The, Actor - Chorus - Text
‘ACT international workshop 2022 '
An 18-Day Voice and Performance Residency
Directed by Anna-Helena McLean
with guest facilitation for the first 5-days by voice coach Pamela Prather (SUNY Purchase, Yale, NYU)
Directed by Anna-Helena McLean
with guest facilitation for the first 5-days by voice coach Pamela Prather (SUNY Purchase, Yale, NYU)
“McLean's work as an actor trainer brings powerful transformation to students conducting them into the deepest expressive parts of themselves through intense physicality and play, ceaseless attention to ensemble, vocal release, and impulsive bravery."
Head of Graduate Acting, DePaul University
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ACT INTERNATIONAL 2022
A THEATRE AND FARMING RETREAT (off-grid)
GENOA, ITALY
Hosted by Moon Fool and the ACT Research Ensemble
Supported by Antonella Tarditi, directing leader of the eco-village and tourist centre in Italy
With support from Sarah Nichols, Erin Washington and Robi Bogdanov-Schein
AUGUST 10th-28th 2022
APPLICATION PROCESS NOW OPEN
This will be a COVID-secure event with the cooperation of all artists involved
Health and Safety Risk Assessment and Policy available on request
The workshop will also operate OFF-GRID and participants will be asked to hand in all electronic devices at the start of the residency (t&c's apply)
"THE ACTOR-CHORUS-TEXT WORK IS IMMEDIATE, INCLUSIVE, EFFECTIVE AND UNFORGETTABLE"
DEPAUL UNI
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Join our newsletter mailing list here
See Anna-Helena's work in action in this video
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Join a 18-day inter-disciplinary actor-training residency and production project in Genoa, working alongside diverse artists from all over the world.
With the option to drop-in for just 5 days or contribute to an intensive devising process culminating in a performance over 17-days, this opportunity provides participants with a deep insight into the core aspects of Anna-Helena McLean’s internationally renowned Actor-Chorus-Text (ACT) Ensemble Practice. This year's programme develops aspects of the director's latest research into 'feminising' actor/voice training in the post-Grotowskian laboratory tradition by staging an original devised work inspired by Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando and the Ancient Mesopotamian Epic, The Descent of Inanna.
The training will cover:
Embodied Breath work | Ensemble Balance | Musicality & Listening | ‘Mutuality’ partner work | Physio vocality and the Extended Voice | Choral Singing | Chorus & Devising | The Relational Actor | Musical Dramaturgy | Scoring a Production
The intensive strand of year's residency works to develop a production project that will play to a public audience as well as being arranged for specialist film documentation.
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Participant feedback in 2019
An incredibly freeing and empowering experience
I will be taking away the real meaning of embodied knowledge, and how the spine plays an integral role in healthy vocal production
The seamless transitions from breath into singing into text is incredibly useful
* * *
Choose the DROP-IN, REGULAR or INTENSIVE strand of this year's residency
DROP-IN participants will receive:
· Minimum 2.5 hours ACT training contact time per day
· Guest facilitation by Voice Coach and Fitzmaurice Technique Specialist, Pamela Prather
· Virtual seminar 'Act as a Feminist: Interventions in Acting' with Dr. Lisa Peck, teacher, theatre-maker, scholar. Senior Lecturer in Theatre Practice, University of Sussex. Author of 'Act as a Feminist!' (Routledge, 2021)
· A personalised training sheet with running comments and feedback from the leading artists
· The opportunity to live in the rural set eco-village and farm in Northern Italy alongside actors, musicians, performing artists and researchers from around the world
· Time for reflection, discussion, and exploring the locality
· 10-hours of hands-on farming spread over the 5-days in organic complement to the arc of the residency
· Opportunity to live close to nature solo camping/communal camping or in shared heated bungalow accommodation, complete with 3 home-made meals a day (all dietary requirements provided for) using home-grown and local organic products.
· Q & A with the eco-village and centre founding director, Antonella Tarditi plus a tour of the 25 acre grounds with its expert keepers
· The option to acquire the high resolution master film edit of the final production, up to 12 production photos for private used and access to all selected shots on designated gallery platforms (available online) at inclusive cost of £120 GBP
· A certificate of participation from the ACT Ensemble Research and Moon Fool Organisation
· Fresh waterfall suitable for swimming only 5 minutes walk
· On site masseuse and Finnish Sauna (reduced rates)
· Bar and a la carte options available
· On-site childcare/forest school options (reduced rates with early booking) *t&c's apply
· Facilities for accommodation upgrade and to invite guests to stay (costs and COVID regs apply)
REGULAR participants will receive:
The same as DROP-IN participants but with the option to take part in 4.5 hours of ACT training per day and have the flexibility to stay on after 5 days in agreement with the director. In this case candidates would enrol as a DROP-IN but undergo an interview process and register for the remaining 12 days at the cost of £120/day for bungalow accommodation only
INTENSIVE participants will receive:
· Minimum 4.5 hours ACT training contact time per day for the first 5 days and up to 8 hours per day during the production process and filming
· The opportunity to contribute to a production process and perform for the public (28th August 4.30pm)
· Guest facilitation by Voice Coach and Fitzmaurice Technique Specialist, Pamela Prather up to 3 hours per day, for the first 5 days only
· Virtual seminar 'Act as a Feminist: Interventions in Acting' with Dr. Lisa Peck, teacher, theatre-maker, scholar. Senior Lecturer in Theatre Practice, University of Sussex. Author of 'Act as a Feminist!' (Routledge, 2021)
· A personalised training sheet with running comments and feedback from the leading artists
· The opportunity to live in the rural set eco-village and farm in Northern Italy alongside actors, musicians, performing artists and researchers from around the world
· Time for reflection, discussion, and 2 free days for exploring the locality (beach/boat trips and local trekking for Intensive strand only)
· 18 hours of hands-on farming spread over the 17-days in organic complement to the arc of the residency
· Opportunity to live close to nature solo camping/communal camping or in shared heated bungalow accommodation, complete with 3 home-made meals a day (all dietary requirements provided for) using home-grown and local organic products.
· Q & A with the eco-village and centre founding director, Antonella Tarditi plus a tour of the 25 acre grounds with its expert keepers
· The option to acquire the high resolution master film edit of the final production, up to 12 production photos for private used and access to all selected shots on designated gallery platforms (available online) at inclusive cost of £120 GBP
· A certificate of participation from the ACT Ensemble Research and Moon Fool Organisation
· Fresh waterfall suitable for swimming only 5 minutes walk
· On site masseuse and Finnish Sauna (reduced rates)
· Bar and a la carte options available
· On-site childcare/forest school options (reduced rates with early booking) *t&c's apply
· Facilities for accommodation upgrade and to invite guests to stay for the performance day only (costs and COVID regs apply)
The residency will culminate in an open workshop/presentation as part of ACT's organic process of devising, training, reflecting and sharing. The presentation is anticipated to take place at 4.30pm on the penultimate day of the residency followed by a fiesta open to (COVID compliant) friends, visitors and public. Accommodation can be booked for guests in advance.
All and any attendees will be expected to have a negative COVID-19 test two days before joining and expected to follow up-to-date social-distancing and hygiene protocol as recommended by the project hosts and national government. These updates will be shared via WhatsApp and on the Health and Safety Policy accessible to all participants.
* * *
Participant feedback 2019
I found a greater understanding of how musical structure transcends into breath and animate physical life
I found the abandonment and flow I had been searching for
I have increased confidence in myself as a performer and vocalist
* * *
We are looking for:
· Diverse performers of all backgrounds interested in: acting; singing; embodied voice and voice work; physical theatre; music theatre; psychophysical acting practices; international/intercultural arts exchange; ensemble theatre; immersive theatre; women in devising; feminist, queer and intersectional practice as research; the relational actor; collaborating with/as artist parents; the post-Grotowskian laboratory; models of female leadership; intimacy coordination; inclusive practices.
Participant feedback in 2019
An incredibly freeing and empowering experience
I will be taking away the real meaning of embodied knowledge, and how the spine plays an integral role in healthy vocal production
The seamless transitions from breath into singing into text is incredibly useful
* * *
Choose the DROP-IN, REGULAR or INTENSIVE strand of this year's residency
DROP-IN participants will receive:
· Minimum 2.5 hours ACT training contact time per day
· Guest facilitation by Voice Coach and Fitzmaurice Technique Specialist, Pamela Prather
· Virtual seminar 'Act as a Feminist: Interventions in Acting' with Dr. Lisa Peck, teacher, theatre-maker, scholar. Senior Lecturer in Theatre Practice, University of Sussex. Author of 'Act as a Feminist!' (Routledge, 2021)
· A personalised training sheet with running comments and feedback from the leading artists
· The opportunity to live in the rural set eco-village and farm in Northern Italy alongside actors, musicians, performing artists and researchers from around the world
· Time for reflection, discussion, and exploring the locality
· 10-hours of hands-on farming spread over the 5-days in organic complement to the arc of the residency
· Opportunity to live close to nature solo camping/communal camping or in shared heated bungalow accommodation, complete with 3 home-made meals a day (all dietary requirements provided for) using home-grown and local organic products.
· Q & A with the eco-village and centre founding director, Antonella Tarditi plus a tour of the 25 acre grounds with its expert keepers
· The option to acquire the high resolution master film edit of the final production, up to 12 production photos for private used and access to all selected shots on designated gallery platforms (available online) at inclusive cost of £120 GBP
· A certificate of participation from the ACT Ensemble Research and Moon Fool Organisation
· Fresh waterfall suitable for swimming only 5 minutes walk
· On site masseuse and Finnish Sauna (reduced rates)
· Bar and a la carte options available
· On-site childcare/forest school options (reduced rates with early booking) *t&c's apply
· Facilities for accommodation upgrade and to invite guests to stay (costs and COVID regs apply)
REGULAR participants will receive:
The same as DROP-IN participants but with the option to take part in 4.5 hours of ACT training per day and have the flexibility to stay on after 5 days in agreement with the director. In this case candidates would enrol as a DROP-IN but undergo an interview process and register for the remaining 12 days at the cost of £120/day for bungalow accommodation only
INTENSIVE participants will receive:
· Minimum 4.5 hours ACT training contact time per day for the first 5 days and up to 8 hours per day during the production process and filming
· The opportunity to contribute to a production process and perform for the public (28th August 4.30pm)
· Guest facilitation by Voice Coach and Fitzmaurice Technique Specialist, Pamela Prather up to 3 hours per day, for the first 5 days only
· Virtual seminar 'Act as a Feminist: Interventions in Acting' with Dr. Lisa Peck, teacher, theatre-maker, scholar. Senior Lecturer in Theatre Practice, University of Sussex. Author of 'Act as a Feminist!' (Routledge, 2021)
· A personalised training sheet with running comments and feedback from the leading artists
· The opportunity to live in the rural set eco-village and farm in Northern Italy alongside actors, musicians, performing artists and researchers from around the world
· Time for reflection, discussion, and 2 free days for exploring the locality (beach/boat trips and local trekking for Intensive strand only)
· 18 hours of hands-on farming spread over the 17-days in organic complement to the arc of the residency
· Opportunity to live close to nature solo camping/communal camping or in shared heated bungalow accommodation, complete with 3 home-made meals a day (all dietary requirements provided for) using home-grown and local organic products.
· Q & A with the eco-village and centre founding director, Antonella Tarditi plus a tour of the 25 acre grounds with its expert keepers
· The option to acquire the high resolution master film edit of the final production, up to 12 production photos for private used and access to all selected shots on designated gallery platforms (available online) at inclusive cost of £120 GBP
· A certificate of participation from the ACT Ensemble Research and Moon Fool Organisation
· Fresh waterfall suitable for swimming only 5 minutes walk
· On site masseuse and Finnish Sauna (reduced rates)
· Bar and a la carte options available
· On-site childcare/forest school options (reduced rates with early booking) *t&c's apply
· Facilities for accommodation upgrade and to invite guests to stay for the performance day only (costs and COVID regs apply)
The residency will culminate in an open workshop/presentation as part of ACT's organic process of devising, training, reflecting and sharing. The presentation is anticipated to take place at 4.30pm on the penultimate day of the residency followed by a fiesta open to (COVID compliant) friends, visitors and public. Accommodation can be booked for guests in advance.
All and any attendees will be expected to have a negative COVID-19 test two days before joining and expected to follow up-to-date social-distancing and hygiene protocol as recommended by the project hosts and national government. These updates will be shared via WhatsApp and on the Health and Safety Policy accessible to all participants.
* * *
Participant feedback 2019
I found a greater understanding of how musical structure transcends into breath and animate physical life
I found the abandonment and flow I had been searching for
I have increased confidence in myself as a performer and vocalist
* * *
We are looking for:
· Diverse performers of all backgrounds interested in: acting; singing; embodied voice and voice work; physical theatre; music theatre; psychophysical acting practices; international/intercultural arts exchange; ensemble theatre; immersive theatre; women in devising; feminist, queer and intersectional practice as research; the relational actor; collaborating with/as artist parents; the post-Grotowskian laboratory; models of female leadership; intimacy coordination; inclusive practices.
* * *
How to Apply:
Please send a CV and cover letter to ACTanidra@gmail.com outlining why you want to take part and which strand o the residency is of interest to you; DROP-IN, REGULAR or INTENSIVE
Candidates interested in the INTENSIVE strand need to have participated in at least one intensive ACT training immersion previously or come with significant experience in the field of Laboratory practices. Qualifying candidates may be invited to interview via Zoom before being considered for a place.
There is a limit of ONLY 8 PLACES for the INTENSIVE production project opportunity, please apply early and allow time for interview prior to your preferred deadline.
People of all backgrounds, ages and abilities are welcome to apply*.
The work will be conducted in English.
The venue is not entirely wheelchair accessible and the grounds are rural.
*LGBTQIA+ individuals included in the equal rights policies (available on request)
COVID-19 related risk assessed policy (available on request)
The work takes pace in a rural, mountainous setting. All ages and abilities are welcome with the nature of the location in mind. Please enquire with any health concerns in advance.
* * *
Fees in GBP:
Participation:
INTENSIVE £2,150 (18 days), REGULAR / DROP-IN £1,250 (6 days)
All interviews close by deadline 5th May 2022 and registration process closes 29th June
All fees include 3 meals/day plus snacks (catering for all diets)
Solo rooms and upgrades available at an additional charge
We are happy to support visa and funding applications.
If you are a parent looking to bring a partner or your child/ren alone then please email for more options and special rates sharing childcare/home-schooling in situ. Please note that participants on the Regular and Drop In strand will be expected to participate in all rehearsals and children will not be able to watch or join work sessions without special agreements with the director and ensemble. Children will be treated equally and have access to the same opportunities as one another in order to support the smooth flow of the residency. All queries should be made well in advance to ACTAnidra@gmail.com
* * *
Special offers in GBP:
LOW INCOME OFFER until 30th Nov
Camping £700 (6 nights) £1,600 (18 nights)
Bungalow £900 (6 nights) £1,700 (18 nights)
VALENTINE'S Deadline 14th Feb
Camping £850 (6 nights) £1,700 (18 nights)
Bungalow £985 (6 nights) £1,900 (18 nights)
All applications, interviews and concessions close on 5th May
Bungalow £1,250 (6 nights) £2,150 (18 nights)
Concessions includes anyone securing funding or reductions for groups of 3 or more (all subject to strong applications and with finances cleared by 5th May)
The generous sale rates are only made possible by upfront payments processed by the deadline stated and confirmed (or in process) travel and health insurance.
* * *
Participant feedback 2019
I enjoyed the night rehearsal and the magic that was made between us all. I found myself stepping up in a way I would never have been bold enough to do in the past
* * *
Director:
Anna-Helena McLean is studying for a Ph.D. in Performance Practice at Guildhall School of Music & Drama pursuing research into ways to feminize the post-Grotowskian laboratory. She was a principal of the Gardzienice theatre company in Poland (2000-2007), and toured as the title role in Electra (Barbican BITE 06). She was also musical leader in Metamorfozy and Orkiestra Antyczna and personal assistant to the director Wlodzimierz Staniewski, running workshops worldwide. After 6 years working with The Awake Projects, Ensemble, Love Orchestra and Youth company in Sweden (2006-2012), she founded Moon Fool International Theatre & Music Exchange in 2010. As a freelance musician, composer, lecturer, voice coach and actor, her credits include Mike Bartlett’s King Charles III (West End/Broadway/BBC) and Ensemble/Classical Text director at Royal Conservatoire Scotland. She devised two key Tract and Touch projects, Resonant Tails - bringing extended voice work to children with profound disabilities, and Wig Show. She recently worked freelance as a cellist in the Phosphera Duo (with Rachel Dawson and Lossenham Project) and composing for Dan Horrigan Productions. Anna-Helena is currently Voice Tutor on the Acting Studies BA Hons at Guildhall. www.moonfool.com
Collaborating researcher-practitioner, Konstantinos Thomaidis:
The key focus of my research is the development of the interdisciplinary field of voice studies. To this aim, I have co-founded and edit the Journal of Interdisciplinary Voice Studies and the Routledge Voice Studies book series. In 2015, I co-edited Voice Studies: Critical Approaches to Process, Performance and Experience (Routledge), a book that has been described as ‘a much-anticipated and highly useful collection of essays … enriching our understanding of vocal expression and the possibilities that a burgeoning field of voice studies has to offer’ (Twentieth-Century Music, Cambridge Journals). I recently completed Theatre & Voice (Palgrave Macmillan/Springer 2017) and the co-edited volume on Time and Performer Training (Routledge 2019). Alongside voice, my main research interests are performer training, sound-based theatres and movement for actors. From 2013 to 2016, I was one of the convenors of the Performer Training Working Group at the Theatre and Performance Research Association (TaPRA).
I have worked as an actor, director, choreographer and musician in Greece, Poland, Germany, the UK and the US. Recent positions have included: Head of Movement for Opera in Space (London; ACE-funded), Associate Artist of Experience Vocal Dance Company (NYC & London) and core member of Waving not Drowning (Grotowski Institute, Poland & London). I am the Artistic Director of Adrift Performance Makers.
Guest Speaker:
Lisa Peck is Senior Lecturer in Theatre Practice at University of Sussex and Associate Tutor at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She has worked in education for over twenty-five years as a teacher educator and education consultant for the National Theatre and Digital
Theatre Plus. Her research works at the intersections between social science and humanities to explore feminist pedagogies in theatre-making and actor training. Her monograph, Act As A Feminist!: Towards A Critical Acting Pedagogy was published by Routledge in 2021.
Lisa is co-founder of RAPT (Research, Artistry, Participation, Theatre) which makes multimodal public artworks.
https://www.rapt-theatre.com/
* * *
Links:
Event page on facebook
Recent publications
Essai
Blog
How to Apply:
Please send a CV and cover letter to ACTanidra@gmail.com outlining why you want to take part and which strand o the residency is of interest to you; DROP-IN, REGULAR or INTENSIVE
Candidates interested in the INTENSIVE strand need to have participated in at least one intensive ACT training immersion previously or come with significant experience in the field of Laboratory practices. Qualifying candidates may be invited to interview via Zoom before being considered for a place.
There is a limit of ONLY 8 PLACES for the INTENSIVE production project opportunity, please apply early and allow time for interview prior to your preferred deadline.
People of all backgrounds, ages and abilities are welcome to apply*.
The work will be conducted in English.
The venue is not entirely wheelchair accessible and the grounds are rural.
*LGBTQIA+ individuals included in the equal rights policies (available on request)
COVID-19 related risk assessed policy (available on request)
The work takes pace in a rural, mountainous setting. All ages and abilities are welcome with the nature of the location in mind. Please enquire with any health concerns in advance.
* * *
Fees in GBP:
Participation:
INTENSIVE £2,150 (18 days), REGULAR / DROP-IN £1,250 (6 days)
All interviews close by deadline 5th May 2022 and registration process closes 29th June
All fees include 3 meals/day plus snacks (catering for all diets)
Solo rooms and upgrades available at an additional charge
We are happy to support visa and funding applications.
If you are a parent looking to bring a partner or your child/ren alone then please email for more options and special rates sharing childcare/home-schooling in situ. Please note that participants on the Regular and Drop In strand will be expected to participate in all rehearsals and children will not be able to watch or join work sessions without special agreements with the director and ensemble. Children will be treated equally and have access to the same opportunities as one another in order to support the smooth flow of the residency. All queries should be made well in advance to ACTAnidra@gmail.com
* * *
Special offers in GBP:
LOW INCOME OFFER until 30th Nov
Camping £700 (6 nights) £1,600 (18 nights)
Bungalow £900 (6 nights) £1,700 (18 nights)
VALENTINE'S Deadline 14th Feb
Camping £850 (6 nights) £1,700 (18 nights)
Bungalow £985 (6 nights) £1,900 (18 nights)
All applications, interviews and concessions close on 5th May
Bungalow £1,250 (6 nights) £2,150 (18 nights)
Concessions includes anyone securing funding or reductions for groups of 3 or more (all subject to strong applications and with finances cleared by 5th May)
The generous sale rates are only made possible by upfront payments processed by the deadline stated and confirmed (or in process) travel and health insurance.
* * *
Participant feedback 2019
I enjoyed the night rehearsal and the magic that was made between us all. I found myself stepping up in a way I would never have been bold enough to do in the past
* * *
Director:
Anna-Helena McLean is studying for a Ph.D. in Performance Practice at Guildhall School of Music & Drama pursuing research into ways to feminize the post-Grotowskian laboratory. She was a principal of the Gardzienice theatre company in Poland (2000-2007), and toured as the title role in Electra (Barbican BITE 06). She was also musical leader in Metamorfozy and Orkiestra Antyczna and personal assistant to the director Wlodzimierz Staniewski, running workshops worldwide. After 6 years working with The Awake Projects, Ensemble, Love Orchestra and Youth company in Sweden (2006-2012), she founded Moon Fool International Theatre & Music Exchange in 2010. As a freelance musician, composer, lecturer, voice coach and actor, her credits include Mike Bartlett’s King Charles III (West End/Broadway/BBC) and Ensemble/Classical Text director at Royal Conservatoire Scotland. She devised two key Tract and Touch projects, Resonant Tails - bringing extended voice work to children with profound disabilities, and Wig Show. She recently worked freelance as a cellist in the Phosphera Duo (with Rachel Dawson and Lossenham Project) and composing for Dan Horrigan Productions. Anna-Helena is currently Voice Tutor on the Acting Studies BA Hons at Guildhall. www.moonfool.com
Collaborating researcher-practitioner, Konstantinos Thomaidis:
The key focus of my research is the development of the interdisciplinary field of voice studies. To this aim, I have co-founded and edit the Journal of Interdisciplinary Voice Studies and the Routledge Voice Studies book series. In 2015, I co-edited Voice Studies: Critical Approaches to Process, Performance and Experience (Routledge), a book that has been described as ‘a much-anticipated and highly useful collection of essays … enriching our understanding of vocal expression and the possibilities that a burgeoning field of voice studies has to offer’ (Twentieth-Century Music, Cambridge Journals). I recently completed Theatre & Voice (Palgrave Macmillan/Springer 2017) and the co-edited volume on Time and Performer Training (Routledge 2019). Alongside voice, my main research interests are performer training, sound-based theatres and movement for actors. From 2013 to 2016, I was one of the convenors of the Performer Training Working Group at the Theatre and Performance Research Association (TaPRA).
I have worked as an actor, director, choreographer and musician in Greece, Poland, Germany, the UK and the US. Recent positions have included: Head of Movement for Opera in Space (London; ACE-funded), Associate Artist of Experience Vocal Dance Company (NYC & London) and core member of Waving not Drowning (Grotowski Institute, Poland & London). I am the Artistic Director of Adrift Performance Makers.
Guest Speaker:
Lisa Peck is Senior Lecturer in Theatre Practice at University of Sussex and Associate Tutor at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She has worked in education for over twenty-five years as a teacher educator and education consultant for the National Theatre and Digital
Theatre Plus. Her research works at the intersections between social science and humanities to explore feminist pedagogies in theatre-making and actor training. Her monograph, Act As A Feminist!: Towards A Critical Acting Pedagogy was published by Routledge in 2021.
Lisa is co-founder of RAPT (Research, Artistry, Participation, Theatre) which makes multimodal public artworks.
https://www.rapt-theatre.com/
* * *
Links:
Event page on facebook
Recent publications
Essai
Blog
