Writing & Acting   

This is a course for any writer, experienced or not. Every week, we’ll use a variety of prompts to write in class. Prompts are not only ideas for a story or quotes from literature, they are sources of inspiration that also come from visual art, music, current events, or conversations. So, be prepared to write a lot! The idea is to unlock the stories you have inside, and kick start at least one larger project by the end of the class.

Designed for anyone who wants to “take the stage” – in acting or public speaking! The art of acting is not just about being the next famous actor, but it explores life skills that everyone can utilize in any profession. Explore the elements of acting while freeing your creativity, increasing your confidence, and learning how to work effectively in a group. The tools and techniques of the actor’s craft are introduced through a wide variety of exercises, games, improvisations, short-scripted material, monologues, and scenes. Use these tools and techniques to forward your career and improve your listening and communication skills. No experience necessary.

Learn the basics of TV and motion picture screenwriting through sharing original work with an intimate group and offering/receiving constructive feedback. The class begins with the screening of several short film clips and a discussion of what makes a scene work or not. Students will deepen their media literacy and analysis skills while workshopping their own ideas for feature scripts or TV pilots. After establishing the importance of setting, character, and conflict, the class will get to the really exciting stuff: three-act structure and professional screenplay formatting! Having crossed Joseph Campbell’s proverbial threshold, the class will workshop outlines and key scenes and return changed with the makings of a perfect script.

This class will help writers put pen to paper and find their voice and story. The six words will help shape your narrative, no matter how long or short. Based on your six words, you will have the start of a flash-fiction piece, a short story, a piece of poetry, or the start of a memoir. Through the course of the class, you will work with your original six words to help develop the story’s statement, including plot, setting, characters, and more. In the end, you will have a writing project you can be proud of and can add to as you continue the story's journey.

Whether you already keep a journal or are looking to start one, imagine taking your journaling to the next level. In this class, we will take the ritual and art of journaling and create a beautiful treasure of your life’s journey. By using different prompts, objects, and memories, you will create a journal that not only tells your story in words, but in objects also. Give life to your special objects to help bring your story to life. A perfect project to have for years to come.

Have you ever wanted to write a memoir but didn’t know where to start? In this workshop writer and educator, Frank Ingrasciotta will guide you on how to bring your life stories to the page. Storytelling is our most ancient art form and everyone has a story in us that wants to be told. When powerful storytelling resonates, it creates shared experiences of commonality that bonds us as a community. In this four-session memoir writing class, we will examine various aspects of storytelling. Through writing exercises, we will explore the tools of your personal expression that brings writing to life.