Theater Lessons Begin in July at Playhouse 22

Playhouse 22’s regular production season may have come to a close, but the theater itself will hardly be quiet this summer.

In addition to hosting productions by two outside organizations, the Playhouse Acting Academy, run by longtime industry professional and local community theater regular Gerry Appel, will run a full slate of Summer Acting Workshops.

“Funding for arts education is diminishing. Our schools are forced to drop programs such as acting, which help to develop the all-important right brain activity, creativity and emotion,” said Appel. “We here at the Playhouse Acting Academy are ready to pick up that challenge.”

The Academy offers four separate workshops beginning the week of July 16, with instruction for students as young as five.

“No matter what age you are or your child is, this program will offer a path to develop the actor inside,” Appel said. “And, along the way, there will be more than enough fun to help enjoy the journey.

“The kids will concentrate on Theatre Games based on the Improvisation Techniques of Viola Spolin. The older students and adults will also get an education in the techniques of Stanislavski, Meisner and other great acting teachers while working on scene study and monologue preparation. And, all this is done in a safe place to allow the creative actor to play and learn without harsh criticism.”

Each program will include six sessions. The Playkids program, which is aimed at children ages 5 to 8, will run for six, hour-long sessions, while the other programs will run for six 90 minute sessions.

Each program is targeted at a particular age group:

• Acting Out is intended for students ages 8 to 12.
• Enter Acting is intended for students ages 12 to 17.
• The Acting Adult is intended for students 18 and older.

In addition to these programs, the Playhouse Acting Academy also plans to run an ‘Audition Bootcamp’ for students with collegiate theatrical aspirations.

“Our Audition Bootcamp is being offered August 20th and 21st, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., specifically for high school students interested in majoring in Theatre or Music at any college,” said Appel. “Most colleges require an audition and this two-day boot camp will help to prepare them for it.”

The program will be run with the assistance of a New York-based company with what Appel calls, “a stellar reputation of preparing students up and down the eastern seaboard.”

Tuition for the programs ranges from $115 to $145, along with a $25 per student annual registration fee for the Academy.

For more information on the Playhouse Acting Academy and any of its programs, visit www.playhouseactingacademy.org, email Appel at njactingacademy@gmail.com, or call 732-353-6186.