The Workshop Company

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About

The Workshop Company at The Actors Center is just that. It is a self-selecting group of peers, who work together to become better actors individually. There are no other purposes beyond continued, individual growth. Younger actors have much to gain in working with older, more established, experienced, and tested actors. Established actors are afforded an opportunity to continue to explore and re-explore their creative possibilities. This is the inner dynamic that sustains this unique company and is the core of its mission, namely the continued support of the artistic goals by some of our nation's most talented actors / artists.

How? We meet regularly. Forty weeks per year, the Company meets on Monday mornings from 10 to 1. In the fall, this weekly workshop is led by Ron Van Lieu and focuses on each individual actor's issues through scenes the actors choose to present. In the spring, the Monday workshops tend to be more varied. For example, Olympia Dukakis (much like Ron), Joanna Merlin (Michael Chekhov), Fay Simpson (chakra, physical-release points).

We also meet three times per year in two-week intensive workshops with world class Master Teachers. These workshops have revolved around Shakespeare (Rob Clare, assoc. Royal Shakespeare Company, and Dakin Matthews, assoc. Old Globe); Anton Chekhov (Viatcheslav Dolgachev, formerly a leading director of the Moscow Art Theatre and now Artistic Director of the New Drama Theatre of Moscow). We are currently exploring a workshop to be lead by Tina Landau and Jeff Perry (co-founder of Steppenwolf) on the working relationship between the tenets of Viewpoints and any given text.

The Workshop Company relies on no particular aesthetic or approach to acting. It does argue for the actor as artist, for the actor's individual commitment to artistic process, and the actor's continued pursuit of deeply human performance. Membership in the Workshop does not require an audition. It rests more upon your current level of achievement and the recognition of your continuing promise by your peers. (An outline of the admission to membership process follows.)

As a member, you will be assessed minimal dues to cover necessary Company expenses. The dues go to rental of studio space, fees for Master Teachers, and a stipend for the Company coordinator, who not only maintains communication, but issues regular bulletins such as "Members Working." That little exercise keeps all members connected to the challenges each member is undertaking throughout the year, and connected to what we share with each other. All other costs of administration are being born by The Actors Center, The Workshop Company being the core component of its mission.

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The Workshop Company - Application Procedure

1. Nominations for membership may only be made by a current, paid-up Workshop Company member.

Nominations must include a brief written statement about the nominee including how well the nominator knows the nominee and why they believe s/he is qualified for membership. The nomination must also include the nominee’s resume. Completed nominations are to be submitted once yearly via e-mail to J. Michael Miller (michael@theactorscenter.org).

2. The Workshop Company Coordinator will announce the nominations, via e-mail to the entire Workshop membership.

Hopefully more than one member of the Company will second the nomination. To second a nominee, you must submit a brief statement as to how you know the nominee, and why you think s/he should be a candidate for membership. If a nominee does not receive a “second,” on the first posting, The Workshop Company Coordinator will include them the next time nominees are posted. If they still receive no “second” then their candidacy will be dropped. Those nominees who are or are not seconded will be notified by the Company member who originally nominated them.

3. Nominees who are seconded will also be notified by their nominator and invited to apply.

It is then up to the candidate to submit the following:
- all relevant contact information including a phone number
- a current picture and resume
- a brief statement telling the membership committee about themselves as an actor, why they would like to be a member and what they have to offer the company.

ALL materials (including nominating statements, “seconding” responses and all submissions from the applicant) will be submitted to the membership committee one week BEFORE interviews are scheduled. Committee members will discuss candidates before interviews are scheduled.

4. Interviews will be held on a monthly basis, followed by discussion and decision on membership for the candidates by those committee members present.

Decisions on membership will again be communicated to the candidate by their original nominator.

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The Workshop Company Members Appearing on Stage and Screen

POLLY ADAMS
is doing the Mom in
WELL
at the B Street Theatre in Sacramento
till December 5 or 19

JOHN ROTHMAN
plays the Bat Mitzva manager in
THE SITTER
A Jonah Hill movie directed by David Gordon Green

REBECCA SCHULL
is in the pilot of LEGAL MINDS for USA network
AND
is in the Jeff Lipsky film
12:30
opening in January at the Angelika

DAVID LANSBURY
is working hard on a play at The Irish Repertory Theatre
called
BANISHED CHILDREN OF EVE
by Kelly Younger
adapted from the novel by Peter Quinn
through December 8th 
as an irish black minstrel during the draft riots of 1863
in New York City

CRAIG WROE
is in Salt Lake City right now in a production of
DRACULA
at the Pioneer Theatare Company
with fellow Actors Center Workshop Company member Chris
Kelly
opened October 22

CAITLIN FITZGERALD
is currently shooting Whit Stillman's new film called
DAMSELS IN DISTRESS
on Staten Island

STEPHEN PARK
recently worked on the short film LIVING TOGETHER
opposite Carrie Preston
directed by Terri Timely
(aka Ian Kibbey & Corey Creasey)
AND
is in the soon to be completed comedy feature
THE WEDDING PALACE
currently in post production

WAYNE DUVALL
recently finished shooting the film HOMERUN SHOWDOWN
with Matthew Lillard, Annabeth Gish, Dean Cain and Barry
Bostwick
AND
will be in Sarasota Florida at the Asolo Theater
doing the new Frank Wildhorn/Don Black musical
BONNIE AND CLYDE
until mid December

JAMIE HECTOR
LIE TO ME
AND
on screen in soon-to-be-released
NIGHT CATCHES US
on DVD
AND
JUST ANOTHER DAY

MAULIK PANCHOLY
continues playing "Jonathan" on NBC's 30 ROCK
AND
the voice of "Baljeet" on Disney's PHINEAS & FERB
AND
just completed work on the New Line film HORRIBLE BOSSES
AND
guest starred on Fox's RUNNING WILDE
AND
on Lisa Kudrow's web series WEB THERAPY

CINDY CHEUNG
in MIDDLETOWN by Will Eno
directed by Ken Rus Schmoll
at The Vineyard
Oct 13 - Nov 21
*use TheaterMania code  TMANMT for 25% discount

TOM TAMMI
is shooting a new HBO movie
TOO BIG TO FAIL
playing GE Chairman Jeff Immelt
directed by Curtis Hanson
AND
is working on John Leguizamo’s new film FUGLY
playing Debra Messing’s father
Alfredo De Villa directing
AND
shot a scene in the film SOURCE CODE starring Jake
Gyllenhaal
Ducan Jones director
AND
is in THE OTHER GUYS starring Will Ferrell and Mark
Wahlberg
with Adam McKay directing

MEG GIBSON
a recurring role on RUBICON playing "Joan Hadas"
widow to Peter Gerety's character
AND
is currently doing a new play by Mark Schultz
CEREMONY
with Rising Phoenix Rep
at Jimmy's 43 on Seventh Street and Second Avenue

LEEANNE HUTCHISON
"Mrs. Alving" in Ibsen's GHOSTS
directed by Sophie Hunter for Extant Arts Company
at Access Theater
380 Broadway at White St, NYC
November 2 - 21

LOUIS OZAWA CHANGCHIEN
is in the new PREDATORS
alongside Adrian Brody, Alice Braga, Danny Trejo and Topher
Grace
http://predators-movie.com/
AND
is in FAIR GAME directed by Doug Liman
starring Sean Penn and Naomi Watts
coming to theaters November 5
AND
plays a recurring role as "Tamil Lee" opposite Frank
Langella
in THE MIRACULOUS YEAR
an HBO pilot written by John Logan and directed by Kathryn
Bigelow

JULIENNE HANZELKA KIM
is in the indie film IN PRAISE OF SHADOWS starring James
Franco
AND
in the indie THE TESTED premiering in competition at
the Woodstock Film Festival

KATHARINE POWELL
will be in AFTER THE REVOLUTION
at Playwrights Horizons
Oct 21 - Nov 28

NOEL JOSEPH ALLAIN
will be appearing in Tommy Smith's THE WIFE
in December at the Access Theater

EDOARDO BALLERINI
has a recurring role in HBO's upcoming series BOARDWALK
EMPIRE

TINA CHEN
just finished an Indie short film with Cindy Cheung called

THE POTENTIAL WIVES OF NORMAN MAO
AND
is in the film ALMOST PERFECT now due to open in the first
part of 2011
AND
will direct a reading of FALLING LEAVES
by Adeline Yen Mah in November for Pan Asian Rep
AND
played the leading lady in a short martial arts demo film
called
FIGHT AT THE FOUR SEASONS

DARRELL LARSON
played a Street Preacher on
LAW AND ORDER: SVU

ANTONIO EDWARDS SUAREZ
shot an episode of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
for the coming season
AND
will perform a workshop of a one man show titled INCOGNITO
written by Matthew Davis and directed by company member FAY
SIMPSON
November 12

JOHN DOMAN
shot an episode of TNT's RIZZOLI AND ISLES
in what will be a recurring role
AND
will shoot another
episode of BURN NOTICE

SANJIT DESILVA
just shot an indie produced by Spike Lee entitled THE GIRL
IS IN TROUBLE
AND
a new internet pilot POUR KARMA

BRENDA WEHLE
is in HBO's MILDRED PEARCE
AND
will be appearing in LET ME IN

JULIA MOTYKA
is shooting a lovely indie called
IN THE FAMILY in October
AND
is in THE KINDERGARTEN SHUFFLE 
which is being screened at Anthology Film Archives
as part of their new directors series
AND
will be playing "Rachel"
in RECKLESS
at The Denver Center
Nov 12 - Dec 18

GILBERT CRUZ
booked a day on the Onion News Network playing a FEMA
spokesperson...
AND
did two days on HBO's IN TREATMENT with Gabriel Byrne

ANSON MOUNT
is finishing up a pilot with AMC
as 'Cullen Bohannon' on their new pilot HELL ON WHEELS
about the construction of the trans-continental railroad

MIKE CRANE
will be playing the title role in HAMLET
at the Pioneer Theatre Company

ZACHARY BOOTH
is in a new Edward Albee play at Playwrights Horizons
opening September 12
AND
does a scene in THE BEAVER
directed by Jodi Foster and starring Mel Gibson
AND
guest stars in an episode of ROYAL PAINS on USA
AND
has a recurring role on DAMAGES
which will shoot two more seasons

RICHARD POE
shot an indie called
SUMMER CHILD
AND
is doing a workshop of the new musical BLUE LOBSTER
AND
will appear in Lincoln Center 3's production of
THE COWARD this fall

CHARLES SOCARIDES
filled in for Zach Braff in TRUST
at Second Stage

REIKO AYLESWORTH
has been doing a recurring role on the upcoming
LIGHTS OUT for FX

IRA HAWKINS
shot an episode of USA Network's WHITE COLLAR 

BETSY AIDEM
is in workshops of a Dale Orlander Smith play
with the Atlantic/Orchard Project
AND
a Nilo Cruz play at Cape Cod Theater Project
AND
an Anton Chekov play at Lake Lucille

MARY BACON
upcoming: HBO's MILDRED PEARCE

JAMES WATERSTON
is in an episode of TREME

FAY SIMPSON
her book THE LUCID BODY
was featured in the January 28th publication of Backstage
Magazine
as one of the top ten books every New York actor must own!

GO TO:
http://www.backstage.com/bso/content_display/news-and-features/

LAURIE KENNEDY
is appearing in ARMLESS
which was at this past Sundance
AND
GLASS MENAGERIE at Roundabout
standing by for Judith Ivy

MARJAN NESHAT
shot a pilot for an ABC sitcom directed by Barry
Sonnenfeld
AND
worked on the independent feature ALMOST IN LOVE
AND
is in SEX AND THE CITY II

HENRY STROZIER
did a little thing on the KEVORKIAN HBO film
AND
did a movie trailer for THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS
AND
is ever thankful for the cranberries

PETER GERETY
is "Dennis York"
in ABC's BROTHERS AND SISTERS
AND
was Johnny Depp's lawyer "Louis Piquett" in
PUBLIC ENEMIES directed by Michael Mann

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