BIRNEY, RAPP & MATTHEWS Teach Ahead of the Class

The Freeman Studio, the Tribeca-based acting studio led by Scott Freeman, is offering three exciting master classes through October with three distinguished theatre luminaries. These classes are open to non-Freeman Studio students. Reed Birney shares his insights on Monday October 10, 10am to 5pm; Adam Rapp leads the way on Sunday October 23, 1pm to 5pm, and Dakin Matthews delivers a Shakespeare master class for actors on Sunday October 30, 11am to 2pm.

A longtime Freeman Studio faculty member, Birney has been unable to teach his on-going class due to his Tony Award-winning role in "The Humans." On Monday he presents his master class to actors who are new to his hands-on acting training, and who will present prepared scenes and monologues during the daylong session. A handful of spaces are still open. Monday October 10, 10am to 5pm. The cost is $210

Rapp -- a celebrated playwright, director and filmmaker -- will roll up his sleeves to work on scenes from his plays with class participants. His plays include "Red Light Winter" (Pulitzer Prize finalist), and "Nocturne". A writer on Vinyl, he has also penned several notable young adult novels. He wrote and directed the films "Blackbird," and "Winter Passing" (starring Zooey Deschanel and Will Ferrell). He typically directs his own plays. Sunday October 23, 1pm to 5pm. Just $50, part of the Studio's Low-Cost Workshop Series.

Actor, director, teacher and dramaturg Dakin Matthews combines his far-ranging expertise as an actor, director and teacher in a powerful master class that makes Shakespeare uniquely relatable to actors at all levels. Matthews, who is currently appearing on Broadway in "Waitress," was Denzel Washington's dramaturg on the Broadway production of "Julius Caesar," and for Lincoln Center Theater on several occasions, including for their Drama Desk Award-winning adaptation of "Henry IV Parts 1 & 2." He also was a key participant The British/American Bridge Project with Sam Mendes. Sunday October 30, 11am to 2pm. Just $40, part of the Studio's Low-Cost Workshop Series.

For more information and to reserve a spot, visit www.thefreemanstudio.com. The Freeman Studio, 79 Leonard Street, is between Broadway and Church Street.

The Freeman Studio supplements its acting curriculum with an unusual mix of panels, talks and low-cost workshops that are open to actors at all stages of their careers, and that emphasize the community-supportive values that run through all Freeman Studio classes. Most of these add-ons are open to non-Studio students.

The Studio's popular "Actors Aloud" series has featured Cherry Jones, Santino Fontana and Sarah Steele, Carrie Preston; Michael Emerson; Marin Ireland; Terry Kinney; Judith Ivey' Jayne Houdyshell; Maria Dizzia, Suzanne Bertish, Anatol Yusef, and Lois Smith and Amanda Quaid, among others.