Acting Intensive at Arizona Actors Academy

These are advanced, professional level acting workshops.

Recommended for intermediate to advanced actors seeking intensive focus.

Registration Open

Acting Intensive Details

Scene Study

In-Person Classes

Meeting June 30th & July 6th 10am-5:00 or 6:00pm

includes 45 min. lunch break

July 1st & 2nd 6:00pm-10pm (or when finished)

Sunday (all day), Monday (evening), Tuesday (evening) & Saturday (all day)

$450 for Full Program

Our Artistic Director Brandy Hotchner is happy to offer this week-long acting intensive with a focus on Lee Strasberg’s Relaxation and Sensory and approach to working moment to moment.

Students will come prepared either with two contrasting monologues to work all week or you are also welcome to choose a scene if you sign up with a partner. 

All material must be from a published play and memorized. Specific preparation will be sent upon registration. Former students working professionally coming in for this workshop; Brandy will work with you directly on your focus for highly advanced work this week including Dream Work.

Stand alone Relaxation and Sensory Workshop

Sunday, June 30th 10am – 12:00pm

Cost $100

Registration open

Relaxation and Sensory

Lee Strasberg’s systematic technique.

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American Acting

American Method tool box of acting

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The Acting Intensive at Arizona Actors Academy

led by Artistic Director Brandy Hotchner

In these specialty classes at Arizona Actors Academy, Artistic Director Brandy Hotchner moves actors through the “personal journey” as Lee Strasberg put it, that is the Method Acting approach. It’s not for the masses. Actors who are drawn to this work are seeking the deepest realism and truth as an actor. It’s a process that awakens the soul of the artist and lays a foundation for solid technique that will serve the actor their whole life. It’s practice is life long and requires a desire to delve deep into your own history, celebrate your whole self, the messy parts too and demands a fortitude and grit not typical to acting training as a whole. It’s not the right way, it’s one way and for those who truly seek this level of work, it can be life changing. Brandy runs these workshops in the traditional format, nearly 100 years old, as taught to her by her mentors Barbara Poitier and Sandra Seacat, both proteges of Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan. She brings her own insights and updated approach to the work. Brandy strives to set each actor on their own, unique journey of discovery – unique to what inspires creativity, opens the heart to fully realized empathy for your character, and what ignites in you a passion to be brave and bold, unabashed and unapologetic. Every class will include Relaxation and Sensory followed by intensive scene/monologue study. Read more below about the unique approach to both and why this training is so highly sought after.
Brandy's Bio

“When you work with Brandy, the lineage is clear: Lee Strasberg to Barbara Poiter to Brandy. She creates a safe, joyous and rigorous environment found only in the classroom of a precious few coaches living today. But she doesn’t stop with just Method work. Her extensive background in classical acting is the foundation she imparts to all actors who study with her.”

Gabe Fazio, Actor/Director, Place Beyond the Pines, Where is Kyra, Homeland, Crashing, lifetime Actor’s Studio member.

Lee Strasberg’s Relaxation and Sensory

Scene Study

Lee Strasberg’s systematic technique of Relaxation/Sensory was 80 years ahead of its time. He had a keen understanding that the physical body held acute memory in the muscles and reflexes far greater than cognitive or narrative memory. Known today as neuro-psychology, nearly 100 years ago, it was just actors blocked by conditioning and habit, unable to freely express their inner experience externally, on stage. Our life experiences and conditioning form a powerful structure of protection against further harm by means of tensing the muscles, clenching the jaw, holding the breath and so forth. Relaxation and Sensory exercises train the actors concentration, eliminates mental and physical blocks that limit full expression and develop the senses to bring the imaginary circumstances of the play to life.

Jack Nicholson on his work with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio

American Acting at Arizona Actors Academy

“I know of no other advice than this: Go within and scale the depths of your being from which your very life springs forth.”

Rainer Maria Rilke
Intro to Meisner

Actors in this workshop work individually with exercises from the highly sought after and too often mis-understood American Method tool box of acting. This class is at its core a deep dive into Lee Strasberg’s Method, Sandra Seacat’s mining of the unconscious, Stella Adler’s expanding of the human spirit through imagination, and Barbara Poitier’s mastery of moment-to-moment work through research/empathy. Actors will present a fully prepared scene or monologue.

Registration Open

Registration Open

2023 Registration For Acting Intensive

Which Class Are You Registering For:

Select your enrollment:

Registration for Acting Intensive

All of our communications are through email, please give us your best contact.

A note from Brandy before you begin.
This work is and has always been uniquely individualized and personal. I meet each actor where they are, and no actor's instrument is alike. There is only one you on this earth and there will never be another like you. I feel my greatest obligation is to that uniqueness. I will bring all my expertise and experience to that service in class. The Method acting technique is inherently confrontational as it demands you look at yourself and your world with stark truth and further, to be brave enough to expose that truth - not polish it, hide it or spare others the full expression of it. We celebrate our imperfections loudly. Work hard to be authentic and vulnerable. I ask that you be prepared to do the outside work that is your obligation to the process. You will not be handheld through this as the artistic struggle is the very engine that moves you progressively forward. This is the same process and journey I took myself as a young actor as did my mentors going all the way back to Stanislavski himself. My dedication to your progress will necessarily trump my concern for your feelings. To serve the craft and to serve you, I must let you struggle as you level up. I ask that you be prepared to fully embrace your journey. I am only your guide, it will be your path to walk alone.

These are advanced, professional level acting workshops.

Tell Us About Yourself

This class is not available to beginning actors. If you are taking your first acting class, please see our Acting Foundations class on Wednesday nights.
I'm a former student of Brandy's and wish to discuss with her a specific area of focus this week.

Class Waiver & Policies

Terms of Enrollment
• PAYMENT Your total tuition fee will be presented before submitting and charged upon completed registration using the information provided.
• REFUNDS Your payment is non-refundable. Cancellations should be made with at least 48 hours notice to pursue credit for future AZAA classes.
• INSTRUCTOR EMERGENCY In the event of emergency, we will send email notifications if classes are cancelled. Any cancelled classes will be offered a make-up class with ample time to adjust your schedule.
• Class Etiquette
We strive every day to create the safest creative environment for artistic development. This requires a working space of the highest integrity for personal risk taking and artistic exploration, both on and off the stage. Please review our student expectations.

Waiver of Liability:
As a participant in any program or class at Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs (Hotchner Studios LLC), understand and agree that in participating in any acting/voice/movement class, workshop, rehearsal or performance, there is a possibility of physical injury or death. I recognize and acknowledge there are certain risks of physical injury, and I agree to assume the full risk of injuries, including death, damages or loss that I or my minor child may sustain as a result of participating in any activities connected with or associated with such program or class. I agree to waive and relinquish all claims I or my minor child may have as a result of participating in any program or class against Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs. (Hotchner Studios LLC) and its officers, agents, servants, employees and independent contractors. I further agree to indemnify and hold harmless and defend Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs (Hotchner Studios LLC) and it's officers, agents, servants, employees an independent contractors from my claims resulting from injuries including death, damages and losses sustained by me or my minor child that arise out of, in connection with, or in any way associated with the activities of this program.

Optional Waiver:
Please check this waiver if you will permit use of you or your child's image as described below. If you do not check this waiver, we will not use you or your child's image. I understand that Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs (Hotchner Sudios LLC) is a non-profit organization that promotes acting as an art form not only to it's students, but also to the community at large. As such, articles, brochures, videos and websites may be used either promotionally or educationally and may include images of Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs (Hotchner Studios LLC) students or other participants in our programs. I hereby permit the use of my, or my daughter/son's image to be photographed, videotaped or otherwise recorded for the use in Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs (Hotchner Studios LLC) publicity or educational materials. These materials include, but are not limited to, photographs of classes and performances, newsletters, various other school publications, Arizona Actors Academy/Theatre Upstairs (Hotchner Studios LLC) internet webpage and video of class/performances.

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