Famous Acting Director Teaches Rare NYC Workshop

Artistic New Directions Invites all Actors and Improvisers

By Emily Martin

Michael Gellman has directed the biggest-named actors in entertainment — from Chris Farley to Steve Carrell to Steven Colbert to Tina Fey.

Now – for one weekend in September – any New Yorker can learn directly from him in a rare acting workshop that is open to the public.

These workshops are a rare opportunity for any aspiring actor who has dreamed of a career in the spotlight but does not know where to start, or an experienced actor who is not booking his dream role and is seeking guidance and real-time feedback from a seasoned director.

From Sept 26-28th, Gellman is leading a series of acting workshops where he will share his personal acting techniques that he used throughout his career – in both long scenic pieces and one-act plays.

Not only has Gellman been credited as the genius behind the comedic performances of Tina Fey, Steve Carrell, and Chris Farley, but he has also directed more than 22 shows across the United States and Canada in the last 40 years alone.

In addition to directing and acting with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, Gellman is currently Senior Faculty at Chicago’s Second City Training Center and at Columbia College in Chicago and has also taught at universities, acting centers, and festivals throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Rome and Paris.

The weekend will begin with Gellman sharing the acclaimed improvisation techniques that he has developed throughout his career of long scenic pieces and one-act plays. Based on the methods described in his book Process: An Improviser’s Journey, this first course is a prerequisite for more advanced workshops and is designed for actors and improvisers who have never participated in one of Gellman’s sessions before.

For students who have participated in the first Process session or have previously worked under his direction, Gellman is offering an Exploratorium—a two-day program that will focus on practicing long forms for performance and refining prevailing skills while also developing new techniques.

The final Improvisation for Actors workshop is an opportunity for more advanced participants to further enhance their craft by applying their acquired skills to future auditions, text work, play development, and improvisational performance. Participants’ headshots and a copy of their resume are the only requirements for this session.

If you are interested in participating in any or all of these workshops, please click the following link  www.artisticnewdirections.org.

Email info@artisticnewdirections.org, or call (212) 875-1857 for more information.