Acting & Directing Workshop

REGISTER HERE

THIS WORKSHOP BLENDS:
• Practical skill-building
• Script-based application
• Foundational Stanislavski principles
• Ensemble collaboration
• Confidence building
• Basic Directing Skills
PARTICIPANTS WILL LEAVE WITH:
• A stronger understanding of acting technique
• Practical rehearsal experience
• Public performance confidence
• Tools to continue working in future productions
OVERALL DIRECTING FOCUS ACROSS THE COURSE
Participants will:
• Understand the actor–director relationship
• Learn basic script and scene analysis from a director’s perspective
• Gain skills in blocking, pacing, composition, and audience focus
• Practice giving and receiving constructive notes
• Experience light peer-directing in a supported environment

Your facilitator:
Judith Herbig

Judith Herbig studied Drama at the University of Pretoria and worked for PACT, CAPAB and The Out of the Box Performance company in the early 1980s. She soon discovered a love for creating her own work, writing and performing in several one-woman shows including the latest one called Flight, Felines and Holy Frights. She also spent a season performing stand-up comedy with the Cape Comedy Collective.

At the Milnerton Playhouse, Judith has performed leading roles such as Helen Martins in The Road to Mecca (Millies Award – Best Actress) and Mrs. Dubois in Curl Up and Dye. As a director, her productions include A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, The Game’s Afoot, Those Crazy Ladies in the House on the Corner, Let’s Murder Marsha, The Savannah Sipping Society, Aunt Zelda’s Painting, and Scrooge Macbeth. Her production of Miracle of South Division Street in 2017 won the CATA Award for both Best Director and Best Production.

Judith has also been teaching Drama at various high schools for 36 years and directed numerous school productions, ranging from Shakespeare to comedy, and delights in bringing theatre to all performers.

SESSION 1 – WEDNESDAY – 6 May at 19h00
Part A – Body & Voice Awareness
  • The actor’s physical and vocal instrument.
  • Physical warm-ups (alignment, grounding, breath connection)
  • Vocal exercises (breath control, articulation, projection)
  • Introduction to expressive physicality
  • Spatial awareness and stage presence exercises
  • Short improvisations using body only (no dialogue)
  • Stanislavski introduction
Part B – Scene Work: Objectives in Action 
  • Creating believable characters – give list of characters and situations of the various 10min plays
  • Creating a backstory using Stanislavski’s “Given 
  • Basic script analysis: Who am I? Where am I? What do I want?
  • Introduction to Objectives and Obstacles
  • Character Function in the Scene
  • Introduction to table work as a directing tool
Part A – Emotional Portrayal 
  • Accessing authentic emotion safely.
  • Emotional memory discussion (handled carefully and professionally)
  • Substitution and imagination techniques
  • Working with subtext (what is not being said)
  • Pauses, silence, and listening exercises
  • Magic “If” — What would I do if I were in this situation?
  • Action-based (“try to persuade”) rather than emotional (“be sad”)
  • One actor steps out
  • Another participant gives one clear, playable note
  • Emphasis on respectful, concise communication
Part B – Scene Work: Objectives in Action 
  • Cold reading of selected scenes of 10 min plays and Casting for 10-minute plays (tentative)
  • Rehearsal of assigned scenes
  • Clarifying each character’s super-objective
  • Playing actions rather than emotions
  • Director feedback and adjustments
  • Begin memorisation process
  • Action-based (“try to persuade”) rather than emotional (“be sad”)
  • One actor steps out
Part A – Movement & Stagecraft 
  • Focus: Using the body dynamically on stage.
  • Gesture and intention exercises
  • Proxemics (distance between characters)
  • Blocking for clarity and storytelling
  • Tempo and rhythm work
  • Balance, contrast, focus, depth

 

 

Part B – Scene Work: Subtext & Listening

Scene rehearsals focusing on:

  • Active listening
  • Reacting truthfully
  • Avoiding overacting
  • Strengthening emotional beats
  • Refining blocking
  • Introduce motivated blocking
  • Participants briefly suggest blocking ideas and test them practically
Part A – Projection, Energy & Audience Awareness
  • Vocal stamina exercises
  • Playing to the audience without “indicating”
  • Comic timing (especially useful for short plays)
  • Handling nerves
  • Maintaining energy across a full run
  • Directors as audience advocates
  • Sightlines, audibility, clarity
Part B – Scene Work: Polishing Interaction
  • Focus on relationship dynamics
  • Refining physical business
  • Tightening pacing
  • Director notes

 

Part A – Beats and pacing
  • Warm-up
  • Worksheets regarding beats
  • Polishing of beats and pacing
  • Feedback and notes
  • How directors balance:
    • Acting
    • Technical elements
    • Flow of the whole piece
Part B – Timing and transitions
  • First structured run of 10-minute plays
  • Timing adjustments
  • Transitions between scenes
  • Stanislavski Paired Exercise (Magic if)

 

Part A – The “Why” (Internal Motivation)
  • Before an actor can move, they need to know what’s pushing them. This session focuses on Objectives and Obstacles.
  • The “Verbing” Exercise: Give actors a simple line (e.g., “I need the keys”). Have them play it with different transitive verbs: to seduce, to command, to beg, to threaten.
  • The Barrier Improv: Two actors have a scene where one wants to leave the room and the other needs them to stay. Neither can use physical force. This forces them to find psychological “hooks” to achieve their motivation.
  • The Secret Stake: Give an actor a mundane task (folding laundry) but whisper a high-stakes motivation in their ear (e.g., “The police are arriving in two minutes and you’re hiding a flash drive”). Watch how the internal “why” transforms the physical “how.”
Part B – Rehearsal
  • Run scenes
  • Apply skills during rehearsals
  • Integrating simple set/prop elements

 

 

 

 

Part A – The “Pulse”  – Pacing & Tempo
  • Pacing isn’t just about speed; it’s about the variability of energy. We’ll use the concept of “Tempo-Rhythm.”
  • Metronome Scenes: Perform a short, memorized scene while a metronome clicks. Start at 60 BPM (slow/heavy) and jump to 140 BPM (frantic/light). Discuss how the shift in speed forces a shift in emotion.
  • The “Ping-Pong” Drill: Actors stand close and deliver lines as fast as humanly possible, “stepping” on each other’s last word. Once they have the maximum speed, ask them to keep that mental urgency but add intentional silences. This teaches that a “pause” is a choice, not a lapse in memory.
  • Staccato vs. Legato: Have actors perform a monologue. First, they must speak it like a drum (choppy, sharp, percussive). Then, like a violin (flowing, connected, airy).
Part B – Rehearsal
  • Apply skills to scenes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part A – The Integration (The Gear Shift)
  • Warm-up
  • This final session ties it all together: using motivation to dictate the pacing.
  • The “Gear Shift” Scene: Using a two-person script, assign “Gear Shifts.”
    • Gear 1: High motivation, low pacing (A “cat and mouse” interrogation).
    • Gear 2: High motivation, high pacing (An emergency exit).
  • The “Breath Control” Challenge: Motivation lives in the breath. Have actors identify the “thought-breath” before a line. If the motivation is urgent, the breath is short; if the motivation is reflective, the breath is deep.
  • Showcase: Perform a scene twice. The first time, focus only on the text. The second time, “conduct” them like an orchestra, signaling for them to speed up or slow down based on their character’s desperation or confidence.
Part B – Rehearsal
  • Full run with minimal interruptions
  • Technical integration (lights/sound if applicable)
  • Final polishing of beats and pacing
  • Feedback and notes

 

 

 

 

 

Added Directing Component: Final Adjustments

Pre-show physical & vocal warm-up

Fine-tuning moments rather than major changes

Emphasis on trust:

Trusting the work, letting go as performers.

Run scenes and give final notes.

The FDR

This rehearsal will be the first time all the practical principles are put together to create a comprehensive, complete show.

It’s often slow and requires a few stops and starts to iron out the techincal details, but it’s a fundamental part of working in theatre, and will be the first time we have a ‘complete product’

Technical Skills

REGISTER HERE

This programme covers the full technical and production dimension of live theatre across four 2-hour Saturday sessions. It runs in parallel with the Acting & Directing Workshop — with technical participants providing the crew for the 6 June showcase.

The four sessions move from production administration and stage operations (Session 1) through to the three Production Design disciplines: Lighting & AV (Session 2), Sound & Music (Session 3), and Costumes, Props & Set Dressing (Session 4).

WHAT PARTICIPANTS WILL LEAVE WITH

  • An understanding of how a production is planned, scheduled, and managed from first meeting to final curtain
  • The vocabulary and safe working practices of the stage
  • Practical skills in lighting operation, including programming and running a show in QLC+
  • A working understanding of AV and projection
  • A working understanding of live sound, including operating sound consoles
  • Knowledge of the specific technical and organisational requirements of working with live musicians
  • Skills in costume, props, and set dressing management across a production run
  • An understanding of the front of house and box office functions that shape the audience experience
  • The experience of crewing the 6 June showcase alongside the acting and directing participants

WHAT PARTICIPANTS WILL NEED  TO BRING

  • Comfortable clothing — Session 1 involves physical work backstage
  • Notebook and pen — All the sessions are information-dense
  • A willingness to get on a ladder during lighting focus work — never compulsory, always useful. 
  • Closed shoes. No one will be permitted to work on stage in sandals, flip-flops or pumps. Boots or sneakers mandatory.
Your facilitator:
Hema Maskowitz

Hema’s love for theatre started as a child but changed to an addiction in 2016 with a G&S production of My Fair Lady. Since then, she has been involved with a variety of shows-including Snoopy! The Musical, The Wizard of Oz, Ruddigore, Calendar Girls, The Full Monty, The Secret Garden, Dracula – A Comedy of Terrors and the original The Long Way Home. Hema is eager to build sets, make props, write scripts, operate sound, AV, create special effects, but the favourite remains to design and operate the lighting. She spends her days as a designer and engineer of her own lighting company, and evenings supporting the thespians of Cape Town. 

SESSION 01 - SATURDAY - 9 May at 10h00
Part A — Production Management
  • The production team structure: who does what and to whom they answer
  • The production timeline: building a schedule backwards from opening night
  • Production meetings: agenda, minute-taking, decision tracking
  • Key paperwork: contact sheet, scene breakdown, running order, prop list, risk assessment
  • Budgeting basics: tracking and reporting production costs
  • Licences and rights: SAMRO, DALRO, performance rights — what community theatre must have
 
Part B — Front of House & Box Office
  • The House Manager role: authority, responsibility, and the SM relationship
  • Pre-show FOH setup: seating plans, signage, programmes, accessibility
  • The audience journey: arrival, ushering, seating, interval, post-show
  • Briefing and managing volunteer ushers
  • Emergency procedures: evacuation, fire protocol, first aid
  • Box office: cash, card, and online bookings
  • Reconciliation: float, income recording, banking, post-production reporting
Part C — Stage Fundamentals & Stagecraft
  • Stage geography: upstage/downstage, stage left/right, wings, the prompt corner
  • Types of staging: proscenium, thrust, in-the-round, black box
  • The anatomy of the Milnerton Playhouse
  • Legs, borders, flats — what they do and why they matter
  • Cables and power distribution: patch panels, extension leads, load limits
  • Safe working backstage: lifting, working at height, fire exits
  • The get-in and get-out: fit-up, strike, and venue handover
Part D — Stage Management
  • SM, ASM: the team and how responsibilities divide
  • The prompt book: what goes in it and why it matters
  • Calling cues: lighting, sound — language, timing, discipline
  • Headset communication: etiquette and clarity
  • Dealing with problems mid-performance: missed cues, emergencies
  • Post-show duties: reset, lock-up, incident reports
Part A — Lighting Principles & Equipment
  • What theatrical lighting does: visibility, mood, time of day, focus, atmosphere
  • Types of lanterns: Fresnels, PARs, profiles (lekos), floods, LED wash and spot fixtures
  • Colour: gels, colour temperature, additive mixing with LEDs
  • Rigging positions: LX bars, booms, front-of-house — reading a basic rig plan
  • DMX: what it is, how the desk talks to the fixtures, channel addressing
  • Focusing a rig: barn doors, shutters, gobos — the language of a focus session
  • Safety: working at height, hot lanterns, electrical basics

 

Part B — QLC+ Hands-On
  • QLC+ workspace: the Milnerton Playhouse fixture patch
  • Building scenes: intensities, colour mixing, saving states
  • Sequences and chases: simple automated effects
  • Building a basic show: scenes in order, timing adjustments
  • Operating a show: go-button discipline, responding to SM cue calls
  • Basic fault-finding: lamp out, no DMX signal, channel not responding

 

Part C — AV & Projection
  • When and why to use projection: storytelling vs decoration
  • Projector types and throw ratios: front, rear, short-throw
  • Keystoning, sightlines, and image alignment
  • Signal types: HDMI, adapters, media sources
  • Integrating projection with lighting: managing spill, contrast, ambient light
  • Setting up the AV:  workspace, cue building, aspect ratios, file formats
  • Building and triggering a basic video cue stack under SM direction
  • Basic troubleshooting: no signal, wrong resolution, projector failure
  • Live camera integration: feeds, switching, display
Part A — Sound Principles & Signal Chain
  • The signal chain: microphone → preamp → mixer → amplifier → speaker
  • Microphone types: dynamic, condenser, lavalier, boundary — when to use each
  • Speaker placement: PA, delays, monitors, foldback — and why each matters
  • Gain structure: setting levels correctly from the source
  • EQ basics: cutting vs boosting, problem frequencies in live theatre
  • Compression: what it does and when you need it
  • Wireless microphones: frequencies, bodypack fitting, RF management
  • Common problems: feedback causes and prevention, cable faults, ground hum
Part B — Operating the sound desk
  • Allen & Heath digital console: navigation, channel strips, scenes, routing
  • Setting up a basic mix: gain, EQ, fader levels, aux sends for monitors
  • Playback: SCS sound cue building, triggering effects and music tracks
  • Mixing a live show: riding faders, managing vocals, balancing playback
  • Operating under SM direction: responding to cue calls, discipline on the desk
  • The sound designer’s relationship with the director and musical director
Part C — Music & Band Management
  • The musical director’s role and how it relates to sound, SM, and the director
  • Band input lists and stage plots: what they are and how to read them
  • Mic’ing a band in a theatre context: instruments, overheads, DI boxes
  • Monitor mixes for musicians: what each player needs to hear and why
  • Managing stage volume: balancing a live band against vocals and the PA
  • Rehearsal schedules: sitzprobe, band call, piano dress, full dress
  • Playback vs live band: managing the handover and keeping both in sync
  • Music licensing in performance: what SAMRO covers and what it doesn’t
  • Communication between band, MD, SM, and sound operator during a show
Part A — Costume Management
  • The costume supervisor’s role: from design brief to performance
  • Costume plots: scene-by-scene breakdown, tracking what each character wears when
  • Sourcing: hiring, borrowing, buying, building — and keeping a clear record
  • Fittings and alterations: working with actors, comfort and safety on stage
  • Quick-change management: scheduling, dresser roles, layout of change areas
  • Costume storage and care during a run: hanging, labelling, laundry
  • Working with the director and set designer: colour palette and visual coherence
  • End of run: returns, repairs, storage log, donation or sale of items

 

Part B — Props & Set Dressing
  • Roles: props master, set dresser, ASM — how they differ and overlap
  • Building a prop list from a script: prop vs set dressing vs costume — who owns what
  • Sourcing props: borrowing, hiring, building, buying — keeping clear records
  • Prop tables: setup, labelling, and resetting between every performance
  • Set dressing principles: period, style, and translating the director’s concept
  • Continuity: photos and notes on what was where — for resets and the record
  • Working with the set and lighting designers: what dressing changes when light hits it
  • End of run: returns, repairs, storage, and what gets donated or sold
The FDR

This rehearsal will be the first time all the practical principles are put together to create a comprehensive, complete show.

It’s often slow and requires a few stops and starts to iron out the techincal details, but it’s a fundamental part of working in theatre, and will be the first time we have a ‘complete product’

Set Design & Building

REGISTER HERE

This workshop takes place across 5 sessions occurring once a week on Sundays 10h00 – 13h00. It is aimed at students and young adults aged 16-35 with either an interest in pursuing amateur stagecraft or as a foundational introduction to professional set design. No prior experience is required.

These sessions consist of both guided theory learning and practical tasks that will equip you with all the skills needed to begin designing and building theatre sets from scratch.

Topics covered in this workshop include:

– Introduction to set design in theatre
– How to tackle a design brief
– Creating design plans and presenting ideas
– How to create technical drawings for construction
– Sourcing and preparing materials
– Workshop safety and how to use power tools
– Constructing a set for use in a performance

Each participant will be given the opportunity to design and construct a set for a 10 minute one act play which will be featured in a showcase performance on the 6th of June at the Milnerton Playhouse Theatre.

Please note that basic protective gear will be available for the construction section but that no PPE clothing will be provided. Access to a personal laptop and basic tools is recommended but not required.

For any further queries please contact workshop facilitator York Froon via email yorkfroon@gmail.com

Your facilitator:
York Froon

York discovered a love for theatre in early high-school with a particular interest in set construction due to his family background in metal and woodworking.
He pursued a degree in Fine Art with a minor in Theatre at Michaelis UCT graduating in 2023 with a speciality in sculpture and distinctions in computer aided design and manufacturing.
During his studies, York joined the Milnerton Players where he quickly took on the role as resident set designer and builder. Since then he has worked on over a dozen sets – either designing, constructing or detailing – for various drama groups, hosted on multiple stages across Cape Town. These shows include When the Dead Arrived (Millies Award Nomination – Best Set), Legally Blonde, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, Shrek: The Musical, The Long Way Home and Alice in Wonderland: A Pantomime.

SESSION 1 – SUNDAY - 3 May at 10h00
Creating
  • Introduction to theatre sets and design principals
  • Guided site visit
  • Group and individual set design practice exercises
Communication
  • Practice in presenting designs and the importance of communicating ideas
  • Implementing feedback into designs
  • Introduction to technical drawings and practice assignment
  • Looking at digital design software for stagecraft
Preparation
  • Learning to use tools safely with practical guided demonstrations in a controlled environment
  • Learning how to source and select the right materials for construction
Construction
  • Individual hands-on construction of sets overseen by facilitator
  • Applying skills to work safely, interpret technical drawings, and problem solve
Polishing
(space available for a full day of access to be used as needed)
  • Introduction to painting techniques and finishes
  • Completing individual sets
  • Guided documenting of final work for portfolio
The FDR

This rehearsal will be the first time all the practical principles are put together to create a comprehensive, complete show.

It’s often slow and requires a few stops and starts to iron out the techincal details, but it’s a fundamental part of working in theatre, and will be the first time we have a ‘complete product’

The Showcase 🎭

On June 6th, 2026 – we will be hosting our showcase!

A double performance, one a matinee, one an evening show, this is the culmination of the series of workshops together. 

The actors will perform a series of short-stories by David McGregor, the technical teams will operate lights, sound and manage box office, and the set teams will have designed and built the necessary for each story to have a suitable backdrop.

These showcases are critical to the success of the workshop, and we encourage all to be committed until the final curtain. 

The tickets to the showcase will cover the costs for the series of workshops, so that we’re able to offer these for free to our community. Our facilitators are not getting paid for their time or expertise.

You can book tickets to the showcase here.

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