“Our studio is all about exercising the actor’s instrument. It is about going to the gym, artistically speaking. It is not about trying to ‘prove’ oneself as an actor/artist…or about playing a ‘result’ of performance…or about having the pressure to ‘perform’ for an audience while training…or about ‘getting the job’…or about being ‘perfect’…or about being addicted to adjustments to ‘get you there’. It is for you, the professional actor, as a safe space to cultivate the craft of acting…to be courageous…to take risks…to get messy…to get specific… to struggle when there is struggle…and to celebrate diving into all the obstacles and blocks that may be experienced in the work equally as celebrating all the breakthroughs and successes! It is not about ‘hoping’ your work goes well and it is not about being ‘lucky’ if it does. It is all about the craft of acting and how it supports the actor consistently. And within that, it is also about knowing that there is not always ‘The‘ way to get there. But there always is ‘A‘ way! And that way will resonate with you and stimulate your instrument to do honest, truthful, exciting, sophisticated, and very human unpredictable moment-to-moment work in relation to the circumstances at hand. That is a craft that will never fail you. It will always have your back. It will support you in your knowing and therefore open the door to that delicious desired freedom within the unknown of the moment. That is the craft that you want to cultivate! That is the craft that you want to continue to work with!” ~Mario Campanaro, Founder and Master Teacher
MC² Actors Studio, founded by master teacher Mario A. Campanaro, is a conservatory based and ensemble oriented acting studio dedicated to the professional actor. The studio’s main objective is to teach and support the actor in cultivating a craft that is tailored to work specifically for him or her. Our studio sets a very high standard when it comes to truth, authenticity, responsibility, accountability, commitment, respect, and professionalism in the work. Our instructors use their powerfully effective and intuitive individual teaching style in combination with the ingenious methods of Stanislavsky, Hagen, Adler, Strasberg, Meisner, Chekhov, Linklater, Rosenburg, and Alexander.
The actor needs to cultivate a craft that he or she can always put to the test, refine, mix and match and…most importantly…trust. The actor needs to find solace working with and supported by a consistent, fail-proof, reliable technique that allows him or her to fully live within the unknown of the moment. The craft of acting needs to make ‘human sense’ in order for it to be tangible and viscerally executable. If it does not mirror life, it is not going to be relevant or useful in the work. The craft of acting is not suppose to be this complicated equation forcing and imprisoning the actor into his or her head. It needs to come out of theory and viscerally resonate within the actor’s being based on how we humans…in all of our grit, glory, and colorful complexity…authentically and honestly live moment to moment within the full spectrum of life circumstances.
It has to vibrate within the actor’s mind, body and spirit so the actor can be fully free, alive and specific within the circumstances of any given text. That is the craft that allows the actor to throw caution to the wind, dissolve fear, live truthfully moment to moment and stay in love with the craft of acting!
All of our classes are focused for the professionally oriented actor. All MC² Actors Studio ensemble members are invited to study at the studio based on a New Ensemble Member Studio Entry Enrollment Interview. The interview consists of a 10-15 minute conversation with one of our masterclass teachers to learn about the prospective ensemble member’s background, training and relationship to the work to see if it is a good fit overall before receiving an invite into one of our ensembles and to study at the studio. It is of the utmost importance that all actors invited to study at the studio are there with the intention of training, studying, exercising and exploring the creative process of acting with the same accountability, commitment, work-ethic, investment, responsibility, respect, professionalism, standard, skill, consistency and demand that the professional world expects and demands. There is also the opportunity during the interview process for the prospective ensemble member to ask any questions they may have about the studio, its approach to the work and the expectations as an invited ongoing MC² Actors Studio ensemble member.
We are excited about working with professionally-minded actors that are passionate about nurturing their talent and committed to the craft of acting. All actors are placed into a specific ensemble based on their studio entry interview. Each ensemble is carefully put together based on the actor’s acting background, experience, skill, training and professional objectives. This is to be sure that each class is solidified working at a congruent level allowing for a forward momentum as the work and ensemble progresses. If an invite is extended, we ask that the invited actor confirm their spot as soon as possible as there are other actors from our waitlist patiently waiting to interview to begin their training at the studio.
Once each ensemble is formed, that specific ensemble comes together each week to wholeheartedly cultivate and strengthen the craft..and all aspects of what an actor’s work demands. Actors are paired up by their specific instructor and then have to choose or, in some cases, assigned a scene/exercise that excites, stimulates, and challenges his or her instrument. Scene work will always be from a well-written play that is age-appropriate, well-characterized, and contains a multitude of stakes and challenges within the circumstances.
Actors will receive their scene partner, assignments and/or acting exercises two weeks before their first class on that specific text. Each group is then required to do all the necessary work on their scene or exercise. That includes all of the text analysis, the break down of given circumstances, becoming grounded in the character’s spine/through-line/super-objective, identifying the action of the scene, formulating actable objectives, identifying obstacles, understanding intentions, viscerally endowing the stakes/relationships/objects/environment, creating environment, making strong and specific physical/vocal/psychological/emotional choices, choosing appropriate character attire and then marrying all that work with personalization, imagery, substitution, emotional recall, as if’s, all the crucial endowment work for all of the aforementioned…in other words, any and all necessary steps an actor must implement to bring any given text alive.
Actors must significantly rehearse their scene or exercise with their partner(s) before getting up into the space in order to get the most of their time. This is to test the work the actor has done on their own and then, more importantly, drop it so as to live and experience what all that work has done for their instrument in relationship to the circumstances within the unknown of the moment with their partner(s). It is required for all scenes to be off book for the first week. Actors remain with their scene partner(s) exploring the world of each assigned play and scene for four weeks. Each ensemble’s class meets once a week and each class is five hours. There are always four classes in each month unless a holiday happens to fall on a given class day.
Through this approach to the work, actors no longer need to depend on ‘luck‘ or become addicted to adjustments in the hopes of creating work that is consistently present, alive, spontaneous, instinctual, uninhibited, and truthful because the actor has gained a process…a craft… that he or she can always trust and rely on! He or she is in the known in order to fully and vibrantly live within the unknown of the moment.
Now Offering Online Classes!
It is no secret that we are living in very unique times. Yet, throughout history, the artist’s way has always been to adjust, overcome and persevere! It has always been during times of great difficulty and strife, that the artist’s work is needed, manifests and is transformational for the collective. It is essential and brings comfort, connection and healing in a very powerful way to our world! Our love, dedication and commitment to our work and what it does transcends anything attempting to stand in the way of our calling!
The safety of all our students and ensemble members, globally, is and always will be of the utmost importance to us. In order to continue with our creative work, artistic training and persevere exercising the craft of acting, MC² Actors Studio has mindfully and specifically adjusted our curriculum to be held online using the Zoom platform (this includes any and all rehearsals, coachings and studio entry auditions) in compliance with present Public Health, Public Safety & Governmental Issued Guidelines.
We also have implemented the use of green screens for all scene work so that our ensemble members continue to explore environment in a new and exciting way while also developing this necessary skill clearly happening in our modern digital/CGI film and television mediums.
MC² Actors Studio is extremely excited to be able to offer this approach to the exercising of the craft and are so proud of the perseverance and continued monumental growth from all of our ensemble members globally.
To be scheduled for your MC² Actors Studio entry audition, please contact our administrative department here.
★ Please also note that due to the ongoing public health circumstances, MC² Actors Studio does not offer audit classes at this time.
★ Please note that all MC² Actors Studio classes, including MC² Actors Studio Masterclass, may be at full capacity. We only allow for 20 actors per ensemble. Should you be invited to study at the studio after your studio entry audition and there is not a spot presently available in one of our ensembles, you will be placed on our waitlist and contacted once a spot becomes available.
★ MC² Actors Studio offers a Class Observation Month option for active on-going MC² Actors Studio ensemble members only who are not able to work in class during a specific month (due to work schedules/personal reasons/conflicts/time constraints/ensemble is at full capacity) but are still committed to the studio’s momentum of artistic and professional learning, study, training and overall cultivation of the craft of acting. This option extends the opportunity for qualifying ensemble members to attend classes, observe the lecture, witness the ensemble’s scene work, note sessions and lessons. If an ensemble member chooses this option and it is approved by our administrative department, it is important that the actor understands her or she or they will not be getting up in the space to work, will not be assigned a scene or exercise, will not be assigned a scene partner or note taking partner, will not be receive notes and will not be receiving studio class exercise pdfs. However, the observing ensemble member is expected to join the ensemble in the beginning class exercise and understands that all the same studio professional rules and expectations are applicable as an observer. If an ensemble member chooses this option, tuition will be adjusted and the MC² Actors Studio invoice will reflect the Observation Month tuition fee.
Pay For Classes Here!