About the Man Behind the Workshops

Stephen Stahl takes great pride in developing the individual talents of each student. He gives the actor the opportunity to build a strong, assured creative player. Full of spontaneous imagination, talent and strength, Mr. Stahl will stretch the actor's ability and leave them with self-assured courage that demands truth and respect through all work and characterization.

Stephen Maxamillion Stahl has been called a "superb director" who fills his work with "sincerity and passion", according to theater critics. For more than 30 years, this Philadelphia native has been delighting audiences with his powerful direction and writing as well as sharing his knowledge and experience with students of all ages.

In 2006 Mr. Stahl won the top award for "Best Director" and "Best Featured Thriller" for his film "Consequences" at the International Independent Film and Video Festival held in Los Angeles, New York City and Cannes, France. The award ceremony for Best Featured Film genre was held in Los Angeles and for Best Director of a Feature (2500 movies entered, 500 shown) was held in New York City. In France the movie gained European distribution as well as United States release.
Stahl's prior, "Tony and the Playwright" placed top 10 in the San Francisco Film Festival.

An internationally renowned writer and director, Mr. Stahl received his early training at The Hedgerow Theatre under Jasper Deeter and Rose Schulman, then moved to New York and studied with Lee Strasberg at the Actor's Studio. Production and directorial credits include over 150 stage shows. A few of his favorites are : Lady Day which featured Tony-Award winning actresses Dee Dee Bridgewater, Tonya Pinkins, Hattie Winston and Ann Duquesnay; the touring production of Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You which starred Mink Stole; By Strouse which starred Charles Strouse and Maury Povich for ABC-TV; ACoupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking which starred Debroahlee Scott; Hosanna which starred Lynne Carter; Psycho Beach Party which ran for a summer at TropWorld in Atlantic City; Porno Stars at Home; Women Behind Bars; Tallulah; Thirty Thousand Pigs Roamed the City; Jerker; and After the Fall. His writings include Philly's Beat; American Vaudeville; Yo Philly! written for the New Yorker starring Melba Moore; For the Show; and Lady Day. The West End production of Lady Day in London was nominated for an Olivier Award and he became an honoree of Des Auteurs et Composituers Dramatiques in Paris for the same show. Lady Day also won a Bay Critic's Award and the National Drama Award. Recently Stahl penned Queen of Hearts, Ella! and Hope Falls. He has directed, written for, produced and worked with such well-known talents as Bill Cosby, Patti LaBelle, Sandy Duncan, Jason Bateman, Phyllis Hyman, Evander Holyfield, Billy Joel, Kitty Kallen, Hall & Oates, Grant Shaud, Julie Gold, Joyce Heyser, Hattie Winston, Clint Holmes, Bobbie Rydel, Peggy King, Divine, James Ingram, and Teddy Pendergrass. Recently, Mr. Stahl directed Stories of the City, Lenny, Airborne from Deerborn, Full Bloom, Queen of Hearts, Summer in Smoke, That Holman Woman and a concert version of Judy at the Stonewall Inn starring Tommy Femia and David Drake which later moved into full production. Stahl has also produced and directed award shows for P.M.A Music Foundation and the ARTY Awards, both starring dozens of Grammy-Award winning Artists.

Where else is there a teacher with such strong professional credits who also takes great pride in each and every actor that works with him. Stahl personally teaches the intermediate, advanced and ongoing acting workshops as well as the director's program. Beginners and young performers are taught by trained teachers in Stahl's technique. Classes are limited. Call or log on today for a brochure and scheduling. All workshops are held in Bucks County, PA unless otherwise noted

ACTING
Day/Evening Classes

Beginners & Intermediate
This course is designed to guide and prepare you in the necessary areas to further your ability to act. You will work with relaxation, sensory recall, and improvisation. This will help to lead you in finding what your creative blocks are and how to overcome them. Discovering your openess helps your creative life to push forward and also helps you to reach stage believability. In this course you begin to unlock the "magic" within you, allowing your talent to be set free.

Master Class
Advanced & Ongoing
This workshop is designed to give the actor a professional gymnasium in which he or she can exercise their creativity to its fullest. You will vigorously work on scene study, the objective and super objective, the playwrite's intention, the incorporating of yourself into the character.

You will stretch your imagination and strengthen your talent with sensory recall, turning your negative energy into positive energy. Admittance to this course will be by audition only.

On Camera Acting
Beginner & Intermediate
This workshop is a unique and exciting opportunity for the actor who wishes to master film acting. This intensive workshop covers character creation, imagination, composition of performance, scene study and creating a reality. You get the benefit of instant replay via video and critique of your work. You learn the "do's and don'ts" of performing on film.

This course also guides you in the business aspect of the industry. You learn how to audition, how to deal with agents, unions and how to join them, how to get proper head shots, designing a marketable resume and how to effectively sell yourself as a professional actor.

Admittance to this course is through interview only.

Children and Teenager's Workshops

This course is designed to give the student a basic knowledge of acting. The areas covered range from projection, movement, stage direction, exploring the individual's talent and creativity. Emphasis is on teaching confidence, ease in front of an audience, control, imagination, and improvisation. Theatre games are designed to free the student of negative emotions and install the positive. The class will complete with a finished play in front of a selective audience.

Children's and teen workshops are conducted in a totally supportive atmosphere in which the student's natural inclination towards creativity is utilized.

Director's Workshop
This challenging and daring workshop is designed to give you a rounded understanding in the field of directing. The course covers the director's creative process, the given situation of a script, analysis in finding the subtext and the playwrite's intention, how to cast, emotional communication, working the given circumstances of a play, reaching truth and belief, finding the tempo and rhythm. staging and blocking, the actor's physical communication, and how to set, light and costume a show. During the workshop you will achieve a self-directed scene which will preview in front of a live audience. Admittance to this workshop is through interview only.

Also Available

N.Y.C. Showcasing (actual producing of your work)

Ongoing Workshops (Philadelphia, Bucks County, PA, New York City)

Cold Reading, Audition and Monologue classes

Private Professional Coaching

Registration
All workshops are held in Bucks County, PA unless otherwise noted. You may register by mail for classes that do not require an audition or you may call to arrange an appointment. If the class requires an audition or interview, it must be arranged (2) weeks before your desired starting date.