Conservatory Training Professional Actor



Before they knew what was about to hit 'em:
the First Years of 2010-11

At Portland Actors Conservatory, we don't require an audition for acceptance. However, we DO require an audition for the Second Year of our Two Year program, and some students do not make the cut, as we cap the Second Year class at 12. It's can be a nerve wracking process, just like the life of a professional actor. :) But this year's auditions were by all accounts an amazing day for all involved at the Conservatory - teachers, students, and guests were all blown away by the talent on display.

With auditions a few weeks behind them, I polled some of ur First Year Conservatory students - soon to be Second Years - about how they felt upon completion of of the First Year and their auditions. Below are some responses:

Lissie Huff, right, improv-ing away
with Steve Vanderzee

Lissie Huff:

"After the audition I took a week off, slept the first four days. Now it's back to work: in a play (directed by one of our dear teachers, Michael Mendelson, and starring another, Cristi Miles), running drills to keep the skills learned sharp, developing new skills. It's a never-ending process of performance and craft. I love it.

The second year audition is like a master's class in character switching. In the course of only a few hours I portrayed a valium addict, a saucy french maid, a melancholy prince, and a sensualist housewife. Going offstage as the valium addict I literally was close to a nervous breakdown. Five to ten deep breaths later I'm changing my hair, makeup and costume ready to portray a red-headed saucy french maid. So it went the entire day: subsuming myself in the world of the character and then coming back to the world of the actor.

The whole day is an experience like no other. It's an audition, a showcase, a performance, a competition. We're all acutely aware that this day will decide if we continue on to next year. I imagine it's like being at the Olympic trials. No matter how well - or poorly - things have gone in rehearsal or class it's this moment that most matters. Though I wanted to perform well enough to go to the second year, my actual aim that day was to perform to the best of my ability. I wanted to walk off that stage and look myself in the eye without regrets. I did."

Kate Brauneis-Krull :

Kate Brauneis-Krull, left, with Jessica Moran.
Um, is it the 'I Love Lucy' episode at the candy
factory?

 "When I began the first year of the Conservatory program, the prospect of auditions was somewhat daunting but I believed that if I really gave it my all, I would have a spot in the second year class. What I didn't anticipate was how incredibly close we would all become as a class, and how much everyone would astound me with their growth and their hearts. The stakes were higher than I had imagined because it wasn't just about 'getting into the second year' as an abstract concept, but about being able to continue working with my ensemble and teachers who I had grown to love and appreciate so much more than I had ever imagined. I am so happy to be continuing this journey with all of them!"

If you're thinking of applying to Portland Actors Conservatory for acceptance in Fall 2011, the application deadline is June 15, 2011. Get application info here.

First Top 25 List of the 25th Anniversary Season!

In honor of our 25th birthday, we're going to be compiling Top 25 Lists. Here's the first one:

Top 25 things an actor should never say

“I only had a few drinks before fight call.”

"Do I have to read the whole play?"

“Bummer. I was hoping the dressing rooms would be unisex.”

“When you say nudity, do you mean like, naked nudity?”

“You’re doing a great job as the lead, but I have a few notes for you if you’re interested in some feedback.”

“When there’s a long pause after you stop speaking, I’ll know it’s my line.”

“Sorry about my acid reflux in our love scene tonight. Those burps really burn and I just have to let ‘em out.”

“Can everyone be quiet before the show? I need four hours of complete silence before I go on.”

“Can you give me a little more in this scene? Because whatever you’re doing, I don’t really get it.”

“We can take it on the road!”

"I'll try that action but I'm sure is not going to work."

"My character would never do that."

“But what’s my motivation for the kick ball change, jump jump freeze?”

“Do you think this sequined unitard makes me look fat?”

“I can definitely learn classical guitar for the role by the end of our two week rehearsal process.”

“I’m sorry, I got a pilot.”

“Can I get a cue light for that? I don’t want to have to listen to the play, I’m really sick of it actually.”

“Hmmmm Me May Mi Mo MUUUUU! Can I get one Power Ball and a pack of Camel Lights? And $30 on pump 6.”

“I kicked the light two weeks ago but I think I moved it back to the right spot.”

“Is it ok if I just paraphrase this speech? I don’t think the exact words really matter here.”

“What’s your name? I know you’re not that important to the production, but I like to appear friendly.”

“Boy, sucks to be you after that review in the paper. Do you want me to read it to you before you go on tonight?”

“Am I supposed to remember everything we did yesterday?”

“What’s wrong with punching someone for answering their cell phone during the show?”

“What I really want to do is direct.”

Additions? Suggestions? Shout it out!

And Introducing...

If my last six weeks at Portland Actors Conservatory were a theatre piece, it would look something like this: me rustling around in the wings, hurriedly gathering props and building set pieces out of stray bits of string. I'd be rushing from the costume shop to the dressing room, pulling together a costume instinctively out of the most colorful pieces at the ends of the rack. I'd be listening to the first five seconds of many pieces of music, throwing CDs over my shoulder as I toss them out. And I'd be talking to a lot of people about where the rest room is, what act went on before me, what the audience tends to like, and who was going to be on stage with me.

In essence, I'd be getting my act together. :)

I'm the new marketing coordinator here at Portland Actors Conservatory and I couldn't be happier about it. The ramp-up has been steep, but fun: the opening of "The Blue Room," launching the Summer on Stage acting camps, promoting the Graduation Showcase, and of course, learning the ropes. I've been proud to bring some attention to our little school on the hill, like KGW's "PDX Tonight" on "The Blue Room" with Joe Smith, a beautiful piece on KBOO's "Stage and Studio," a fabulous write up on Beth by Bob Hicks on ArtScatter, and a great hit on Portland Arts Watch. This was in addition to our great 'Blue Room' press: Holly Johnson's great review in the Oregonian and the Willamette Week's positive writeup, subtitled 'Sex, Drugs and Rampant Regret.'

Behind the scenes, artistic director Beth is always trying to get me to take a cigarette break and Philip, the associate director, and I have to be careful not to talk my half day away hashing through local productions, producing confabs, and works in progress. Executive director Nurella takes meetings like a madwoman and Summer on Stage kids slam doors all day. Georgia and I talk wedding stuff. Melissa Whitney, our Summer on Stage teacher, comes in to use the copy machine and we laugh about a show we worked on together. In yesterday's staff meeting, we had great fun dreaming up a new street performance class to be led by Philip, and I watched Beth's skin turn pink as she tried to take the joke in stride (not a big fan of street theater).

In short, heaven!

I'm looking forward to composing my mise-en-scene more carefully this summer as we gear up for the launch of our first-ever, full time day-program version of the Two Year Conservatory. The program clearly works, and has been since PAC started it in 1994. I mean, thow a rock in this town and you'll hit a working PAC grad. But migrating our Conservatory training to the day program takes it to a whole 'nother level. Not only does it make the Conservatory 2 legit 2 quit, it opens up a lot of room in our evening Studio Classes serving actor-interesteds who want their first taste, ongoing training, or a new skill.

If you've always wondered what the heck Portland Actors Conservatory is all about, there's never been a better time to dip a toe, or fall headfirst. 25 years of professional actor training, baby, and we wear it well.