2026 New England Winter Actors Academy
Schedule
Sun Jan 25 2026 at 09:45 am to 04:00 pm
UTC-05:00Location
20 Park Plaza Suite 822 Boston , Massachusetts 02116 | Boston, MA
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https://www.sagaftra.org/2026-new-england-winter-actors-academyJan 25, 2026 - 9:45 AM to 4:00 PM EST
This event will be held in person.
Where: New England Local, 20 Park Plaza, Suite 822, Boston, MA 02116
The New England Conservatory Committee is pleased to offer our Winter Actors Academy: a full-day, small-group, focused training program. The interactive program aims to help attendees hone their craft, enhance confidence, learn ways to create work opportunities, and network with fellow actors. The Academy is limited to 24 participants and costs $25 per person. Lunch will be provided.
NOTE: Preference will be given to first-time registrants. Winter Actors Academy 2025 participants are asked not to register for this event.
9:45 AM Check-In/Coffee & Pastries
10:00 AM Welcome
10:10 AM Session 1 - Speed Networking: Actor Edition (Presented by Daniel Washington)
11:30 AM Brief Break
11:40 AM Session 2 - Drop Your Audition Baggage (Presented by Jay Street)
1:30 PM Late Lunch
2:00 PM Session 3 - Improv for Actors (Presented by Alex Mann)
4:00 PM Closing Remarks and Conclusion
https://www.sagaftra.org/2026-new-england-winter-actors-academy
Speed Networking: Actor Edition - This fast-paced session, inspired by speed dating, will navigate the networking scene, cut through awkwardness, and focus on what’s actually useful. Participants will leave with a stronger sense of how to talk about themselves confidently. Led by Daniel Washington, a versatile stage and screen actor with an extensive resume of featured roles, Daniel is also an accomplished dancer and choreographer with 20+ years of experience. A writer, producer, director, and musician, Daniel built a career through regional productions, independent projects, and collaborative creative work.
Drop Your Audition Baggage - This session will demystify self-tape auditions with an emphasis on rock-solid scene analysis. Led by Jay Street, an industry veteran of acting, coaching, and directing, Jay is a Meisner & Chekhov Technique-trained actor and has worked alongside industry juggernauts in L.A., New York, and Atlanta. He earned a master's in business administration and uses his educational and real-world experience to help individuals bloom into the best working actors they can be. Session Preparation: Participants can bring an audition side (no longer than 2 pages); otherwise, audition sides will be provided.
Improv for Actors - This session uses improv-based warmups and ensemble exercises to help actors reset their mindset and strengthen presence, listening, and emotional availability. Led by Alex Mann, a Boston-based stand-up and improv comedian with over a decade of performance experience, the workshop approaches improv as an actor-preparation tool rather than comedy. Through guided group exercises and light scene work, participants build trust, reduce self-criticism, and practice grounded, truthful responses under uncertainty. Alex is also the author of two books on applied improv and teaches corporate team-building workshops and stand-up for people in recovery.
Cost Reminder: The Academy is limited to 24 participants (18 years and older) and costs $25 per person. Payment is non-refundable.
Registration Reminder: Preference will be given to first-time registrants. Winter Actors Academy 2025 participants are asked not to register for this event.
RSVP: Reservations are required. Please complete the form below to RSVP; you must be logged in to RSVP.
https://www.sagaftra.org/2026-new-england-winter-actors-academy
Questions: Please contact [email protected] with "Actors Academy" in the subject.
This event is open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members, who are at least 18 years old, and in good standing (paid thru Apr. 30, 2026), no guests are allowed. The products and services noted herein are provided as an informational service to SAG-AFTRA members and are administered by entities independent of SAG-AFTRA. Any questions must be handled by the provider. This information is not intended to serve as an endorsement, nor is any warranty or guarantee implied.
https://www.sagaftra.org/2026-new-england-winter-actors-academy
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Where is it happening?
20 Park Plaza Suite 822 Boston , Massachusetts 02116, 20 Park Plz, Boston, MA 02116-4301, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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