Summer Session 2026

• Summer Session 2026 features in-person classes held at 30 Grant Avenue in San Francisco. There are no online classes.
• Students with financial need interested in scholarships should consult the Scholarships page for details on how to apply.
• Sliding scale tuition is available for our shorter classes. Please see the class list for details prior to registering.
• Students interested in the 50/50 Payment Plan, whereby half the total cost of tuition is paid at the time of registration and the second half on the first day of class, must enroll by phone. Please call (415) 439-2319 during weekday business hours. The 50/50 Payment Plan is not available when registering for a one-day class, or with a discount or other promotional code.
• It is not possible to visit 30 Grant Avenue outside of scheduled class times. However, the Melissa Yandell Smith Library is open—info and hours here. Studio A.C.T. students have access to the library for a full year after their last class.
• Questions? For any additional questions or concerns please visit our Studio FAQ page or email us at studio@act-sf.org.

Tuition for our Summer Session shorter classes is priced on a sliding scale to better accommodate the variety of financial circumstances among our many students. You may select your tuition when registering.

Why sliding scale?

Your class tuition supports everything that goes into making Studio A.C.T. possible within the vibrant ecosystem of American Conservatory Theater, from paying faculty and staff a fair wage, to maintaining our studio spaces, to getting the word out about what we do. We respect every dollar you pay for your classes, and consider your tuition a key contribution in support of our mission to provide an engaging, energizing, creative space for all.

Why sliding scale for shorter classes, but not full-length classes?

We first piloted our sliding-scale pricing during the December 2024 weeklong Inter-Session. It went very well! However, the limitations of our enrollment software make administering it challenging, as the system was not designed to accommodate a sliding-scale option. Hopefully the software developers will eventually add this option. In the meantime, limiting our sliding-scale class selections to the handful of shorter classes allows us to provide the option in a manageable way.

Are scholarships still available for shorter classes?

Yes! Scholarships are still available for shorter classes. The percentage requested will be taken from the top tuition price. Please visit our Scholarships page for details on how to apply.

Two Classes – Sundays – July 19 & 26
1:00–5:00 p.m.

In this repeatable two-day Monologue Audition workshop, open to all experience levels, you will have the opportunity to (1) freshen up an audition monologue you already know, and (2) work on a new monologue in new ways. On the first day students will perform the monologue they already know, and we’ll explore practical ways to explore this monologue further. We’ll then identify possibilities for a new, second monologue to complement or contrast the first. In the week between the first and second days, students will memorize and prepare their new monologue. On the second day we’ll share both monologues in a mock-audition format, with feedback and the opportunity to re-audition—a.k.a. return for a call-back!

Note – Students must come to the first day with an audition monologue of their choice, no more than two minutes long, fully memorized and prepared to perform. In the week between class dates, students will need to continue working on their chosen monologue, as well as prepare a new monologue, to be selected in consultation with the teacher.

This repeatable two-day Monologue Audition Workshop is for you if:

• You are an actor who wants to feel more relaxed, centered, confident, and at ease when you audition.
• You are an actor who wants to work on their already memorized monologue from a play – contemporary or classical – for use in future auditions.
• You are an actor who wants to find, memorize, and bring to life a new audition monologue from a play – contemporary or classical.
• You want new practices that are at once efficient and effective for selecting, preparing, and acting monologues.
• You want a chance to practice acting in the context of a monologue.

One Class – Sunday – August 2 
12:00–5:00 p.m.

This unique, one-day introductory class brings together two essential disciplines actors encounter regularly in theater—Stage Combat, whereby physical violence is staged to appear real while being physically safe to perform; and Intimacy Choreography, whereby moments of physical intimacy are staged to appear real while being emotionally safe to perform. Both disciplines require exceptional collaborative and communication skills, combining an awareness of physical and emotional safety with an eye toward creating artistically exciting moments on stage. Practices for negotiating Consent are paired with practical methods of creating physical stagings, placing value on both the physical and emotional demands of crafting and performing challenging dramatic moments on stage.

NOTE – This class involves physical exercises designed to support actors working together in direct physical contact with one another. Nobody will be required to engage in any physical contact they are not comfortable with.

This one-day Intimacy Choreography & Stage Combat workshop is for you if:

• You are an actor, director, stage manager, or teaching artist who wishes to further their understanding, confidence, and skill around staging physically vulnerable moments.
• You wish to expand your understanding and use of Consent as a creative practice in rehearsal and performance situations.
• You want tools to help you contribute to making a safe and inspiring working environment for yourself and others.

NEW CLASS!

One Class – Sunday – August 2
1:00 to 5:00 PM

Do nerves hold you back from giving your best performance? While you might think it's just you that gets nervous in the spotlight, performance anxiety is the #1 fear according to many studies. You might be very prepared with a script and hours of rehearsal, but when it comes to the big moment nerves can still take over. In this one-day class you'll learn about how your nervous system works, and why it's so common to blank out, fidget, or freeze under the pressure to perform. Through somatic practices, engaging group exercises, and improvisation opportunities in front of the group, you'll learn how to take the edge off and manage nerves differently for more calm, comfort, and confidence when it counts.

The Confident Performer one-day workshop is for you if:

• You are an actor struggling with audition pressure or performance anxiety.
• You perform or present in other situations and get overwhelmed with nerves.
• You are a professional in any field who wants to feel more confident and relaxed in big meetings or events.

NEW CLASS!

Three Classes – Mon to Wed – Aug 3, 4, 5
6:30–8:30 p.m.

Ever been in rehearsal, on stage, or speaking in public and found yourself asking, “What do I do with my hands?” You’re not alone! This three-night class will help you move with a greater sense of confidence, strength, and freedom. Students will explore their physical, spontaneous, and creative responsiveness. Drawing on a range of practices, from yoga, contemporary dance, and physical theater, this class will introduce students to practical tools to feel physically confident in performance or public speaking situations. Though not required, students who take this class are encouraged to also enroll in its follow-up class, What Do I Do With My Eyes? scheduled later the same week.

What Do I Do With My Hands? is for you if:

• You want a creative physical practice that will strengthen your confidence in your movements.
• You are an actor who wishes to expand your senses of physical awareness and articulation.
• You are someone who wishes to strengthen the creative connections between your mind and body.

NEW CLASS!

Two Classes – Thur to Fri  – Aug 6, 7
6:30–8:30 p.m.

What do we do with our eyes when we perform? What are our habits of looking, seeing, and being seen, and how might we make conscious choices? This two-night class examines the eye as an expressive tool, and maybe even the window to the soul! Through a variety of physical exercises, students will explore their creative use of looking, seeing, responding, and expressing through an awareness of their eyes as an articulate, integral part of their body’s range of movements. Though not required, students who take this class are encouraged to also enroll in the class, What Do I Do With My Hands? scheduled earlier this same week.

What Do I Do With My Eyes? is for you if:

• You want a creative physical practice that will strengthen your confidence in your ability to see while being seen.
• You are an actor who wishes to expand your senses of physical awareness and articulation.
• You are someone who wishes to strengthen the creative connections between your mind and body.