Jesse Eisenberg & Justin Bartha to Host Acting Workshop at Matrix Theatre, 11/16

Matrix Theatre Company, located in the heart of Mexicantown, has announced a new partnership between Hollywood actor Justin Bartha and the Matrix Teen Company. Bartha will travel to Detroit and host an acting workshop for the Matrix Teen Company this Saturday, November 16. The workshop will focus on the Meisner Technique of acting, a method made famous by Sanford Meisner at The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. Bartha, joined by actor and playwright Jesse Eisenberg, will continue to work with the Teen Company the following Monday and Tuesday, November 18 and 19, where the actors will assist the young thespians in developing an original play focusing on issues of education. These workshops will be held at Matrix Theatre Company, 2730 Bagley, Detroit, MI 48216.

This four-day visit is only the first in a series of exchanges Bartha has planned with Matrix Theatre Company. He will continue to assist the Teen Company in developing their newest script remotely until February 2014, when he returns to Detroit. At that time, he will serve as a guest director and stage the newly conceived show for performances. The production will open in April and feature the acting talents of Matrix Teen Company members.

Justin Bartha is an actor who was raised in West Bloomfield and now resides in California. He has appeared in many feature films including National Treasure, Failure to Launch, and all three Hangover franchises. Jesse Eisenberg is an actor living in New York and has appeared in feature films such as The Squid and the Whale, Zombieland, and The Social Network. Both men are excited to work with the Matrix Teen Company and impart their expertise in the areas of acting and playwriting. Matrix Director of Education Andrea Scobie says, "We are so excited that Mr. Bartha has reached out to us. This is such a wonderful opportunity for our Teen Company."

The Matrix Teen Company consists of high school students from the Detroit area who write, produce, and act in a full season of plays each year that draws attention to crucial community issues. Past productions have addressed issues such as bullying, HIV, immigration, gang violence, and much more. Instructors and members of the Matrix Teen Company have hosted and led workshops, residencies, and performances in and around southeastern Michigan.

For more information about the Matrix Teen Company, Matrix Theatre Company, or this partnership, go to matrixtheatre.org or call 313-967-0999 ext. 3.

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