Acting Workshops For Youth at Stone Arch

Professional film and theatre actress Michele Messmer will conduct two five-day acting workshops for youth in Saline July 9 – 13. The workshops will be held at Stone Arch Arts and Events, 117 S. Ann Arbor St., and will cover acting for stage and film, audition techniques, monologue, scene work and voice and movement training – and probably plenty of first-hand stories from the trade.

Messmer’s acting career includes roles in Conviction, starring Hillary Swank and Sam Rockwell; Five Year Engagement, starring Emily Blunt and Jason Segel; The Christmas Bunny, with Florence Henderson; and Flipped, which was directed by Rob Reiner. Her latest film project, Detention of the Dead, will be released soon. The film’s trailer - Messmer is the teacher in a pink sweater in the opening scene - can be viewed on alongside this article.

“The producers are describing [Detention of the Dead] as The Breakfast Club meets Dawn of the Dead,” Messmer says. “I was very fortunate to be able to work on the film with such a talented group of young actors whose credits include films such as Twilight, and TV series such as Glee, Revenge, Greek, and Criminal Minds. My role as Mrs. Rumblethorp was one of the largest film roles I’ve landed, and I was happy they chose to make it here in Michigan,” she explains.

“It was filmed in an abandoned high school in Pontiac and I was on the set for three weeks,” Messmer continues. “I enjoyed the challenge of acting with the elaborate special makeup effects. For a few scenes I wore a Spandex “greensuit” and could only act from the chin up!”

When she is not involved in a project herself, the actress enjoys conducting acting workshops, especially for youth. “I find teaching the craft of acting to be very rewarding and I have always had a passion for working with young people. It’s wonderful to be able to help them develop and sharpen their skills, and to see their confidence soar,” Messmer says.

Her own career began as a child in Chicago and since has involved collaborations with The Court Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Ensemble, The Next Theatre, Bailiwick Repertory Theatre, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, The Theatre Building, and more.  In Michigan Messmer has worked with The Performance Network Theatre in Ann Arbor, The Michigan Shakespeare Festival in Jackson, The Jewish Ensemble Theatre, and The Boarshead Theatre in Lansing.

She also has appeared in national commercial spots for Pepsi, Quaker Oaks, and TWA, as well as regional commercials such as The Michigan Lottery.

Messmer’s Saline workshops will include a session for young people in grades 5 – 7 (10 a.m. – 12 p.m. each day), and another session for grades 8 – 12  (12:30 – 2:30 p.m.). Tuition for the workshops is $175.

“It’s a nice opportunity for the young actors to work intensively for a week,and it makes it all worthwhile for me to see their growth. I enjoy the fact that this summer camp experience might spark a lifelong interest in the craft of acting for many of these students,” Messmer says. “That’s really exciting for me, to help someone get started on that road.”

For reservations or more information, contact michelemessmer@comcast.net.

(This article was submitted by Stone Arch Arts & Events)