Taught by Alex Dimitrov
May 19, 26, June 9, 16, 23, 30 (Tuesdays)
6:30 to 8:30 pm
13 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011

We will write and workshop poems that engage the unconscious (prompts may include dream work, crystals, full and new moon rituals), as well as poems that have a direct or indirect relationship to place (New York City, the town you’re from, a body of water, etc). We’ll also read: Frank O’Hara, Frederick Seidel, Bret Easton Ellis, Robert Lax, and others. You’ll leave class with five polished and finished poems. All skill levels are welcome and anything is possible.

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Alex Dimitrov is the author of four books of poems and an upcoming novel. His work has been published in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, The New York Times, and other publications. He teaches poetry at Columbia University. 

Taught by Matthew Gasda, Anthony Galluzzo, Sam Willman, and Paul Franz
April 9, 16, 23, 30 & May 7, 14 (Thursdays)
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Remote (over Zoom)

The editors of Romanticon (Matthew Gasda, Anthony Galluzzo, Sam Willman, and Paul Franz) invite you to spend six weeks reading and discussing four of the essential poets of the Romantic tradition: Keats, Byron, Shelley, and Rilke:

Week 1 — Whole Team — Overview & Meet and Greet
All four editors introduce the course, lay out the arc from English Romanticism through its continental afterlife, and get to know the group. We'll discuss what "Romantic" means to us now and what we hope to recover through the reading of select poems.

Week 2 — Sam Willman — Rilke
”Nobody can advise you and help you, nobody. There is only one way. Go into yourself.” Rilke can teach us how to see one’s life, the experience of it, the objects and people around us, as omens on a path through the contradictions of thought. We will focus on Rilke’s later thing-poems, written in French, at the end of his life “relieved of the burden of his life’s work.” and trace a movement from the complicated spirals of German, to the simple oscillations of the French poems: from transcendence to immanence. A “counter-Adamic” preparation for death. 

Week 3 — Anthony Galluzzo — The Lyrical Ballads (Wordsworth and Coleridge)
Wordsworth and Coleridge’s 1798 Lyrical Ballads–which include Coleridge’s “The Rime of The Ancient Mariner” and Wordsworth’s “Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey”--arguably represent the high point of  1790s-era English “Jacobin” writing even as this coauthored collection inaugurates the English romantic tradition in a very self-conscious way if we attend to the 1798 edition’s “Advertisement.” As Wordsworth announces: “The majority of the following poems are to be considered experiments. They were written chiefly with a view to ascertain how far the language of conversation in the middle and lower classes of society is adapted to the purposes of poetic pleasure.” Revolutionary poetry and literature encode radicalism in their language and form; yet this radical break paradoxically consists–for both Wordsworth and Coleridge–in the reinvention of vernacular traditions such as the ballad. Here is one of the many paradoxes of first-generation romanticism that we will explore as we examine various poems from both editions of the Lyrical Ballads. 

Week 4 — Matt Gasda — Keats
The poet of negative capability, of being "in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason." We'll close read some of the major Keats, and look at the technical, lexical way Keats turns sensation into thought and thought back into sensation... and why that matters for anyone trying to write or live honestly today... something about the odes as a cognitive technology  (if memorized). 

Week 5 — Paul Franz — Shelley
The most philosophical of the Romantic poets, Shelley is also (with the possible exception of Byron) that with the greatest tonal range (where tone and philosophy are always strangely conjoined). For this seminar, we will read his meditation on a possible world-spirit in “Mont Blanc,” as well as glimpses at his range of tones and moods, including selections from Prometheus Unbound and shorter lyrics.  

Week 6 — Whole Team — Wrap-Up & Conclusions
We reconvene as a group to draw the threads together. What do these four poets share? Where do they diverge? What does a living Romanticism look like now... not as nostalgia (we hope) but as practice? Open discussion, final reflections, and whatever arguments remain unresolved.

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About Romanticon
Romanticon is an online journal of Romantic letters, "an imaginative and discursive space for the release and fulfillment of the truth which lies in human souls and in nature." Founded in 2025, it publishes essays, criticism, and creative work at the intersection of literature, philosophy, and the life of the soul. Subscribe at romanticon.substack.com.

Taught by Eliya Smith
May 9, 16, 23, 30, & June 6* (Saturdays)
11:30 am to 1:30 pm
13 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011

Playwright Eliya Smith leads a 5-week workshop for playwrights of all levels focused on exploring and developing existential weariness in dramatic writing, as inspired by Chekhov.

In this course, students will complete and share in-class writing exercises and weekly take-home assignments modeled from the work of Anton Chekhov and his artistic successors. We’ll discuss and implement strategies for crafting dynamic and dramatically fraught atmospheres in our writing. We’ll also examine theatrical elements essential to generating mood onstage: developing strong characters, creating suspense using structure and form, writing thrilling dialogue, etc. In addition to Chekhov, the syllabus will include full texts and selections from such writers as Annie Baker, Adrienne Kennedy, Sam Hunter, Sarah Kane, María Irene Fornés, Tennessee Williams, Eboni Booth, Samuel Beckett, and other great architects of atmosphere and emotion in the Chekhovian tradition.

*Class on June 6th will be held at a different location (TBD) due to a scheduling conflict at the Center.

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Eliya is a playwright from Ohio. Off-Broadway: Grief Camp (Atlantic Theater Company, Keene Prize Finalist, Venturous Grant). Other plays: Deadclass, Ohio (with the Goat Exchange; Reboot Studios Grant, Tank Core Season, Ice Factory Festival), TWO GIRLS: A Homeric Retelling in the Oral Tradition (Ars Nova), Memonica (HERE Arts Center, Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grant), Then We’ll Rest (ISLE Theater Company, Cohen New Works Festival), Dad Don’t Read This (Phyllis Anderson Prize). Additional Support: American Repertory Theater, Working Barn Incubator Program. Proud member EST Youngblood. Playwright-in-Residence at The Goat Exchange. BA Harvard College, MFA UT Austin.

Taught by Ross Shenker, CSA
May 3, May 10, May 17, May 24
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
13 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011

*Use code CHEKHOV to take 10% off until April 3, 2026*

In this 4-week course, students will learn the fundamentals of the Michael Chekhov Technique and directly apply them towards scenes from Anton Chekhov's Seagull, Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters, and/or Cherry Orchard. We will explore bedrock principles such as Psychological Gesture, Focal Points, Qualities of Movement, Tempo/Rhythm, Imaginary Body, and many other tools on Chekhov’s “Chart of Inspired Action.” The final class will culminate in a showcase/presentation that will be filmed.

This short documentary will give you a sense of what to expect: THE SISTERS PROJECT.

ALL SALES ARE FINAL. THERE ARE NO REFUNDS FOR ABSENCE DUE TO ILLNESS, PROFESSIONAL CONFLICTS, OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON.

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Ross Shenker is a New York based, 3-time Artios Award Nominated Casting Director. He has worked as Associate Casting Director with Kate Geller Casting, Taylor Williams Casting, and Hopkins Ingram Casting. Select film credits include: Bob Trevino Likes It (Roadside Attractions), Idiotka (Utopia), Oh, Hi! (Sony Pictures Classics), Cora Bora (Brainstorm), The Front Room (A24), Omni Loop (Magnolia), Barron's Cove (Mandalay), Cold Wallet (Well Go USA), Drugstore June (Utopia), The Wild (Vertical), Molli & Max In The Future (Level 33), and The Good Half (Utopia). TV: The Artist (The Network), Too Romantic (Madhouse Productions). Theater: The Art Tour @ Theatre Row and Prince F***** at Playwrights/SoHo Rep. He holds a BA in Theater & Jewish Studies from Wesleyan University and an MFA in Performance Studies from the University of Louisville. He also worked at IAG (fka APA) for 3 years in their Comedy & Talent Departments. He has previously taught acting at the University of Louisville, UW-Madison, Actors Connection, One on One, The Brooklyn Center for Theater Research, SJP Voice Studio, Kimball Studios, Stone Street Studios, Adult Film NYC, and has been a guest on multiple podcasts about acting. He is a Certified Teacher with the National Michael Chekhov Association, playwright, translator/adaptor of Anton Chekhov, classically trained pianist, director, music director, and filmmaker.

Taught by Matthew Gasda
May 1, 8, 15, 22 (Fridays)
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
13 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011

For actors, but also useful to directors, this four week class will work on scenes from Matt's oeuvre, focusing on, but not limited to Dimes Square, Zoomers, Morning Journal, Quartet, Minotaur, and Ardor.

As we explore these plays, we will also discuss the broader themes and ideas that they explore, including identity, relationships, sexuality and power dynamics, and mortality. We will engage in in-depth discussions about the text, exploring how conceptual understandings of the texts can find objective correlates in performance. Actors will also explore acting in a "chamber" environment, honing in on the kinds of acting techniques that really sing in smaller, intimate spaces.

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Matthew Gasda a theatre director and the author of numerous plays, novels, poems and essays. He is a co-founder of the Center for Theatre Research.

Taught by Ephraim Birney
Mar 14, Mar 21, Mar 28, April 4 (Saturdays)
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
13 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011

Ephraim Birney dropped out of his acting conservatory after he failed movement class while pretending to be a tree. Since then he’s been nominated for an Outer Critic’s Circle Award for Best Leading Actor, worked with directors like Lear deBessonet, Knud Adams, Stephen Brackett and Stephen Spielberg, taken plays to Edinburgh and films to Sundance. Ephraim understands more than most that for many performers, acting school can really only make you a professional acting student. So he’s designed a class for actors like him. A class that helps you identify exactly what you bring to a character by allowing you to explore roles you would typically never play. Whether you’re right out of acting school and feel confused by the industry or if you’ve been in every program in the city and are disillusioned by the craft as a whole, this is the class for you. The old idiom is that “an actor prepares,” and while this is true for some, we’re most excited by the actor with the approach that seems strange, surprising, unconventional and unprepared.

Taught by Meg MacCary (website)
June 6*, 13, 20, 27 (Saturdays)
11:00 am to 2:00 pm
13 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011

How do you make the most heightened language feel accessible? What makes naturalistic dialogue pop? In this scene study class we will play with theatrical texts across the spectrum, discovering how different performative genres communicate story. Then we’ll apply what we discover to contemporary scenes, connecting to them emotionally, while also employing “tricks of the trade.” Our goal: to communicate with authenticity and impact.

*Class on June 6th will be held at a different location due to a scheduling conflict: Open Jar Studios, 1601 Broadway 11th floor, New York, NY 10019

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Meg MacCary is an OBIE award winning actor, producer, and writer. She’s performed on Broadway, off-Broadway, downtown, and regionally. She co-founded the critically acclaimed theater company Clubbed Thumb, and served as co-artistic director for 13 years. At CTR, she’s acted in Little Murders by Jules Feiffer and Minotaur, Dover, One Winged Dove, and Denmark by Matthew Gasda. She directed There Are No Diving Pools in Hell by Aliza Jane Cosgrove and Girlpox’ Fyre Fest Was So Fun!!! by Catherine Weingarten. 

Taught by Marcel Simoneau
Tuesdays 4/7, 4/14, 4/21 and Thursday 4/30*
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
13 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011

A weekly, in-person acting class combining Method, Meisner, and other techniques with exercises, script analysis, and hands-on scene study and monologue work. Designed for growth and risk-taking, the class offers a safe, consistent environment to put theory into practice each week.

*Classes are irregularly scheduled this month due to scheduling conflicts.

**This class will be running through May 2026. Sign-ups occur monthly. If you are a current student who would like to continue, simply sign up and pay for the following month here on our website.

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Marcel Simoneau is a New York City–based actor, teacher, director, and voice actor with credits spanning film, television, and national commercials. His work includes appearances on Law & Order, Gotham, The Blacklist, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and The Daily Show, as well as films such as Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Kinsey. He also has done extensive Voice-Over work in commercials and ADR, more recently on Matchbox, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, Emily in Paris, The Munsters, Stillwater, Halston,Mythic Quest & Little Women among others. An acting teacher for over 20 years at NYU, Strasberg, The Neighborhood Playhouse, T. Schreiber Studios & Studio 22.

Taught by Yosef Brody
May 2, May 9, May 16, May 30 (Saturdays)
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
13 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011

For actors looking to deepen their work with psychological characterization, conscious and unconscious motivation in relationships, and the link between personality and behavior on stage. This 4-week class taught by a clinical psychologist will use scenes from Ingmar Bergman films as a tool to analyze and practice performance. Students can expect to work on scenes from both popular and rare Bergman texts and films. 

Curated scenes for study include those from from PRISON (1949), SUMMER INTERLUDE (1951), WAITING WOMEN (1952), WILD STRAWBERRIES (1957), BRINK OF LIFE (1958), THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY (1961), WINTER LIGHT (1963), THE SILENCE (1963), SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE (1973), AUTUMN SONATA (1978), FROM THE LIFE OF THE MARIONETTES (1980), AFTER THE REHEARSAL (1984), and other favorites!

Classes will typically include weekly film excerpts with character analysis. Students will be assigned a character and scene to work on over the course of the month.

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Yosef Brody PhD is a clinical psychologist with decades of experience teaching and practicing in the US and Europe. He writes about film and is based in Brooklyn.

Taught by Nicole Sellew (website)
May 3, May 10, May 17, May 24 (Sundays)
11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research*

A multi-week generative course focused on writing toward and about desire. The class will consist of workshops, written feedback, reading, and discussion. Students will be given tailored readings and excerpts to inspire creativity, and they are expected to bring ten new pages of work per week. Students will receive both feedback on their writing and advice about how to take their work into the wider world. Come to experiment with the body as a source of creativity, leave with polished pages and new ideas about the way desire informs our lives.

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Nicole Sellew is a writer and teacher based in New York City. She is the author of the novel Lover Girl. She received her MLitt in fiction from the University of St. Andrews in 2022 and is the recipient of the 2024/25 Galley Beggar short story prize.

Taught by Amy Michelle Gaither (website)
May 11, 18, 25 (Mondays)
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
13 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011

Get out of your head and into the work. Whether you're new to Shakespeare or returning with experience, this class is a space to unlock something deeper in your craft. Using scenes from Shakespeare’s plays as our playground, we’ll approach the text as actors—not academics—with an emphasis on physical connection, emotional truth, and personal resonance.

Amy’s teaching invites you to explore the language as a living, breathing force—without overanalyzing. It’s about working on your feet, diving into the verse, and discovering the physical embodiment of Shakespeare’s rich and deeply human characters. If you’re feeling stuck, curious, rusty, intimidated, or simply hungry for more—this class is for you. New and returning students are warmly invited to continue deepening the work.

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Amy has been acting, teaching, coaching, and directing Shakespeare for 30 years. Amy taught acting and theatre courses at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana and was the founding director of The Fall Festival of Shakespeare at DePauw, a program which brings Shakespeare alive to Putnam County teenagers through their performance of his plays, and served as Artistic Director for Wisdom Tooth Theatre Project in Indianapolis for two years.

She created Duende Productions in 2019: “Illuminating Theatre that is classics-inspired, language-driven, and actor-focused.” Duende produced Twelfth Night, New York Actors Reading Series during the pandemic, and the New York premiere of Lauren Gunderson’s Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight.  

She is a working actor and director and lives in NYC.