MONDAY, JANUARY 6TH — FRIDAY, JANUARY 17TH, 2025

*Performers aged 16-17 may submit an application; if accepted, their attendance will require documented parental consent.

SO, HOW DOES IT WORK?

The program runs 9AM—6:30PM Monday—Friday for the two weeks of the program. After an Introductory day full of special master classes and business classes to set you up for success, the program includes the following daily courses:

• DAILY “ACTOR THERAPY” (Lindsay Mendez and RSO’s revolutionary musical theatre workshop, focused on song interpretation, selecting the right “cuts” for auditions, and seeing every actor as an individual to unlock the artist within.)

  • Just like a golden age standard, this class never goes out of style. RSO and co. will focus on each student’s individual needs — maximizing strengths while recognizing and helping improve weaknesses. Audition technique, book building, marketing your type, and ultimately discovering yourself as an artist are all components of this amozzzzing class.

• DAILY CLASSES IN ACTING techniques (Storytelling is the basis of what we do, and your ACTING class will focus on the basics of STORYTELLING and how to approach a text. From monologue work to scene study, your coaches will have you working hard and ready for that next audition (and table read!)

• DAILY VOICE LESSONS (technique, vocal health and general pedagogy with top NYC voice teachers)

  • During this period, every student will have a 30-minute voice lesson with an assigned vocal instructor, a break for lunch, and the option to work with an experienced NYC accompanist/coach to prep cuts for class or to record rehearsal tracks.

• DAILY DANCE CLASSES with some of the industry’s most accomplished dancers and choreographers, focusing on musical theatre, jazz, and contemporary styles. Students will be divided into beginner and intermediate/advanced groups.

  • Students will be divided into beginner and intermediate/advanced groups.

• ART & BIZ - An Actor Therapy EXCLUSIVE, to get your business-mind focused and bolster your heart for the long haul! Navigating the “Biz” aspect of showbiz is a HUGE part of what we do, since we are all essentially our own small business…and it ain’t easy!

  • We like to focus on the business — your strategies, your types, your marketing, your finances, your time-management, and more. But we also want to talk about your heart and spirit — how do we stay sane and emotionally grounded in this incredible business we call show—especially after a global pandemic and worldwide theatrical shutdown?

• A HEADSHOT SESSION with the geniuses at renowned NYC photography studio MurphyMade OR LIFESTYLE SHOT SESSION with the geniuses at Green Otter Design, if your headshots are already a hit!

  • All students will receive a 30+ minute session with multiple looks, and at least one fully edited and retouched digital photo file of your selected shot (with more retouching options available at a separate cost.)

• A final SHOWCASE for a small panel of invited agents and industry professionals, highlighting the student’s growth during the program—each attendee will provide written feedback for every performer.

  • Complete with a public INVITED DRESS REHEARSAL for friends and family

• VIDEO FOOTAGE of your final showcase performance (for your website, social media, etc!)

• … PLUS Daily MASTER CLASSES with Broadway stars, top NYC Casting Directors, Writers, Directors, Tony Award winners, etc. How’s that for a resume builder?!

  • Recent Master Class Instructors have included: L. Morgan Lee, Derek Klena, Amber Iman, Christy Altomare, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Talia Suskauer, Jessie Mueller, Kate Baldwin, Jason Gotay, Natalie Weiss, ARC Casting, Heath Saunders, Emily Kristen Morris, Zi Alikhan, Eden Espinosa, Britney Coleman, Wojcik Group Casting, Wesley Taylor, The Telsey Office, Afra Hines, Jason Styres Casting, Drew Gasparini, Ben Fankhauser, Tara Rubin Casting, Ben Crawford, Anne L. Nathan, Julia Murney, Paul Hardt Casting, Kerstin Anderson, Chad Eric Murnane Casting, and more…

• A WRITTEN EVALUATION by your daily instructors AND written feedback from our industry showcase guests—focusing on your growth, with a final assessment and notes for the future, so you can keep up the work even beyond these two weeks!

TUITION INFO / HOW DO I APPLY?!

The regular cost for our two-week program for NEW STUDENTS* is $3,999.00 USD, which includes everything listed above. All students will be considered for a need-based scholarship, if applicable, and notified on the timeline indicated below.

*RETURNING RATES

• The cost for RETURNING STUDENTS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ONE OR MORE TWO-WEEK ACTOR THERAPY INTENSIVES is $2,999, and those students will still be considered for scholarships.

• The cost for RETURNING STUDENTS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ONE OR MORE 5-WEEK ACTOR THERAPY COURSES is $3,499, and those students will still be considered for scholarships.

HOW TO APPLY

Students apply by completing an online application form (SEE THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE). When applying, you’ll want to make sure you have the following information ready to go:

1. YOUR BASIC INFORMATION (name, age, location, etc.)

2. VIDEO RECORDING(S) of you singing. Any quality is acceptable. All videos must be via dropbox or another file LINK. Any genre is okay! Musical theatre, pop, anything. If you send more than one video recording, please try to demonstrate range or contrast. We prefer audition cuts, rather than performance clips, but will accept either. Please do not send links to more than three recordings/videos.

3. YOUR HEADSHOT AND RESUME. Any quality is acceptable. Students who do not yet have a professionally shot picture may send any photo that best represents them now. Students who do not yet have a professionally formatted resume may send an actor bio up to 200 words.

4. ADDITIONAL SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION. All students will be considered for a need-based scholarship. If there’s something else you’d like us to know about your current situation, you’ll be able to include that here.

5. OPTIONAL: Send us a video of a monologue and/or you dancing, if you’d like. Reels are okay. Any genre is okay!

You will be notified of your application’s status within two weeks of submission. Once a student receives confirmation of their admission/scholarship, they have one week to place a non-refundable $350 deposit through a PayPal link given to admitted students by email. If the deposit is not made within one week, the students spot and/or scholarship may be forfeited. Please make sure to review our Terms and Conditions before making your deposit.

APPLICATION/SCHOLARSHIP WINDOWS:

#1: September 17th through October 18th, 2024 (highest scholarships given)

#2: Oct 19th-November 15th, 2024 (some scholarships given)

#3: Nov 16th-December 13th, 2024 (scholarships given if possible)

#4: December 14th and onward: we are accepting wait list applications in case of last-minute drops! Please feel free to apply, though scholarship funds are extremely limited.

F.A.Q.S TO CONSIDER BEFORE APPLYING:

Where is the Actor Therapy Summer Intensive located?
We will be housed in midtown Manhattan at Open Jar Studios, AMDA Studios, or a similar studio nearby (somewhere between West 34th Street and West 54th Street.)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Is housing provided or included in the tuition?
While Actor Therapy is unable to directly provide housing to students during their time in NYC, we do work with a student housing coordinator who MAY be able to assist you with your housing needs. Student Housing Associates and their “Dancer Dorms” are a popular theatre-district resource that helps students find safe housing close-by in midtown Manhattan. Dorms are occupied by dancers, actors, singers and other artists here to study and take class in the city. To inquire about this housing option,  please contact us here.  Bear in mind, we do not provide housing and cannot guarantee availability. THE COST OF HOUSING IS NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR TUITION, EVEN IF YOU BOOK THROUGH STUDENT HOUSING ASSOCIATES. Of course, students are welcome to arrange their own housing here in NYC, or live a commutable distance (i.e., Long Island, Westchester, Connecticut or New Jersey, etc), as long as they appear on time to class every day.

I’m more of a singer than an actor, or more of a dancer than a singer, etc. … is this still the right program for me? 
As long as you have some level of experience in singing and acting, it’s totally normal to have strengths or weaknesses, and this program is perfectly designed to help students with their individual needs. For students who have little experience in dance, that’s okay, too — our beginning level dance classes are designed just for you!

How many students will be enrolled in the intensive?
16-20 students will be enrolled in the Intensive, and some classes will be split into smaller groups (based on enrollment) to allow for maximum 1-on-1 time with our amazing faculty.

I didn’t go to, nor do I plan to go to college for musical theatre.  Can I still handle this program?
Can you?  This is ideal for you! We know a lot of very talented people who decided the college route is not for them (like Lindsay Mendez herself!), and it worked out pretty darn well. :)

I have a conflict with one or more days of my session.  Can I still enroll? 
We allow pre-approved conflicts on a case-by-case basis. (Known conflicts must be submitted at time of application or while making your deposit.)

But really … Dance class scares me. Help!
Don’t be nervous! Our beginning dance class is designed to help student develop a positive and rewarding relationship with starting-level dance techniques. For those students with more dance experience, our Intermediate/Advanced class is designed for very strong movers and students with a few years (or more) of dance training.

Previous Intensive students working 1-on-1 with Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin (Hello Dolly!, Big Fish, Finian’s Rainbow, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Wonderful Town)

What does each student need to bring with them? 
Any or all sheet music in use by the student; some clothing options to showcase in; headshot/resume if applicable; dance/athletic attire and basic shoes for dancing (no ballet shoes or tap shoes will be needed, and dancers who do not own traditional dance shoes are encouraged to wear gym shoes or socks.)  Students should also bring any medications that they are prescribed, and water in a reusable bottle every day as workshops will be physically demanding. You’ll also receive an Actor Therapy tote bag to carry things, an official Actor Therapy t-shirt, and a notebook and pen for taking notes throughout the weeks! #merch

What will students do for lunch during the day?
Students will have a break for lunch every day and are welcome to bring food with them or will have time to purchase lunch from a local business.  

Where can I find the teachers and artists leading the classes and workshops?
See below!

How are teachers and artists selected to lead classes and workshops?
RSO and Lindsay personally select each teacher/artist based on their knowledge and skill level in their related area of expertise relating to theatre and performing arts. They are our friends, our colleagues, and truly—the best of the best.

After the deposit is paid, when is the balance due?
The balance for each student’s session is due one month before the starting date.  If you are interested in discussing a payment plan, you can email actortherapy@gmail.com, subject: ATWI Payment Plan.

Are there any discounts?
Yes! AEA actors receive a 5% discount off their post-scholarship balance. Simply email us proof of your equity status when making your deposit.

What if my plans change and I can no longer attend the workshop I signed up for.  What options do I have for refunds?
Both the deposit and the balance, once paid, are non-refundable and non-deferrable.  That said, if a student must cancel their attendance between paying the deposit and paying the balance, then only the deposit is forfeited. Please make sure to review our Terms and Conditions before making your deposit.

I have another question … How do find out more?
Email us at actortherapy@gmail.com!

*Instructors are subject to change.

Got all that? Great! You’re ready to submit.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY NOW!