar Theatre (BroadwayWorld nom. Best Director of a Musical), and Westchester Broadway Theatre, STRUCK at New Jersey Rep. (BroadwayWorld nom. Best Director of a Play), DEATHTRAP, NOISES OFF, and THE 39 STEPS at the Flat Rock Playhouse, THE MYSTERY OF KING TUT and SKIPPYJON JONES for Theatreworks/USA and THE GREAT UNKNOWN for The New York Theatre Festival. He directed the critically acclaimed productions of OLEANNA, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, and the musical comedy DOCTORS AND DISEASES at the historic Barter Theatre. Other New York directing credits include THE WAR PARTY (New York Fringe Festival), ATTACK OF THE ELVIS IMPERSONATORS (Theatre Row), A CHARLES DICKENS CHRISTMAS (Urban Stages), BUCK SIMPLE (Garrick Gaieties), WHEN PIGS FLY (Kaufman Theatre), GOLDEN VOICES (Symphony Space), and OLD FLAMES (Theatre Studio Inc.). Recent directing projects include a new version of CABARET at The Manhattan School of Music and NOISES OFF at the Asolo Repertory Theatre.