Studio Program

Note: This class will be offered in-person at The Tiffany Center – 1410 SW Morrison St. Suite 502 (5th floor)​

March 17 – April 28, Mondays (6 classes)  **note schedule skips week of April 7th**
6:30pm – 9:00pm

Instructor: Murri Lazaroff-Babin
Who is this class for: Level II or Level III
Prerequisite: Acting Foundations or equivalent class or performance experience
Cost: $225

**Note: This course will require prep work outside of class**  

 About the instructor:

Murri (he/him) is an actor, deviser, writer, and teacher from Northern California.  He has worked with a variety of theatre companies in Portland, including CoHo  Productions, Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble, Portland Shakespeare Project,  and others. Murri has also taught at the collegiate and high school level for University of  Portland, Pacific University, and Metropolitan Performing Arts. He is excited to be self producing his solo show – Camp Fire Stories, which can be seen in Portland, across the  U.S., and Scotland.  

Murri is constantly inspired by the unknown slipperiness of the creative process, honest  human connection, and the kindness and imagination of childhood.  He holds an MFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University.

Enrollment capacity: 8

**This class is full – Registration has closed**

Note: This class will be offered in-person at The Tiffany Center – 1410 SW Morrison St. Suite 501 (5th floor)​

February 18 – April 8, Tuesdays (8 classes)
6:30pm – 8:30pm*
*Please note that classes on April 1 and April 8 will be 7pm – 9pm

Instructor: Caitlin Lushington
Who is this class for: Everyone
Prerequisite: None
Cost: $240

“We cannot imagine ourselves without [storytelling], because the self is a story.” – Margaret Atwood

This eight-week course is designed to introduce you to foundational elements of acting, as seen through the lens of the storyteller. In this class you will explore four powerful elements used by storytellers: presence, active listening, play, and story analysis. Through games, exercises, and scene work, you will learn:

• How to use the given circumstances of a story as clues to your performance

• How to bring yourself to a role (how to bring truthiness to a role)

• How to navigate performance anxiety

• How to return to presence and engagement in a scene (when your monkey mind has other plans)

Beyond learning how you can apply these skills for stage and film work, we will pay attention to the ways in which these skills can profoundly transform your confidence, relationships, and daily life.

Enrollment capacity: 10

If you have questions about the content of this course please feel free to email Caitlin at [email protected]

Note: This class will be offered in-person at The Tiffany Center – 1410 SW Morrison St. Suite 501 (5th floor)​

June 3 – July 22, Tuesdays (8 classes)
6:30pm – 9:00pm

Instructor: Sarah Lucht
Who is this class for: Level II or III
Prerequisite: Acting Foundations or equivalent class or performance experience
Cost: $250

This eight-week course will focus on the exploration of scenes from modern (20th and 21st century), realistic plays, assigned by the instructor. This class will emphasize tactics for connection and character revelation, contact with the actors’ emotional life, as well as in-depth text analysis of the assigned scenes. Students will develop their listening and responding skills, apply Stanislavski’s fundamentals, and engage with the art and craft of acting while expanding their own range of expression and creativity.

Some outside work will be required.

TA110b: 1 Unit Credit
Professional Development Clock-Hour Credit Available

Enrollment capacity: 10

Note: This class will be offered in-person at The Tiffany Center – 1410 SW Morrison St. Suite 501 (5th floor)​

Thursday, 4/10: 6:00-8:30pm
Saturday, 4/12: 10:00am-3:30pm (30 min. lunch at 12:30)
Sunday, 4/13: 10:00am-3:30pm (30 min. lunch at 12:30)

Instructor: Tony Fuemmeler
Who is this class for: Any experience level
Cost: $150 total until March 15th; $175 after that

Masks are wonderful tools that reveal more than they conceal. In this workshop with Dell’Arte’s Tony Fuemmeler, Head of Training Programs, you’ll explore the realm of theatrical mask with an eye toward its capacity to heighten and strengthen nonverbal storytelling (masked or not). The workshop will be physical and explore how to use the information from the mask alongside your physicality to generate and sustain legible characters and interactions.  Together we will:

• Explore principles of mask performance

• Create specific physical character

• Tell a story without saying a thing

• Access  your availability to play

• Connect to audiences more fully

• Generate material from the body

Be sure to wear clothes you are comfortable to move in

About the instructor:

Tony is a theater artist exploring transformation, expression, and story. He frequently uses masks and puppetry in his work and has designed masks, coached movement, puppeteered, and directed shows around the country. Among many others, he has collaborated on The Poor of New York (Dell’Arte), Macabre Cabaret (Dell’Arte), Mad Labs(Dell’Arte), Wolf Play (Artists Repertory Theater), The Spider Queen (The NOLA Project), The Snowstorm (Many Hats), The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show (Oregon Children’s Theater), bugged. (Simple Machines), MAYA (Teach for India, Mumbai), and the Rubin Museum Gala. Tony is the Head of Training at Dell’Arte International and faculty in mask making and performance, movement and commedia dell’arte. His teaching has also included arts-integrated residencies, after-school classes and summer camps, and skills-based workshops in commedia dell’arte and mask-making for college students and professionals. Tony is a graduate of the University of Kansas and Dell’Arte.

Register

Enrollment capacity: 12

Note: This class will be offered in-person at The Tiffany Center – 1410 SW Morrison St. Suite 501 (5th floor)​

February 5 – March 26, Wednesdays (8 classes)
6:30pm – 8:30pm

Instructor: Stefano Iaboni
Who is this class for: Everyone
Prerequisite: None
Cost: $200

Embark on a theatrical journey where we invite you to reconnect with the innocence and playfulness often buried beneath life’s complexities. In this class, we explore the simplicity of humor that so often escapes us. Through games, improvisation, and heightened awareness, you’ll discover how failure on stage can become a springboard for creative genius and comedic brilliance.

Failure is not only embraced in this space—it’s celebrated! As we push the boundaries of what’s comfortable, mistakes become opportunities, turning mishaps into moments of laughter and unexpected creativity. The best comedy often emerges from the unpredictable, and here, you’ll learn how to adapt and transform “mistakes” into golden moments that delight an audience.

In each session, we’ll begin with a dynamic physical warm-up to unlock your creative potential, followed by improvisational games designed to build stage presence, boost confidence, and teach the art of adaptation. You’ll be encouraged to explore new scenarios and let go of perfectionism, discovering your own unique comedic style. We’ll analyze what works and what doesn’t in comedy, understanding that the most effective humor often stems from the simplest of ideas.

Join us in this immersive experience where you’ll embrace the beauty of failure, rediscover your own comedic instincts, and learn how to transform any moment into a gift of laughter for your audience. Simplicity lies at the heart of humor, and by stripping away complexity, you’ll find the keys to theatrical brilliance.

About the instructor:

Before moving to the United States in 2013, Stefano spent years immersed in Barcelona’s vibrant arts scene. He was deeply involved in theater festivals, teaching at the renowned Nouveau Clown Institute, and acting, directing, and performing across various stages. These experiences shaped Stefano’s passion for connecting with audiences through laughter and storytelling, a passion he’s carried into every aspect of his career.

Since then, Stefano has continued to bring his expertise as a seasoned comedy performer, producer, and director to stages and organizations worldwide. With over 20 years of experience spanning more than 15 countries, he’s mastered the art of using humor to foster creativity, connection, and innovation.

Although he thrives on stage, his work extends to designing transformative workshops and team-building experiences for organizations. Whether he’s performing, producing, or facilitating, Stefano Laboni’s goal is to inspire connection, uplift spirits, and help people embrace new perspectives.

Enrollment capacity: 8

Note: This class will be offered in-person at The Tiffany Center – 1410 SW Morrison St. Suite 501 (5th floor)​

Summer Dates TBD (8 weeks)
Times TBD

Instructor: Caitlin Lushington
Who is this class for: Acting teachers, trainers, and coaches of any experience level
Cost: $240

Contemporary actor training calls for pedagogy that is accessible, inclusive, and equitable to a broad range of student identities. As a new or experienced arts educator, you are invested in your students’ success and wellbeing, but between budget cuts, your overbooked schedule, and cultural-wide devaluing of the arts, it can be challenging to implement the changes you want to make. If you’re new to teaching acting, it might feel intimidating to even begin. Where do you start?

This laboratory class provides a supportive, curious, and collaborative environment for new and experienced actor trainers/teachers to share knowledge and test out new ideas and exercises for their curriculum. Each week a new theme will be discussed, and teachers will have the opportunity to teach an exercise and receive feedback from their cohort.

Light reading will be provided to support teachers’ expansion of their exercise and training repertoire.

ABOUT THE FACILITATOR: Caitlin (she/her, they/them) studied an extensive range of actor training techniques and best practices for inclusive, accessible pedagogy construction while completing her MFA in Actor Training & Coaching at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She coaches actors and arts educators toward professional creative resiliency, building on her graduate research on student burnout in higher education actor training. Caitlin is a faculty member with TAC’s 2-year conservatory program, where she teaches Professional Orientation and Audition Technique. She is a major nerd who loves dungeons & dragons, loose-leaf tea, and fantasy heist novels. Learn more: www.caitlinlushington.com

Enrollment capacity: 10