With the gradual reopening of the performing arts to live and in-person events comes news from two important NYC organizations that foster the development of the theater and its artists.
Founded by its namesake in 2001, the Maggie Flanigan Studio has since become one of the most respected professional actor training programs in the US, offering rigorous, intimate, and nurturing conservatory-based instruction, while challenging students to meet the highest professional expectations. Specializing in teaching the Meisner technique – the life work of American actor and teacher Sanford Meisner (1905-97) – the approach emphasizes “the reality of doing” as its foundation, with a method designed to “get you out of your head and into your gut” by reacting instinctively to the surrounding environment.
Since the pandemic closure in March 2020, the Maggie Flanigan Studio left its location on West 27th Street and moved its classes online. But now it will relaunch its in-person training in a new space at 147 West 25th Street, with the grand reopening and the beginning of the studio’s celebrated Two-Year Acting Program, scheduled for September 10.
“The last year and a half has absolutely tested the world’s resiliency. It has been devastating for performers, crew members, students, and the countless small businesses that provide much of the serious arts training for artists in cities across the country. We have had to completely reimagine our idea of theater, performance, and our classroom,” said Charlie Sandlan, Executive Director and Master Teacher at the Maggie Flanigan Studio. “If you have been sitting on a dream, keeping it dormant, waiting for a time to roll the dice on yourself, the time to start a new chapter is now.”
Interested students are urged to apply online via the website, to schedule an interview for the upcoming Fall program.
In addition to the announced reopening of the Maggie Flanigan Studio comes word that Theater Breaking Through Barriers (TBTB) – now celebrating its 42nd season as the only professional Off-Broadway theater company dedicated to advancing artists and developing audiences of people with disabilities, while proving that disability does not affect the quality or integrity of art or artists – will relaunch its TBTB Writers’ Workshop.
“New work has always been an important part of TBTB’s mission and these projects are essential to the disabled community. TBTB started the Writers’ Workshop in 2003, as a way to develop new work from within our ranks. More importantly, we wanted to give writers a chance to develop work for disabled artists and to learn how to write about/for disabled artists. The workshops continued until 2008. Now, thirteen years later, we are once again picking them up as a way to develop new work – and new voices. We are particularly interested in providing disabled writers a safe space to create,” said TBTB Artistic Director Nicholas Viselli.
The revised program for TBTB affiliated artists supports the development of new work (plays or screenplays) in a collaborative and supportive environment and facilitates that work’s exposure to a greater audience. Over the course of a season, each playwright develops a new full-length work inspired by TBTB’s mission. The program culminates in a public reading series, where the new plays are shared with the TBTB community, the larger theater industry, and the general public.
To learn more about TBTB, its programs, and upcoming productions, visit the website; donations to support the company are welcome. You can watch the informative video, “Meet the Theatre: Theater Breaking Through Barriers,” created by the Theater Development Fund, here:
