JULY 2022 UPDATE
402 Acting Academy Update: July 2022
In preparation for this update I thought it would be beneficial to look back on the updates we shared in our January 2022 report and our September 2021 report. It brought a smile to my face, and pulse of joy to my chest, to see how far we’ve come since last September! I am excited to share with you some of the highlights we are most proud of as we reflect upon our first full year!
It is beyond encouraging to assist all these individuals as they embark on their journeys. Our student base is made up of a thrilling array of diversity - from age, to occupation, to ethnicity, to goals - each person is enrolled to chase their specific goal, dream, or purpose. And what is so unique is that their reasons for joining us are very specific to themselves. Yet, together, they are learning the value of:
Community
Connecating
Relationship
What it means to be in a supportive and collaborative ensemble
Trusting others and learning how to be trustworthy
Risk
Bravery
Experiencing renewed confidence
Listening
Practicing empathy
Finding joy in play!
Our ability to keep the stage safe offers all of our students the chance to explore their own development through the storytelling of complex, flawed characters that exist in an imaginative broken world. This safety allows each of us to develop without the threat of what these circumstances mean as we experience them in the real world. The discoveries we make on the stage are directly impacting the roles we play when we are off the stage.
402 Fest -
A handful of our students took to the stage for the 402 Art Collective’s 10 Year Anniversary celebration! For most of these Acting Academy students this was their first time taking the stage in front of a live audience. With confidence, anticipation, and a dose of healthy nervousness, they proudly and successfully showcased their work! The success they felt leaving the stage planted an exciting desire to continue to perform more often - which will soon look like Showcase Performances where family, friends, and guests will enjoy the final products of the work the students have been crafting!
Student Enrollment -
Our enrollment continues to be healthy and organic as word spreads about 402 Acting Academy. Students, young and old, continue to inquire and enroll in the various classes and private coaching opportunities we offer. Over the course of the past year we offered 9 Classes that were open to the public. And of those 9 classes 4 are ongoing classes that still meet weekly!
Private coaching opportunities continue to provide impact as well, as individuals with specific training needs are reaching out to utilize our knowledge and guidance to achieve their goals!
Improv Academy -
We expanded our education into collaborating partnerships with local high-school drama teachers. As drama teachers work to rebuild their school's drama programs, some of which were negatively impacted by direct and indirect consequences from the pandemic, we are seeing opportunities to assist them with educational support through our Improv Academy program.
The Lab -
With the new availability to The Lab space (located on the 2nd floor of the north side of the Benson Studios), we moved all of our training into this hip, cool space. Finding and acquiring space large enough to accommodate group performance education is complicated so we appreciate that a room opened up within the 402’s Benson building!
Another Acting Instructor! -
Our instructor team is growing! Becca Jackson York joined the Acting Academy at the end of May. Becca brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Acting Academy with her 10 plus years of drama education, along with passionate training in musical theatre, dance, directing, coaching, production, and much more! Nicole and I are thrilled to have Becca on our team!
What’s next? - The Acting Academy team will continue to expand our class, workshop, and coaching opportunities, along with launching new performance opportunities, more school partnerships, and marketplace training!
- Steve Hydeen, Program Director
