for serious ADULT actors of all Levels
Body * Voice * Heart * Mind * Imagination
•The only Canadian acting coach who trained with Lee Strasberg in his Master Class and was a Working Observer at the Actors Studio.
•Other training includes acting with Madeleine Sherwood at Circle-in-the-Square, Voice with Master teacher David Smukler.
•MA in Directing & Theater Criticism, UCLA; MFA in Directing, York University.
•Integrated approaches and techniques include: Meisner, Adler, Hagen, Shurtleff, Grotowski, Alexander and Linklater.
•Sessions include: warm-ups, relaxation & sense-memory, acting techniques, monologues, scene study & on-camera skills.
•35+ years training, coaching & directing actors in classes, for theatre, and on film & television sets.
If you are interested in studying with Miriam, watch video – then email:
miriamlaurence@gmail.com
2023
Winter On-Line – 6 weeks
WEDNESDAYS: February 8, 15: March 1, 8, 15, 22
Focussed on useful warm-ups, audition scene analysis and exercises for learning lines and listening; then applying the work to self-tapes and online auditions.
Spring Sessions
In-Person – 12 weeks
Sundays: April 2 – June 25
Mondays: April 3 – June 26
Tuesdays: April 4 – June 27
Focussed on a wide variety of Method Integration Techniques and text work. See below for more info.
Other information:
- Times for all classes:
- 1pm – 5/5:30pm (depending on class size)
- Class Size
- 6-10 actors
- Location
- In-Person near Carlton & Parliament.*
- Fees
- IN-PERSON – 12 weeks: (Sundays, Mondays)
- Returning actors/ACTRA members: $700.CAD + 91.00 hst
- Actors new to studio: $780.CAD + 101.41 hst
- ONLINE – 6 weeks (Saturdays – six weeks)
- Returning actors/ACTRA members: $325.CAD + 42.25 hst
- Actors new to studio: $360.CAD + 46.80 hst
Integrated Techniques
What happens in session?
Please also view the videos on the Upcoming Sessions page.
Warm Ups for the actor’s instrument
- Linklater voice warm-ups
- Alexander & Yoga body alignment
- Theatre Games for spontaneity
Stanislavsky-Based Approaches for craft choice-work & text:
- Strasberg Relaxation, Sense Memory, Song & Dance
- Meisner for listening
- Adler text analysis
- Hagen Privacy Exercises & Strasberg Private Moment work
- Improvisational Techniques & Animal Work for character
- On-Camera Skills: monologues, audition scenes and long-term Scene Study
- Auditions Techniques: cold reads and fully prepared
* Work is often filmed on personal SD cards, on actor’s iphones or recorded on Zoom.
Payments & Refund Policy: Payment can be made in pre-arranged instalments, but a substantial portion needs to be paid before and another payment by the 2nd week of class. Talk to Miriam about it. Unless we’ve arranged otherwise, half of the full payment is due two weeks before class. The balance is due a week before class. If you have to withdraw you can do so up to two weeks before class minus a $113.00 registration fee. No refunds will be issued after a week before class or after class has started. Each actor does get up to two ‘make-up’ exercises if they have to miss a class or two. Receipts will be issued by the middle of the session. Payment is to be made online by e-transfer to miriam.laurence@gmail.com.
Registration Process
Miriam meets all prospective actors and together they decide if this work is right for them.
If you are interested in studying with Miriam, watch the class video and then email her:
miriam.laurence@gmail.com
In the email tell her a bit about previous training in acting or related areas, life experience, and why you want to train with her. Please attach a resume and headshot if you have one.
Miriam will get back to you by email and arrange a time to meet with you online to establish an individual connection.
This procedure helps her tailor an individual program of study for each actor, preserves the integrity of the class, and ensures a safe space to explore the craft.
As the class size is limited, it offers a high value to those who are committed.
After admittance, payment will be made via online banking.
Actors have found that training with Miriam for a year or two builds their technique and forces them to take risks more effectively than going from teacher to teacher.
The depth of training leads to a highly skilled and intuitive acting style in theatre, television, and film.
Actors gain the freedom, the information, and the knowledge to explore the many choices available to them and become better actors as a result.
Auditing
Actors who have studied with Miriam are welcome to come back to audit free of charge when they are not in a session.
Actors new to Miriam should arrange to meet her on Zoom and watch the class video on this website as a virtual ‘audit.’
As with many US studios, there are no auditors except for those who have previously trained with Miriam and understand the work.
Connect with Miriam:
miriamlaurence@gmail.com