Overview
Acting Through Song is an intensive acting course is designed for the dedicated musical theater performer. Actors will work at a rigorous pace to apply script analysis to musical theater pieces and strengthen their acting and storytelling during singing performances and auditions. Students will learn to perform and actualize the song with physical, emotional, and vocal clarity; and how to identify the best choices for their character portrayal.
Our concentrated schedule keeps students working productively each week. This three-week session will not only allow students to prepare a thorough and well-rounded performance of a musical theater piece, but to gain the knowledge to apply these skills to future roles. Ideal for the musical theater student seeking to create thoroughly-realized characters for performances and auditions and to gain skills for a competitive high school or college theater environment.
Enrolled students should bring to the first class:
- Two complete songs within their vocal range. The songs should be contrasting in style, tempo, and mood. Please bring printed sheet music for the selected songs.
This class is for the intermediate-to-advanced musical theater performer who is dedicated to in-depth, rigorous study. Previous theatre experience is necessary to reap the most benefits from this course.
Program Details
Ages: 14–22
Dates: March 20, 27, April 3 (three weeks)
6:30–9 p.m.
Tuition: $215
Location: Mason Community Arts Academy Building in Fairfax, Virginia
Program Faculty
Jessie Holder Tourtellotte
Senior Teaching Artist
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Jessie Holder Tourtellotte is a working actor, teaching artist, and theatre/film maker with a long history of audition coaching for college and graduate admissions as well as for school and professional work. She has served on the faculty of the Identity School of Acting and the Artists’ initiative, worked for summer programs like the University of the Arts Pre-College Program and the Rutgers Summer Acting Conservatory, and has served on numerous panels for collegiate and training program admissions and as a guest judge. She holds a BFA from the University of the Arts’ Ira Brind School of Theatre Arts and has worked as an actor across the country, with the bulk of her work in NYC and Los Angeles. She recently appeared opposite Lauren Lapkus in the forthcoming film Another Happy Day, due to release October 1 via Gravitas Ventures, received awards for her world premiere performance in the world premiere of the play Wounded at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, has served as a producer and performing company member of the Riot of the Tipsy Bacchanals, and since relocating has served as a guest artist for numerous local productions including working as the resident Intimacy Choreographer for NOVA Nightsky, guest directing West Springfield Spartan Theatre’s Peter and the Starcatcher this past spring, and working with Lake Braddock Theatre’s recent Romeo and Juliet (Movement Director, Intimacy Choreographer, Text Coach- Cappies NCA Best Play Winner), and Something Rotten (Music Director, Choreographer), as well as returning to teaching for AFYP this summer. Her coaching students have recent admissions to CCM, UNCSA, Carnegie Mellon, Boston University, Rutgers, Troy, Indiana, Shenandoah, UC Fullerton and Irvine, USC, and more.
Notes
- Please note that group classes are subject to cancellation if minimum enrollment is not reached.
- Be sure to check our policies and procedures regarding registration, withdrawals, refunds, and more for fall or spring group classes.
- All students will receive a Welcome Letter via email at least one week before the class starts with all necessary details.
- Online registration closes two business days before the first class, however space may still be available. Please contact [email protected] for more information. A $10 late registration fee may apply.
- For additional information, please contact the Academy at [email protected].