Charley Layton

My experience at Atlantic Acting School was akin to gradually assembling a truly amazing puzzle. One of the initial pieces I discovered and valued the most was when I completed my application form. A specific question made me realize that Atlantic was the perfect fit for me. The query was something like, “What can you tell us about the words inclusion, diversity, equality?” This indicated to me that it would be a safe and conscientious place where I could be myself and feel welcomed.

Freestyle Love Supreme’s Aneesa Folds is joining the cast of Cyclops: A Rock Opera in the role of Dionysus, the god of wine, women, and song. Learn more about who else is appearing in the cast, and how to get tickets here!

I've been acting since 1989 - a union member of both major acting unions since the late 1990's/early 2000's. During my career, I've been described as a 'working actor,' an 'actor's actor' and/or 'a blue collar actor.' There have been times where even though I have called myself, with outward pride, an actor; internally, I've felt lacking. I never went to a four-year acting program. I actually started out as a visual artist, attending art school after high school. But even as a child in North Carolina, I'd strike poses in my bedroom mirror, as if I was appearing in the opening credits of shows like 'Hawaii Five-O,' humming the theme song as I vamped it up. I had the dream, but I honestly didn't even know there was such a thing as an acting school.

59E59 Theaters is now presenting 'Mr. Toole,' a production that will appeal to literature and drama lovers alike. The Off-Broadway premiere of this play is superbly written by Vivian Neuwirth, finely directed by Cat Parker, and features an outstanding cast.

Rory Byrne and Lumka Coleman are in their final semester of Atlantic's Full-Time conservatory, a program that equips students with the tools to found their own theater company. Time to unpack and explore the company's up-coming inaugural play The House of Bernarda Alba by Federico Garcìa Lorca in a new adaptation by Emily Mann directed by Bluebird Ensemble member, Romain Mereau.

In the early stages of creating a role, one of the questions actors might ask is 'how does my character speak his/her/their lines?' Or 'does my character have an accent or dialect that's different from mine?' As a dialect coach, my job is to assist them in learning and perfecting various accents and dialects for theater, film, TV, and internet. Very often, just knowing where to get started in dialect study can be overwhelming; so here's Step 1.

"For (give) me" is a new work of ensemble aerial dance from Circus Solaris. It is an exploration of storytelling in movement that comments on the effects of emotional trauma, the damaged psyche, long term stresses, coping mechanisms, and how these sources of stress and agitation manifest in the body over time. The world premiere of the piece will be presented by Theater for the New City's Dream Up Festival September 5 to 9.

Accordions Around the World is a four-week series that brings over 100 accordionists, as well as bandoneon, bayan, concertina, and harmonium-players of different musical genres, to perform at Bryant Park. Accordion Picnics, each Wednesday between June 28 and July 19, spotlights 24 musicians at each performance and offers audiences the chance to experience the range of this often-overlooked instrument.

Mr. Toole, a new play written by award-winning playwright Vivian Neuwirth made its World Premiere at The Midtown International Theatre Festival on July 21st. Set against the backdrop of New Orleans, this play is a deeply personal reflection on the life of John Kennedy Toole, author of the Pulitzer Prize Winning, 'A Confederacy of Dunces.' The play was inspired by Vivian's time as a student of Mr. Toole's at St. Mary's Dominican College in New Orleans. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Cynthia von Buhler's Speakeasy Dollhouse: The Bloody Beginning grew out of the artist's lifelong fascination with the mysterious death of her Italian immigrant grandfather, Frank Spano, in 1935. Originally conceived as a one-night event, Speakeasy Dollhouse took on a life of its own and since 2011 has become one of New York's most innovative theatrical experiences, spawning other immersive plays including Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic and The Brothers Booth. Held in historic venues that transport audience members back in time (like Edwin Booth's former Gramercy Park mansion and the Liberty Theater in Times Square), von Buhler's productions are sensuous and visual triumphs which reflect her background in the fine arts. The Bloody Beginning made its Brooklyn debut on July 22 at the Weylin, formerly the stunning Williamsburgh Savings Bank, across the street from the legendary Peter Luger steakhouse.

Transporting audiences to an era of mobsters, moonshine, and murder, one of the city's most unique, interactive, and surreal theatre experiences returns at Weylin, the newly restored Williamsburg Savings Bank landmark building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Transporting audiences to an era of mobsters, moonshine, and murder, one of the city's most unique, interactive, and surreal theatre experiences returns at Weylin, the newly restored Williamsburg Savings Bank landmark building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Mr. Toole, a new play written by award-winning playwright Vivian Neuwirth will have its World Premiere at The Midtown International Theatre Festival on July 21st. Set against the backdrop of New Orleans, this play is a deeply personal reflection on the life of John Kennedy Toole, author of the Pulitzer Prize Winning, 'A Confederacy of Dunces.' The play was inspired by Vivian's time as a student of Mr. Toole's at St. Mary's Dominican College in New Orleans.

Following the release of their groundbreaking, viral music video, improvisational voice band Subtle Pride is seated at the cusp of international fame as they announce the presentation of their highly-anticipated and aptly-named new show SUBTLE PRIDE: Live in Concert on June 11th at Dixon Place (161A Chrystie St.).

Following the release of their groundbreaking, viral music video, improvisational voice band Subtle Pride is seated at the cusp of international fame as they announce the presentation of their highly-anticipated and aptly-named new show SUBTLE PRIDE: Live in Concert on June 11th at Dixon Place (161A Chrystie St.).

STARDUST, The Secret City's Winter Solstice Celebration, is slated for Sunday, December 20 at 6:00PM (doors open at 5:30 pm) at Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South, NYC. 

'NOMA' is a wordless movement piece with aerial dance directed by Sara Zepezauer, choreographed and designed by the Circus Solaris Collective (www.circussolaris.com). In the work, individual artists collaborate to create something bigger than they are capable of alone, using painting as a metaphor for the darkness that can overtake us in our futile flight from death. 'NOMA' will have its American premiere tonight, September 9, through September 19 as part of Theater for the New City's 2015 Dream Up Festival.

'NOMA' is a wordless movement piece with aerial dance directed by Sara Zepezauer, choreographed and designed by the Circus Solaris Collective (www.circussolaris.com). In the work, individual artists collaborate to create something bigger than they are capable of alone, using painting as a metaphor for the darkness that can overtake us in our futile flight from death. 'NOMA' will have its American premiere September 9 to 19 as part of Theater for the New City's 2015 Dream Up Festival.

This spring, a former Broadway theater just off Times Square will be resurrected as the lavish and risque playground of Florenz Ziegfeld and his Follies for SPEAKEASY DOLLHOUSE: ZIEGFELD'S MIDNIGHT FROLIC, the third interactive show in the Speakeasy Dollhouse series from author, artist and playwright Cynthia von Buhler.

Now in its 9th year, The NY Clown Theatre Festival is New York's preeminent annual, international Clown Theatre festival.