The Weekly Open Workshop is on hiatus until further notice.
If you wish to be notified when we are back up and running, please join the mailing list.
When will we meet?
The Weekly Open Workshop meets via Zoom on Mondays from 7:00-9:00 EST.
Who is this for?
The Weekly Open Workshop aims to provide every actor the opportunity to practice regularly, regardless of experience or professional status. All are welcome, from the bright-eyed beginner to the grizzled veteran and everyone in between.
How are sessions structured?
Each session will be divided into two parts: group work and individual work. During the group work, your facilitator will provide an exercise for all participants to try. Then we will move on to individual work, in which actors are invited to work on monologues, scenes, or any material of their choosing.
Who gets to do individual work?
Every actor who registers for the Weekly Open Workshop will be given a spot on the individual work list. Not all actors will work in every session. When it is your turn, you are welcome to present work for feedback from the facilitator.
Since these are drop-in sessions, why do I need to register?
Registration with Teachable includes access to the curriculum page, where you will find our Zoom information and see our rotating work list, along with any resources your facilitator shares with the group.
How does payment work?
All workshop participants will pay for their first session when they register through Teachable. During each additional session, you will be invited to pay via Venmo or PayPal.
Do you offer discounts?
After their first session, actors are invited to pay what they wish. If you need a discount on your initial session, you can request one here.
Additional Opportunities
Deepen your knowledge of Shakespeare's verse structure or work with Esther one-on-one.
Meet Your Facilitator
Esther Williamson is an actor and teaching artist based in Brooklyn, New York. A proud company member at Taffety Punk Theatre Company in Washington, DC, Esther has been praised by The Washington Post and numerous local critics for her deft handling of heightened text and her grounded, soulful onstage presence. With Taffety Punk, she has performed over half of Shakespeare's canon as well as several new and classic works. She has also acted and taught with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Seattle Shakespeare Company; Book-It Repertory Theatre; Alchemical Theatre of Wilmington, NC; Opera House Arts in Stonington, ME; Happenstance Theater; and many others. She earned her MFA from The Academy for Classical Acting at The Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC.
As a teaching artist, Esther values process over product. She seeks to offer tools and strategies for each actor to develop the process that best serves their work. She strives to create a low-pressure, risk-friendly studio environment in which actors can work with joy and freedom. She seeks to help her students feel ready to meet the challenges of a life in art with skill and grace.
For information on private coaching, please send Esther an email at [email protected]
