Middle School

Schedule: 8 Mondays: Jan 26, Feb 2, 9, (No Feb 16) 23, March 2, 9, 16 & 23 from 4:30–6 p.m. at 30 Grant Ave
Tuition: $285

A twist on the traditional “on-camera” class, this is an opportunity for students to gain experience writing and performing on camera with various prompts and scenarios. Students will write and act in original short form sketches, microfilms, and commercials across multiple genres. In addition, they'll learn the basics of a commercial audition, the workflow of a film project, and gain practical on-camera experience. This is an excellent class for focused students who like to collaborate with others in a fast-paced environment, and who want to hone new skills in the world of on-camera writing and acting. Classes will meet once a week for 8 weeks (no class February 16). Students will have 90 minutes of training per week in-person at our 30 Grant Ave Studios in San Francisco. Students are expected to attend all sessions and should expect to spend some prep and rehearsal time outside of class for the best experience. This course will culminate in a group showing “open class” for friends and family during the final hour of the final day (Monday, March 23) to present material produced in class.

Limited to 12 students.

MS On-Camera Acting: Short Form Film & Commercials is for you if:

• You’ve taken some scene/acting classes and would like to learn about the world of on-camera, especially commercial work and/or
• You’ve taken on-camera acting and would like to new perspective into this world

Schedule: 9 Tuesdays: Jan 27, Feb 3, 10, 17, 24, Mar 3, 10, 17 & 24 from 4:30 p.m.–6 p.m. at 30 Grant Ave
Tuition: $355

Ever wondered how epic fight scenes in movies and plays are created? Now’s your chance to find out! Using training broadswords under the guidance of Fight Director Dani O’Dea, students will learn the basics of stage combat including safety, physical storytelling, parts of the sword, footwork, and real sword fighting techniques. Once the basics have been mastered, students will get to unleash their creativity, applying everything they’ve learned and choreographing their own one-of-a-kind fights. The class will culminate in a BIG group melee battle, so practice your battle cries! This will be a fun and physical class, full of partner and ensemble work, as we explore character and stakes through stage combat. This course will culminate in a group showing “open class” for friends and family during the last half hour of the final day (March 24).

MS Acting and Stage Combat: Broadsword Basics & Beyond is for you if:

• You’re a lover of fantasy, adventure, or history stories, and have always wondered what it felt like to (safely) swing a sword
• You love physical theater and want more opportunities to stretch your acting muscles without memorizing a lot of text
• You've never done stage combat before, and are excited to learn a new skill to add to your actor’s toolkit and/or
• You've done stage combat before, and are ready to learn some more advanced techniques

Schedule: 12 Wednesdays: Jan 28, Feb 4, 11, 18, 25, Mar 4, 11, 18 & 25, (No Apr 1) Apr 8, 15 & 22 from 4:30–6:30 p.m. at 30 Grant Ave
Tuition: $525

Directed by Andy Alabran and designed for young performers with moderate to significant acting experience, this 12-week class will culminate in a 30-minute performance of a condensed version of a play. Registration is open to all students who are committed to a rigorous rehearsal process and can commit to memorization and work between rehearsals. Specific roles will be cast after the second class, with anticipated double-casting of principal roles to allow for more equitable stage time. Students will have 2 hours of rehearsal per week on Wednesdays (no class April 1). The culminating performance, open to friends and family, will be at our 30 Grant Ave studios on Wednesday, April 22 at 5:30 p.m.

Students MUST be available for the run-through on April 15th and the performance on April 22nd, along with making rehearsals a priority. Additionally, students who register for this class should expect to receive an email from the teacher requesting a video of a memorized monologue provided from a menu of options before the first day of class. If you have questions about whether this class is a good fit for your child, please email us at YoungConservatory@act-sf.org.

9th grade students may enroll after confirming with the Young Conservatory Team. Interested 9th grade Families should email youngconservatory@act-sf.org prior to enrolling. 

12-Week MS Performance Class is for you if:

• You’ve taken some acting before and are ready for a more advanced level, performance-oriented class and/or
• You’re eager to learn how to use your voice and body to portray characters and tell stories and/or
• You’re ready to commit to a course which will ask you to do significant practice of material, both lines and blocking, outside of class time

Schedule: 9 Thursdays: Jan 29, Feb 5, 12, 19, 26, Mar 5, 12, 19 & 26 from 4:30–5:30 p.m. at 30 Grant Ave
Tuition: $285

Dive into scenes with complex characters and layered text from iconic plays in MS Acting: Scene Study. In this workshop, students will engage deeply with acting techniques introduced in previous acting classes in order to build believable characters, analyze text, and respond truthfully to circumstances, scene partners and language. Classes will meet once a week for 9 weeks. Students will have 90 minutes of training per week in-person at our 30 Grant Ave Studios in San Francisco. Coursework may include monologues, scenes and/or devised performance. Students are expected to attend all sessions and may expect to spend a little prep or rehearsal time outside of class for the best experience. This course will culminate in a group showing “open class” for friends and family during the final hour of the final day (March 26) to present material rehearsed in class.

MS Acting: Scene Study is for you if:

• You’re interested serious acting study and are ready to dive deeper into character creation and scene work and/or
• You’ve taken some acting classes before and want to sharpen your skills and/or
• You’re interested in pursuing acting in high school

Schedule: 9 Saturdays: Jan 24, (No Jan 31) Feb 7, 14, 21, 28, March 7, 14, 21 & 28 from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. at 30 Grant Ave
Tuition: $375

This foundational class is designed to let the students’ imaginations run wild while exploring a variety of approaches to enhance the physical life of a character. Expect lots of physical and imaginative play inspired by mime, clowning, masks, and physical improvisation that help young actors develop a playful spirit and freedom on stage, important qualities for all actors. Classes will meet once a week for 9 weeks (no class January 31). Students will have 2 hours of training per week in-person at our 30 Grant Ave Studios in San Francisco. Students are expected to attend all sessions and may expect to spend a little prep or rehearsal time outside of class for the best experience. This course will culminate in a group showing “open class” for friends and family during the final hour of the final day (March 28) to present material rehearsed in class.

MS Acting: Improvisation & Physical Character is for you if:

• You’ve taken some acting before and want to want to explore more physical theater and/or
• You want to develop your courage and flexibility onstage and off and/or
• You’d like to discover/uncover your comedic instincts and laugh a lot

Schedule: 9 Saturdays: Jan 24, (No Jan 31) Feb 7, 14, 21, 28, March 7, 14, 21 & 28 from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. at 30 Grant Ave
Tuition: $405

Interested in acting in film and television? Now’s your chance to get in front of the camera! Students of all levels of experience are welcome, and this course may be repeated. Guided by an on-camera specialist, actors will explore acting techniques, learn about the film and television industry, and gain confidence being in front of the camera. Classes will meet once a week for 9 weeks (no class

January 31). Students will have 2 hours of training per week in-person at our 30 Grant Ave Studios in San Francisco. Students are expected to attend all sessions and participate fully in all games and exercises and should expect to spend some prep or rehearsal time outside of class. This course will culminate in a group showing “open class” during the final hour of the final day (March 28) to present material rehearsed in class.

Limited to 12 students.

MS On-Camera Acting is for you if:

• You’ve taken some acting classes and are curious about the differences between stage and on-camera techniques and/or
• You’d like to learn more about the film, television, and commercial acting industry and/or
• You’ve had experience in theater and are looking for a new acting medium

Schedule: 9 Saturdays: Jan 24, (No Jan 31) Feb 7, 14, 21, 28, March 7, 14, 21 & 28 from 1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. at 30 Grant Ave
Tuition: $425

Dive into the world of musical theater performance with the YC’s foundational Musical Theater class. Under the guidance of a lead instructor and live accompanist, actors will explore basics of singing technique, dance fundamentals, stage acting, and song performance. Students of all levels of experience are welcome, and this course may be repeated. Classes will meet once a week for 9 weeks. Students will have 2 hours of training per week in-person at our 30 Grant Ave Studios in San Francisco, with a lead instructor and a live accompanist. Students are expected to attend all sessions and may expect to spend a little prep or rehearsal time outside of class for the best experience. This course will culminate in a group showing “open class” for friends and family during the final hour of the final day (March 28) to present material (a combination of solo cuts, duets and/or group songs) rehearsed in class.

MS Musical Theater is for you if:

• You’ve had some musical theater training but would like to deepen your skill set and/or
• You’ve taken some acting classes before and want to try out a new area of performance and/or
• You want to explore musical theater dance in a fun environment