ACADEMY 2026: Scene Study for Teens
Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center
Moderated by Michael Kirby
Saturdays, 10:00am-1:00pm
$425 for seven 3-hour classes
This Academy class is designated for teens aged 13 to 18.
Scene Study for Teens
In this dynamic Scene Study class for teens, students will learn to approach a script the way professional actors do—through play, curiosity, and skill. Each class will begin with a warmup then through a combination of theatre games, improvisation, and text analysis, you’ll discover how to break open a scene and tell the story. Each class gets you on your feet, pursuing objectives and making bold choices as you explore both classical and contemporary material. By the end of the course, you’ll walk away with techniques you can apply to any scene—on stage, on camera, or wherever your acting journey takes you. The final class will be a classroom presentation of your work and family members are invited to attend.
Actors are asked to prepare a short, memorized monologue to present for the first class.
January 10, January 17, January 24, January 31, February 7, February 14, February 21
About Michael Kirby:
Michael Kirby is a longtime member of the Antaeus Theatre Company, where his work has included Nora, Hamlet, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Henry IV Part I, Chekhov X 4, and A Tale of Charles Dickens. He has also performed at theatres across the country, including The Mark Taper Forum, The Old Globe, The Laguna Playhouse, and Syracuse Stage, as well as Off-Broadway. His film and television credits span a wide range of projects.
As an educator, Michael is currently an Adjunct Professor of Acting and Voice at Cypress College in Cypress, CA. His teaching career began with Shakespeare@Play in Burbank, bringing workshops and 45-minute Shakespeare productions to schools throughout the region. While at The Old Globe in San Diego, he led pre- and post-show workshops for student audiences. In New York, Michael worked extensively as a teaching artist with Epic Theatre Ensemble, collaborating with students in underserved communities across Harlem, the Bronx, and Brooklyn to develop original plays performed alongside professional actors. He has taught workshops at institutions nationwide, including Syracuse University, Pomona College, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Virginia Tech, the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, and Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls, SD, among others.
Michael holds an MFA in Classical Theatre from The Old Globe/University of San Diego Professional Actor Training Program and a BA in Acting from Cal State Fullerton.
