The Shakespeare Lab
THE PUBLIC THEATER’S PROGRAM FOR PROFESSIONAL ACTOR DEVELOPMENT
Tuition-free professional development for mid-career actors.
The Shakespeare Lab is The Public's professional development program for actors. Now in its seventh year, and tuition-free for its fourth year, it immerses a carefully-selected
company of professional, mid-career actors in a summer intensive exploring the
rigors, challenges, and joys of performing Shakespeare. The Lab culminates in a public performance of Shakespeare on one of the stages at The Public Theater's downtown home.
The Shakespeare Lab:
- is tuition-free in 2012.
- is for working professional actors in mid-career.
- includes seven weeks of training and workshops and culminates in a public performance of Shakespeare on one of the stages of The Public Theater.
The Shakespeare Lab is a unique opportunity for working American actors in
mid-career to hone their craft and expand their classical skills. The Lab's
workshops in Shakespearean performance are led by some of the most respected
figures in American classical theater training.
DATES AND SCHEDULE:
The Shakespeare Lab will run from May 29 through July 16, 2012.
In exchange for tuition-free professional development, members of the Lab Company will be required to clear their schedules completely for the entire Lab period.
WORSKHOPS AND FACULTY:
The Shakespeare Lab enriches the actor's command of Shakespeare through intensive workshops in acting, text, voice, movement, clown, combat, and ensemble, taught by the leading instructors in the American classical theater. The faculty for 2011 will include Lisa Benevides, Barry Edelstein, Ian Hersey, Nancy Lemenager, Orlando Pabotoy, Robert Perillo, J. Steven White, Janet Zarish and others. Guest artists, including eminent members of the Public Theater community and other leading Shakespeareans, visit frequently. Past guest artists have included Kevin Kline, Daniel Sullivan, Michael Hayden, Dakin Mathews, Joan MacIntosh, Dael Orlandersmith and Roger Rees.
CLICK HERE to learn more about the faculty.
The Shakespeare Lab is under the direction of Barry Edelstein. Ian Hersey is administrator.
MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS:
Membership in the Shakespeare Lab Company is BY AUDITION ONLY. There will be no exceptions to this policy.
To audition, please follow steps 1, 2, and 3 below:
1. Determine if you qualify for membership in the Lab Company.
To qualify for the Lab, actors must:
- be a professional actor in mid-career
- have significant professional credits, although not
necessarily in Shakespeare or the classical theater
- be at least 25 years of age (there is no maximum age)
- possess a passion for developing their craft,
specifically in Shakespearean acting
- embrace a spirit of openness and curiosity, be eager to
work hard, and display a commitment to collaboration and ensemble
- be prepared to maintain a rigorous schedule of
physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding work
- share the values of diversity and inclusion that inform
all of The Public Theater's work
- be available for the ENTIRE period of the Lab
2. Request an appointment to audition.
Actors who meet these qualifications may request an audition appointment by downloading, printing, and filling out a Shakespeare Lab 2012 application form, and sending it, along with a headshot, resume, and brief personal statement (500 words maximum!) outlining your interest, to:
The Shakespeare Lab, Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003.
Headshots, resumes, and personal statements must be hardcopies. No electronic documents accepted.
Actors with professional representation may have their representative submit their request for an audition.
Your request for an audition appointment must be postmarked by March 16, 2012. Requests postmarked later than this date will not be considered. There will be no exceptions.
You must include an E-mail address on your application. All communication will be conducted via E-mail.
CLICK HERE
to download the Shakespeare Lab 2012 application form. (PDF)
3. Accept your audition appointment
A limited number of actors will be invited to audition.
At the end of March, the Shakespeare Lab staff, in consultation with the Public
Theater's casting department, will invite a limited number of actors to a first
round of auditions to be held during the first week of April. Callbacks will
follow. In mid-May, selected actors will be invited to
join the Lab Company.
Thank you for your interest in the Shakespeare Lab, and good luck!
If you have further questions, please feel free to leave a message on our
Shakespeare Lab Hotline at 212-539-8525.
Comments from past members of The Shakespeare Lab Company
Numerous members of the Shakespeare Lab Company have gone on to secure roles in
Shakespeare in the Park, at the Public Theater, on and off Broadway, and in
regional theaters, in addition to work in film and television. Here's what some
of them have said about the program:
I firmly believe this past summer
spent in Shakespeare Lab has made me a better actor...without a doubt it is one
of the best investments I have made in my career. - James T. Alfred 2010
My experience was priceless. -
Che Ayende 2010
I expected to work hard, but I didn't expect to have so much pure, unadulterated fun, or to so closely bond with my classmates and teachers. - Lisa Brescia 2010
I think I was looking for a reputable boot camp for actors. I think that's what I got. - Victor Williams 2009I felt incredibly supported and stimulated. It was an amazing experience. - Rebecca Lowman 2009
I grew a great deal and reminded myself what I am capable of as an actor. - Lanna Joffrey 2009
It was just as I hoped it would be: challenging, educational, craft-enhancing, fun, a bit unnerving at times, and resulting in my falling in love with acting all over again. - William Mapother 2009
