Summer Drama
Gerald Freedman, Dean

Curriculum
Faculty
Credit
Requirements
Apply

The Summer Session in drama challenges aspiring actors and actresses and introduces them to the craft and technique of professional training for theatre, film and television. Summer drama study focuses on three major areas: acting, movement and speech. Acting classes involve some script work and much improvisation, with emphasis is on talking, listening, sharing and exchanging ideas. Movement and speech classes provide opportunities to develop and master these important skills. The focus is on the process, rather than the performance, of the work.

The drama summer session requires considerable discipline, commitment, flexibility and stamina. Movement and acting placement auditions, on the first day of the program, place students in the groups that will best develop their abilities.

Students should expect to be in class at least six hours a day, five days a week. Typically, movement and speech classes are scheduled in the morning and an acting class is held each afternoon. Consistent with the School’s belief in multi-disciplinary proficiency, the summer curriculum also may include such specialties as improvisation dance, circus/clowning, movement/combat, and text analysis. Classes are taught by the regular faculty and guest artists from around the world. An audition workshop will be given in the final week for high school seniors and college-level students who wish to learn about the audition process at the School of the Arts.

*Kelly Maxner,
Dance

Mr. Maxner holds degrees from the NCSA School of Dance and the School of Drama (in directing). In 1995, Mr. Maxner formed the nationally recognized dance company Chimaera Physical Theatre. He has also performed and choreographed at the Great Lakes Theater Festival in Cleveland, Ohio, and has choreographed in Istanbul, Turkey, and in Egypt, and has taught for the Turkish State Opera Modern Dance Theatre. Mr. Maxner recently joined the faculty at the South Carolina Governor's School as a modern dance instructor.

*Tanya Belov,
Acting

Internationally renowned actor, clown, and acting teacher, Ms. Belov was a student of those who were taught by Stanislavski. She starred at the Moscow State Music Hall Theater and won first prize in the National Competition of Professional Entertaining Actors. Ms. Belov has been a guest artist in performances throughout the United States, and teaches acting at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Ms. Belov performs throughout the world as a member of the Belov Contemporary Clown Drama.

Yury Belov,
Acting, Physical Comedy

Actor and director Yury Belov is a graduate of Lunarcharsky State University of Theatre Arts and the State Academy School of Circus and Variety Arts in Moscow. He is the former artistic director of the Moscow State Music Hall Theatre and the Moscow Clown Pantomime Theater, and has directed for the Moscow State Circus. Mr. Belov performs worldwide as a member of the Belov Contemporary Clown Drama.

Dikki Ellis,
Circus Techniques

Mr. Ellis, a North Carolina School of the Arts alumnus with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting, is currently a clown for the Big Apple Circus in New York.

Matthew Bulluck,
Text

B.F.A., the Drama Division of The Juilliard School. Professional director in New York and regional theatre. Assistant director on Broadway; John Houseman’s Acting Company; Arena Stage, Washington, D.C.; Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles. Literary manager for PlayMakers Repertory Company, Chapel Hill, N.C. Produced playwright; awarded the N.C. Arts Council Playwrights Fellowship

*Dale Girard,
Combat

Training at the Theatre Arts Program, University of Northern Colorado. Senior member of the Society of American Fight Directors. Spent five years on the faculty at the National Theatre Conservatory, Denver, C.O.; Resident fight director for the Yale School of Drama and the Yale School of Music Opera Program. Resident Combat Instructor for the Hart School. Professional fight director in New York, regional theatres and opera companies. Principal stuntman with the United Stuntman’s Association with work in feature films. Author, "Actors on Guard."


Paul Johnson,
Improvisation

A member of Actor’s Equity (U.S.), Canadian Actor’s Equity Association and the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists. His many stage and television credits include three years with "The Second City" and several years freelancing as a writer/performer for the various networks. At present, he is an Associate Professor of Drama at Augustana University in Camrose. He, along with partner Neil Grahn, run a company called The Comedy Commission, in which he continues to pursue his professional acting and writing interests. He maintains a close relationship with his mentor, Paul Sills (founder of Second City, The Compass Players, and Story Theater). He is also interested and involved in "Popular Theatre" (theatre of education and social change). He was a co-founder of Edmonton’s "Catalyst Theatre", and has traveled through Africa and Scandinavia, studying popular theatre forms.


*NCSA faculty
Faculty is subject to change; additional guest artists augment the summer session faculty

All students classified in grades 12 or below are eligible to earn high school credit; college students earn college semester hours.

High School – one unit
College – four semester hours