Summer Masterclass Series

Join us for our Summer Masterclass Series. For ages 16+.

Sign up for as many classes as you'd like! See our Summer Masterclass Schedule or event details below for dates and times for classes. 

The Actor and the Target Workshop With Katie Ibrahim

Wednesday, July 27th 2022 6:30pm-9:00pm

This Workshop is based on Declan Donnellan's book, The Actor and the Target. The primary thesis of the book is about the ‘Target’ – a specific and active focal point outside the actor to direct their performance towards. Engaging in this technique can deepen your craft and add to the tools you have access to drastically.

Mastering the Skill of Cold Reading with Katie Ibrahim

Saturday, July 30th 2022 11:00am-2:00pm

Cold Reading is a common tactic used in auditions to see if an actor is capable of fulfilling the role. This workshop will teach you how to prepare yourself for a cold read audition, how to make "BOLD" choices, and how to land the role.

The Actors Voice with Alysia Giakoumas

Wednesday, August 3rd 2022 6:30pm-9:00pm

Have you ever been told you are too -- breathy, quiet, or aren't "on" your voice? That you have a vocal fry or that you need better diction? This workshop will help you understand the anatomy of your voice and give you tools to help you sustain a healthy sound. We will use a few of Linklater's practical exercises that include relaxation, awareness of breathing, how to open the throat, the development of resonance, and tools that will help your tongue and lips better articulate sounds.

Intro to Shakespeare with Eric Berg

Saturday, August 6th 2022 1:00pm-3:30pm

This class will be a fast and furious introduction to verse based text, using the works of the most famous playwright of all time--William Shakespeare!  Learn how to use meter, punctuation, and sounds within words as tools for the actor.  This course is perfect for beginners or any actor looking to rediscover the joy of Shakespeare.

Audition Masterclass- Headshots, Resumes, & Monologues with Eric Berg

Saturday, August 13th 2022 10:30am-2:30pm

An actor's job is to audition! But auditioning can be a daunting process that feels far removed from an acting class or rehearsal hall.  Learn the fundamentals of crafting a headshot and resume, how to find auditions, techniques for mastering cold reads, and how to take notes on the fly.  Most importantly, this course will transform auditioning from a dreaded chore to an opportunity for exploration and growth!

Meisner Technique with Eric Berg

Wednesday, August 24th 2022 6:30pm-9:00pm

Have you ever gotten the acting note to "get out of your head" or to "listen" to your scene partner?  Have you ever struggled to take those notes? Learn some of the foundational acting techniques and tools pioneered by master acting teacher Sandford Meisner to combat those very issues.

ABOUT THE TEACHING ARTISTS 

ERIC BERG (he/him)

Eric is thrilled to be returning to the Playground! Eric is an actor, director, producer, podcast-maker, and teaching artist based in Dallas. Select acting credits include: Eugene in Brighton Beach Memoirs and Biloxi Blues (Theatre Arlington), Boy in US/THEM (Echo Theatre), Parker in Split Second (Jubilee Theatre), Damis in Tartuffe, and Sebastian in Twelfth Night (SMU). Eric has directed productions of in a word (Echo), Eurydice, and STELLA (SMU) and numerous readings for Kitchen Dog Theater, Echo, and IMPRINT Theatreworks. He has served as associate/assistant director at AT&T PAC, Dallas Theatre Center, Stage West, Kitchen Dog, and Jubilee. Eric has been a proud Producing Partner at Echo Theatre since 2019, where he has produced many mainstage productions and several seasons of the staged reading series, Echo Reads. He is also the co-founder/producer of Echo Offstage, an interview-based podcast focusing on the most influential and innovative women+ in theatre. He holds a Certificate of Achievement in Drama from the SC Governor's School of the Arts & Humanities and a BFA in Theatre from SMU.

KATIE IBRAHIM (she/her)

Katie graduated from SMU in 2018 with a BFA in Theatre Studies and a focus on Directing and Playwriting. She has spent the last couple years in Michigan, Boston, and New York City before landing back in Dallas. While in New York she Co-Produced and Stage Managed two new productions, Let's Have a Seance and For a Brief Moment I was Something Else. Katie is currently Stage Managing Passover at Second Thought Theater and she will be Assistant Directing Hamlet at Shakespeare Dallas this summer.