The Storyteller's Cottage Announces NEW Acting Classes

This fall, the Storyteller’s Cottage is branching out into theater with all new acting classes. Each class costs $150 for six weeks, and students can reserve their spots at https://www.storytellerscottage.com/the-actors-academy-at-the-cottage

"Story Tellers" Beginning Acting Class (Ages 5-8)

• Wednesdays, starting September 11 | 4:00-5:00 pm
• The "Story Tellers" beginning acting class brings the magic of creativity and theater together in an exciting introduction to a lifelong activity. Through the use of age-appropriate creative stories, monologues and scenes, young students will learn to love using their imaginations to create characters and develop the skills necessary to believably bring their characters to life in the moment. Props and costumes will be the highlights of each class. Parents will be our invited guests for a special show at the end of each six-week period.

“Acting Up” Intermediate Acting Class (Ages 9-12)

• Thursdays, starting September 12 | 4:00-5:00 pm
• Disguised in the pure fun of each lesson, students in the "Acting Up" intermediate acting classes will learn the elements of the acting methods of Meisner and Adler, as well as other acting techniques to expand their senses and explore their options. Theater games and comedy improvisation will be part of every class to both free and inspire our young artists. Students enrolled in this program will perform in the Monologue and Scene Performances mid-year, and at the end of each six-week session. Students will also be eligible to audition for the Secret Garden 4D performance at the Storyteller's Cottage in the spring.

“The Actor’s Cottage” Advanced Acting Class (Ages 13-17)

• Thursdays, starting September 12 | 5:15 and 6:15 pm
• The "Actor's Cottage" advanced classes are designed for students who are interested in auditioning for their school shows, regional or community theater, who are thinking about their college major and/or professional work in the theater, or who just love to perform. These group classes will focus on finding the freedom and comfort to take the chances needed to give your character life. We will explore various acting methods including Meisner and Adler, and examine the tools they give us to make confident choices in bringing our characters into the moment. Monologues and scene work will be given each week. Students will perform in the two Monologues and Scene Performances held throughout the year, and are eligible to audition for the Secret Garden 4D performance to be held at the Storyteller's Cottage in the spring.

For high school students planning on pursuing musical theater and acting in college, the College Theater Program Expert Preparation begins with a Parent Seminar on Saturday, November 2, from 2:00-5:00 pm. Families will work with NYC professional talent manager, artistic director, and college acting coach Tobi Beth Silver to determine which schools make the list, go over specific audition requirements, and dive into all of the information necessary to go forward in this process. The cost is $125 per family.

In the next portion of the program, each student will receive one-on-one training. They will work to make a personalized and organized plan, gather the specific audition information from their top school choices, choose the right material for them (monologues and song audition requirements differ with each school), choose their head shot, and prepare their resume. Students will also have the opportunity to perform in monologue and scene performances as part of a mock audition. All of this will build the confidence necessary to have a successful audition day. The cost for these one-on-one sessions is $75 per hour.

The Storyteller’s Cottage is located in a vintage Victorian house in the center of historic Simsbury, CT, and hosts all manner of immersive literary events throughout the year, including Agatha Christie inspired live murder mystery parties, Great Gatsby themed Jazz Supper Clubs, fascinating close-up illusions at Fine Parlor Magic nights, a Literary Dinner Party series on select evenings at midnight, and more.

The Storyteller's Cottage is located at 750 Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury. Parking for The Storyteller's Cottage is free, and is available on the street in front of the building, and in the Fiddler's Green parking lot on Wilcox Street (behind the house). For more information, please call 860-877-6099 or visit www.StorytellersCottage.com.