BECOME AN ACTOR THAT NO ONE CAN FORGET.

Do you feel like something is missing from your bag of “actor tools”? Do you wish your work stood out from the crowd? How can you be noticed by directors and producers?

We help actors grow their careers through Shakespeare.

Sharpen your skills in this 4-week, online, INTENSIVE workshop with professionals from theatre, TV, and film!

Be an actor in the scenes or attend and sit in on everything! All through Zoom.
(Can’t make it live? Almost everything will be available via replay!)

January 18 – February 12, 2021 – Registration now closed.

Join our Waitlist for the next round!

Join the ONLY Shakespeare Scene Study where professionals and lifelong veterans of the industry are your scene partners!

What happens in The Working Actor’s Shakespeare?

Take a peak at what our actors discussed in the weekly rehearsals and in the final performance as they tackled “Clarence’s Dream and Murder” from Shakespeare’s Richard III Act I, scene iv.

Featuring industry veterans Geoffrey Wade (director), Peter Van Norden (Clarence), professional actress Aubrey Saverino (1st Murderer), workshop actor Daniel Cordova (2nd Murderer) and dramaturg Gideon Rappaport.

Work and learn like a professional—even if you’re just starting out!

You don’t normally get this kind of time to explore and discuss—it’s a luxury even for professionals, and they LOVE to do it!

The Working Actor’s Shakespeare is a GREAT FIT for you IF…

You want to be an exceptional actor who stands out from the crowd at auditions and who has a reputation for professional and exciting work!


Being an actor like this can help you:

• book more jobs, which leads to more $$$
• be seen by more agents and casting directors
• have your choice of projects
• save time by learning these skills now
• gain confidence onstage and off
• avoid frustration, stress, and confusion by not knowing what to do with these texts

Perfect for students applying to college or graduate drama school!


What would it mean to learn all of this NOW instead of years from now?

How do you want to spend this time—especially during a “shutdown” pandemic? Be leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else!

Even if you’re sitting in as an attendee, you can learn just as much from observing an acting class—and imagine what you’ll understand by watching professionals rehearse! This is a CRUCIAL workshop for you to witness – don’t miss your chance!

Though, this isn’t a great fit for you IF…

• You don’t want to BOOK MORE roles and work more
• You don’t want to BE KNOWN for your talents and sought after by directors and casting offices
• You don’t want to SAVE TIME by learning these skills now
• You don’t want to LEARN from those who have been working professionally for decades
• You’d rather KEEP GUESSING at what to do and hoping that you’ll figure all this out on your own.


You’re OK knowing that you could be wasting your time and money by not taking advantage of this workshop, these teachers, or these resources NOW!

The Working Actor’s Shakespeare!

January 18 – February 12, 2021

Work with lifelong and professional actors, directors, and dramaturgs on some of the greatest words ever written.

You’ll learn script analysis – a skill you can bring to ANY text: television, films, voiceover, audiobooks, commercials, and of course, theatre!

Weekly Rehearsals (w/ Replays!)

Each group will have 1-2 professional actors and 1-2 workshop actors so PLENTY of personal attention and lots to do! (No bit part or “spear carrier” roles!)

Text Work and Voice Sessions

Work 1:1 with a professional dramaturg or voice coach on your scene, covering scansion, operatives, antithesis, clarity, and meaning—ALL the tools a great actor needs!

Performance and Community

Perform the scene for a virtual audience—it’s what you’ve been preparing for! Re-work sections in an “open rehearsal” and take questions from the audience.

Sign up for an Unlimited package and you get to access to EVERYTHING! Sit in (or watch the replays) on all rehearsals, plus text sessions, Q&A’s (see more below) and the final performances!

Register Now

Kandace Crystal
workshop actor

If you’re looking to challenge yourself, this is a wonderful opportunity!

Truly taking the time to focus on a specific piece of text while actively working with professionals is not something we are all afforded. Sign up for the chance of a lifetime!

Plus: Shakespeare Monologue Coaching

For those enrolled in “Premium Coaching or “Total Acting Immersion”

Work with our professional coaches Ursula Meyer, Gigi Bermingham, Elizabeth Dennehy, Aubrey Saverino, or Geoffrey Wade on your audition pieces for college and shows. Not sure where to start? They’ll help you pick a great piece (that’s not over-done) and coach you through it in two private sessions over the course of the month!

Also part of the The Working Actor’s Shakespeare: Q&As with guests

Available to all with unlimited access!

Industry veterans and invited guests will share their knowledge about the biz in a wide-ranging and open “Ask Me Anything” discussion taking YOUR questions!

NEW: Private Community

Available to everyone!

Get to know all the other participants in The Working Actor’s Shakespeare—trade info, get your questions answered, or just hang out. Featuring BOTH an online group forum and Zoom calls!

Let’s break down each week…

Here’s a sample of what the group will be working on! Watch all the changes as we go from week to week!

Week 1

  • Ensure you know what your character is saying and what all the other characters are saying
  • Explore different editions of the plays for clues and choices

Week 2

  • Continuing to explore the text to create connection with the other actors
  • Discussions of motivation and context of the play

Week 3

  • Refine the scene by working on subtler details, while still focusing on meaning and stress
  • Explore pacing, irony, and speed of thought for your character

Week 4

  • Final performance of the scene for friends, family, and all registered attendees and other workshop actors.
  • Re-work sections and take questions from the audience!

To create the best experience possible, and to ensure you learn and grow as much as you can in this short time, we ask that workshop actors meet and work their scenes with other workshop actors at least once between rehearsals.

Register Now

Russell Clements
workshop actor

Working with and watching more experienced artists was incredibly valuable.

The back of my script is absolutely covered in notes. And in a time where it is difficult to perform due to the quarantine, it is an absolute godsend to be able to practice my craft over Zoom! I feel it has slowed the atrophy of my skills, and has reignited my drive to work towards goals in my artistic endeavors despite the uncertain nature of the world at this time.

Meet our amazing team of directors, coaches, and actors.

Decades of experience across theatre, TV, and film, many of whom have worked on leading roles in Shakespeare in major regional theatres across the country.

Actors that you may have seen onstage or on screen, now get to see how they work!

James Newcomb, director

Mondays at 5 pm PT

14 Seasons with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, a founding member of Shakespeare & Company, an Instructor for the UCSD Graduate Theatre Program, and has worked at Utah Shakespeare Festival, Chicago Shakespeare, and Shakespeare Santa Cruz.

    Geoffrey Wade

    Geoffrey Wade, director

    Wednesdays at 5 pm PT

    He has performed on Broadway and off-, and continues to work extensively in regional theater. National tours include The Curious Incident, and he recently directed critically acclaimed productions of A Walk in the Woods and The Crucible.

      Gigi Bermingham, director

      Thursdays at 5 pm PT

      Over 30 credits on IMDb and has worked in theatres around Southern California, including The Old Globe, La Mirada, International City Theatre, the Pasadena Playhouse, the Rubicon, and the Antaeus Company.

        Tony Amendola

        Tony Amendola

        Berkeley Rep for 10+ years

        120+ film/tv credits: series regular on Continuum and recurring work on Stargate SG-1, CSI, Dexter, and Once Upon a Time. He’s appeared as King Lear and as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. He’s worked at the Oregon, California and Utah Shakespeare Festivals.

          Anne Gee Byrd

          Anne Gee Byrd

          Multiple theatre awards

          She’s worked at South Coast Repertory, The Old Globe, Seattle Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, American Conservatory Theatre, The American Shakespeare Festival, the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival, and the McCarter in Princeton.

            Peter Van Norden

            Peter Van Norden

            Over 45 years as an actor

            He’s worked on Broadway and appeared in two star-studded productions of Hamlet at the NY Shakespeare Festival. He has over 60 credits on IMDB and film/tv work includes the award-winning film The Accused with Jodie Foster and Stephen King’s The Stand.

              Ursula Meyer, voice/text coach

              Head of MFA acting, UCSD

              Studied with Cicily Berry, Patsy Rodenburg, Andrew Wade, Arthur Lessac and is a designated Linklater teacher. She’s taught at UCSB, UCSC, UW, and Yale. Vocal/text coach for 30+ years at the Utah and Oregon Shakespeare Festivals.

                Elizabeth Dennehy, coach/actor

                LAMDA graduate

                Works with actors on TV, film, and theatre auditions, including for conservatories and universities. Can help select a monologue, especially for Shakespeare. She is also the daughter of legendary actor Brian Dennehy!

                  Marcelo Tubert, actor

                  Ovation Award winner

                  An accomplished voiceover and theatre actor, he is a founding member of the Antaeus Company, and has worked at Yale and Milwaukee Rep and The Old Globe. He received an Ovation award for San Fran Scapin, adapted from Moliere’s Scapin.

                    Gideon Rappaport, dramaturg

                    Ph.D. in English and American Literature

                    He has taught Shakespeare at Hamilton College and Concordia University. He has also been dramaturg for the Old Globe Theatre, the California Shakespeare Festival, and San Diego Repertory Theatre.

                      Aubrey Saverino, coach/actor

                      Old Globe/USD graduate

                      Aubrey has taught in both LA and NY. As an actor, she has performed on screen and in critically acclaimed classical, contemporary and world premiere productions Off-Broadway and around the country.

                        Meaghan Boeing, coach/actor

                        Old Globe/USD graduate

                        An actor, musician and educator. Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from Ithaca College and MFA in Acting from The Old Globe/USD. Founder of Breaking Bard, a Shakespeare education company.

                          Ross Hellwig, actor

                          Old Globe/USD graduate

                          He has worked on leading roles in numerous Shakespeare productions in San Diego and Los Angeles, including Kingsmen Shakespeare.

                            Michael Kirby, actor

                            Old Globe/USD and LAMDA

                            An actor, producer, and voice-over artist, he Trained at the Old Globe/USD Program and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts Shakespeare Program.

                              Specific actors in scenes will be subject to their availability—they are *working* actors for a reason!

                              Peter Van Norden

                              Peter Van Norden
                              lifelong actor

                              Hear from Peter about *his* experience in the workshop…

                              What would all this cost on its own?

                              This kind of work can save you YEARS of spinning your wheels and DOZENS of frustrating auditions.

                              How many MORE classes will you take, hoping you learn what you need to know that will set you apart?

                              You could easily spend $500-$1000 on multiple classes (plus time researching and finding them!) to learn everything we’re sharing: how to work on the text, how to rehearse a scene, how to deliver an exceptional monologue in an audition.

                              If you can stand out from the crowd as an actor because of your WORK, then producers, directors, and casting reps WILL take notice and bring you in!

                              And the more you go in, the closer you get to booking the job!

                              Nowhere else can you get ALL of this in the SAME place in ONE month!

                              Accelerate your growth as an actor today!

                              Don’t waste more of your time and money.

                              Book Your Spot!

                              We know it’s an uncertain time and we value your investment.
                              Here’s our no-questions-asked refund policy:

                              There’s absolutely no risk to join. Every enrollment is backed by our 14-day money-back guarantee. Sign up for the workshop today, and if you don’t feel you’ve learned anything new from the rehearsals or sessions, simply let us know during the first 14 days, and we will refund your entire fee.

                              Sign up for The Working Actor’s Shakespeare!

                              January 18 – February 12, 2021

                              Registration closes for Scene Immersion at 11:59 pm on 1/12/21; for all other levels, at 11:59 pm on 1/17/21.

                              Audience Drop-in
                              Limited to 100
                              $
                              10
                              • Includes 1 drop-in credit for the very first rehearsal and replay
                              • Purchase additional credits for $10 each
                              Wait List
                              Unlimited Access
                              Limited to 50
                              $
                              47
                              • UNLIMITED access to ALL rehearsals and text and voice coaching sessions (or watch the replays)
                              • Attend Q&As w/ industry professionals
                              • Private community access with Zoom calls and an online group to connect with other artists
                              Wait List
                              Private Coaching
                              Limited to 25
                              $
                              227
                              • 2 private coaching sessions w/ ONE coach (choose): acting, voice, or dramaturg
                              • 10% discount on future coaching sessions
                              • Unlimited access to ALL rehearsals and text/voice sessions (or watch the replays)
                              • Attend Q&As w/ industry professionals
                              • Private community access with Zoom calls and an online group to connect with other artists
                              Wait List
                              Scene Immersion
                              Limited to 6
                              $
                              297
                              • Act with professionals in a Shakespeare scene – only 2 spots available in each session (Mon,Wed, or Thurs)!
                              • 1 Session with a Dramaturg and 1 Session with a Voice Coach; sit in (or watch the replay) on ALL other sessions
                              • Unlimited access to ALL rehearsals and text/voice sessions (or watch the replays)
                              • 10% discount on future coaching sessions
                              • Attend Q&As w/ industry professionals
                              • Private community access with Zoom calls and an online group to connect with other artists

                              Registration closes 1/12/21 @ 11:59 pm PST


                              Do you have any questions?

                              Can I sign up as an actor if I’ve never done Shakespeare before?

                              Absolutely! No time like the present to begin, and you’ll have some wonderfully supportive and skilled individuals to start you off!

                              How does casting work and which scenes are chosen?

                              Once actors register and we know who we have, then we’ll reach out to the professional actors to see who is available. Many actors involved will come from our podcast or are other established actors. We have a number of scenes from Shakespeare’s canon ready to go; if you have suggestions, please let us know!

                              Is there any flexibility in when the rehearsals and text sessions meet?

                              Once cast, you will work with the director and the rest of the cast to find mutually agreeable times, and the same will be done with the dramaturg. We've found that 5 - 7 pm PDT works well, though please get in touch if you have any questions. Scheduling with the coaches can be a bit easier.

                              How does the Unlimited ticket work?

                              You will receive access to a list of all the rehearsals and public coaching sessions so that you can “drop in” as you like. Be sure to leave your camera off and your mic on “mute” so that you can just be a silent fly on the wall!

                              I’m a union/non-union actor. Can I participate?

                              Yes! If you are a SAG-AFTRA member and we choose to record your final performance, you will sign a New Media Deferred Pay Dramatic agreement, which means that if the final performance is ever made available for sale, you will be paid according to SAG-AFTRA rates.

                              If I select 2 payments, when is the second installment due?

                              The second payment will be due before the second rehearsal, ie, the second week of the workshop.

                              Will anything be recorded?

                              YES! We plan to offer limited replays (7 days) for all the rehearsals. The public coaching sessions and Q&As will be recorded and available for longer. Of course, everything will happen LIVE so to get the most out of this workshop, show up for as much as you can!

                              Are there scholarships available?

                              Yes, we have a limited number of 50% scholarships available for the "Unlimited" package, bringing the total cost to $24. If you're interested, you can apply here.

                              What if my question hasn't been answered?

                              Send us an email at workshop AT workingactorsjourney.com and we'll get back to you!

                              PS: Don’t miss out on becoming a GREAT actor that people take notice of! Increase your skills, confidence, and network while working at a PROFESSIONAL level!

                              Register Now

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