Workshops

Tiny Theater Presents  The Acting Workshop and Ensemble

Living Truthfully on Stage and Experiencing 

Tiny Theater’s Acting Workshop is a continuing actor-development program dedicated to the exploration of truth, character, and connection—drawing from the methods and approaches that have shaped modern American acting.

We believe that acting is not about displaying emotion, demonstrating technique, or simply saying the words correctly. It is about living truthfully under imaginary circumstances—listening, responding, pursuing an objective, connecting with another actor, and allowing the actor to experience on stage to what the characters experiences on page and emerge through genuine and authentic human behavior.

The workshop provides actors with a place to train, experiment, fail, discover, and grow in a supportive ensemble environment.

The Group Theater Tradition

The Group Theater changed American acting by placing the actor's inner life, imagination, circumstances, relationships, and truthfulness at the center of the work.

Tiny Theater draws upon the work of the great teachers and practitioners who shaped that tradition, including:

• Lee Strasberg

• Stella Adler

• Sanford Meisner

• Robert Lewis

• Uta Hagen

• Eric Morris

Rather than teaching one rigid system, the workshop explores the common principles and complementary approaches found within these traditions.

What We Work On

The Actors Obligations: 

Actors learn to replace generalized "acting" with specific, believable emotions and fulfilling the obligations of character, emotion, relationship and theme.

We explore how an actor can remain emotionally and physically alive without pretending. 

Listening and Responding

Inspired particularly by Meisner, Lewis, Strasberg, Hagen, and others, and the Group Theatre tradition, actors develop the ability to truly listen rather than waiting for their cue.

Objectives and Actions

Actors explore what a character wants, what stands in the way, and what the character does to overcome those obstacles.

We work with playable actions rather than simply trying to "feel" an emotion. We train to experience the emotions on stage.

Character

Character is discovered through behavior, relationships, circumstances, imagination, physical life, voice, rhythm, and action.

We work toward characters who are specific human beings rather than collections of traits.

Imagination and Personal Experience

Actors are encouraged to use imagination and personal experience to fulfill authenticity and creating reality on stage and screen.

The Actor's Instrument

Tiny Theater approaches actor training as the development of the whole instrument:

Much like any musical instrument (and voice) practice and technique creates beauty and fortitude.

Training is designed to help actors become more available, responsive, imaginative, and truthful.

We are less interested in creating actors who know how to "act" and more interested in creating actors who can respond truthfully in the moment and experience reality to achieve an authentic character.

From Exercise to Scene

The workshop moves from fundamental exercises into practical scene work using script, monologues, scenes and full length plays and performance.

A typical session might include:

1. Preparation

Physical, sensory, relaxation and vocal warm-ups designed to release tension and increase awareness.

2. Ensemble Work

Exercises that develop concentration, observation, listening, impulse, and connection.

3. Technique

A focused exploration of several acting principles, techniques and exercises

4. Character Exploration

Building and constructing a believable and authentic character

5. Dialogue and Monologue Work

Actors apply the work to contemporary and classical monologues, scenes and script

6. Observation and Feedback

Actors learn to watch the work of others and develop the ability to articulate what is actually happening on stage, give feedback and interact with actors of all levels.

Actors Ensemble

At the heart of Tiny Theater is the ensemble.

Actors do not train in isolation.

We learn by watching.
We learn by listening.
We learn by doing.
We learn by taking risks.
And we learn by supporting the work of the other actor.

The workshop is intended to create an environment where actors can experiment without fear of failure.

There is no expectation that every exercise will "work."

Exploration and discovery requires risk.

The Group Theatre Influence

The Group Theatre of the 1930s sought to create a new kind of American actor—an actor who could work truthfully, collectively, and with a deep understanding of human behavior.

Its influence can be seen throughout modern American acting.

Tiny Theater carries that spirit forward.

Our work draws from the lineage of:

Stanislavski → Group Theatre → Strasberg / Adler / Meisner / Lewis/ Morris/ → Contemporary American Actor Training

We study these traditions not as historical artifacts, but as practical tools for the actor today.

No One "Right" Method

Tiny Theater does not believe there is one technique that works for every actor.

One actor may discover something through repetition.

Another may respond to imagination.

Another may find the character through physical exploration.

Another may need to work from circumstances and action.

The goal is not to make every actor work the same way.

The goal is to give each actor more ways to discover the truth of a moment.

Who Is the Workshop For?

The workshop is appropriate for:

• Beginning Actors 

• Actors with professional experience

• Actors returning to the stage

• Actors with limited formal training

• Actors interested in developing their technique

• Actors preparing for auditions

• Actors interested in character development

• Actors who want ongoing training rather than a one-time class

The workshop is designed for actors at different stages of development.

You do not need to arrive with a finished technique.

You need to arrive willing to work.

What We Expect From Actors

Tiny Theater asks participants to bring:

Curiosity.
Be willing to investigate.

Engagement
Training requires repetition and commitment.

Generosity.
Your scene partner's work is as important as your own.

Imagination.
Be willing to enter circumstances that aren't your own.

Courage.
Take risks.

Humility.
There is always more to discover.

What You May Develop

Through continued participation, actors can develop:

• Greater concentration

• More truthful responses

• Stronger listening skills

• Greater emotional availability

• More specific character choices

• Greater physical awareness

• Stronger vocal freedom

• Better understanding of objectives and actions

• Greater confidence in scene work

• More freedom and spontaneity

• A deeper understanding of dramatic text

• Stronger ensemble skills

Most importantly, actors develop the ability to stay present and alive while performing.

The Tiny Theater Philosophy

The actor doesn't demonstrate the character.

The actor lives through the character creating reality.

We aren't looking for the actor to "show us anger."

We want to discover:

What happened?
What do you want?
Why do you need it?
What are you willing to do to get it?
What is happening between you and the other person right now?

When those questions become real for the actor, the audience doesn't have to be told what is happening.

They experience it.

Workshop Format

Tiny Theater can present this as an ongoing weekly workshop, with actors able to enter at different points in the training.

Sessions can alternate between:

Actor Training
Fundamental exercises, technique, ensemble work and improvisation.

Character Development
Deep exploration of character, circumstances, physical life and relationships.

Performances
Putting the training into practice through staged readings and performances.

We encourage developing actors through actual performance rather than separating "training" from "theater."

Our goal for all actors at all stages...

Living Truthfully on Stage.

At Tiny Theater, we don't train actors to act. We train actors to live truthfully under imaginary circumstances and create a reality on stage, experiencing the emotions and sensibilities of the character.

And beneath it:

Training the actor. Developing the ensemble. Telling the truth.

We train for the stage and screen

The workshop is not separate from Tiny Theater's productions. It is part of them.

The exercises, scene work, character exploration and ensemble training become the foundation for the actors who appear in Tiny Theater's staged readings and productions.

The classroom becomes the rehearsal room.
The rehearsal room becomes the stage.
And the training becomes the performance.

Lastly, Tiny Theater is not just "acting classes". We are an actor-development theater company, working together as an ensemble, like an orchestra or chorus, rather than simply a theater that happens to offer classes.