Adult Classes & Workshops
Explore, create and collaborate … online!
Our virtual classes for adults ages 18 and up are designed for all interests and skill levels. If you’re looking to build on your previous stage experience, dabble in theater just for fun or improve your communication skills at work, we’ve got just the thing.
For the health and safety of our students, staff and teaching artists during the COVID-19 crisis, we have transitioned our classes to a virtual format.
Scholarships are available for all educational programming, and you can apply here. Questions? View our adult classes FAQs or email classes@guthrietheater.org.
We will add more virtual classes throughout the season, so check back often! Looking for youth offerings? Explore the lineup here.

Three ways to get creative
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Introductory classes are ideal for all experience levels and feature performance-style classes as well as offerings designed to support personal and professional growth.
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Intermediate classes offer follow-up classes to our introductory offerings to help you grow your creative toolkit.
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Advanced classes offer next-level training for professional actors and performers.
NOTE: Our multilevel acting classes are designed to build a foundation in voice, physicality and process. The prerequisites listed will help guide you through a holistic training to expand your craft.
Introductory classes
SLAY! WITH BRIAN BOSE
Feel sexy, fierce and powerful while learning fun choreography, grooving to music and dancing your way to empowerment. This class creates an open environment to get your cardio up, move your body and challenge yourself. Strip away fears and perfectionism while learning how to get out of your own way so you have no choice but to slay. No dance experience necessary. Capacity: 30 participants.
Insider tip: Registration is ongoing, so drop in at any time!
- Dates: Mondays, January 11 – April 26 | 6:30–8:30 p.m. (no class on the first Monday of each month)
- Class Fee: Pay as able ($20 per class is recommended)
- Instructor: Brian Bose (watch his TEDx Talk)
Brian Bose (he/him) is a professional AEA actor/singer/dancer, rapper, choreographer, director, emcee and international teaching artist named one of the Faces to Watch in Arts by the San Diego Union-Tribune. He received a double B.A. in Theatre and Dance from the University of California, San Diego, and he trained at the British American Drama Academy, Steppenwolf West and CSULA Academy of the Dramatic Arts. He has acted in and choreographed productions at the Ordway, Children’s Theatre Company, Ten Thousand Things, Mixed Blood Theatre and Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, and he taught dance internationally with the Patricia Rincon Dance Collective in Germany from 2014 to 2017. In Minneapolis, he is a teaching artist for Upstream Arts and the Guthrie Theater. Learn more at www.brianbose.com.
ACTING: THEATER BASICS
Through a variety of theater exercises, you’ll explore the fundamentals of acting and create a foundation for continued training in improvising, building a theater vocabulary, performing in front of an audience and approaching text. All experience levels welcome. Capacity: 12 participants.
Insider tip: Our intermediate Creating a Character class is a great follow up to Theater Basics. We also recommend building your vocal foundation with Voice and Speech for the Actor, which will meet the prerequisite for many of our intermediate classes.
- Dates: Sundays, January 31 – February 21 | 6:30–8:30 p.m.
- Class Fee: $185
- Instructor: Laura Esping
Laura Esping (she/her) is passionate about passing on skills she has learned and practiced to not only help students experience their talents in acting but to enhance their general well-being. She believes it’s good to jump around and play together, even if it’s on Zoom! Her personal mottos are “Bit by bit,” “Breathe” and “What can I offer?”
PLAYWRITING I: ON THE SCENE
Have you ever imagined characters and been inspired to bring them to life on the page? What does it take to write an engaging scene and captivate an audience? Discover the key ingredients of a great drama or comedy, and use this six-week class as a building block toward creating your own masterpiece. No prerequisite. Capacity: 10 participants.
Insider tip: Whether you are starting from scratch or have a play in progress, this class will help you take your work where you want it to go. Our intermediate Playwriting II class is a great follow up that can help you further sharpen your skills.
- Dates: Mondays, February 8 – March 15 | 6:30–8:30 p.m.
- Class Fee: $225
- Instructor: Josh Tobiessen
Josh Tobiessen (he/him) is a playwright whose plays have been performed nationally by theaters including the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, the Jungle Theater and Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis, and Second Stage Theater and Crowded Outlet in New York City. Some of his plays are published by Samuel French and Dramatic Publishing. He has taught playwriting classes at universities and schools across the country and currently teaches at the Guthrie Theater. Learn more at www.joshtobiessen.com.
RELEASE AND RECHARGE: MOVEMENT FOR ALL BODIES
Rediscover your movement with gentle exercises designed to retrain how your nervous system holds tension, relieve chronic pain and revitalize your mobility. Experience simple, accessible movements performed on a mat or seated in a chair that will restore a sense of well-being in your body and mind while developing an awareness of your movement patterns and postures. Designed for all ages and abilities to help you move through daily life with ease! No prerequisite. Capacity: 15 participants.
- Dates: Saturdays, March 6–27 | 10–11:30 a.m.
- Class Fee: $155
- Instructor: Andrea Mislan
Andrea Mislan (she/her) has been performing professionally for more than 25 years. A graduate from Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet Professional Division, she has continued to evolve in contemporary and musical theater styles in Celine Dion: A New Day, Cirque du Soleil’s Viva Elvis and the Chicago international tour. Since relocating to Minneapolis four years ago, she has most recently performed at the Guthrie Theater (West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Cyrano de Bergerac), Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (Holiday Inn, The Music Man), the Ordway (Smokey Joe’s Cafe) and several original jazz dance musicals with Collide Theatrical Dance Company. Mislan has choreographed for regional theaters and studios across North America and taught master classes internationally in ballet, contemporary, musical theater and Fosse technique (Broadway Across America). As a certified Clinical Somatic Movement Instructor and personal movement coach, her focus is to guide a more efficient way of moving and a deeper understanding of technique and how the body moves in space in every style, for every mover.
ACTING: VOICE AND SPEECH FOR THE ACTOR
Learn the basic principles of voice and speech, including breath, resonance, range, articulation, projection, phrasing, expression and release of excessive tension. Through assigned readings, experiential exercises, class discussions and practical application of skills, you’ll build a strong foundation of vocal practice. This is a prerequisite for several intermediate classes. Capacity: 12 participants.
Insider tip: Building a strong vocal foundation is a necessary step for actors. Continue your vocal training with our intermediate The Actor’s Voice class.
- Dates: Sundays, January 31 – February 21 | 6:30–8:30 p.m.
- Class Fee: $185
- Instructor: Mira Kehoe
Mira Kehoe (she/her) is a musician and theater artist who performs and mentors others in self-expression. She has taught voice, speech, dialects and acting at the University of Minnesota, The University of Utah, Hamline University and the Guthrie Theater as well as done consulting work with individuals, theaters, schools and corporations. She has coached several films and more than 300 theater productions, including 80 at the Guthrie. Kehoe has a strong foundation in the somatic arts, including Alexander and Feldenkrais work. She also teaches singing and performs jazz and Brazilian music with Tom Kehoe and Xibaba. In the corporate environment, she consults with individuals and teams in the areas of effective communication, presentation skills, improvisation and creativity, and accent reduction for clients such as Balogh Becker, Ltd, Shop NBC, MPR and Allina Health. Kehoe believes creativity is our life force and that we are called to discover and develop our talents and use them in service of the greater good. Her passion is to support students of all experience levels in finding and developing their voices.
VOICEOVER I
Are you curious about the world of radio and broadcasting? Discover your vocal range and explore the necessary skills required to deliver the copy, impress the client and sell the product. Learn the basics of choosing the right piece, reading commercial copy and more. All experience levels welcome. Capacity: 12 participants.
Insider tip: We also offer Voiceover II so you can build on your skills.
- Dates: Tuesdays, February 23 – March 16 | 6:30–8:30 p.m.
- Class Fee: $200
- Instructor: Jim Cada
Jim Cada (he/him) is an actor and voiceover artist who has recorded local, regional and national commercials for radio, TV and the web since 1976. He has performed in more than 20 feature films, recorded audiobooks, done narration work and voiced cartoons for Nickelodeon and Disney.
PRESENTATION AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Our bodies, faces and voices tell stories about who we are, communicating verbally and nonverbally in ways we don’t even realize. It’s time to take control of your story! Learn specific verbal and nonverbal skills that give you the confidence to be your best self and respond in authentic, spontaneous and mindful ways. This practical class covers interviewing, presentation skills, meeting management and networking. No prerequisite. Capacity: 12 participants.
Insider tip: This class is ideal for business professionals or individuals who want to boost their networking and presentation skills.
- Dates: Wednesdays, February 17 – March 10 | 6:30–8:30 p.m.
- Class Fee: $200
- Instructors: Michelle Hutchison and Jim Robinson
Michelle Hutchison (she/her) is a professional actor of stage, screen and television. She has appeared at local theaters including the Guthrie Theater, History Theatre, Mixed Blood Theatre, Theater Latté Da, Playwrights’ Center, Thirst Theater, Park Square Theatre, Actors Theater of Minnesota, CSz and Brave New Workshop. In Los Angeles, she appeared in the LA Weekly-nominated comedy The Bad Seed and Cabin Pressure at Hudson Theatres. She can be seen in films such as Fargo, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Into Temptation, Factotum, Thin Ice, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Nobody, Herman, The Midnight Swim and The Public Domain, and she played the recurring character of Candy Coombs in the Netflix series “Lady Dynamite.” Hutchison is the owner of Skilled Expressions, which operates a successful on-camera training school for actors, media talent and corporate training. Additionally, she served as an Adjunct Professor for The Art of Film Acting at Augsburg and Concordia Universities. She was an assistant casting director for several films, including Disney’s Ice Princess and Sky High, Superbad, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, It’s Complicated, TheBad News Bears and more. As a writer and producer, Hutchison created 12 episodes for the nationally syndicated “Passport to Design” show on the Travel Channel while writing and appearing in corporate live theater productions for companies such as General Mills, Pillsbury, Mrs. Meyers, American Express, Wells Fargo, Ameriprise and Schwan’s. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Minnesota and believes that acting is about revealing, not concealing.
Jim Robinson (he/him) hails from Riverside, California, and is an alum of Brave New Workshop, The Theater of Public Policy and the Off-Beat comedy club aboard the Disney Magic. As a psychology professor, he has worked at St. Catherine University and University of St. Thomas. Most recently, Robinson taught improvisation as a Fulbright Specialist in Pakistan and at Asian University for Women in Chittagong, Bangladesh.
ACTING: IMPROV
We all miss seeing live shows at our favorite local theaters, but improv is alive and well online. From timing and games to on-the-spot character creation, this anything-can-happen class will have you feeling spontaneous and confident onstage before you can say, “Yes, and!” No prerequisite. Capacity: 10 participants.
- Dates: Sundays, March 14 – April 18 | 6:30–8:30 p.m.
- Class Fee: $225
- Instructor: Gretchen Grunzke
Gretchen Grunzke (she/her) is a graduate of Upright Citizens Brigade — a long-form improv comedy program in New York City and only accredited comedy school in the U.S. — and now she’s hilarious. Select credits include Upright Citizens Brigade, Magnet Theater and The PIT in New York City; The Second City and The iO Theater in Chicago; and Brave New Workshop, CSz, HUGE Improv Theater, Strike Theater and Stevie Ray’s Improv Company in Minneapolis. Improv has changed her life as an actor and a human being. Her personal motto: “Do it! Embrace it! Love it!”
Intermediate classes
ACTING: THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE
Developed more than 120 years ago, the Alexander Technique has been used as a powerful tool for actors to integrate voice, speech and movement. At its heart is the conviction that we are perfectly designed to express an impulse with honesty. Through this psychophysical tool for body, breath and imagination, actors learn how to release habitual tension and instead bring freedom, poise and presence to their performance. This experiential class focuses on the technique’s principles and the art of self-direction using warm-up, monologue and partnering work, all designed to help you be comfortable in your own skin and create onstage intensity without tension. Prerequisite: Voice and Speech for the Actor, Theater Basics or equivalent experience. Capacity: 12 participants.
- Dates: Sundays, February 28 – March 21 | 2:30–4:30 p.m.
- Class Fee: $185
- Instructor: Eli Sibley
Eli Sibley (she/her) is an actor and theater professional who has spent more than 20 years doing production, playwriting, choreography and movement coaching. She has performed Shakespeare in California, taught devising in Central Europe, puppeteered in Shanghai and trained fight choreography in London. Sibley has also performed as a singer, dancer, extra and Blue Dinosaur. Along with her M.F.A. in Acting and certification from the American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT), she is also a certified Laban Movement Analyst. Sibley continues to work across the country and around the globe to help bring the Alexander Technique to performance curriculum, acting studios and theater companies from Up&Back, her home studio in the Twin Cities. Learn more at www.elisibley.com.
WORKSHOP: THE SELF-TAPE
Led by Jennifer Liestman, the Guthrie’s Resident Casting Director, and LJ Johnson, Associate Casting Director at Lynn Blumenthal Casting, this two-day workshop will teach you how to do an on-camera audition for both plays and film/commercial work. Learn everything from creating the right setup for an audition space to getting feedback on a personal audition. Prerequisite: Theater Basics or equivalent experience. Capacity: 15 participants.
What to prepare: Before the workshop, you will be asked to prepare a recording of one monologue, song, dance or scene (only choose one) no longer than 120 seconds, plus another recording with commercial sides you will be provided in advance. Videos will be viewed together as a class and critiqued by the instructor for the benefit of all participants. Recordings are not required but recommended for each participant to get the most out of the class.
- Dates: Sundays, March 14 and 21 | 4–6 p.m.
- Workshop Fee: $100
- Instructors: Jennifer Liestman and LJ Johnson
Jennifer Liestman (she/her) has been a theater professional for more than 21 years. She worked at York Theatre Company in New York City and has spent the majority of her career serving as the Artistic Associate/Resident Casting Director at the Guthrie where she has led casting for more than 55 productions. She also teaches audition master classes for the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater B.F.A. Actor Training Program and at other universities in Minnesota and around the country.
LJ Johnson (coming soon)
ACTING: CREATING A CHARACTER
Strengthen your imagination, focus your concentration and hone your listening skills by delving into the creation of original and scripted characters. Building on the skills and concepts introduced in Theater Basics, this class will explore a variety of approaches for character development and empower actors to find their unique approach to character work. Prerequisite: Theater Basics or equivalent experience. Capacity: 12 participants.
Insider tip: This class is a great follow up to Theater Basics. Continue adding to your toolkit with our Heightened Text and Self-tape workshops, The Actor’s Voice or Studio Intensive: Scene Study class.
- Dates: Sundays, March 7 – April 11 | 6:30–8:30 p.m.
- Class Fee: $225
- Instructor: Laura Esping
Laura Esping (she/her) is passionate about passing on skills she has learned and practiced to not only help students experience their talents in acting but to enhance their general well-being. She believes it’s good to jump around and play together, even if it’s on Zoom! Her personal mottos are “Bit by bit,” “Breathe” and “What can I offer?”
VOICEOVER II
Serious about pursuing voiceover work? Learn about audition etiquette, copy analysis, handling anxiety and self-promotion from leading players in the industry. This class culminates with the opportunity to rehearse and record in the Guthrie’s recording studio. Previous guest speakers have included Mike Stalcar, Engineer, Audio Ruckus Recording Studio; Holly Collison, Vocal Coach; and Kate Lawrence, Voiceover Talent Agent, Moore Creative. Prerequisite: Voiceover I or equivalent experience. Capacity: 12 participants.
Insider tip: New to voiceover work? Start with our introductory Voiceover I class.
- Dates: Tuesdays, March 30 – May 4 | 6:30–8:30 p.m.
- Class Fee: $285
- Instructors: Jim Cada and guests
Jim Cada (he/him) is an actor and voiceover artist who has recorded local, regional and national commercials for radio, TV and the web since 1976. He has performed in more than 20 feature films, recorded audiobooks, done narration work and voiced cartoons for Nickelodeon and Disney.
Advanced classes
THE ACTORS WORKOUT
This ongoing scene study class for working actors is led by Nathan Keepers. Entrance is by audition only.
NOTE: This class is postponed until 2021. To be notified when auditioning resumes, email classes@guthrietheater.org.
WORKSHOP: HEIGHTENED TEXT FOR THE ACTOR
Whether you’re speaking the Queen’s English or performing text from a classic Greek tragedy, this one-day workshop will teach you how to enunciate and communicate clearly onstage. Through the techniques of meter, rhythm and alliteration, you’ll learn how to bring power to your characters through speech. Prerequisite: Voice and Speech for the Actor or equivalent experience. Capacity: 12.
- Date: Sunday, April 18 | Noon – 3 p.m.
- Workshop Fee: $90
- Instructor: Jill Walmsley Zager
GUTHRIE Twelfth Night, Steel Magnolias, The Glass Menagerie, Floyd’s, As You Like It, Noises Off, Frankenstein – Playing With Fire, An Enemy of the People, Blithe Spirit, Indecent, Romeo and Juliet, Sunday in the Park With George, The Bluest Eye, King Lear, The Lion in Winter, The Parchman Hour. THEATER Milwaukee Repertory Theater (more than 30 productions); American Contemporary Theater (more than 25 productions); The Marriott Theatre (more than 20 productions); Chicago Shakespeare Theater; Steppenwolf Theatre; Utah Shakespeare Festival; Arizona Theatre Company; Cardinal Stage; Drury Lane Theatre; Lyric Opera of Chicago. TEACHING Senior lecturer, University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater B.F.A. Actor Training Program; M.F.A. Actor Training Program, American Contemporary Theater; M.F.A. and B.F.A. Actor Training Programs, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. TRAINING Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (London); Northwestern University
ACTING: STUDIO INTENSIVE SCENE STUDY
Focus on the ways in which a character can be discovered, developed and played in this studio intensive. Considering your individual goals and drawing on acting techniques created by great theater instructors throughout history, you’ll work intensively on a scene with one partner for eight weeks. The class will conclude with a virtual showing for invited family and friends. Rehearsal outside of class is recommended. Prerequisite: Introductory and intermediate acting classes, including a voice class such as Theater Basics, Voice and Speech for the Actor or Creating a Character. Capacity: 12 participants.
- Dates: Sundays, February 28 – April 4 | 6:30–8:30 p.m.
- Class Fee: $285
- Instructor: H. Adam Harris
H. Adam Harris (he/him) is an actor, director, teaching artist and cultural equity consultant who works at the intersection of theater, education, social justice and community engagement. He recently directed the regional premiere of Redwood by Brittany K. Allen at the Jungle Theater. Harris is the Education Coordinator at the Playwrights’ Center, a resident teaching artist with the Guthrie Theater and Children’s Theatre Company, a board member at Ten Thousand Things, and a freelance equity, diversity and inclusion consultant for various organizations.
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Virtual Adult Classes
A fresh winter lineup for all interests and skill levels

Virtual Youth Classes
Online and all-out awesome programming for grades 6–12

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