McCarter Classes

Adult Acting Collective

All skill levels welcome

The Adult Acting Collective is a place for adult students to explore the craft of acting in a supportive environment that promotes creativity, community and friendship. Each session will teach the fundamentals of acting through themes such as improvisation, scene and monologue study, character development, comedic vs dramatic timing, solo and ensemble performance, specialized acting techniques, and more! Each 10-week session will build on the session before but also allow for new students to enter the process. This class emphasizes group work and balances rigor and skill-building with fun! It is appropriate for the beginner student as well as those wishing to reconnect with their craft.

Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 PM

Cost: $350, Early Spring course is $300

Fall: September 11, 18, 25, October 2, 9, 16, 30, November 6, 13, 20

Winter: December 4, 11, 18, January 8, 15, 22, 29, February 5, 12, 19 

Spring: February 26, March 5, 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9, 23, 30, May 7

Late Spring/Summer- Mini: May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 11, 18, 25 

Adult Scene Study

Intermediate/Advanced Level

Adult Scene Study class offers the actor on-going practice in their craft through a Meisner-based approach designed to develop the actor’s ability to use themselves truthfully, spontaneously and actively. This class will combine acting exercises and scene study to explore technique, analyze scripts and develop characters. Students will learn how to apply the actor’s technique to the rehearsal process and building a performance. This class encourages actors to stretch themselves by working on a variety of diverse and challenging parts in a safe, communal environment that balances rigor with fun.

This class is appropriate for the serious-minded student with previous acting training.

Mondays, 6:30 – 8:30 PM

Cost: $425 (Spring course is $350)

Fall: September 9, 16, 23, 30, October 7, 14, 21, 28, November 4, 11, 25, December 2

Spring: March 31, April 7, 21, 28 May 5, 12, 19, June 2, 9, 16 

Intro to Alexander Technique

Unleash your potential with our Intro to Alexander Technique class, designed specifically for performing artists! This transformative method helps you enhance your stage presence by improving posture and alignment, allowing you to move with greater freedom and ease. You'll develop better breathing habits, essential for vocal projection and stamina while increasing body awareness to reduce injury and fatigue. By managing stress and performance anxiety, you’ll enjoy more relaxed and confident performances. Discover a more natural, expressive voice and connect deeply with your audience. With increased versatility in movement and sharpened focus, your performances will become more dynamic and authentic. Elevate your craft and sign up today!

Instructor: Meade Andrews 

For 45 years, Meade Andrews has been introducing individuals and groups to the transformative discoveries of F.M. Alexander. She chaired the Dance Program at American University in Washington, DC, for a decade and has also taught at the Studio Theatre in DC, where she won the prestigious Helen Hayes Award for her choreography of the musical Hair. Over the past 10 years, Meade has brought her expertise to Rider University, teaching acting and movement and serving as the movement coach for numerous productions.

Sunday, October 20, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Cost: $125

Soundpainting Workshop

Discover the excitement of interdisciplinary art with our Interdisciplinary Improvisation / Live Composition Master Class! In this workshop, you'll explore soundpainting, a fascinating live-composing sign language that brings together musicians, dancers, actors, and visual artists. Practiced globally in 33+ countries, soundpainting offers a unique opportunity to experience the magic of spontaneous, collaborative creation. This deep-dive workshop is perfect for arts enthusiasts and those new to improvisation. Whether you're a professional musician,  dancer, actor, an avid arts lover, or simply curious about the creative process, this workshop will ignite your imagination and deepen your appreciation for interdisciplinary art. Improvisation experience is helpful but not essential. 

Instructor: Leese Walker

Leese Walker is the Producing Artistic Director and founder of Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble, based in NYC, known for their creative placemaking and community engagement projects, ensemble, and applied theatre methodology, as well as being the preeminent soundpainting ensemble in the US.

Sunday, March 16, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Cost: $125

Moment Work Devising Training

Moment Work is the groundbreaking process of devising theater developed by Tectonic Theater Project to create works such as Here There Are Blueberries, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, and The Laramie Project, among others. Moment Work begins with the premise that powerful storytelling employs much more than words. Participants will train in the technique of Moment Making, exploring the theatrical potential of the elements of the stage (lights, sound, costumes, architecture, movement) in order to discover their inherent poetic and narrative potential. This studio class will be taught by one of Tectonic Theater Project’s long-time company members and is open to both theater and non-theater practitioners alike.

Facilitator bio: Scott Barrow 
Scott Barrow joined Tectonic Theatre Project in 2005 on 33 Variations as a devisor at Georgetown and through its Broadway run and into Los Angeles.  That was followed by acting in the first tour of The Laramie Project Cycle and devising and performing on Uncommon Sense. Scott is a credited devisor and performer on Here There are Blueberries, a senior Moment Work teacher and a contributing writer on the company’s
devising methodology book: Moment Work. MFA Brandeis University

Sunday, January 26 , 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Cost: $75