OVERVIEW

• Available to rising 9th grade to 12th graders who are accepted by invitation only.
• 45 minute private lesson each week.
• Fifteen lesson times to choose from on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons and evenings.
• Curriculum is “a la carte” and will be individually tailored to meet each student’s needs. Training may include: College audition preparation, school/local theatre audition preparation, show preparation (acting and singing) for students cast in non-KJPAS productions, theory, sight-singing, acting technique, vocal technique, acting for film and television, cold reading techniques and any other theatrical training that the student desires.
• Color Headshots and resumes included in your tuition.
• Performance opportunities at Christmas time and end of the year studio recital.
• Professional level performance and ensemble experience when cast in Jefferson Center production (at the end of October)
• Additional rehearsal commitment required from the last week of September thru the end of October. Rehearsals will take place Monday thru Thursday’s 4pm-8pm and Sunday’s 2-9pm. In addition, students must agree to not participate in any other theatrical production during this time period (so as to avoid all rehearsal and performance conflicts). Finally, students must agree to not participate in fall semester cheerleading that may lead to vocal distress during our production. At the August studio meeting a ‘rehearsal schedule template’ will be distributed to each student to complete (listing available time for show rehearsals). The Jefferson Center show will then be cast and roles will be distributed based on each student’s rehearsal availability. Please note that all performers are required to be at every rehearsal during tech week. This is non-negotiable.
• Following the Jefferson Center show at the end of October, students are free to audition for all outside KJPAS opportunities including school theatre, downtown theatre, community theatre, and commercial and print work.
• If cast in an outside KJPAS show, the student may still choose to come to KJPAS for continued training and preparation for the show. If the student’s schedule does not permit the student to attend weekly lesson, he or she will be granted a temporary leave of absence from KJPAS (however, tuition payments will continue to be made according to the signed contract).
• Occasionally throughout the year, theatre workshops will be offered free of charge to all KJPAS students. These workshops will often be led by guest artists brought in by KJPAS. These workshops will typically be announced two to three weeks in advance. They are optional workshops. Students are encouraged to attend these workshops if their schedule permits, and if the student feels that he or she would benefit from the workshop.

STUDIO BENEFITS

• 500 square foot teaching studio with theatre lights, dance mirrors and hardwood tap floor. The studio is enhanced with acoustical tiles for soundproofing, and features its own private entrance along with central air and heat.
• Professional pictures and resumes are part of the curriculum, and are included with your tuition. Each student will receive a professional full color 8 x 10 headshot each year.
• Yamaha U-3 piano.
• Home recording studio featuring a Bose system: allows for quality sound reproduction, including burning rehearsal CD's.
• Portable Fender Sound System with Beta SM57 wired microphones and a wireless lavaliere microphone. I also have a weighted 88-key Yamaha professional keyboard for taking on gigs.
• Video Camera equipment. I frequently video tape my students during lessons so that they can receive instant feedback on their performance.
• Digital Camera. I own a high resolution camera with the ability to record mpeg movies. Everything can be uploaded to the computer and sent via e-mail to casting directors. Additionally, full color 8x10 headshots (an actor’s business card) can be easily produced.
• Cakewalk Pro Audio musical sequencing software: assists in creating fully orchestrated accompaniment tracks for student performances.
• Yamaha and Ensoniq Synthesizers: With the transposing capabilities of the synthesizers, I can immediately determine the best key for your song.
• Finale Music notation software: allows me to transpose your music into the most suitable key for your voice, and print it out publisher quality. This means that all songs become available for you to work on, not just songs in those "overdone musical theatre anthologies".
• Music library: I have the most extensive musical theatre library in Southern Virginia (currently in excess of 10,000 songs). And through my connections with theatre professionals in New York, I can get my hands on almost any piece of music, including unpublished Broadway scores. I can arrange to have the music mailed or faxed to me and add it to your repertoire within a week!
• Photocopier: I can take music from my library, copy it, and send it home with you the same day.
• High-speed Internet access: If we need information on a song, composer or Broadway show, I can get it immediately.
• Studio field trips: Performing Arts trips such as New York City, The Stratford Festival in Canada, the North Carolina School of the Arts, the Barter Theatre, and the Blackfriars Theatre, culturally enrich and artistically educate students of the studio.

ENROLLMENT
Enrollment will be considered after a personal audition with the student and a conference with the student and his/her parent(s). Enrollment is understood to apply for the entire year (May 15, 2010-April 30, 2011). Acceptance into the Professional Actors Studio comes with certain obligations. All students must arrive on time, and be present for all scheduled lessons and rehearsals. A yearly calendar will be provided at the August Studio Meeting so that each student may fully commit to the studio program. If a conflict arises regarding studio rehearsals or performance, each situation will be treated as a unique entity and taken into consideration. However, the student must be prepared for the possibility that the conflict will need to be resolved in favor of the studio program. If this agreement is broken, the student may be cut from certain numbers in the performances. If absences, tardiness, lack of effort, or poor attitude become excessive, the student will be asked to leave the studio program. 

Your June tuition payment will go towards the operating costs of the studio (headshots, sheet music, plays, printing expenses, guest directors, etc.). Your July tuition payment will go towards the costs involved with our many performance opportunities. Additionally, each family will be responsible for seeking, and securing, $400 for the Opening Doors Foundation (which produces the studio’s various performance opportunities). This may be in the form of 501 (C)(3) donations, or purchased advertisements in the show program. You may choose to make this tax-deductible donation yourself, or you may secure it from several sources. This fee will be paid in monthly installments along with your first four tuition payments. If/when you secure the funds from outside sources to cover the $400; you will be able to cease making these payments (and receive a refund for the amount that you have contributed thus far). Additionally, each student will be responsible for participating in the studio car wash fundraiser on Saturday, June 12, and collecting a minimum of $100 in car wash donations. Finally, each studio family will be given a Kroger Cares Card. Please use it as much as possible as this “free income” for the Foundation allowed me to lower each family’s fundraising quota for 2010-2011.

TUITION
I charge a yearly tuition, which covers 32 weeks of instruction (with a minimum of 130 hours of training), including all rehearsals for the studio performances. Also included in the tuition are professional headshots, résumé's, and biographies for each student, all costs incurred from shipping published and unpublished scores and plays from my sources in New York, all photocopies (sheet music, theory, ear-training, sight-singing, musical theatre history assignments), all vocal warm-up and accompaniment CD's, and a durable binder to store all music and assignments. The first payment is required at contract signing to ensure enrollment in the studio. Subsequent payments shall be due on the fifteenth of each month thru April, 2011. Any payment received after the twentieth of the month will be subject to a twenty-five dollar late fee. It is highly recommended that you sign up with your financial institution to auto-pay your monthly tuition. Simply set it to pay out on the 10th of each month and you will never have to worry about it again. Please be aware, if a family becomes tardy in their tuition payments, they will be required to pay their tuition via auto-pay in order for their child to continue in the studio program. Tuition for the 2010-2011 Professional Actors Studio will be $240 per month.

MISSED LESSONS
No deduction will be made for missed lessons and no lessons will be made up. Students are therefore encouraged to use the “Lesson Exchange List” (provided at your first lesson) and exchange lesson times with other students when conflicts arise. Please call or e-mail me with as much advance notice as possible when exchanging a lesson, or if you have to miss a lesson. All lessons missed by the instructor will be rescheduled. Please note that I am only available to teach during the regular posted lesson schedule.

INCLEMENT WEATHER
I am always available to teach during lesson times, so the studio will never be closed due to inclement weather. However, the safety of my students is of utmost importance to me. Please call with as much advance notice as possible if you will be unable to attend your lesson due to the weather. In such cases I will make every attempt to reschedule your lesson. I have a four-wheel drive vehicle, and I am willing to safely transport any student to and from rehearsals. Additionally, in the event of inclement weather after a rehearsal has begun, I am willing to feed and house any and all students until the weather is safe enough to drive in.

CONTACTING KEVIN & GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE
I strongly encourage parents and students to check the studio website frequently. You will inevitably find most answers to your questions on the website, including the lesson schedule, contact list and yearly calendar. I update this frequently. The best way to contact me 24 hours a day is by e-mail. You are welcome to call me with any questions or concerns between the hours of 9am and 10pm. In an effort to be more environmentally conscious, all correspondence will be delivered in the form of e-mail. Please check your e-mail accounts frequently, so that you will not miss out on any opportunities!