Our acting program provides an advanced theatre training ground for junior high, high school, and college-aged young people. Members of the group explore various acting techniques and styles by engaging in monologue and scene work. Each semester provides an opportunity for group members to showcase this work for a live audience. In addition to acting technique, rehearsal and performance, this group develops and manages an action plan to implement the technical aspects of their showcase production, and the marketing efforts that will ensure a successful community experience. Members of the group are engaged in reflection and discussion on what it means to be a theatre-maker and an active member of arts-based communities.

Director: Michael Pantone is an actor, director, and educator. He began his career acting in theatre, film and television and dancing with several companies including Lee Theodore’s American Dance Machine. Michael originated roles in new works at Manhattan Theatre Club, La Mama, The Public Theatre and Playwright’s Horizon working with distinguished artists such as Richard Adler, Bill Davies and Pat Birch to name a few. He toured the country as Clarence; the bumbling Angel second-class in David Nehl’s It’s a Wonderful Life. Michael has served as the director of the Repertory Theatre at Usdan Summer Camp of the Arts, he has directed main stage musicals at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ; original musical sketch comedy shows at Caroline’s on Broadway, and new works for the New York Musical Theatre Festival, and Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. Michael is a high school theatre arts teacher in Coney Island and has coached and prepared many young actors for high school and college placements. His students have attended LaGuardia HS, Professional Performing Arts HS, Talent Unlimited HS, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts HS, Repertory Company HS, Carnegie Mellon, Purchase, Emerson, Northwestern, NYU, Yale, and Marymount Manhattan to name a few. He received his theatre training from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Pace University, CUNY’s Applied Theatre Program, and City College’s Educational Theatre Program.

ATDW has been thriving in the arts education community on Long Island for over 35 years, under the guidance of Broadway Veterans Michelle and Jerome Vivona the conservatory style Program has added Broadway Master Classes, a black box theater and musical theater production classes as well as classes in vocal technique and performance. If your goal is to attend a high level college theater program, perhaps land a role in a Broadway show or your high school musical production or just gain more confidence speaking in front of other people, ATDW is the first, best and only place to begin or continue your studies.

Join the FUN at the workshop.