Elizabeth/Vincent D’Onofrio
Audition Workshop at Hilton Naples 

Course Outline

Acting as a Creative Art
With Elizabeth D’Onofrio

As a painter prepares a canvas or a musician tunes his instrument, so must an actor prepare to create art. Based on her studies with Sonia Moore of “The American Stanislavski Theater,” with Sharon Chatten of “The Actors Studio”, in NYC, and her work as a professional actor in Theater and Film, Elizabeth D’Onofrio will be conducting a four hour workshop. This workshop will consist of: A cold reading technique, on camera cold readings, critique, Relaxation, and Sense Memory exercises, improvisations, and monologue coaching.

Curriculum for Workshop

1.    Introduction to Acting as a Creative Art
        a)    About your Instructor
        b)    The Stanislavski System and Method Acting
        c)    Building a character starting with yourself

Sides from Screenplays and Stage plays are handed out to the students

2.    How to prepare for you cold reading
        a)    Learning the five W’s (Who, What, Where, When, and Why)
        b)    Reading the sides over and over
        c)    Knowing your objective (what do you want from the other person or
               people in the scene)
        d)    Listening
        e)    Don’t Act, React
        f)     Breathe
        g)    Know exactly what you are saying and why you are saying it.

3.    Cold Readings on Camera
        a)    Students, two at a time, do their readings
        b)    Critique is given on the reading
        c)    Information on how to make the reading better
        d)    Read again

4.    Relaxation exercise
        a)   Sit back in straight back chair, eyes closed, hands down by your sides, feet
              flat on the floor
        b)    Mental Relaxation
        c)    Physical Relaxation

5.    Sense Memory Exercise
        a)    Introduction to Sense Memory
        b)    Using your senses to recreate a comfortable place

6.    Improvisations
        a)    Explanation of Improvisations (using the 5 Ws, objectives, obstacles, etc.)
        b)    Students act out the scene from their sides
        c)    Critique

7.    Monologue coaching
        a)    How to find the right monologue
        b)    Creating the character from the inside out
        c)    Instructor coaches student that have brought a monologue to work on

8.    Q and A