AD: Acting Classes at the Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research
CATEGORY: Classes
Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research
Brooklyn, NY
US
Job Details
DESCRIPTION
The Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research (BCTR) is offering two acting classes this winter 2025-2026.
1. Scene Study with Matthew Gasda: 4 weeks (Saturdays Dec 6, Dec 13, Dec 20, Jan 3)
For actors, but also useful to directors, this four week class will work on scenes from Gasda's oeuvre, focusing on, but not limited to Dimes Square, Zoomers, Morning Journal, Quartet, Minotaur, and Ardor. As we explore these plays, we will also discuss the broader themes and ideas that they explore, including identity, relationships, sexuality and power dynamics, and mortality. We will engage in in-depth discussions about the text, exploring how conceptual understandings of the texts can find objective correlates in performance. Actors will also explore acting in a "chamber" environment, honing in on the kinds of acting techniques that really sing in smaller, intimate spaces. (Matthew Gasda a theatre director and the author of numerous plays, novels, poems and essays. He is a co-founder of the BCTR.)
2. Full Fathom Five – Shakespeare Intensive with Amy Michelle Gaither: 3 weeks (Saturdays Jan 10, Jan 17, Jan 24)
Get out of your head and into the work. Whether you're new to Shakespeare or returning with experience, this class is a space to unlock something deeper in your craft. Using scenes from Shakespeare’s plays as our playground, we’ll approach the text as actors—not academics—with an emphasis on physical connection, emotional truth, and personal resonance. Amy’s teaching invites you to explore the language as a living, breathing force—without overanalyzing. It’s about working on your feet, diving into the verse, and discovering the physical embodiment of Shakespeare’s rich and deeply human characters. If you’re feeling stuck, curious, rusty, intimidated, or simply hungry for more—this class is for you. (Amy is a working actor and director in NYC who has been acting, teaching, coaching, and directing Shakespeare for 30 years.)
*Our shows are known for their mix of professional actors and non-industry newcomers. Joining one of our classes is a great way to get acquainted with the BCTR and open the door to joining the cast of one of our many ensemble shows.*
About us: The Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research (BCTR) is an independent, semi-underground theatre for plays in rep, emerging artists, new translations, workshops for actors and writers, fiction and poetry readings, movie screenings and parties. After a decade of staging plays in living rooms and other non-traditional venues around New York City, a permanent home for the theatre was found in 2023 in a loft below a rave venue in industrial Greenpoint. Despite being off the beaten path, BCTR shows have nonetheless been reviewed by The New York Times, New York Magazine and The Guardian, and have made their way to Manhattan, San Francisco, London, Stockholm and Sydney. Learn more at brooklyncenterfortheatreresearch.com.