A Message from the Producing Artistic Director
Welcome to The New Acting Company!
Stephen Michael Rondel
Photo by Jeff Cate
15 Year's of reputable, diverse and critically acclaimed theater for all ages!
The New Acting Company (NAC) is a resident theater company of The Celebration Of Whimsy (COW), a new fully equipped 3,500 Sq. Ft. basement theater with dressing rooms, a box office and bar and cafe. The C.O.W. is located at 21-A Clinton Street (Between Houston & Stanton) in the lower east side. Only three short blocks from the F,J,M trains at Delancey/Essex Streets.
Our 2013-2014 season started as our talented advanced after-school students performed a play-lab version of "Once Upon A Mattress". Our professional Off-Broadway production was a re-imagined version of "The Wizard of Oz" in the Spring of 2014. This annual showcase cast students directly trained in our program with professional adult actors currently working in the New York theater industry. We were honored, once again, to have received critical acclaim and performed to a sold out audience of 1200 plus theatergoers. We ended our season highlighting once again our lively after-school talent in a stage version of "Green Eggs & Silly Cats".
The New Acting Company has spent the last fifteen years creating reputable, dynamic and innovative curriculum for our very popular after-school and adult evening programs as well as in our critically acclaimed annual professional productions.
Our progressive theatrical curriculum is based on the Northwest Children's Theater model of building the audiences of tomorrow by enriching the children of today. We serve a diverse group of students of all ages and employ top-notch designers, choreographers, directors, actors, coaches and teaching artists. Students range from those who use theater to enrich their everyday lives to seasoned actors who aspire to a career in the performing arts. Many of our past students have graduated from our program to attend, LaGuardia Arts, The Professional Performing Arts School, (two prestigious public high schools in NYC specializing in Music, Art and the Performing Arts) and legendary colleges such as Stella Adler Conservatory and Tisch School of the Arts (NYU).
Last year over 1,200 patrons from all over the world saw our re-imagined take on the classic story "The Wizard Of Oz". Here is what some critics had to say about our past professional productions..."The always hilariously inventive direction of Stephen Michael Rondel led this tight knit company in another stellar theater experience by stretching the boundaries of the stage and leading the audience on a riotous adventure."
Tim Lalumia, The Villager
The New Acting Company has consistently been recognized by The New York Times, Time-Out New York, New York One News-Parenting Report, New York Magazine, The Villager, The New York Post, Talkin' Broadway, Big Apple Parent and New York Family, as an outstanding theater company and school producing top- quality family theater for all ages in the heart of the lower east side.
All of our instructors, assistants and designers are highly trained theater professionals who bring considerable teaching, acting and production experience to each class. By working closely with members of the industry, we provide our students with the truest sense of life in the theater. In fact, one of our past students, (Phoebe VanDusen) went on to co-star in the 2009 Tony nominated Broadway production of Macbeth with Patrick Stewart.
Our classes are designed to grow with your child's age and skill level. For example, a student starts our program at age three with Storybook Theater, then progresses to Young Actors Workshop, Intermediate Acting, Theater Games and finally to Advanced Acting and Pre-Teen Showcase. In addition, hundreds of adults have attended our Adult Acting Series and participated in our annual professional Off-Broadway productions. Our adaptations of The Jungle Book, & Once Upon A Pandora's Box, written by Monica Flory, have been published by Playscripts, Inc. - another confirmation we are producing new and vital dramatic works. Celebrate our 15th season of classic plays and original adaptations of children's literature for family and school audiences. Watch as the 2014-2015 season once again promises to entertain, educate and enrich.
Thank you to all of our returning members for supporting our program over the past twelve years and a sincere welcome to our new patrons.
The New Acting Company is proud to be a fun, safe and creative place for students of all ages to explore the world of acting.
Stephen Michael Rondel Producing Artistic Director
Our professional productions feature classic plays, fairy tales and original adaptations of children’s and adult literature to entertain, engage, enrich and inspire new and future performing artists.
The New Acting Company strives to be a fun, safe and creative place for children, teens and adults preserving and promoting the artistic and cultural life of their community.
The New Acting Company is Children's Theater Redefined