Our Mission -

 

Why We Offer Classes

Our mission has always been and will always be to provide quality training at affordable prices. We provide a strong foundation to build upon and grow as an actor. Our classes are designed to give you all the principles of acting that you would get from a college or university without a huge tuition or time-commitment. Our classes are 6 – 8 weeks long and run between 1.5 – 2 hours. We think it’s important that everyone has access to formal training when it comes to acting. Our classes are designed for the actors who want to grow and learn about themselves. Our classes also teach a healthy approach to expressing emotion honestly and truthfully, which provides self-confidence and builds self-esteem. We utilize techniques from Stanislavsky (Intention, Tactic, Motivation, Physical Action), Hagan and Adler (Observation, Character Building, Given Circumstances, Sense Memory, Active Verbs) and Meisner (Being Present, Subtext, Active Listening). We believe in using different techniques to achieve our goals in acting. One technique is not better than another. Actors should have an arsenal of tools at their disposal and that means understanding different approaches to acting.

 

What We Teach

Actors Training Ground’s approach to acting is a combination of a Conservatory and University, leaning towards the educational side of training while working on monologues and scenes. Acting classes are usually split into two 6-week classes (1.1 and 1.2) or an accelerated class of 8 weeks (Acting 1 or 2). We have three types of classes: Core, Signature, and Professional Development.

 

Our Core classes are the foundation of ATG and the heart of our training. These Acting Technique 1: Building the Basics, Acting Technique 2: Adding to the Basics, Acting Technique 3: Intro to Scene Study and Scene Study, Acting Technique 4: Advanced Scene Study. In addition to our practical acting classes, we have other classes that fill in other aspects of acting, such as Audition Technique, Voice for the Actor, Speech and Dialect, Character Development, Sense Memory, Our classes are designed to be taken in a progression so at the end of a year, you will have learned and experienced an equivalent to what you would have experienced in a conservatory for a lot less. These classes are taught by ATG founder, Tanner Lagasca.

Our Signature Classes venture into the supplemental classes that you would elect in an undergrad or graduate program. These classes are used to round out your training beyond the Core classes. Signature Classes include Script Analysis, Shakespeare, Improvisation, Acting with Movement, Stage Combat, Styles of Performance, Devised Theatre, and Viewpoints. These classes are usually taught by local guest teaching artists in the community.

Our Professional Development classes focus on specialty classes in acting. These are always taught by guest artists who have worked or are working in the medium. These classes are Voice-Over and On-Camera Technique. In addition to these classes, we offer Professional Development Masterclasses periodically, these are more like panels and workshops: Working with a Director, How and Actor Prepares, and the Business of Acting.

 

How We Teach

Generally speaking all of our classes are a combination of lecture and practical. The Acting 1 and 2 classes usually have more 3 - 5 lectures. The later ones tend to have more acting exercises. The principles and techniques we teach can be applied to both theatre and film but we use theatre as the base of our training. We are not teaching you to be big for the camera

 

Here's my analogy:

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Community Theatre = Basic on-site training (General Experience)

Actors Training Ground = Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced classes (Conservatory)

Local Acting Studios Training in Film only = Specific Training (Undergrad)

 

We want you to be the best at what you do. When looking to train as an actor know what you want to achieve and find the acting school or studio that will train you to grow as an actor and a person.

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Actors Training Ground is ready to get you started.

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Tanner Lagasca
Creative Director/Founder