Overview
This intensive course is designed for the dedicated theatre student in high school or college. Actors will work at a rigorous pace to develop standout and competitive audition material. Students will strengthen their foundational audition skills, learn techniques for gesture and space use in an audition format, apply script analysis techniques to their audition materials, learn how to prepare for the audition room, how to ease audition-day nerves, and how to identify the best choices for their unique talent.
Our concentrated schedule keeps students working productively each week. This three week session will allow students not only to prepare material appropriate for school, college, and community auditions, but to develop selection and preparation skills they can repeat for subsequent auditions as well. Ideal for the student seeking to be more competitive in casting at their high school or university, or seeking to prepare auditions for competitive training programs and majors.
Enrolled students should bring to the first class:
- One contemporary monologue (one to two minutes in length) for a character within their age range
- One classical monologue (one to two minutes in length) for a character within their age range
- (Optional) If pursuing musical theater, students may also bring one 16–32 bar cut of an audition song in their vocal range.
This class is for the intermediate-advanced 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: Thursdays, September 4, 11, and 18, 2025 (three weeks)
Time: 6–9 p.m.
Tuition: $270
Location: Mason Community Arts Academy Building in Fairfax, Virginia
Faculty
Jessie Holder Tourtellotte
Senior Teaching Artist
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Jessie Holder Tourtellotte is a working actor, writer, and producer and a prolific coach and teaching artist. Locally, she works extensively with AFYP/George Mason Community Arts, is a sought after clinician with multiple FCPS theatre and music programs, and many local theatre companies. Jessie holds a BFA from the University of the Arts’ Ira Brind School of Theatre Arts and has also trained at the Neighborhood Playhouse, Actor’s Movement Studio, and more. She is currently the intimacy choreographer and movement specialist in residence at NOVA Nightsky Theatre.
As a college and graduate study audition coach, she boasts a high matriculation rate annually including acceptances to every major conservatory program as well as to strong professional training programs across the country, in addition to sending students every year to pre college programs and summer intensives at competitive schools.
She is a winner of the Los Angeles International Screenwriting Competition and a past semifinalist for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Nicholl Fellowship, a graduate of the New York Women in Film and Television From Script to Pre Production Lab. She served as the acting coach on the last two consecutive Cappies NCA Best Play Winning productions, has served on the acting faculty at the Identity School of Acting both in Los Angeles and Internationally, and is a faculty member with The Artist’s Initiative.
Her adaptation of Euripides’ The Trojan Women has won awards from its world premiere and is now under contract for licensing by multiple producing organizations for the coming year.
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].