Young people interested in acting should take classes to discover what the craft is about and develop their skills. The Bedford Youth Performing Company gives kids a chance to do just that. Located in Bedford, New Hampshire, the company provides music, dance and acting training for children ages 4 to 18. Introductory classes for youngest students stress imagination and becoming someone else as a character. Intermediate classes for ages 9 to 13 focus on taking direction, memorization, interacting with scene partners and emotional character development. The oldest children, with enough experience, may audition for a pre-professional apprentice company, where they have a chance to perform regularly.
Students with some acting experience who know they want performing to be part of their lives may choose to attend a high school that focuses on arts training. One such school is the Cocheco Arts and Technology Academy, a public charter school in Dover, New Hampshire. In addition to core subjects taught at traditional high schools, students choose a major from art, technology, music or theatre. Classes at Cocheco cover different acting techniques like Stanislavski's Method and Viola Spolin's Improvisation exercises. Students perform monologues, scenes and plays and may study musical theatre, if interested.
Adults looking to study acting may visit The Acting Loft in Manchester, New Hampshire. This non-profit organization is dedicated to helping people of all ages build self-confidence, express themselves and have fun through the performing arts. Classes are held year-round, and adult classes in beginning or intermediate acting are available, as well as subjects like improvisation or Shakespeare. The Acting Loft also presents a full season of plays and musicals that feature open auditions. Another performance opportunity is the Loft's Carpetbagger Cabaret, a touring group that performs musical revues in southern New Hampshire venues.
Anyone interested in becoming a professional actor may choose to pursue a degree in theatre. New Hampshire is home to several schools with strong theatre departments, so potential students must investigate to find the program that's right for them financially, geographically and artistically. In Hanover, Dartmouth College's Theatre Department is stellar and allows students to focus their theatre studies on acting and directing. The University of New Hampshire, in Durham, allows students to perform regularly while pursuing an undergrad or graduate degree in Theatre. In Keene, Keene State College provides a well-rounded theatre education, focused on performance and theory.