Press Release

Westport Country Playhouse will present a virtual educational class for young artists, “Acting for the Camera,” with SAG/AFTRA and AEA actor Tenisi Davis on Saturdays in April and May, via Zoom.

“Acting for the Camera,” for ages 14 – 18, will focus on honing a young artist’s craft and working on an audition monologue. The class will explore film acting techniques, including setting up a home studio, slating and framing, and performing a monologue. Five sessions will run on Saturdays from April 10 through May 8 at 10 a.m. On May 22, the artists will record their pieces on the Playhouse stage (following Covid-19 protocols.) The class will culminate with a private, virtual sharing of the pieces on June 4.

Instructor for “Acting for the Camera” is Tenisi Davis, a native of Bridgeport, and an actor who has performed in theater, film, national commercials, and network television projects. On stage he has appeared at Collective Consciousness Theatre in New Haven and the Capital Classics Theatre Company in Hartford, among other venues. Davis has received accolades for his portrayal of Frederick Douglass in the one-man show “Frederick Douglass: An American Slave,” including the Barry M. Gordy Artistic Award from the Greater Bridgeport NAACP, a proclamation from the governor of Connecticut, and the key to the city of Bridgeport.

Davis received his formal training in the theater arts program at Housatonic Community College, Performing Arts Center of Connecticut, Alvin Ailey Foundation, and Music and Arts Center for Humanity, where he accepted the Coming Up Taller Award for excellence in the arts from President George W. Bush. Davis continues to fulfill his passion of acting while giving back to his community through ReBirth Arts Collective, an arts and production company that he co-founded.

“My hope is to give a solid foundation that will prepare my students for a healthy and successful career in the performing arts industry,” said Davis. “The world is changing in so many different ways and we must be ready to adjust with it. With this workshop being presented by the legendary Westport Country Playhouse, I plan to give industry tips and secrets to do just that. I want to say thank you to Westport Country Playhouse for having me. And to the students, show up ALIVE AND READY TO WORK! Can't wait to virtually meet you."

Fee is $275 for the five-week class, running approximately 90 minutes each week. Scholarships and payment plans are available. Maximum class capacity is 10 students. Applications, due by March 29, are available at www.westportplayhouse.org/show/actingforcamera.

Education programming at Westport Country Playhouse is generously supported by Roz and Bud Siegel.

Due to the global pandemic, the Playhouse campus remains closed since March 2020. The Playhouse management will be following the science, and guidelines from theater artists’ unions and the State of Connecticut Department of Health in deciding when and how to safely open its buildings to the public.

For Westport Country Playhouse tickets and information, visit westportplayhouse.org, leave a message on the box office voicemail at (203) 227-4177, or email at boxoffice@westportplayhouse.org. The Playhouse’s physical box office is closed during the pandemic, but staff is working from home, returning phone messages and answering emails. Please understand with the high volume of inquiries, it may take up to 72 hours to respond. Stay connected to the Playhouse on Facebook (Westport Country Playhouse), follow on Twitter (@WCPlayhouse), and on YouTube (WestportPlayhouse).