WAYNE DVORAK

This is a complete 2-year Meisner program in keeping with the traditional Meisner curriculum. However, unlike traditional Meisner programs, this program focuses equally on comedic performances as dramatic, and modernizes the training for current on-camera work. Additionally, the course includes professional development counseling to improve your package as an artist and actor. The syllabus roughly divides as follows:

First Year

• Voice technique

• Warm-ups utilizing Classical Theatre Monologues, physical activity, improvisations

• Complete Levels 1-4 of Meisner Exercises 

• Discover your own "Point of View" as an actor

• Discover your own emotional range instinctually, honestly, and flexibly

• Develop and perform four in-depth, comprehensive scenes with a partner, with several weeks of coaching on each scene to "deepen" and find the emotional performance

• Discover the unique essence of who you are and what that brings to your acting

You, as an actor, need to know who you really are and what you're about in order to convey that essence each time you act. This knowledge is central to any theatrical career and is what the First Year of instruction is all about.

Second Year

• ​Complete Levels 5-7 of Meisner Exercises

• Learn to perform with a Point of View that is not your own, as a character

• Focus on more in-depth relationships and situations

• Perform increasingly difficult scenes in specific acting styles

• Audition monologues

• Learn to breakdown and set a script - while making it look effortless!

• Portray characters with unusual physical or mental impediments

Now, all the scene work becomes character work. You learn how to set all the behavior from the point of view of the character, portraying scenes and behaviors as the character would rather than yourself.

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This program is for working actors or professional performers in other industries (dance, opera, music theatre, comedy) ready to make the transition to on-camera and stage work. The material works equally well on those with no formal training, so some exceptional beginners may be considered as well. A free audit and interview with the teacher is required to be considered for the program.

 

Unlike most acting workshops in LA, this is a studio commitment class, with weekly class meetings and outside rehearsals with class partners. There are two months a year (summer, winter holidays) where the studio recesses to recharge and rest. Missed classes are allowed for bookings, performances, and family emergencies at the discrepancy of the teacher and will need to be made up at a date and time arranged between you and the teacher. The monthly fee is due in-person at the first class of every month. No monthly fee is paid during the recess months.

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"It's in the writing" - Wayne Dvorak

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Occasionally, Mr. Dvorak will run a 4-week session workshop on specifically breaking down scripts immediately and efficiently, and then transitioning those intellectual choices into emotional transitions you can embody.  This material is often similar to that covered in the second year of the Full Meisner Program and in the Advanced Level Professional Showcase Program.

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If you are interested in these sessions, please contact Mr. Dvorak directly to inquire when the studio will next be leading this workshop.

This program is primarily for graduates of the Full Meisner Program and is invitation only. If you have previously completed a full two-year Meisner program elsewhere, you can contact Mr. Dvorak about auditioning or interviewing.

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This program is designed to improve the transition from trained actor to working actor by not only continuing your personalized acting study and scene work, but building your packaging so you can successfully market yourself in the industry. As part of our studio's mentor program, you will also be able to perform scenes for casting directors, agents, and managers.

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First 5-months are "Work" Months

• Individualized advanced scene study 

• On-camera technique 

• Storybook improvisation

• Audition technique

• Cold reading skills

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Second 5-months are "Business" Months

• Build a comprehensive and specific package

• Including headshots, resume, style, and grooming

• Improve how you present yourself "in the room"

• Perform complex scenes in front of casting directors and agents

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This class also has two recess months in the year during which no fee is paid. This class is only run when there are enough students at the professional level who are committed for the year, this is determined at the discretion of the teacher.

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