Exploring Adult Studio with Teaching Artist Erica LuBonta

By Grace Clark, Education Enrollment & Marketing Coordinator

Education @ Hartford Stage spoke with Erica LuBonta, who taught Acting for the Camera last fall, about teaching adult theatre classes. LuBonta, a teaching artist with both Hartford Stage and The Bushnell, is the owner, artistic director and founder of The Complete Actor Studio in Avon. She has appeared in numerous off-Broadway and regional stage productions and has had lead roles in television productions and many independent films. Acting for the Camera will be back by popular demand this winter, with sessions beginning January 30.

What genre of acting do you teach and why?

I love teaching acting for camera technique because the approach is so different from the stage. Many performers, especially in this area, don’t have exposure to that genre, yet there are many opportunities to perform in this arena.  You do need to know some important concepts, terminology and strategy in order to get started doing on-camera work.

Share a favorite theatre exercise that you have students do.

I start each session having students perform a monologue for the stage and then modify it for camera so they can start to see how much they need to adapt their acting technique in order to have effective technique for camera.

What is your goal as an artist when teaching adults?

I want students to expand their skill sets and explore different opportunities for work that they hadn’t considered before. I also want to challenge them to look at their abilities in a new way and feel empowered to know that they have a lot of creative control as a performer. Adult actors can be very hard and critical of themselves, which can be a block to freeing true creative exploration. I work to create an environment where they can just turn off the voice full of self-doubt and feel confident to take risks.

What are some of the benefits to an adult taking an acting class?

Acting is about exploring humanity. For any adult, whether a novice or professional, that kind of exploration leads to personal growth. It doesn’t matter if you have any desire to become a performer for an audience; there is so much to be learned in the acting classroom that is beneficial to what it means to be human.

Who should take an adult theatre class at Hartford Stage?

My students have come from a wide variety of backgrounds, ages and experience levels. I have had students who were trying it for the first time to very seasoned actors. I’ve had students ages 19 to 75. Anyone who is looking to try something new or different or wants to challenge themselves, anyone who has always wanted to learn about performing but was afraid to try, or any actor who would like to expand their skill set – there’s a class for you at Hartford Stage.

Hear from Acting for the Camera students!

For more information about Adult Studio classes, visit www.hartfordstage.org/education or contact Grace Clark at (860) 520-7244 or gclark@hartfordstage.org.