Updated: February 11, 2010

The Actor's Skills Workshop begins Monday, March 8.
Please check below for information.

Private coaching available. Contact john@actorsco.com

Be sure to order a copy of John's audition book. www.theauditionbook.com

John is available for speaking engagements. Please contact Susan Allenbach
susan@campanilemedia.com

All Actorsco classes held at the Chesapeake Arts Center, 194 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park, MD 21225, either Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evenings.

We also offer individual teleprompter instruction and effective monologue creation.

Students have traveled from Stafford, VA, Bristol, PA, York PA, Maryland's Eastern Shore, McLean VA and Washington, DC. If it's important to you, the experience will be worth the trip.

If you would like to go on our waiting list, please email gary@actorsco.com

From two of our students:

Gary and John,

I just couldn’t resist telling you that at my first audition for Cima Talent, the first thing Gigi said to me afterwards was, “Do you teach on camera classes?”

I’ve had other instructors before you two who definitely got me to a place where I could get infinitely more out of your classes, yet since you are the only two people I’ve studied with in recent years, I really wanted you to know that I’m very aware of how much your instruction got me to a stronger level so that I could actually be even asked this question.

I am so grateful for your excellent teaching and have really enjoyed getting to know both of you as well.

Diane Ligon

Dear Gary and John:

I want to tell you both what I really think about you and your whole Working Actor program. Acting is hard, you say. So is teaching. I've always been wary of self-appointed experts; people who hold themselves out as being knowledgeable enough to teach someone else what they think they know and actually charge filthy lucre for it.

So going in, I'm skeptical, even though I've heard good things about your courses from people I respect. But in the first hour or so of Working Actor I, that skepticism vanished from my mind like a short list of nouns. My outlook on the two of you and your Working Actor 1 & 2 classes is about as positive as anything I've been involved with in this business. O.K., the memory exercises drove me nuts, but that's because I have serious retention issues or something. I forget.

Seriously, your Working Actor I & 2 classes have been a genuine learning experience for me, one that I would recommend to anyone who would aspire to work as an actor at any level in any medium. I respect the two of you for your obvious knowledge and experience, for your labors in developing an instructive and unique curriculum, and for the friendly, humorous, and humanizing way you work with your students.
Having written all that, I should tell you that you have both helped me learn more about myself. That's the subtle effect good teachers can have on a motivated, if somewhat scattered and erratic student.

Christopher Lee Philips

Please email gary@actorsco.com for deposit mailing details.

Wayne Shipley's One-Eyed Horse western is available on DVD at the website One-Eyed Horse. An edited version entitled Come Hell or High Water is available on Netflix. John Strawbridge was second unit director. Gary Wheeler helmed second unit camera.

Basic Instructions for any seminar:

1) You must be 18-years-old by the start date.

2) We reserve the right to refuse seating at any time.

3) Course fees subject to change until confirmed via email.

4) Once confirmed with a seat, your deposit is non-refundable and nonapplicable to future classes.

5) The balance of your seminar fee is due by the first night of class. If you are unable to attend the first evening you will need to mail the balance to be received by that date.

On-Camera: Public Service Announcement
Our next session begins TBD. Learn the ins and outs of auditioning for and performing in a 30-second Public Service Announcement (PSA). We'll begin with the audition process and take you though an actual shoot; which will provide you with a video copy of your work.

This class is divided into four sessions with three evening meeting times for sessions 1,2 & 4. The meetings will take place at the Chesapeake Arts Center, Brooklyn PArk, MD 21225. The video production will tape at a day, time and location appropriate for the PSA.

Session 1 - The audition process.

Session 2 - Preproduction & Rehearsal

Session 3 - Production - You'll appear on-camera in a 3-second PSA

Session 4 - Post-production and evaluation. We'll review the process and your participation.

Class size is limited to 6 .The total course fee is $350. A seat reservation deposit is required. Seats are assigned on a first come first served basis. Please email gary@actorsco.com for seat deposit instructions.

Instructors: John Strawbridge & Gary Wheeler

The Working Actor - Audition Seminar
Our next session begins, Monday, January 25. Only those actors seriously considering work in the professional realm should apply. Class size is limited to 8 . This course involves some time and effort outside of the classroom. The Audition Seminar meets from 6:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. one night a week for five weeks. Check out some Letters from former students. The total course fee is $325. A seat reservation deposit is required. Seats are assigned on a first come first served basis. Please email gary@actorsco.com for seat deposit instructions.

Instructors: John Strawbridge & Gary Wheeler

• To learn the fundamentals of how to analyze a scene and define the character for an audition.
• To become more comfortable in a theatrical situation.
• To practice on-camera, the foundation for successful dramatic choices.

Be sure to read about some of our former students on the "Director's Notes" Link.

All students must be at least 18 years-old by the start date of class.

The instructional theory to acting begins with this course. You will be better prepared for subsequent courses by first attending this seminar. Even experienced actors have been pleasantly surprised by the additional insight they have gained in this course. Though some of the material is foundational, it is not a rudimentary experience.

A syllabus is available upon request. For more information or to place your name on our waiting list, please contact us via email at gary@actorsco.com

The Actor's Skills Workshop
Our next session begins Monday, March 8. Class size is limited to 8. The workshop meets from 6:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. one night a week for six weeks. The total course fee is $375. A seat reservation deposit is required. Seats are assigned on a first come first served basis. Please email gary@actorsco.com for seat deposit instructions.

Instructors: John Strawbridge & Gary Wheeler

• What's your real motivation?
• Making Scenes matter
• Effective monologues
• Making Dialogue Work
• Making things funny
• What's your responsibility?

Whether you’re an experienced talent who wants to get off that plateau and on to the next level, or a beginner who wants to learn the skills that matter in the real world – this performance based session gives you the opportunity to perform a variety of scenes in a learning environment. With professional grade feed-back, you will work on your scenes again and again. And you will see the improvement in your work, and feel the growth in your craft.

One-Day Workshops
Offered from time to time and available to theatrical groups.

65 Reasons Why You Didn't Get Cast and What You Can Do About It.

Headshot Photography--Fads, Facts & Myth-Conceptions

Face: The Facts!

Acting on your "Seat"

The Teleprompter
We are now offering a teleprompter class for those actors pursuing corporate or governmental video work. This five-hour session examines the three basic uses of the teleprompter and the appropriate performance techniques .  A mainstay of the industrial video market, the teleprompter can be a wonderful aid to your performance or an exploitation of your weaknesses. You’ll receive a practical understanding of these systems and the opportunity to work through various scenarios. Learn what you can ask, what you should ask and what you must ask. We are currently offering private instruction to maximize your time on-camera. Course fee is $245. For additional information or to place your name on our waiting list, please contact us via email at gary@actorsco.com or phone 410-760-5800.

The Mentor’s Program
Occasionally we have discovered that an actor requires special attention for a short period of time. This may be to provide assistance on a specific project or simply serve as a refresher prior to a new commitment. The mentoring program is not designed to replace classroom activity. There is great benefit in working through a program with other students that can't be duplicated in private sessions. This program is practical only if the scope desired is limited to a narrow attack. Help may be provided for either film & television or theatrical performance. Meeting times are flexible. For more information or to schedule an evaluation please contact us via email at gary@actorsco.com or phone 410-760-5800.