Theater Arts and Education

Level up your performance with professional coaching from a drama professional.

• Coaching on any production you’re currently involved in:

  • Text analysis

  • Developing a character

  • Creating a role

  • Establishing a physical presence

  • Speech and voice work

• Coaching on any monologues you currently have in your portfolio

• ·Coaching on any upcoming auditions you currently have booked

• ·Coaching on any callbacks you currently have booked

A la carte:

• Monologue selection

• Monologue coaching

• Exploring various acting methods (Stanislavski, Meisner, Michael Chekhov, Viewpoints, Adler, Hagen, etc.)

• Developing a reading list of plays/acting textbooks/memoirs

• ·Discussion sessions based on the reading list, with exercises drawn from that list included

• ·Bring-a-friend sessions – I’ll work on any scenes from productions or pieces you’re currently involved in.

• Scene selection for you and a friend

  • Coaching session(s) on that scene

This nine-session package provides 1-on-1 private coaching to prepare actors for that big audition.

Cara Gabriel guides you through the process from selecting a monologue to managing callbacks. This package will make sure you are ready to land that dream role.

• 9 one-hour, private sessions

• Monologue selection

  • Two workable monologues for the client to use in audition settings.

  • Content/type/genre/period based on consultation with the client.

• Monologue coaching for two monologues

• Learn how to nail a cold reading for callbacks

• Learn how to slate (present and introduce yourself in an audition room)

• Learn about how to dress for auditions

• Get connected with 2-3 DC headshot photographers

A la carte services

College Admissions Consulting

• • Finding the right school/program

  • Organizing application materials

  • Audition Coaching

  • Interview Coaching

  • Assistance finding accompanists, vocal coaches, etc.

Audition Planning

• Assistance in developing an audition plan

  • • Find productions to submit to/audition for

    • Follow-through on those auditions

  • Assistance in deciding if getting an agent is right for you

    • If so, assistance locating appropriate agents

    • And navigating the procurement of an agent

  • Assistance submitting to the general actor pool at various DC theatres.

  • Development of a reading list of plays

  • Discussion sessions/workshops based on that reading list

Children are the best storytellers. These classes focus on building confidence and social-emotional skills and using drama as a mode of creative expression.

Private Classes

• 6 one-hour sessions

• Minimum six students per class; maximum 10 students per class

• Offered for students ages 5-12. Each course will be focused on a more limited age range (5-7; 7-9; 9-12; etc.)

• Creative Drama courses are geared toward students who want to engage in creative and emotional development through storytelling, theatre games, improvisation, physical play, visual art, and original story composition. While students may write their scenes or create their work, these courses do not focus on text-based drama.

• Creative Drama courses are focused on Process over Product. Though caregivers and other grownups may be invited to observe a class, these sessions do not end with a production or recital.

• A Creative Drama course might be for your child if they want to:

  • Gain introductory acting skills

  • Learn the basics of character, setting, and plot

  • Expand your imaginative capacity

  • Engage in creative and intellectual risk-taking

  • Learn to solve problems creatively

  • Build confidence

  • Improve communication skills

  • Work individually and in collaborative teams

  • Practice empathy and other forms of emotional expression

  • Use creativity and imagination to improve literacy or STEM skills

  • Think on their feet

  • PLAY!

• Each course will follow a particular theme, including but not limited to:

  • Fairy Tales

  • Space Exploration

  • Historical Events/Figures

  • Myths and Legends

  • Scientific Discoveries

  • Heroes (Real and Imagined!)

  • Other topics are to be decided in advance or as custom packages for groups. Sometimes, session topics will evolve as we go, depending on group needs.

Discover the path to professional theater.

Theater can be a rewarding career. Learn about the different aspects of professional theater from the experts themselves.

• 6 one-hour sessions

• Meet 6 theatre professionals via video call

• You and I will meet alone 15 minutes before each call to develop our list of questions for the professional and briefly review their bio

• Then we’ll have a 45-minute session with the artist and hear firsthand:

  • Where they started

  • Where they are now

  • How they created a career for themselves in the arts

• The 6 artists may include some of the following individuals, pending their availability:

  • a Broadway actor

  • a Broadway company manager

  • a Broadway producer

  • a Broadway lighting designer

  • a DC artistic director

  • a DC casting director

  • a professional DC director or associate director

  • a professional DC actor

  • a DC casting director

  • an LA writer/director/producer

  • a NYC theatre/television/film actor

  • a pageant winner and professional film/television actor

  • a solo performer/writer

  • a published and award-winning playwright

  • a comedian/SNL/improv performer

  • a college theatre or musical theatre professor

Experience DC Theater

• 6 one-hour discussion sessions. Online/virtual meetings are acceptable.

• Based on your interests, I’ll develop a list of 6 professional plays/musicals you should see in the DC area. You see the plays on your own time.

• We’ll meet a few days after each play to discuss what you saw:

  • Analyze various actor performances

  • Analyze other directing, design, and production elements

• We’ll read production reviews together, and talk about whether we agree with the critic’s assessment, why and why not.

• If time allows and characters are appropriate, perhaps we’ll have a chance to learn and coach a monologue or two from the plays you see.

A la carte:

• Attend the show with me.

  • We’ll meet about a half hour before curtain to discuss what we’re about to see, then talk about it as we see it.

  • We’ll follow that up with our entire 1-hour session later on.

• Meet the artist:

  • Meet an actor and/or other production staff involved with the show, depending on your area(s) of interest. This may take the form of a video call at some point after the production or meeting the person in the theatre immediately after the show.

  • We’ll develop a list of questions in advance, so you don’t forget to ask the professional everything you have on your mind.

  • Pending artist availability.

• Backstage pass:

  • Tour the theatre before or after a production

  • Or, meet at a theatre independent of a production

  • Meet the staff there, tour the space, etc.

  • Pending availability of staff and space.