The Wooster Group Summer Institute is a free, three-week intensive performance workshop for New York City public middle and high school students, held at the renowned Performing Garage in Manhattan. Students aged 12 and up meet Monday through Thursday for five hours each day, training alongside working professional teaching artists in acting, movement, writing, voice training, microphone technique, and design disciplines including lighting, sound, video, scenic, and costume design. Founded in 1996, the program is designed to help participants discover new dimensions of themselves through joyful exploration of live performance. It is a rare opportunity to receive professional-level theater training completely free of charge.
Portraying characters convincingly through voice, movement, and emotion on stage or screen.
Designing the visual world of a production, from costumes to stage sets.
Crafting original stories, poems, or scripts that express ideas and imagination.
Delivering ideas clearly and confidently in front of an audience.
Guiding a group toward a shared goal and keeping everyone moving together.
Adjusting quickly and effectively when plans or circumstances change.
Core activity; students engage in intensive acting training and perform in public productions throughout the program.
Students gain hands-on exposure to video design and technical aspects of production during workshop sessions.
Students explore lighting, sound, scenic, and costume design elements as part of their creative technical training.
Program emphasizes mentorship and peer collaboration, with advanced students returning as paid interns to guide others.
Community Experiences
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