Hello, Summer—It's Time to Act

Improv Instructor Greg Atkins, right, works with students.

SCR’s Adult Acting Program is unique because its instructors are working actors in their fields They’ve done—and still do—what they teach. If you have experience as an actor and want to hone your talent, this is the place. On the other hand, if you’ve never taken an acting class in your life, this is also the place. And summertime is the time to begin.

Here are a few thoughts about what students can expect from instructors in the summer session, beginning June 21.

Act I, Basic Skills Richard Soto
Tuesdays 7-10 p.m., June 21 - August 9, 2016
Richard’s teaching philosophy is simple and positive. “I love storytelling, acting, and people! By using imagination and emotion, students will be able to create a character who will move people to laugh or cry through a great story. That’s what I live for—helping find the freedom to ‘play!’”

Act II, Scene Study Emily Heebner​
Tuesdays, 7-10 p.m., ​​June 21 - August 9, 2016
Emily’s students explore new horizons within themselves as actors. “We implement basic techniques as we work with published texts, building our individual process for creating believable characters, trusting our impulses 'in the moment' and truthfully bringing great scenes to life. I welcome everyone, regardless of age, background, level of experience or training!"

Act III, Advanced Scene Study Matthew Arkin
Tuesdays, 7-10 p.m., June 21 - August 9, 2016
In his class, Matthew stresses the importance of preparation. “First, I tell students to stop ‘acting’ and simply ‘be.’ I want them to exist in the emotional, sensory and intellectual space of the character. That requires preparing ahead of time, knowing everything possible about the character. Then the actor can inhabit the character, and the events of the scene can just happen.”

Improv I and Advanced Improv Greg Atkins
Improv I: Tuesdays 7-10 p.m., ​June 21 - August 9, 2016
Advanced: Wednesdays 7-10 p.m., June 22 - August 10, 2016
In workshop settings that are fast-paced and fun, Greg focuses on acting, characterization, creativity and spontaneity. “There are only four areas in which improvisation will help you: auditions, performances, business and life! Improv is all about learning to think on your feet so whether playing a role or auditioning for one, Improv prepares actors for any challenge.”

Learn more and enroll.

Also This Summer

SCR’s Summer Acting Workshop (SAW) for kids and teen who are newcomers to theatre is where it all begins, and because summertime can also be busy time, there are two sessions to choose from (July 11-23 and July 25-August 6).

Here’s what a couple of grads have to say about SAW:

Jordan Bellow (a graduate of the Kids and Teens and Adult programs and the Acting Intensive program, currently living in New York City and pursuing an acting career)

“In grammar school, we learned memorization, blocking and then put the show up. That was it. When I came to Summer Acting Workshop, one of the first exercises we did was a simple one that we don’t think about as kids but you think about as you grow up and realize the importance of getting us out of our heads—sound, movement, circle. To try out something new, that broke the mold for me and I thought maybe there is something to a show besides just putting it up.”

Christopher Huntley (currently in his senior year, appears as Theseus/Oberon in the upcoming Teen Players production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and will go on to Stanford or Harvard in the fall—he’s still making up his mind)

“Ever since kindergarten, I’ve felt at home on the stage, and my parents chose the Summer Acting Workshop because they knew SCR had a good reputation. I loved it from the very first day and had a fantastic time exploring acting games and having a blast, so I decided to jump into the year-round program.”

Try Your Hand at Acting: Where It’s “A Ton of Fun” and You Can Play Like a Kid Again

Teacher Richard Soto works with an acting student.

Students work on a scene.

Richard Soto.

Adult students in Richard Soto’s Basic Skills acting class are excited when they talk about how he created an unmatched classroom experience.

“He was perfect, enthusiastic and made the class a ton of fun!” one student shares.

Soto—an acting professional and one of the faculty members in South Coast Repertory’s Theatre Conservatory—says that while students learn from him, he finds delight in how much he gets back from them.

“I love acting!” he says. “It’s such a transformational experience, so I love it when my students open up—trusting themselves and their fellow students. That is a real emotional moment, when we all are moved and forget that we’re in a classroom. I never forget the look on their faces when they realize what they’ve done.”

What’s the classroom experience like for your students?
Overall, I’d say they have a fun experience. It’s a time to learn about the craft of acting and the storytelling of the human condition. So they learn, discover and express. It’s a sharing and friendly environment.

How do you create the environment for your Act I: Basic Skills class?
This is an introduction to the craft of acting and its process. I try to make the class friendly, encouraging and supportive. I encourage them to play like a kid again, using their imagination to believe in whatever they used to pretend without judgment or without being self-conscious. They can do no wrong, as long as they play. To help rediscover those instincts, we play games and do exercises that allow them to use their bodies, voices, emotion and imagination. They learn about making choices to create a character and what motivates that character, much the same way we wonder what motivates any person. Along the way, they learn about people and, hopefully, about themselves.

What’s your best classroom memory at SCR as an instructor?
My favorite memories are anytime students open up and reveal themselves through a character. It’s really a cathartic experience when they share themselves.

What’s most challenging for an adult who takes an acting class?
I think the biggest challenge is to believe in yourself. Everyone has a right to have fun and to be creative, if they want. Acting, like life, involves risks and I tell my students that their fear is like standing on the edge of a cliff, afraid you’ll fall. I tell them jump! In my class, in our world of imagination and trust, you won’t fall!

What do you hear from students about how acting changed their lives?
I have seen many students grow in confidence—their spirits soar! They continue taking classes at SCR, where they have found a creative home, and I have many who have begun careers as actors both locally in Orange County and in Los Angeles. I’m happy and humbled to have been a part of their growth and creative freedom. Many of us stay in touch and continue to provide encouragement to each other.

What students say about Soto

• “He’s a raw nerve, totally in the moment. His love for acting and the craft is clear.”
• “The class was fast-paced, interesting, challenging and fun! An excellent class and an excellent instructor.”
• “I absolutely loved the class, it felt like exercising muscles that hadn’t been used in forever.”

Learn more about adult classes in SCR’s Theatre Conservatory.

You’re Never Too Old for Acting Classes at SCR

Acting student Ginger Nelson (on lap) works on an improv piece with other students and teacher Greg Atkins (standing).

Who are the Instructors?

When SCR touts its Adult Acting Program as being taught by working professional actors, some might be inclined to say, “prove it!”

Gladly! Take the program’s newest instructor—and Nelson’s Act II teacher—Emily Heebner. Her career has taken her from L.A. to New York and in between, as an actor, director and instructor.

Emily Heebner

Heebner had a leading role in the first national tour of the Broadway hit, Noises Off and has worked at regional theatres across the country. (The New York Times called her Katherina in The Taming of the Shrew at Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival “fascinatingly foxy”). She was a resident artist at LA’s A Noise Within, where she won Drama-Logue Awards for her roles as Belinda in Engaged and Belise in The Learned Ladies.

But in a way, Heebner’s career began when she made her Equity debut as Jennie Mae in SCR’s production of The Diviners, directed by Founding Artistic Director Martin Benson. “I had just completed my first regional show—as Maggie in After the Fall at Berkeley Rep—and I used a piece from that show when I auditioned for The Diviners,” she recalls. The actor Randy Oglesby and I drove down from L.A. for the open call—and Martin cast us both! I learned a great deal during that show, and just a couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to direct The Diviners at Antelope Valley College. That was a thrill—to come full circle.”

Which she’s doing again—as an SCR instructor.

BTW, Nelson’s first season as a student was Emily’s first as an SCR instructor, which worked out well for them both.

“That class was a great introduction to the Adult Acting Program for me," Heebner says. "Everyone was very close and supportive of each other, and Ginger worked so hard and grew so much. It was a pleasure having her with us. I think having students of multiple ages is a gift. Everyone benefits, including the instructor!”

Who are the Students?

SCR’s Theatre Conservatory includes a variety of acting classes for ages 8 and up. The littlest students attend the Kids and Teen Program, and the most serious/career-minded adults opt for the seven-week Acting Intensive Program.

Who falls in between? Everyone else! If you’re 18 years of age or over and interested in personal growth and development, meeting new people, polishing communication skills, developing spontaneity or all the above, the Adult Acting Program has a class for you.

Ginger, left, works with more students and teacher, Greg.

Thinking about an acting career but need a solid program to polish up your skills? There’s an advanced classes for you.

Just as there’s no age limit on enjoying life, SCR knows that you’re never too old for the Adult Acting Program. “Senior citizens” prove that year after year. Take Ginger Nelson. At age 77, she worried about being the oldest student—and not being great at memorizing dialogue. What made her decide to take the plunge?

“I told Di and Emily about my nerves, but haven’t told Greg yet. I plan to grit my teeth and simply do it.” (Uh-oh…now he knows!)

“I’d been thinking about it for a long time,” she says. “My husband and I are subscribers and I’ve seen the signs for acting classes in the lobby. I finally figured that I might as well do it while I can. After all, I’m not getting any younger!”

When she first signed up for Act I (Basic Skills), she was a little nervous. Well, more than a little. “I was scared to death!” she admits. “And I still get nervous. But the instructors have been very supportive, starting with Di Bubano, my first teacher.”

When Nelson completed the Act I, a couple of her classmates suggested she take Act II. “I automatically said ‘no way,’ but after I thought about it, I figured I had nothing to lose. And I loved it,” she recalls, “even though there was more memorization and my memory stinks!”

Again, her instructor made all the difference. “Emily Heebner took up where Di left off. She treats every student with the same kind of importance, respect and interest. I feel very fortunate to have been in her class.”

And that wasn’t the end for Nelson. She’s now in Greg Atkins’ Improvisation I class. “Improv is so much fun. It’s challenging but in a different way.”

Learn more about SCR's Theatre Conservatory classes.

Discover Your Voice—As a Playwright

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Kristina Leach knows how to tell a story. Oh, boy, does she know how, and if you give her a few minutes of your time, she’ll tell you one.

And you’ll love it! Because Kristina is a born storyteller; in person or on paper, her words will grab your interest. Here’s the best part: she’s also a great listener. If you have a story to tell—and who doesn’t?—she wants to hear it.

So bring your story to Kristina’s new playwriting class.

It’s called “Discovering Your Voice:  An Introduction to Playwriting,” and it’s the newest addition to SCR’s Adult Program in the Theatre Conservatory. A class description and a short biography of Kristina are on the website. (There, you’ll discover her background at SCR as a literary associate and Pacific Playwrights Festival co-ordinator, as well as a teen and adult acting instructor.)

Because she’s so good at it, we’ve decided to let Kristina her tell students what to expect in her playwriting class, which starts on Monday, January 12th at 7:30 p.m.

According to Kristina, "You can either talk about it, or you can do it. But you can’t do both. Admit it, there’s a tale you’ve been thinking about telling. So let’s work on it, together. In my class, you will have time to write, hash it out and eventually finish the thing. Bring a notebook and something to write with—a pen, a pencil, a quill—and we’ll explore the ups and downs of creating something new. I’m also a firm believer in reading other works—so we’ll be taking a look at some scenes from new playwrights as well as some tried and true scribes. Don’t be afraid to tell your story—my classroom is an “applause only” environment. I look forward to meeting you!"

Register now

Following the Actors As They Follow Their Dreams

Julia Hochner, right, in the 1997 Youth Players production of In Your Dreamz

Julia Hochner

As students from SCR’s Theatre Conservatory pursue acting careers, it’s fun to go back with them to see where it all began.  So much fun that we have initiated a series to run periodically—following serious acting students into the world of stage, screen and television.

Actors like Julia Hochner, who is currently making her professional debut in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons at Florida’s Gulfshore Playhouse.  Hochner was barely 10 years old when she first came to SCR.  At that point, she had appeared in a few plays in elementary school, which she remembers as “learning lines and knowing where to stand.”

Hochner learned much more during her six years in SCR’s Theatre Conservatory. 

“Initially, the program gave me self-confidence and an outlet for expression,” she says.  “And because SCR was separate from my life at school (with its social pressures and rules) I could really be myself.”

At 10 years of age, Hochner wasn’t aware that the confidence she gained and the freedom that allowed her to be herself was what the program was all about!

After they become more confident, make new friends and learn about theatre, some students decide to take their experience to the next step—and audition for the Players ensemble groups.  And although she didn’t actively make up her mind to pursue an acting career until later, apparently the seed was planted at SCR because Hochner was among the students who took that extra step.  She auditioned and was accepted into the Teen Players, where she appeared in two productions, In Your Dreamz and Generation Why?

She went on to act in high school shows and earned her BA in drama from the University of Washington before moving to New York—and settling in Brooklyn.  She has appeared off-off Broadway in shows including The Fat Man’s Daughter at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater, Phases at Cabrini Repertory Theatre and Tape at Night Lights Theatre.

Hochner with actor Benedict Mazurek in Phases by Rachel Carey at
Cabrini Repertory Theatre.

In All My Sons, which runs through April 19, Hochner plays Lydia Lubey, the Keller family’s bubbly next door neighbor.  It’s role she has prepared for by understanding how the character serves the play as a whole. 

“Lydia is such a contrast to the Keller’s tragic story.  Through her laughter and lightheartedness, she gives us a sense of the kind of happiness the Kellers will never have.  I find that very powerful, and of course, heartbreaking.”

Hochner always was a performer at heart, putting on plays in her grandmother’s living room, but, she says, “It was at SCR when I began a deeper, fuller exploration of acting, and I haven’t stopped!”  And, by the way, when she returns to California, Hochner often returns to SCR.  On her most recent trip, she took her parents to see 4,000 Miles.

Learn more about acting classes at SCR and enroll today!

The Pros Have It

In SCR’s Theatre Conservatory classes are taught by “top professionals in their field.” Nowhere is that truer than in the Adult Acting Program’s Spring Session. Just have a look at the instructors in the two most advanced acting classes.

Daniel Blinkoff in the SCR productions of A Christmas Carol, An Italian Straw Hat and Major Barbara.

Actors Workshop is the pinnacle of SCR’s Adult Program. From its inception more than 25 years ago, the class has been taught by Karen Hensel. This spring, Hensel hands over the Actors Workshop reins for the first time to a new instructor, one who is a “top professional” in the truest sense—Daniel Blinkoff. Playgoers know Blinkoff well because he has portrayed Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol for 11 consecutive seasons—and has been seen in half a dozen other SCR productions, winning acting awards for Italian Straw Hat (Garland Award: Best Actor) and Major Barbara (Robby Award). He has turned in award-winning performances at theatres from LA to New York and been seen in numerous movies and TV shows. Blinkoff is a member of The Antaeus Company on the West Coast and The Actors Center on the East Coast.

Blinkoff’s first foray in the Adult Acting Program was as Act III instructor in the winter session. Now he says, "It’s exciting to be back, this time as the Actors Workshop instructor. The imagination is limitless, and so is the depth of our work. I have been focused lately on exploring and deepening a student's ‘source work,’ and the results have been amazing. By investing in source work, the actor's journey can be revealed to them, it can surprise them, and we open emotional depths in our work unrealized before."

Matthew Arkin in the SCR productions of The Whale, The Prince of Atlantis and Our Mother's Brief Affair.

Act III: Advanced Scene Study and Characterization is a class for students who feel comfortable with the basic acting tools (after at least two semesters of training) and want to dig deeper. Returning to assist them is an Adult Acting Program favorite, Matthew Arkin, an actor who has done it all—Broadway (from The Sunshine Boys to Laughter on the 23rd Floor), off-Broadway (from Dinner with Friends to Moonlight and Magnolias), regional theatre (from Primary Stages to La Jolla Playhouse); television (from “All My Children” to every variation of “Law and Order”) and film (from indies to features). Arkin’s teaching credentials include New York’s renowned HB Studio. Arkin was very busy at SCR last spring, teaching Act III and performing the lead role in SCR’s production of The Whale. Students and staff alike can’t wait for his return.

Ditto Arkin: “I am so looking forward to getting back to this class. The dedication and enthusiasm of the SCR students is always an inspiration to me. Plus, we have a lot of fun!” When talking about the course work, Arkin says that preparation is everything. “I ask my students to stop ‘acting’ and simply ‘be.’ I want them to exist in the emotional, sensory and intellectual space of the character. That requires preparing ahead of time, knowing everything possible about the character right up until the scene begins. The hard work should be in that preparation. Then the actor can inhabit the character, and the events of the scene can just happen.”

Learn about these classes and more here.

It’s Called What Again?

Cecilia Fannon has been teaching playwriting at SCR for about 12 years. (She now teaches screenwriting as well.) During that time, she’s encountered some pretty funny/weird/intriguing play and movie titles. We asked her to list a few of the more memorable ones:

Gone to Hell, Will Write by Ray Jacob
Kill the Pig by Ron Hoefer
Widows of November by Anne Grob
Briefing the Heart by Lauren Dunn
Stoney Baloney by Hannah Holden
Mohammed's Moon by Dale Andersen
The Gods That Never Were by Ken Kanouse
Liq Ho by Donna Hedman
Limboland by Alan Witchey

Of Limboland, Cecilia says: "This title derives from a preacher's experience being swallowed and shat out of a silver dung beetle. Hilarious play that had a reading on the Queen Mary, with me at the helm."

And she recalls Gone to Hell, Will Write as an absurdist comedy in which the protagonist is shot at the end of Act One—with a banana.

Writing Students: Remember any more good ones? You can post them in the comments.

Acting Class: It’s Not as Scary as You Think

Jane Terry

This summer, Jane Terry tried something new: She took her first acting class. We asked Jane, who is the president and chief operating officer of Ajax Boiler Inc., to tell us what it was like to be a first-timer in one of SCR’s classes. Here’s what she had to say:

As a manufacturing executive—and one who has never set foot on a theatrical stage—I found the adult acting class to be a welcome relief and distraction from my daily operations at the factory.

I am an early riser, and so the class hours (Mondays, 7-10 p.m.) almost dissuaded me from signing up. But the teachers were generous with us, cutting slack as needed. My classmates were from all walks of life—attorneys, civil servants, business people, students, and retired people. Many had enjoyed acting during some part of their life—primarily in childhood—while some of us never acted before. So we had quite a range in age and experience to draw from.

Students rehearse a scene in class.

The first couple of classes just broke the ice for us; after that, we selected monologues to deliver in the fourth class. Next we were assigned partners, and performed skits in front of the class. We spent time working of them, incorporating stage blocking and developing their flow, and most became very nice pieces. Not everyone was able to memorize their lines, but we all enjoyed watching our classmates perform, and helping each other as best we could.

All in all, the work was fun enough that I may continue with this as a hobby. It was refreshing to step away from a world of spreadsheets and manufacturing disciplines to enter a new one comprised of endless possibilities of the imagination.

For more information on any of SCR’s acting and writing classes for adults, teens and kids, click here

From Ballet to Brain Cancer to Classes at SCR

Rob Johnston

Rob Johnston started dancing during his sophomore year at UC Irvine. He liked that it kept him in shape and made him feel connected to his artistic side, so after graduation he continued classes at a studio in Anaheim. Then, in November 2008, he suffered a seizure during class. He was only 29 and in seemingly perfect health. But an MRI and subsequent tests revealed cancerous masses on the front and back parts of his brain.

“Being diagnosed with cancer so young, especially after having lost my mom to breast cancer when I was 17, really forced me to look at my life from a lot of angles,” he said. “And I found there were a few things I’d never done for whatever reason, whether it be fear or no time.”

Rob is a fan of "Glee," having been part of a show choir in high school, and a big fan of the actor Max Adler, who plays the homophobic (but closeted) football player Dave.

“His character had a pivotal scene early in the second season which was just amazing to watch him go through. I remember watching that scene and going, ‘You know what? I want to learn how to do that.’”

Rob, right, with fellow students.

“I almost talked myself out of it before it hit me that, at this point, what have I got to lose?”

A Google search turned up SCR’s classes, and Rob enrolled.

Like any first-time acting student, Rob remembers feeling “extremely nervous” on his first day. But that soon wore off.

“Diana [Burbano] is the perfect teacher for people who just come off the street wanting to give acting a try, which was 90 percent of my Acting I class. We were totally comfortable with her by the end of the night.”

Since then, he has taken Fundamentals of Acting II and III with Greg Ungar.

“Greg really stepped it up a notch and challenged me…He really laid it on the table and pushed us to bring our best to class.”

Rob, who works in the undergraduate admissions office at UCI, has found that taking acting classes helps him at work.

Rob with a fellow student.

“The classes allow me to come into work refreshed, since I’ve been able to focus on something new.”

These days, beyond some weakness and fatigue on his left side, Rob is feeling good. Doctors are monitoring the tumors, but so far haven’t recommended removal or radiation.

Now that he’s feeling confident he has the necessary tools to give his best performance, Rob’s planning his next challenge: “I am going to start auditioning for some local theater and student films here in Orange County, and then go up to L.A. to audition for TV and film.”

Note: You can help support Rob in his fight against cancer by liking the picture of his “everyday moment” on Mastercard’s “Every Moment is Priceless” Facebook page