Lab Company & Lab Academy

ABOUT THE LAB COMPANY

The Hangar Theatre is currently celebrating its 39th year as a leading regional theatre in New York. Since 1989 the Hangar Theatre has been home to the Lab Company, a nationally recognized theatre-training program for young professionals in acting, directing, choreography, design, and play writing. The Lab Company is a training ground for emerging artists where the focus is on professional experience, gearing new artists up for a career in the theatre.  This year, we are pleased to announce new apprentice opportunities in the 2013 Hangar Theatre Lab Company! 

In 2013 the Hangar will continue its tradition of launching early-career actors with our pre-professional Hangar Theatre Lab Company, offering young actors an opportunity to work on our Mainstage & KIDDSTUFF series, as well as developing new work in our Hangar Pilot Reading Series, over the course of one summer. Each actor can earn up to 10 points toward their Equity Membership Candidacy. 

The Lab Company Acting program offers emerging actors a supportive and challenging artistic environment within which they can expand their experience and abilities as an actor. Designed for advanced students and early–career professionals, the program’s mission provides intensive acting training and performance in a repertory environment; the actors work with directors from the Drama League Directors Project and other emerging professionals in preparation for a career in acting.

ABOUT THE LAB ACADEMY

Additionally, in 2013 we are launching a new program called the Lab Academy. The Lab Academy is expanded, geared towards advanced undergraduate actors, directors, dramaturgs, playwrights, and choreographers - with an emphasis in education. All Lab Academy members will participate in multiple master classes and workshops in acting, collaboration, voice and speech, dance, movement, and professional skills; taught by professional artists from across the nation. 

The Lab Academy Actors will have the opportunity to act in a production in our experimental Wedge Theatre, a Theatre for Young Audiences production as part of our KIDDSTUFF series, and work projects throughout the summer (ie Directors projects, scene work written by our academy writers, dance pieces choreographed by our academy choreographers, etc.) Additionally, Academy actors will also be given the opportunity to understudy MAINSTAGE roles. Academy Directors, Dramaturgs, Playwrights, & Choreographers will participate in the same classes thus also honing in on ensemble building throughout the summer, and work on voice & speech, devising, movement, scene study, etc. with the rest of the company. They will each get an opportunity to participate in one MAINSTAGE experience, as well as projects in their particular field of study. Lab Academy members may also apply for their membership with Actors Equity, and can earn up to 9 points over the course of the summer. As distinct from other summer training programs, the Lab Company and the Lab Academy never serve in any other capacity than acting. We provide opportunities for multiple performances throughout the summer. 

The 2013 Hangar Theatre Mainstage Season, that many significant roles will be cast from the Lab Company, will include:

Last of the Red Hot Lovers by Neil Simon

Gypsy by Jule Styne, Arthur Laurents, and Stephen Sondheim

4000 Miles by Amy Herzog

Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris

The cost for the programs vary – the Lab Company is a non-tuition based program; Actors will only pay for their housing. The Lab Academy is a tuition-based company. Tuition is $2400 for the entire summer, + the cost of housing. Academy & Company members are housed on the historic Cornell campus and/or on the campus of Ithaca College, both located within walking distance from downtown Ithaca. Transportation is provided although cars are encouraged. The Company and Academy are very selective and will include about 25 artists in residence in Ithaca over the summer. It is a safe haven for young artists to play, experiment, work, and take risks all summer long.

Apply for the Lab Company and Lab Academy

ACTING: We will be auditioning at various colleges around the country and at SETC. We accept, and encourage, video auditions for both Lab Programs. Please send in an application, along with a video audition of two contrasting monologues as well as two contrasting songs (32 bars). One of the songs must be a traditional musical theatre piece. Up-tempo and ballads are both fine. Singing a cappella is accepted, but not preferred. Also, please include a Personality Audition (take about 1 minute to tell us about yourself: where are you from, how did you hear about our program, what do you want to learn from our program, and what strengths do you have that will contribute to our program?) Please submit your Video Audition along with your application to casting@hangartheatre.org. Callbacks will be done both live and taped.

ASSISTANT DIRECTING/CHOREOGRAPHING/PLAYWRIGHTING/DRAMATRUG: Please include with this application your resume. Please answer the questions on the application as well as an essay (up to two pages, typed) illuminating the following information:

-Your personal, educational, and professional background & how you found out about our program

- What are your favorite techniques that you’ve learned so far, and expound on a time when you were able to employ your favorite technique in application?

-What question are you asking that this summer in Ithaca can help you answer? 

We will contact you to arrange a phone interview.