upcoming events

Acting Extravaganza is a four-hour intensive participatory class that focuses on the basics of acting as a craft and as a profession in the MidAtlantic region.  Casting director/producer Erica Arvold, CSA, and actors Eva DeVirgilis & Scott Wichmann will lead the group in directed scene work, relaxation techniques, give feedback & advice, and share their personal insights about the ups and downs of the profession.

Topics will include (but are not limited to):

• Basic script interpretation/analysis
• Performance differences between theatre and film
• Hiring do’s and dont’s
• Set protocol
• Interacting with the casting and production offices
• Materials 101

This class is especially tailored for the actor who wants to enter the business more professionally and/or book larger roles.  Every student will be invited to participate in on-your-feet exercises and conversation. For budding directors and filmmakers, this class is a primer on how to motivate and analyze a scene from an actor’s point of view.

This class is for actors 16 years old and over.

About the instructors:

Hailing from NYC, Eva DeVirgilis now brings her experience as an actor, coach, and keynote speaker to the Mid-Atlantic region. Eva studied Acting for 2.5 years with prominent actor Vincent D’Onofrio. She credits D’Onofrio for teaching her the craft and shares the technique in her On-Camera Acting Intensive. She was recently seen on stage in Sam and Carol, a role created for her by New York Times best-selling author, David L. Robbins; and will be starring in Robbins’ next world premiere, The End Of War. She has been featured on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Turn: Washington’s Spies, Legends & Lies: The Patriots, along with numerous other TV, film, commercials and seb series. Known for her comedy, she performs improv regularly at the Coalition Theater. An activist for radical self-acceptance, Eva speaks across the country to women about ‘Ending the Apology.’ Her inspirational TEDxTalk, In My Chair, is the most watched talk in TEDxRVA history. Eva has a BFA in Musical Theatre from The New School University, NYC, and is an adjunct professor at VCU School of Business. Learn more at EvaDeVirgilis.com

Scott Wichmann is a native of Pittsfield, Massachusetts and an award-winning stage, film and television actor whose credits include Loving, Lincoln, Shooting the Prodigal, Turn: Washington’s Spies and the Hallmark Movie Channel film Lake Effects. In 2016 Scott was featured as his hero, John Adams, on both the FOX News Series Legends and Lies: The Patriots and in the musical 1776 at Virginia Repertory Theatre. Other VA Rep credits include The Producers, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Say Goodnight Gracie, Fully Committed, Last of the Red Hot Lovers and This Wonderful Life. He can be seen in the world premiere play The End of War at VA Rep in March 2017. Scott has served as Actor-in-Residence at the University of Richmond and as adjunct public speaking professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business. Scott is an accomplished cabaret performer and author of several educational plays for Theatre IV America. He holds a B.A. in Theatre and Speech from Wagner College, Staten Island, N.Y., and proudly serves as a Mass Communications Specialist in the U.S. Navy Reserve. 

Erica Arvold, CSA has been a guest instructor and speaker for over 20 years, sharing insights from a career as a casting director and producer that spans major studio films, television shows and multimedia projects. She has had the honor of collaborating with and serving students and faculty at universities, schools and acting studios across the country, including the University of Virginia, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Regent University , George Mason University, Longwood University, The Robert Mello Studio, Actor’s Arsenal, TRAIN/Cadence Theatre at Virginia Repertory, and The Renaissance School, among others. Her festival appearances as a panelist, moderator and mentor include the Austin Film Festival Screenwriters Conference, Virginia Film Festival, Richmond International Film Festival and the Independent Television Festival. She has been the keynote speaker for organizations outside of the filmmaking industry, such as the Philanthropic Educators Organization (PEO) and the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors (CAAR). In 2010, Erica founded arvold.education with the goal of raising the bar for all film artists through training and collaboration. arvold.education offers master classes for actors and also sponsors events, panels & discussions on all aspects of the industry. Erica created and taught a six (6) week class titled The Art of Casting for the University of Virginia for those aspiring to enter the field of casting. As the daughter of a professor, Erica believes that we are and will always be students of one another and that she continues to grow as an artist herself.

FAQs

Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event?

Participants must be 16 and over.

How can I contact the organizer with any questions?

Please email education@arvold.com

What’s the refund policy?

Refund requests must be received 72 hours before the event.