Geared toward the serious student aspiring to be a professional in theatre, film and voice-overs, Seattle Acting School, or SEACT, has a year-round program. Established in 2000, SEACT provides 96 classes throughout the year, each three hours long. In between classes, students are expected to practice with other students as well as participate in the required reading program. The approach is that of self-discovery -- and the more an actor practices, the better he becomes. Attend a class to watch the process to determine if you want to be part of Seattle Acting School. As of 2011, tuition begins at $145 per month.
The Seattle Children's Theatre has a drama school dedicated to training young actors, beginning at 3-1/2 years through the 12th grade. There are various classes and age groups throughout the year as well as a summer camp program. They offer semester classes, spring and mid-winter break classes and audition workshops. SCT puts on about seven shows per year and is a good choice for parents looking for an acting foundation for their young thespians. There is a $25 deposit for all classes and as of 2011, day camps are $50 and Performance classes are $100. Financial aid is available.
The Freehold Theatre offers acting classes divided into series that you can choose depending on your level and interest. There is an Emerging Series, Intermediate Series and Advanced Series -- as well as workshops and clinics. Throughout the series you can learn various techniques including basic acting, Shakespeare, stage combat, Alexander technique, improvisation and Meisner progression. There are also classes for acting for the camera -- for actors as well as directors -- and a series for learning the craft of playwriting. Each class lasts about two months and as of 2011 are approximately $400.
The Young Players take a different approach. They work within schools to provide drama classes. Young Players also offers a summer camp for children. Within the school, they offer both drama clubs and residency programs. The drama club works as a class to teach children drama, writing original scripts and expanding their imagination. The the residency program is specialized to work with a certain subject. For example, with their "Shakespeare Comes to School" program, a professional actor comes to your school as a Shakespeare character. The residency is a way for the arts to become integrated into that grade's curriculum. For groups of up to 30 children, the 2011 rate was $279 per three hour workshop.