G. Valmont Thomas

As the curtain opens on artattack theater ensemble's new venue in Ashland's beautiful historic district, our region's actors now have expanded opportunities to study their craft.  Beginning April 5 artattack will begin the first of a series of acting classes for adults of all experience levels with Oregon Shakespeare Festival actor, G. Valmont Thomas. The class will run for six weeks concluding on May 11, Saturday and Sunday mornings from 10-12:30, at the artattack theater space at 310 Oak St. in Ashland. 

"I don't teach from one style or approach," said Thomas "It has been my experience that each style of acting one comes in contact with has something useful in it. What I do is allow student actors the opportunity to explore the philosophies of Stanislavsky, Strasberg, Adler and Meisner, four of the teachers who most influenced the development of acting in the twentieth century."

The six-week session is the first in a series of acting classes that will build upon each other. "The first unit," Thomas continued, "will give students a working vocabulary with which to continue their work. Upon completion of this course actors will be more confident choosing appropriate monologues and rehearsing them on their own.  We will also begin scene study using scenes from contemporary plays.  An introduction of script and character analysis will also be included."

Thomas holds a BA in Theatre Arts with an Acting Concentration, from Western Washington University, and an MFA in Theatre Arts (Directing) from Penn State University where he received a Graduate Achievement Award in Teaching. In five seasons at OSF he has played over twenty roles including: Macbeth in Macbeth, Mac in Playboy of the West Indies, Stephano in The Tempest, Shorty in Oo-Bla-Dee, Guildenstern in Hamlet, Feste in Twelfth Night, God in The Good Person of Szechuan, Red Carter in Seven Guitars, Mistress Quickly and Colville in Henry IV, Part Two, Snake in The School for Scandal, Boy Willie in The Piano Lesson.

Artattack classes with Oregon Shakespeare Festival actor, G. Valmont Thomas in a six week session beginning April 5 and going through May 11, Saturday and Sunday mornings from 10-12:30, at the artattack theater space at 310 Oak St. in Ashland. The cost for this class is $300 and payment plans are available. The class will be limited to 12 students. To register or for more information please call (541) 482-6505.