For a high school student on the east coast.
Much thanks.
I went to the American Shakespeare Center Theater Camp two summers ago and it was an amazing experience. You are cast in a play and rehearse it during the mornings, while taking master classes and workshops in the afternoons with ASC company members. I learned a ton about Shakespeare, and a lot about acting in general. Would highly recommend, and an extra pro is that it’s not very expensive.
NYU Tisch summer high school, BUSTI are both excellent if you are insterested in something attached to a university
My son applied to the NYU Tisch summer high school program and I believe the deadline has already passed. It comes up very early in the year.
I don’t know what the deadlines for these programs are, or exactly how you are defining East Coast, but here are some suggestions:
BUSTI (Boston University)
Stella Adler (NYC)
Brown TheatreBridge
NYU Tisch
Rutgers Summer Acting Conservatory
Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Drama
French Woods
Stagedoor Manor
UNCSA
Thanks, everyone!
If the student is in NYS, The NYS Summer School of the Arts is wonderful.
@lovetoact Funny that you mentioned this. I was just looking it up online, before seeing your post. It looks intense, but the price is a 1/3 of other programs. Do they have time for other activities or outings or is it all acting? They say they work up to 12 hrs a day!
The price is good because it’s subsidized by NYS. It’s a sleepaway 4-week intensive that has been at SUNY Delhi for the past few years. Delhi is a pretty rural area, although I remember my son going to the little town once maybe? They were pretty busy.
Thirty students are chosen from the entire state and they spend the intensive building an ensemble. They spend all day in classes and then have related events at night. When my daughter (who was a BFA Acting major at the time) saw the showcase at the end, she said that it was very much like her first year curriculum. They learned some theater history, did movement classes (including Le Coq), voice for the actor classes, dabbled in Meisner and Michael Chekhov, had a playwriting workshop (then cast each other in their short plays, directed and performed them), learned about improv, attended readings by professional actors, saw a performance on/near campus, and had some free time to socialize with each other on campus.
They also took a bus into NYC one day to see a show and do a talkback. The Sordelet family (respected fight choreographers) did a stage combat workshop one day at NYSSSA, and then on the day that they went into the city to see the play, they also got to go to the fight call at Shakespeare in the Park and watch professionals do stage combat, as the Sordelets had choreographed the fighting. John Astin has done a Given Circumstances workshop there for a number of years (he’s in his 80s!).
@lovetoact Wow! Thanks so much. That actually sounds wonderful.
Just for fun, I thought I’d add the program at Walnut Hill School of the Arts. We considered that for our daughter (she didn’t end up applying) and I’d forgotten all about it until I happened to be googling an incredibly impressive person on the faculty of one of the BFA Acting schools my daughter has auditioned for and saw that she had worked there. It would have been a real treat to have been taught by her!
Obviously not east coast opportunities, but fwiw my daughter did a summer at Interlochen, British American Dramatic Academy and withe Cherubs and loved them all. I think a kid who loves theater will enjoy any one of the above summer opportunities!
@LuvsLabs Thanks! I will definitely check out Walnut Hill. I had looked into it for dancing in the past, but I didn’t think about the acting program. I will also google the others you mentioned:)
My D attended http://www.ritalitton.com/summer-intensives there is no housing, just classes every day.
@marg928 Thank you. This looks great. What did your D think of the classes?
@citymama9 she loved it and she ended up getting an agent out of it so that was a big bonus! After doing the June intensive she was invited to try out for one of 12 spots the fall showcase where she was accepted with a half-scholarship. Then those 12 performed in front of agents in NYC where she was called about a month later. It was called AcTeen then…looks like she changed the name.
@marg928 Oh thanks. I have heard of ActTeen. I didn’t know it was the same as Rita Litton. Much appreciate this new resource!
@citymama9 if you end up going PM me and I will tell you my name so you can say we referred you. I feel like my D owes a lot to that woman and I want her to know we appreciate it.
I thought of another one…My D’s agent told her to take class with Matt Newton. He’s the on-set coach for Blue Bloods. She took a pilot prep class with him…I know he has some summer classes. Website is www.mnactingstudio.com
@marg928 thanks again. you are a great resource!!
LOL @citymama9 Dance Mom turned stage mom! Who’d have thunk it!