About the Course
Building on the skills introduced in Beginning Acting 1, this 6-week course emphasizes careful listening, developing the actor's imaginative capacity, and beginning to explore the emotional life of the actor.
This class incorporates a blend of improvisation, the Michael Chekhov technique, and the Meisner technique. Students will be challenged to access their creative individuality, be present in the moment, and explore the power of emotional vulnerability in a safe and supportive environment.
After taking this course, students will:
Understand the power of listening and responding in a truthful way
Feel more confident using their imaginations
Become more physically expressive
Have strategies for safely accessing emotions in performance
Your Instructor
Dr. Katie Turner
Dr. Turner is the Associate Director of the School of Theatre, Television, and Film at San Diego State University, where she teaches acting, history, and literature courses. She won the Outstanding Faculty Award at SDSU in 2020, 2023, and 2024.
Katie is a Designated Meisner Teacher (Meisner Institute) and a graduate of the MCIAT Comprehensive Training course. She is completing a 3-year teacher certification course in the Michael Chekhov Technique with the Michael Chekhov Association. She is a Theatre Generalist, but her passion is working with actors, both as an acting teacher and as a director. Aside from the Meisner and Chekhov techniques, Katie is a also a specialist in Improvisational Acting, Devised Theatre, Script Analysis, Standard Patient Acting, Theatre History, and Dramaturgy.
Katie is also a playwright and producer. In addition to dozens of productions and company affiliations over the years, Katie ran her own theatre company, Turnkey Theatre, from 2020-2022, which specialized in original interactive plays. Her choose-your-own-adventure Gothic Melodrama Iris and the Axe won the "Outside the Box" award at the 2022 San Diego International Fringe Festival. Find Turnkey Theatre's work on YouTube. Her next project is developing a solo show, slated for performance in August 2026.