USC to Host Summer Institute for International Actors

The USC School of Dramatic Arts is launching an innovative program for international actors to study in Los Angeles, it was announced Dec. 17 by Dean Madeline Puzo.

The Summer Institute for International Actors at the USC School of Dramatic Arts will be a five-week intensive program combining immersive English language training with rigorous acting and professional development courses. It is designed to prepare actors for a professional career in global co-productions.

"The idea arose from a series of conversations that key members of the school's faculty and I had with Donna Isaacson (executive vice president of casting for 20th Century Fox and member of the school's Board of Councilors) and President Han Sheng and his faculty from the prestigious Shanghai Theatre Academy," Puzo said. "We realized that there is a bridge that needs to be built between filmmakers and actors who would like opportunities to work in the global arena."

The new program will offer distinctive opportunities to its participants, including concentrated courses in audition preparation, acting for the camera, voice and improvisation, as well as workshops with leading casting directors, agents, managers and other entertainment professionals. Outings to film studios, theatres and museums in the area will immerse participants in the culture of Los Angeles. Students also will improve their English-speaking fluency through specialized, immersive English classes taught by faculty members of the USC International Academy.

Associate Dean of Global Initiatives David Bridel, who leads acting workshops around the world, said, "I've met young actors in all corners of the globe, from China to Eastern Europe to South America, who are hungry for experiences that will connect them to the Hollywood film industry. This program aims to make those connections."

The Summer Institute classes will be taught by the internationally acclaimed faculty of the USC School of Dramatic Arts. The school's faculty of working artists are experts in their field and have an intimate understanding of the industry.

"There are multiple advantages for the participants," Bridel continued. "The first-class faculty will provide an education that is hard to match anywhere in the world. In addition, the location of the institute, next door to Hollywood's film industry, means that highly motivated performers from around the world will get their first look at what it means to build an international career that will include Hollywood."

The first cohort of the institute is scheduled to begin in summer 2015, with applications available online in January at https://dramaticarts.usc.edu/summer-institute/

Photo Credit: Stacey Rizzo