Classes

Monday Night Ongoing Workshop

The Actors School ACC

Weekend Intensives

Commercial Acting

Auditoning/cold reading

Video Coach & Tape sessions

Vocal/Singing Coach

Six Week Scene Study and Performance

Shakespeare to Chewy Chunky Chekhov

Production Coach (Director/Cast Training)

Public Speaking * Private Coaching

Young People

Workshops for Actors, Directors, Teachers, Writers & Others

Using wildly creative yet reliable classic acting techniques, within the specific disciplines of relaxation, character study and text breakdown, learn to stay spontaneous, true and unpredictable from cold reading to call-back to final performance in a safe and positive professional environment. Embrace mistakes, plan accidents, surprise yourself, fellow actors and your audience. Workshops are often a mix of highly trained professional actors and teachers with beginners. This is a healthy mix from which everyone benefits.

Magic Monday Night ~ Ongoing Workshop 7-11pm

Paula Russell’s South Lamar Studio in Austin, Texas.

Learn a complete craft for actors, directors, teachers and others within which you joyfully exercise muscles needed to develop and/or maintain your skills as artists in “ready-working” condition.

Whether you are a professional or a novice, artistic muscles work best when kept fine-tuned and adaptable.

Customized to individual needs with one-on-one attention. Everyone works every session.

Relaxation, The Physical Actor, Scene Breakdown and Monologue Technique;

Commercial Audition practice and a Cold Reading exercise that improves all of your acting.

Discover specific, unique, personal choices to raise your stakes and energize Moment to Moment work, incorporating Meisner, Adler, Hagen, Bobby Lewis, Joan Darling and On-Camera Technique’s for today’s actor.

Along with prepping for current projects, you are encouraged to explore the great and challenging roles that excite you and expand your instrument. Working deeply with great writing raises the quality of your life as well as your commercial auditions and/or your one-minute monologs.

Monday rates:

$30 per four consecutive sessions paid in advance: $120.

$25 per six consecutive sessions paid in advance: $150

$22 per eight consecutive sessions paid in advance: $176.

$20 per ten sessions paid in advance: $200.

If we have not met, please send information about previous training, picture and resume if available.

Admission to Mondays or Wednesdays by interview and permission when there is an opening. Weds class is limited to 6 with an 8 week minimum commitment at $25 per session consecutive.

Adults. Age 17 with permission/interview only.

Private Sessions for actors and directors for film or theatre and for auditions. Schedule as needed.

Private voice coaching and vocal performance coaching @ $45 per hour or $70 for 2 hours.

Three-Day Weekend Intensive

Work is based on individual needs with one-on-one attention in the following:

Relaxation for the Actor: releases behavior controls, heightens awareness

Character Study through Improvisation: sensory / body work

Character Study through Text: given circumstances, active objectives

Personalizations through Theatre Games

Staying in the Here and Now & Listening

Full Use of the Self: tantrums, telling jokes, moment alone, back-story, etc.

Working through Activities with Props and Food

Using Surprises and Planned Accidents

Breaking the “4th Wall“: a sense of place and play

Eccentric Choices: Taking Chances, Embracing Mistakes

Cold Reading & Audition Skills: First Reading to Final Callback

Optional: monologs: 2 1/2 minutes max, scenes: 5 minutes max (with a partner

Please dress in comfortable rehearsal clothes [no shorts] in which you can move freely.

Schedule for Three-Day Intensive Workshop

6 P.M. – 10 P.M. Thursday

10 A.M.- 6 P.M. Saturday

10 A.M.- 6 P.M. Sunday

Days and times are flexible.

Fees:

$195 per student.

Contract for Weekend Intensive

Six-Week Intensive Scene Study & Performance Workshop

Work is based on individual needs with one-on-one attention in the following:

Relaxation for the actor: releases behavior controls

Character Study through Improvisation: sensory work, physical adjustments, imitations, accents, needs, wants, secrets

Character Study through Text: given circumstances, active objectives

Personalizations through Theater Games: using the Magic ‘as if.’

Staying in the Here and Now & Listening

Full Use of the Self: tantrums, telling jokes, moment alone, etc

Working through Activities with Props and Food

Choosing and Using Music, Costumes & Props

Using Surprises and Planned Accidents

Breaking the “4th Wall”

Audition and Cold Reading Skills

Eccentric Choices, Taking Chances and Embracing Mistakes

The class will focus on character-driven scene development with a basis in practical acting and/or directing skills. Scenes will then be refined and staged [while retaining improvisational freedom] for “open classroom” performance.

Two character Scenes: 5-8 minutes

Three character Scenes: 5-15 minutes

Select scenes that stand alone without exposition when presented to the public.

At the end of the workshop, Scenes will be performed for an audience.

Primary outside work is rehearsing with your partner. Take this class if you are willing to be there for your partner and have a willingness to try wild and crazy new things and laugh at yourself in a Safe Place. No negative critiques are given or allowed.

This course is designed for actors, directors, writers and communicators at all levels. The final Performance of Scenes from this program often attracts SRO crowds.

The Workshop begins with a weekend intensive followed by six weeks of Scene Study and one or two performances. Class size is limited to 14 members, 16 years of age or over. The following schedule is flexible as to specific start times and week-nights.

Three weeks prior to orientation, all actors will receive a Welcome Packet of information which should be read before the evening orientation meeting. The packet will include a call sheet so that actors can begin early to seek out scene partners. It is excellent, but not necessary, to plan to take the course with a partner and scene in mind.

Schedule for Six-Week Intensive Workshop

6 P.M. – 9 P.M. Thursday or Friday Evening Orientation Meeting

10 A.M.- 6 P.M. Saturday Intensive

10 A.M.- 6 P.M. Sunday Intensive

Week Night Classes 6 weeks

6 P.M. – 10 P.M. Tuesdays and Thursdays

Additional Rehearsals

Individually scheduled, usually on Wednesdays

Week 5 – add Wednesday & Friday rehearsals as needed

Week 6—add Wednesday & Friday Tech & Saturday Dress rehearsal

Performances

Week 6 or 7: Saturday evening and/or Sunday performances.

Fees:

$300 per student.

If Paula has to travel out of state, the fee is $400 per student (approximately $2 per hour) for the full program, including rehearsal and performance. Travel expenses and accommodations may be required. Partial scholarships available at Paula’s discretion.

Note:Housing and transportation are often donated by local ‘visiting-artist’ programs.

Contract for Six-Week Scene Study

Shakespeare to Chekhov

Three-day Weekend Classical Theatre Workshop:

Choose your favorite classical piece or discover Chunky Chewy Chekhov and The Bard for the first time. Practice being larger than life and emotionally true at the same time. Working on the classics builds strong acting bone and muscle that will hold you up in any and all mediums. And it is “Deep Fun!”

Relaxation for the Actor: releases behavior controls, heightens awareness

Character Study through Improvisation: sensory / body work

Character Study through Text: given circumstances, active objectives

Personalizations through Theatre Games

Staying in the Here and Now & Listening

Full Use of the Self: tantrums, telling jokes, back-story, etc.

Working through Activities with Props and Food

Using Surprises and Planned Accidents

Breaking the “4th Wall” – a sense of place and play

Eccentric Choices, Taking Chances, Embracing Mistakes

Iambic Pentameter, Use it without it using you

Monologs (memorize flat) 2 minutes max or Scenes: 4 minutes max (with a partner)

6 P.M. – 10 P.M. Thursday

10 A.M.- 6 P.M. Saturday

10 A.M.- 6 P.M. Sunday

Days and times are flexible.

Fees:

$195 per student.

Contract for Weekend Intensive

Production Coach (Director/Cast Training)

Weekend intensive coaching with the full cast or principals prior to beginning rehearsals. This
session creates a prepared ensemble in good working condition, better able to fulfill the director’s needs. Directors may choose to meet with Paula to discuss particular needs, vision of the play, or to request specific training emphasis. Directors usually choose to observe, but do not participate in the workshop. All the work is non-result oriented. Everyone involved enjoys the whole process more after a good training work-out. The director receives a team ready to play.

The format of the weekend incorporates the first 10 items described in standard weekends with specific attention to the play at hand.

See 3-day weekend for schedule, fees, and link to contract

Scene Doctor: Directors call Paula in to coach actors who need extra help with a particular scene. The role of the coach is to help the actors fulfill the director’s vision, similarly to a choir director calling in a vocal coach to work with singers.

Fees are variable. See Private Coaching.

Dialogue Coach: Working on the set for film or television, Paula works with actors as needed on everything from finding more dynamic character choices to running lines, and for novices, help with relaxing, focus and set etiquette.

Speakin’ Easy

All humans are creative; all humans are shy; all humans are innately social, playful beings with the need to communicate for survival and, ultimately, to thrive!

Learn to apply the art, craft and magic of classic acting techniques to expand your personal, professional and creative life.

The workshops are “Deep Fun” while providing great practical skills, all taught in a safe, positive and professional environment.

Relaxation techniques: Release tension; free your voice; make trouble your friend!

Become more playful: Learn to Tell great jokes. Think of yourself as a grand piano.

Learn to play all your notes; then
learn to improvise, let go of control and get physical.

You Can Never Get it Neat: Learn to be fully present, alive and accessible when communicating with your audience and your peers. Life is in constant motion.

Make a great entrance and memorable exit! Practice exercises for that first moment, saying your name, shaking hands, listening, sharing a short story, wrapping it up.

Ms. Russell created the program for the franchised La Belle Agency where she taught everything from entering the room to introductions, to selling your ‘product’ on camera.

Originally designed to train actors, directors, teachers, writers and singers, the Work has expanded to include everyone interested in communicating more joyfully & effectively.

Fees:

Private: $45 per hour or $70 for two hours

One day workshop: $100 per student

Three-day workshop: $195 per student (plus expenses where applicable)

Contract for Weekend Intensive

Private Coaching

Paula offers Private Coaching by appointment and by telephone.

CONTACT by email to make an appointment.

Fees: $45 per hour for one person — 1 hour session

$70 per session for one person — 2 hour session

$60 per session for two people — 1 hour session ($30 per person)

$85 per session for two people — 2 hour session ($42.5 per person)

$102 per session for two people — 2.5 hour session ($51 per person)

$120 per session for two people — 3 hour session ($60 per person)

Young People

The workshops are designed for adults eighteen years of age and up. Age sixteen up may apply with prior interview and parental permission.

Workshops for grades 9-12 follow the same format as adult workshops.

Private, customized sessions for all ages are available