Mad Horse Theatre Company Announces Summer Workshops

Mad Horse Theatre Company, Portland's own resident professional theatre ensemble, is sponsoring basic and advanced acting workshops this summer, taught by professional director and actor Al D'Andrea.

"Acting From The Ground Up: How An Actor Prepares To Play The Role" is a basic acting workshop that will take a fresh look at the basic building blocks of the actor's work in creating a role in a play, using the techniques of Stella Adler as a point of departure. This active workshop is suitable for both beginning and experienced actors who wish to revisit the essential elements of their stagecraft. No acting experience is necessary.

"Take Your Acting To The Next Level: Using Structured Improvisation To Bring Creativity, Spontaneity and Truth To Your Work" is an advanced acting workshop that will explore the many theatre games, exercises, activities and improvisational tools that can add immediacy, honesty and richness to an actor's work onstage, and is based on the seminal work in the field of improvisation by Viola Spolin and her successor Stephen Book. Acting experience and an audition are required.

Al D'Andrea has worked professionally as an actor and director in New York and Los Angeles for 30 years. He is the former artistic director of New York's Third Step Theatre Company, where he developed dozens of new plays and musicals for the stage. He has directed countless productions and workshops across the country, and has taught acting and directing for many years, including at the Los Angeles Theatre Of Arts. His teaching is based on the work of two theater greats with whom he has studied - the legendary Stella Adler and Hollywood sensation Stephen Book, protégé of the renowned Viola Spolin.

Acting From The Ground Up (Basic)
8 Wednesdays: June 16 to August 4, 6-9 pm

Take Your Acting To The Next Level (Advanced)
8 Thursdays: June 17 to August 5, 6-9 pm

At the Hutchins School, 24 Mosher Street, South Portland

The cost for each workshop is $175. For more information, to reserve a place in a workshop, or to schedule an audition, please contact Margit Ahlin at 207-518-9305 or wordzworth@aol.com.

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Sound Design - Top 3

1. Adam Fisher - The Lost Boys

38.8% of votes

2. Tony Gayle - Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

12.6% of votes

3. Kai Harada - Ragtime

7.1% of votes

Vote Now! View Live Stats