These acting workshops are designed to support, develop and inspire actors at all stages of development through practical, intensive, personalized training.

All of the workshop leaders teach, direct and act in the world’s leading training institutions and theatres. They are all committed to creating excellence in performing arts. They share values, and believe that rigorously applying straight forward, simple principles is the key to achieving excellence.

Actors will develop many tools at the PEI Conservatory:

• Trust in Instincts – to learn how to develop instincts and responses
• Tenacity – to develop an unwillingness to ever say “that will do”
• Bravery in Performance – to abolish fear; to take the big leap
• Lateral Thinking – to discover that art should be both surprising and inevitable
• Ensemble Playing – to exercise generosity, and to say ‘yes” as the primary impulse
• Creative Speculation – to ask “What if?” and “I wonder why?”
• Reassessment of Risk - to fulfill the rigorous need to constantly reassess the stakes of any set of circumstances, and to ask "how close can this situation be to life and death and still be true to the text?"
• Connection to Breath and Voice and Body - to connect and remain engaged and relaxed throughout performance.

Applying Principles

Actors begin each of the six days of these workshop with a one-hour physical and vocal warm up. This is followed by an intensive voice or acting fundamentals class for the duration of the morning.

Each afternoon includes a four-hour scene study workshop/rehearsal. Each actor will be cast in at least one “two-hander” scene chosen specifically to develop the actor’s particular personal interest or challenge. These scenes will be chosen in advance from the world cannon of theatre literature. Voice and movement coaches will attend scene work rehearsals to diagnose habits and restrictions. They will subsequently be available for private coaching sessions. The week ends with a presentation of the scene to the other participants in the conservatory.

There are eight Acting Workshops for 2007. Contact The PEI Conservatory to find out more about the one that is right for you:

All participants are invited to audit any of the other workshops at the conservatory. Social activities (beach parties, moonlight dinners, boat rides, theatre performances and concerts, golfing and fishing) are organized throughout the week for participants to meet and discuss ideas across disciplines.