Theater or film? On stage or on camera? If you poll the acting community, you may get a definitive answer from some, while others will profess a genuine affection for both. You may argue your preference or defend the value of both the stage and the camera; however, many actors, whatever their reasons, dabble in each. To do so successfully, they must train for each. Really, the principles of acting transcend medium, but there are technical practices that do not. So what’s the best Theater Training in Phoenix? Our Vote goes to “Scene Study”.
Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa Arizona are home to a number of local theaters, including The Herberger Theater Center, Phoenix Theatre, Arizona Broadway Theatre, Fountain Hills Community Theater, and the Hale Theatre, among others. From the Southwest Shakespeare Company to Theater Works to Arizona Theater Company, this state also fosters a well-established community of thespians. How do they train?
An actor must always be real, regardless of time, place, or audience. But on stage, there are no retakes. No one calls “cut.” Tiny cameras don’t pick up your whispers. The back row and balcony cannot make out your subtle movements. And yet the actor must feel and be and emote just as naturally as he or she would on camera—bigger, perhaps, but never more exaggerated.
Where do they train? A number of community colleges and universities offer classes and even degrees that focus on acting for the stage. However, Dearing Acting Studio also offers intensive training for aspiring thespians. While the studio offers plenty of courses that focus on on-camera work, improv, and general technique, it also acknowledges the beauty, artistry, and technique of theater acting. With instructors who have not only trained for the stage but who also have experience directing stage productions and working with established theater companies both in and out of state, Dearing Acting Studio is uniquely qualified to offer quality training for the stage.
Its most intense and sought after course is Scene Study. Students must first audit a scene study course, then audition for and be interviewed prior to taking the 8-week directed intensive. After careful casting consideration, students are paired off and given a scene from a well-respected play. Through extensive out-of-class study and rehearsal time as well as personalized and attentive in-class direction, actors watch their own and others’ scenes transform into professional, moving pieces of art. A showcase at the close of the two months reveals their exponential growth and their success to not only themselves, but also to their family, friends, and the community at large.
Learn to make the most of your voice, body, emotions, and the stage at Dearing Acting Studio, where we always act—and teach—with passion.
