For actors who want to improve their acting skills through improvisation, this class amplifies the technique work in Level 1 and supports the work with scenes in Levels 2 and 3. The first session will be dedicated to the choices you need to make to structure a viable improvisation, with emphasis placed on circumstances, relationships, tension, and subtext. In the following sessions, you will improvise scenes and explore improvisation through games and exercises. There is no work outside of class. Through this inventive process, you develop immediacy, creativity and partnering skills, and hone your instincts for making productive dramatic choices. Actors of all levels are welcome.

• Learn more about the instructor
• Prerequisite: Open to All

This class is for actors who have begun to establish reliable technique and amass a serious résumé. We will continue to hone technique through exercises and we will concern ourselves with the power of rhythm, of silence, of synchronicity, and the random wellsprings that open when the actor is 100% present in the moment. You will receive a link to register for this class upon acceptance of your application. 

• Learn more about the instructor.
• Registration Prerequisite: Application required. Apply online.

This Level 1 acting class provides an introduction to the technique of living truthfully in front of the camera. You explore the fundamental elements of a grounded acting technique as they relate to the level of intimacy the camera demands. As you practice in front of the camera, you learn to stay open and work freely without hiding or acting for the lens. You develop the ability to listen and connect truthfully with a partner, letting that interaction guide your impulses. You discover the relevance of Uta Hagen’s exercises for on camera work – building the 4th wall, creating place, connecting with sensory aspects of the environment – and begin to understand the level of preparation, specificity, and simplicity the camera demands. You will receive video files of your on-camera footage at no extra charge, included within the cost of the class.

• Learn more about the instructor.
• Prerequisite: Open to All.

This Level 1 acting class provides an introduction to the technique of living truthfully in front of the camera. You explore the fundamental elements of a grounded acting technique as they relate to the level of intimacy the camera demands. As you practice in front of the camera, you learn to stay open and work freely without hiding or acting for the lens. You develop the ability to listen and connect truthfully with a partner, letting that interaction guide your impulses. You discover the relevance of Uta Hagen’s exercises for on camera work – building the 4th wall, creating place, connecting with sensory aspects of the environment – and begin to understand the level of preparation, specificity, and simplicity the camera demands. You will receive video files of your on-camera footage at no extra charge, included within the cost of the class.

• Learn more about the instructor.
• Prerequisite: Open to All.

The Fundamentals of an HB acting technique: Here, you develop the ability to respond truthfully, dynamically, and vividly with fellow actors and the ability to access sensory elements. You tap into the power of imagination and the reservoir of memory. You gain a working understanding of the terms: previous circumstances, destination, inner and outer objects, intentions, obstacles, and conflicts. You develop an awareness of the power, function, and dynamics of “place”, and learn to be in a state of discovery, which leads to actions. You develop tools of research and observation and you get comfortable improvising. You begin to measure yourself against professional standards and develop habits of discipline and a strong work ethic. Do understand that these practices take time to master. It takes about a year (20-30 weeks) at this level to really own the skills addressed. Further scene study or performance work will then take root in this fertile ground. 

• Learn more about the instructor. 
• Required reading: Respect for Acting  by Uta Hagen; Feldenkrais Illustrated: The Art of Learning; and Actions: The Actors’ Thesaurus by Marina Caldarone & Maggie Lloyd-Williams.
• Recommended viewing: Uta Hagen's Acting Class documentary. 
• Prerequisite: Open to all.

In Acting 2, you continue developing the techniques from Acting 1, now applied toward scene work and the demands of crafting and scoring a role. You’ll use Uta Hagen’s object exercises to build habits of attention and unlock your rehearsal process. You’ll apply improvisation to the exploration of character and circumstances, and develop an approach to preparation. Among the skills you’ll practice: discerning beats, intentions, obstacles, and conflict; choosing actions; sensing the turning points in the text; substitution/personalization; endowment of sensory conditions; working with expectations and previous circumstances; finding immediacy in the give and take.

• Learn more about the instructor.
• Required reading: A Challenge for the Actor by Uta Hagen.
• Prerequisite: Open to Acting Level 2 and up. New to HB? Submit online for level placement.

The extremely practical acting exercises found in Uta Hagen’s world-famous books, Respect for Acting and A Challenge for the Actor, probe the depths and heights of human behavior. They offer the actor a structure for lifelong practice exploring the dynamic interaction between sensory/emotional experience and the creative imagination. Uta Hagen’s approach to acting works. She challenges the actor to develop skills continually. She offers avenues of creativity that, with an open imagination and expanding sense of self, are unlimited. Her ongoing process of self-observation and self-discovery fortifies your ability to respond truthfully, dynamically, and vividly with fellow actors, releasing unpremeditated truthful behavior in performance. Over time, you find yourself creatively alive and present in the process. Held at HB Studio, the birthplace of the Hagen exercises.

• Learn more about the instructor.
• Required reading: A Challenge for the Actor by Uta Hagen.
• Prerequisite: Open to all. 

Join us this summer at HB Studio for an immersive, week-long acting experience designed for teens ages 13–17. This dynamic intensive runs Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, offering young performers the opportunity to develop their craft in a supportive and inspiring environment.

Students will train with a team of experienced teaching artists in three core disciplines essential to every actor’s toolkit:

• Acting with Daniel Carlton
• Voice & Speech with Craig MacArthur Dolezel
• Movement with Demetrius Blocker

Through focused daily classes, participants will build confidence, strengthen their physical and vocal presence, and deepen their connection to character and text. The program emphasizes ensemble work, creative exploration, and practical techniques that students can carry into future performances and training. Whether you’re new to acting or looking to sharpen your skills, this intensive provides a rigorous and fun opportunity to grow as an artist alongside peers who share your passion. 

Session Dates:

• July 13-17
• August 3-7

Price for one session: $900.

Please bring a lunch. Teens also have the option of leaving the premises during lunch as long as a guardian approves it upon registering.