National Shakespeare Conservatory
Encyclopedia
The National Shakespeare Conservatory was an acting
school in New York City
, offering a two-year certificate program and an eight-week summer training program. The Conservatory was founded in 1974 by Philip Meister, Albert Schoemann and Mario Siletti.
The Conservatory expanded to a Two Year Program in New York City in 1977, and was situated in the National Shakespeare Company's brownstone studios and offices on West 51 Street near 9th Avenue in Manhattan, along with The Cubiculo, an off-off-Broadway theatre, also owned and operated by the National Shakespeare Company. After Meister's death in 1982, Siletti and Schoemann established The Conservatory as a separate entity from the National Shakespeare Company, and moved the operation of the Two Year Program to lower Broadway in Soho.
The National Shakespeare Conservatory was one of the first independent professional actor training programs in the U.S. to become an institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre in 1978; a status gained only through the peer review process of accreditation.
The Conservatory's training emphasized classical plays, utilizing a broad array of contemporary acting techniques – physical, vocal and internal – that enabled the voice and body to support the actor's internal choices. The integration of the physical and vocal with internal techniques with a strong classical base was the hallmark of Conservatory's intensive training.
The Summer Program and the first year of training in the Two Year Program was devoted to intensive classes in scene study, acting technique, Shakespeare, movement, dance, voice, improvisation and music. The second year was devoted to rigorous advanced study in the same areas. As part of the curriculum, the second year included a one-person show and Off-Off-Broadway
showcases.
Many of the National Shakespeare Conservatory teachers were professional actors recruited by Meister, Schoemann and Siletti to serve as faculty, beginning their teaching careers at The Conservatory, and subsequently teaching at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting
, its undergraduate studio program at New York University, and other colleges and universities.
Beginning in 1994, the US Department of Education raised its requirement for the National Shakespeare Conservatory to post a Letter of Credit in order to continue participation in the federal student aid programs. Because of The Conservatory's quality of accreditation review, low student loan default rate and consistent long term operation as a non-profit organization, The Conservatory considered the amount of the Letter of Credit excessive and contested it in federal court. After a two-year battle with the USDE the federal judge ruled against the school. The National Shakespeare Conservatory then offered to post the Letter of Credit. The Department of Education refused to accept the Letter of Credit from the National Shakespeare Conservatory, and terminated the Conservatory's participation in federal student financial assistance programs, based on the school's failure to provide a sufficient letter of credit in 1996.
As a consequence, the school ceased operations of the Two Year training program that fall.
The Summer Conservatory continued to operate for the next two years. In 1996 in addition to its training program, it provided free outdoor performances of Shakespeare in municipal parks in upstate New York, under the banner Catskill Shakespeare until the school closed in late 1998.
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
school in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, offering a two-year certificate program and an eight-week summer training program. The Conservatory was founded in 1974 by Philip Meister, Albert Schoemann and Mario Siletti.
History
The Conservatory was an offshoot of the National Shakespeare Company, a professional acting company that toured productions of Shakespeare and the classics to colleges and universities throughout the US and Canada. The Summer Conservatory was first offered at the Byrdcliffe Theatre in Woodstock, N.Y. in 1974, and moved its facilities to Kerhonkson, N.Y. in 1978, where it continued summer operations until 1998.The Conservatory expanded to a Two Year Program in New York City in 1977, and was situated in the National Shakespeare Company's brownstone studios and offices on West 51 Street near 9th Avenue in Manhattan, along with The Cubiculo, an off-off-Broadway theatre, also owned and operated by the National Shakespeare Company. After Meister's death in 1982, Siletti and Schoemann established The Conservatory as a separate entity from the National Shakespeare Company, and moved the operation of the Two Year Program to lower Broadway in Soho.
The National Shakespeare Conservatory was one of the first independent professional actor training programs in the U.S. to become an institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre in 1978; a status gained only through the peer review process of accreditation.
The Conservatory's training emphasized classical plays, utilizing a broad array of contemporary acting techniques – physical, vocal and internal – that enabled the voice and body to support the actor's internal choices. The integration of the physical and vocal with internal techniques with a strong classical base was the hallmark of Conservatory's intensive training.
The Summer Program and the first year of training in the Two Year Program was devoted to intensive classes in scene study, acting technique, Shakespeare, movement, dance, voice, improvisation and music. The second year was devoted to rigorous advanced study in the same areas. As part of the curriculum, the second year included a one-person show and Off-Off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway theatrical productions in New York City are those in theatres that are smaller than Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres. Off-Off-Broadway theaters are often defined as theaters that have fewer than 100 seats, though the term can be used for any show in the New York City area that...
showcases.
Many of the National Shakespeare Conservatory teachers were professional actors recruited by Meister, Schoemann and Siletti to serve as faculty, beginning their teaching careers at The Conservatory, and subsequently teaching at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting
Stella Adler Studio of Acting
Stella Adler Studio of Acting is an acting school in New York founded by the actress and teacher Stella Adler -History:...
, its undergraduate studio program at New York University, and other colleges and universities.
Beginning in 1994, the US Department of Education raised its requirement for the National Shakespeare Conservatory to post a Letter of Credit in order to continue participation in the federal student aid programs. Because of The Conservatory's quality of accreditation review, low student loan default rate and consistent long term operation as a non-profit organization, The Conservatory considered the amount of the Letter of Credit excessive and contested it in federal court. After a two-year battle with the USDE the federal judge ruled against the school. The National Shakespeare Conservatory then offered to post the Letter of Credit. The Department of Education refused to accept the Letter of Credit from the National Shakespeare Conservatory, and terminated the Conservatory's participation in federal student financial assistance programs, based on the school's failure to provide a sufficient letter of credit in 1996.
As a consequence, the school ceased operations of the Two Year training program that fall.
The Summer Conservatory continued to operate for the next two years. In 1996 in addition to its training program, it provided free outdoor performances of Shakespeare in municipal parks in upstate New York, under the banner Catskill Shakespeare until the school closed in late 1998.
Faculty
- Philip Meister - Artistic Director and Master Acting Teacher. Deceased.
- Mario Siletti - Head of Acting, Also headed faculty of Stella Adler Conservatory. Deceased.
- James Tripp - Master Acting Teacher, current Head of Acting and Master Teacher at the Stella Adler Studio of ActingStella Adler Studio of ActingStella Adler Studio of Acting is an acting school in New York founded by the actress and teacher Stella Adler -History:...
. - Peter Lobdell - Movement, Currently teaches at Amherst. Physical coach for the original BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
productions of The Elephant ManThe Elephant Man (play)The Elephant Man is a 1977 play by Bernard Pomerance. The production's Broadway debut in 1979 was produced by Richmond Crinkley and Nelle Nugent, and directed by Jack Hofsiss...
and EquusEquus (play)Equus is a play by Peter Shaffer written in 1973, telling the story of a psychiatrist who attempts to treat a young man who has a pathological religious fascination with horses....
. - Lisa Jacobson - Movement, Acting. Currently teaches at AMDA.
- Robert Perillo - Voice coach and director with such companies as Jean Cocteau Repertory in New York City.
- Joan Evans - Movement, Currently teaches at the Stella Adler Studio of ActingStella Adler Studio of ActingStella Adler Studio of Acting is an acting school in New York founded by the actress and teacher Stella Adler -History:...
and New York University. - Casey Kizziah - Acting, voice and speech. Deceased.
- Angela Vitale - Voice and Speech, Currently teaches at the Stella Adler Studio of ActingStella Adler Studio of ActingStella Adler Studio of Acting is an acting school in New York founded by the actress and teacher Stella Adler -History:...
. - Sandra Cavanaugh - Voice and Speech and body Alignment, currently artistic director of New Heritage Theatre Company.
- Jane Armitage
- Eloise Watt - Shakespeare
- Fay Simpson - Movement
- Joseph Siravo - Voice and speech
- Gerard Rusak - Voice, Operatic vocalization
- Gregory Wolfe - The Sonnet Project(summer only)
- Mark Zeller - Voice and Speech
- Dana Zeller-Alexis - Acting
- Robert Blumenfeld - Dialects
Notable alumni
- Suzanne GraffSuzanne Graff-Biography:A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Graff has performed onstage for several seasons at the American Folklore Theatre in shows such as Lumberjacks in Love which became one of the company's biggest box office hits....
- Diana ScarwidDiana ScarwidDiana Scarwid is an American actress. Scarwid has done work in film, television and theater.-Personal life:Scarwid was born in Savannah, Georgia, and left Georgia at the age of 17, heading to New York to become an actress. She graduated from Pace University and The American Academy of Dramatic...
- Annabelle GurwitchAnnabelle GurwitchAnnabelle Gurwitch is an American comedic actress. She is best known as the original hostess of TBS's Dinner and a Movie. She is also a noted author and columnist and was most recently the host of Wa$ted! on Planet Green....
- Park Overall
- Miguel PerezMiguel PerezMiguel Pérez may refer to:*Miguel Pérez , Venezuelan baseball player*Miguel Pérez , Puerto Rican wrestler*Miguel Pérez, Jr., Puerto Rican wrestler*Miguel Perez , American TV actor...
- Anna Grace