Professional Actor

Training Program
Chattanooga State

A two-year acting program

for students who desire to
pursue careers in theatre,
film, and television.

Unique
Intensive
Affordable
2014 - 2015
 Welcome
There is no more exciting place to learn and refine the skills of theater,
television, and film than Chattanooga State. Sherry Landrum, Rex Knowles,
and company have brought the best of The New
Actors Workshop curriculum from New York to our
caring and manageable campus; and they are making
this exceptional program available at a fraction the
cost.
This program will transform your life on and off
stage!
Sincerely,

James L. Catanzaro President

Unique
We are the only actor training program that offers four semesters of
improvisation. Think about it. Today's industry values both the depth and
psychological realism gained from acting techniques and the flexiblity,
spontaneity, and relaxation gained from improvisation.
We are one of the few training programs that offers continuity of faculty.
Your acting, improvisation, and speech teachers work with you for two years.
Imagine the training you get from teachers who know your work.
We do not cull the class after the first year.
We want to work with you for two years.

Intensive
5 days a week.
21 class hours per week + rehearsals.
14 fully staged productions presented last year.
4 short films written and shot last year.

Affordable
Tuition is under $4,000 for the entire year!
You get New York style acting training
for a fraction of the cost of other programs.
Admission Process
Admission into the Professional Actor Training Program (PATP) is by interview and
audition only.
Complete and submit the application at www.chattanoogastate.edu/theatre. We will
contact you to schedule an audition.
For the audition, prepare one contemporary monologue, within your age range, no
more than two minutes in length. Auditions will continue until the class is filled.

Tuition & Fees

For current tuition, please see www.chattanoogastate.edu/financial.
Students with a 3.5 GPA, ACT composite score of 25 or higher, or SAT score of 1130
or higher are eligible for the Honors Acting course.
Out-of-state students who qualify for Honors Acting pay in-state tuition.

Cost Comparison
Tuition and fees for one year:
Professional Actor Training at Chattanooga State......................... $ 3,875
American Academy of Dramatic Arts (New York)............................. $ 31,330
American Musical and Dramatic Academy (New York)..................... $ 31,820

Degree Options
Certificate: Students who complete the two-year program earn a certificate
and graduate with sixty-four (64) college credit hours. Some credit hours will transfer
towards a BA depending on requirements of the institution.

associate's degree: Students who desire an Associate's Degree (AA or

AS) with a Theatre Arts Major take general education courses along with their PATP
courses. Because PATP is time intensive, completing an AA or AS degree may take an
additional semester and/or summer of study.

Bachelor's degree: Graduates of the training program continuing on to

four year institutions for their Bachelor's Degree (BS, BA, or BFA) work with the
faculty and staff to maximize transfer of their credits.

Bachelor's Degree englanD: Graduates of the training program

who meet Rose Brufords entrance requirements may earn a Bachelors degreewith
honors followingone additional yearof study at Rose Bruford College in London.
For further information on Rose Bruford see www.bruford.ac.ukor contactProfessor
Steven Dykes at steve.dykes@bruford.ac.uk

First Year: (32 credit hours)
Acting I & II (THEA 1110/1120)
Grounded in Stanislavski and informed by the work
of George Morrison, one of America's premiere
acting teachers. Designed to develop moment-
to-moment awareness and a framework of given
circumstance and relationship.
Improvisation I & II (THEA 1520/1525)
Developed from the work of Viola Spolin, Paul
Sills, and Keith Johnstone. Moment-to-moment
spontaneity, flexibility, and creativity.
Movement I & II (THEA 1230/1235)
Body awareness, group and partnering, exploration
of movement as an integral part of the actor's
performance skills.
Voice & Speech I & II (THEA 1410/1420)
Exercises to develop a voice free of unnecessary
tensions, spontaneously responsive to both internal
and external stimuli.
Introduction to Theatre (First Semester - THEA 1310)
Survey of drama and stagecraft from its beginning
to the present; analysis of significant plays from
outstanding periods of theatre history; enhances
understanding and appreciation of the theatre. (meets
general education requirement for associates degree)
Stagecraft (Second Semester - THEA 1320)
Exploration of the terminology, tools, and techniques
of theatrical stagecraft. Introduction to principles
of lighting, sound, costume, and scenic design with
practical application. Introduction to production
including rigging, tools, construction, lighting,
sound, costumes, and safety.
The Cast of Godspell - 2010
Curriculum
Second Year: (32 credit hours)
Acting III & IV (THEA 2110/2120)
Deepening awareness and the relationship between
the internal and the external process. Scene analysis
and its application. Exploration of classical texts
beginning with Chekhov. The scene study/acting
technique work culminates in a performance project.
Improvisation III & IV (THEA 2520/2525)
Deepen focus and spontaneity. Intuit story structure.
Long-form improvisation, Story Theatre, and Friday
Night Comedy Improv performances.
Movement III & IV (THEA 2230/2235)
Introduction to social dances of the Elizabethan era
and the 19th and 20th centuries dances including
jazz, tap, and musical theatre dance.
Voice & Speech III & IV (THEA 2410/2420)
Work on freeing regionalisms and clarifying
enunciation. Linking voice to text. Study and
performance of monologues from Shakespeare.
The Audition Process (First Semester - THEA 2310)
Practical application of the audition process from
selection of material to presentation. Explores the
interview, cold reading, and the business of acting
including professional conduct, photos, resumes, and
marketing strategies.
Production Practicum (Second Semester - THEA 2320)
Exploration of the front and back of house
components necessary to present a professional
theatrical production. Includes stage management,
crew, design, construction, marketing, box office, and
house management. Practical application for end of
semester productions.
 The Faculty
sherry landrum Rex Knowles
Artistic Director Executive Director

Sherry Landrum and Rex Knowles met at Home Is the Hunter, an outdoor drama in Harrodsburg,
Kentucky. It was their first professional acting job. Since that time, they have nurtured their relationship
together as actors, directors, writers, teachers, partners, and parents.

As a director, Sherry has won two "Best Director"
awards from the Los Angeles Drama Critics and a
"Best Director" award from the Tennessee Theatre
Association.
She directed the world
premieres of Del
Shores' Cheatin' and
Daddy's Dyin': Who's
Got the Will?
Sherry has written
(with George
S. Clinton) two
musicals. That Other Womans Child premiered
at the Chattanooga State Repertory Theatre to
rave reviews and was accepted into the New York
Music Theatre Festival. Smoky Mountain Suite was
produced for PBS and adapted for Gene Autry
Radio Theatre.
Sherry had a recurring role on General Hospital,
has done numerous commercials and movies, and
hosted the talk show Faithways for CBS.
Sherry holds a Masters Degree in Theatre Arts from
Antioch University.
Sherry is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA, AEA,
SDC, and the Dramatists Guild.
www.sherrylandrum.com
Rexs productions have won dozens of Los Angeles
Drama Critics awards, including awards for best
production and best ensemble cast.
He has written for the game shows Jackpot, The
New $25,000 Pyramid,
and Double Talk and
was Associate Producer
for Bob Stewart
Productions (ABC).
Rex is the author of
The Night Reginald
Filbert Called It Quits
(Grand Prize in the
Festival of New Works at the Chattanooga Theatre
Centre) and Rosemary Leaves (world premiere at
the Chattanooga State Repertory Theatre) and The
Nutcracker Christmas Carol: A Holiday Musical.
Rex has done numerous commercials and films and
appeared in the TV classics M*A*S*H, Starsky and
Hutch, and The Dukes of Hazzard.
A graduate of Wesleyan University, he holds a
Masters Degree in Theology and the Arts from
Union Theological Seminary.
Rex is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA, AEA, the
Dramatists Guild, and Chattanooga Writers Guild.
www.rexknowles.com

In addition to their Executive and Artistic Director roles, Rex teaches improvisation and Sherry teaches
acting for first and second year students. Their classes were recommended in the book "Your Film Acting
Career." Garry Shandling said of their classes, "Everything I ever said was conceived in Rex and Sherry's
improv class." Former students have included Garry Shandling, Leslie Jordan (Emmy Award winning actor),
Sonny Shroyer (Enos, Dukes of Hazzard), Barry Pearl (Grease and Broadway's Baby It's You), Dennis Palumbo
(screenwriter My Favorite Year), and hundreds of improv enthusiasts.
Rex and Sherry have led workshops for the American Film Institute, Screen Actors Guild Conservatory,
Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Southeastern Theatre Conference, Wolftrap, Union and
Auburn Theological Seminaries, the Lorian Society, and numerous colleges and universities. For seven years
they collaborated with The Consulting Alliance presenting workshops to corporate clients.
For ten years they served on the faculty of the New Actors Workshop in New York City, a professional
actor training program founded by theatre visionaries George Morrison, Mike Nichols, and Paul Sills. The
Professional Actor Training Program is modeled after the New Actors Workshop.
 The Faculty
JeffREY Parker
Voice & Speech
Jeffrey Parker's classes
focus on breath awareness,
vocal support, flexible vocal
expression, text interpreta-
tion, Stage Speech, and
the acquisition of dialects. In
addition to Voice and Speech,
Jeffrey teaches Intro to The-
atre, Beginning Acting, and
Musical Theatre. A former resident of California
and New York City, Jeffrey is an Associate Teacher
of Fitzmaurice Voicework. He holds an MFA in Act-
ing from the University of California (Irvine) and a
BA in Theatre from UCLA. Credits include Beauty
at the La Jolla Playhouse, Falsettos, Sunday in the
Park With George, The 25th Annual Putnam County
Spelling Bee, La Celestina, Pericles, The Seagull, The
Nutcracker Christmas Carol, Nine, The Drowsy Chap-
erone, Luck of the Draw, and The Lion, The Witch,
and The Wardrobe (national tour). He is a proud
member of Actors' Equity Association.
Movement Faculty
Lindsay Fussell (Resident Choreographer) has played lead-
ing roles in The Graduate, Chicago, Cabaret, Gypsy, and The
Best Little Whorehouse Texas. She has choreographed numer-
ous musicals for the Chattanooga State Repertory Theatre,
Chattanooga Theatre Centre, and Center for Creative Arts,
among others. She performed in That Other Womans Child
for the Chattanooga State Repertory Theatre and the New
York Musical Theatre Festival. She worked as East Coast
casting director/choreographer for the film, Straight Into
Darkness, which won best production design at the Milan
International Film Festival. Lindsay is proud to be an origi-
nal member of Chattanoodle, directed by Rex Knowles and
Sherry Landrum. She continues to train at Broadway Dance
Center (NYC).
Ann Law is a professional dancer, choreographer, dance
educator and arts activist. She is the artistic director of Co-
PAC (Contemporary Performing Arts of Chattanooga) at
Barking Legs Theater (www.barkinglegs.org) and has her
MA in Dance Education through the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro. Ann is a certified instructor in both
Pilates and Kinetic Awareness. She grew up in California,
studied dance in San Francisco and worked professionally in
Philadelphia and New York City. She recently collaborated
with Garry Posey and the Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga
creating the movement score for Romeo and Juliet.
Garry Posey
Production / Audition Process
Garry Posey teaches In-
tro to Theatre, Stagecraft,
The Audition Process and
acting technique. In ad-
dition to teaching, Garry
is the Production Coordi-
nator for the Professional
Actor Training Program
and Producing Director
for the Chattanooga State Summer Theatre Festival.
He is also the Founder and Executive Director for
Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga. Garry's work has
been recognized and honored by SETC (Leighton
Ballew Award) and Allied Arts of Chattanooga (Arts
Move grant). Garry has worked professionally as a
director, costume designer, set designer, playwright,
actor, stage manager, teacher, and wardrobe supervi-
sor at theatres in NY, NC, MA, DC, VA, OK, GA,
FL, MS, AL, MI and TN. He is a graduate of Ca-
tawba College (BA) and the University of Mississippi
(MFA).
Theatre manager
costume Designer
R.E. Hobgood is manager of the Humanities Theatre at
Chattanooga State. He has been technical director of the
Tivoli Theatre and Chattanooga Theatre Centre, assisted
with the design of performance spaces at Chattanooga Cen-
ter for Creative Arts, and is a lighting designer and actor.
Bob is a member of Local 140, International Alliance of
Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). He earned his BA in
Theatre and Speech at UTC. Roles include The Older Man
in West Running Brook, Mr. Praed in Mrs. Warrens Profession,
Double Bob in That Other Womans Child, Scrooge in The
Nutcracker Christmas Carol, Doc in Come Back Little Sheba,
Wardell in Sordid Lives and Kyle in Oblivion Postponed.
Brenda Schwab costumed That Other Womans Child for the
world premiere and for the New York Musical Theatre Fes-
tival. She served as resident costume designer for the Cum-
berland County Playhouse in Crossville, TN where she also
appeared in many productions including The King and I
(Anna), The Music Man (Marion), and The Glass Menagerie
(Laura). She was co-founder and director of development
for The New Harmony Theatre in Indiana and director of
the drama program at the New Harmony School. As an ac-
tor she has appeared in theaters throughout the South and
Midwest. Brenda works with the first year production class
and acts as a mentor to students interested in costuming.
Musical Theatre
Students interested in musical theatre supplement their acting training with Musical Theatre.
The theatre department, in collaboration with
the music department, presents a musical each
semester. Recent productions include:
Xanadu,
City of Angels,
Godspell,
The Drowsy Chaperone,
Aging Out,
Little Women,
The Secret Garden, and
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
The Musical of Musicals: The Musical was performed in the Fringe Festival for SETC in Atlanta.
Chad McDonald, President of the Tennessee Theatre Association, called the production "...
amazing ...a tour de force. I was stunned at the quality of the production."

Performance Opportunities
The Professional Actor Training Program Friday Night Improv
(PATP), the Chattanooga State Repertory The second year students perform comedy
Theatre (CSRT), and theatres in the area improv on Friday nights.
offer many performance opportunities for Graduating Student Productions
students. Unlike most training programs, For their final projects, the Class of 2013
we encourage our students to audition for presented fully
productions within the school and in area mounted produc-
theatres. We do this so that students have a tions of And Baby
referent upon which to frame their training. Makes Seven, Liv-
Our one requirement is that rehearsals and ing Room in Africa,
performances do not interfere with classes. and Some Girl(s),
 Repertory Theatre
The Chattanooga State Repertory Theatre (CSRT), the
resident professional theatre at Chattanooga State, provides
a unique opportunity for students in the Professional Actor
Training Program to be mentored by professional/Equity
artists as well as to learn all the elements of producing
professional theatre.
CSRT has presented That Other Woman's
Child, The Nutcracker Christmas Carol (world premiere), Rosemary
Leaves (world premiere), A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like
It, Mrs. Warren's Profession, West Running Brook - the Poetry of Robert
Frost (world premiere), Hedda Gabler, Macbeth, Angels in America,
Oblivion Postponed, Mr. Marmalade, Dog Sees God, and Luck of the
Draw: The Improvised Musical.
Students and graduates worked all aspects of these productions.

The Nutcracker Christmas Carol

written by Rex Knowles, Sherry Landrum, and Allan Ledford.
presented every holiday season
critics have praised the show:
"...a holiday classic!"
"...a hoot"
"...innovative and wacky"
"...phenomenal"
Photo Credit: Ale de Vries

That Other Woman's Child: a Bluegrass Musical

by Sherry Landrum and George S. Clinton
Chosen out of four hundrend
submissions to participate in
the New York Musical Theatre
Festival in New York City, the
show received standing ovations
at every performance.
...the most original piece of musical theatre to
hit Tennessee stages in a very long time. (Ruth Cartlidge,
The Pulse)
"...terrifically entertaining." (Lisa Jo Sagolla, Backstage)
"Wow, did I ever love seeing the bluegrass musical That
Other Womans Child." (Dr. Joy Browne, syndicated radio)
"...the most energetically entertaining show at NYMF this Photo Credit: Bill Shipley

year." (Matthew Murray, talkinbroadway.com)

"In a period when the American culture is in political turmoil and society is searching for both a sense of
understanding and a sense of humor, That Other Woman's Child turns us back to our American heritage. Lib-
erating us with hearty laughs, southern charm, and bluegrass music, Sherry Landrum and George S. Clinton
have crafted a satirical modern musical comedy that pokes fun at the traditional structures, while rooting us in
the values of home and family." ( Jennifer Rathbone, TheaterOnline.com)
Students & Graduates
Upon entering the Professional Actor Training Program, I already held
a bachelor's degree in music, had had many college theatre roles, had
taken acting classes since childhood, and had a great agent in Nashville;
however, the training I received at Chattanooga State is unlike anything
else I have ever known. The two-year program is designed to create an
autonomous actor. Why does this matter? Doesn't every educational
program encourage autonomy? In a word: no. The PATP training is highly
specialized, sensitive, and magnanimous. Through rigorous work in scene
study and improvisation, a culture of free self-expression, self-exploration,
and emotional generosity weaves a small group of people together forever,
beyond the span of two short years. Did I become a better actor? Undoubtedly. I filled my toolbox
with the essential practical skills that make me feel easily prepared for any performing situation.
The best reward, however, is that my perception as an artist and human being was truly cultivated
in that time. The training is absolutely professional and intimately personal. What makes it special
cannot be conveyed literally. It can only be felt first-hand.
Gioia Fazzini, Class of 2009

Last year, I had the life changing experience of completing my first

year of the Professional Actor Training Program at Chattanooga State.
Previously, I had graduated Cum Laude from Belmont University
with a Bachelor of Music degree in Musical Theatre. I also enjoyed
wonderful experiences working as a vocalist on a cruise ship, acting
for several seasons in a professional theatre, and performing for arenas
of children on a tour of Sesame Street Live. I had a good amount of
knowledge and experience under my belt, but I lacked confidence and
certain skills that were simply not a focus in Belmont's training program. I clearly remember
my first week of classes last Fall. After each class, I would think to myself, "This is what I have
been craving to learn!" Throughout the year, I continued to be thrilled by the new performance
techniques I was able to learn and practice in my classes. I was also amazed by the clarity with
which my teachers presented these often abstract ideas, and the safe environment they provided
for us to practice them.
Paige Salter, Class of 2014

I graduated from the Professional Actor Training Program and

began working as a professional entertainer initially part time
and now full time. The program is so unique and intensive,
that the only way I can describe it is as a massive springboard
that will catapult you towards a career in the entertainment
industry. I came to the program with raw desire, eager to learn,
and I left with a wealth of knowledge that I continue to draw
from as a professional. I was a kid with a dream, and now I have
Off Broadway shows, commercials for Nickelodeon, Sony, and Capitol One, and some television
projects in the works under my belt all because of the great start that I got with PATP. I can't
recommend the program enough to someone who is serious about a career in show business. If
you are ready to work hard, stop dreaming and start doing, then the Professional Actor Training
Program is for you.
Malachi Nimmons, Class of 2008
 From a parent
Dear Dr. Catanzaro,
My daughter graduated today from the truly superb professional acting program at
your institution that is run so effectively by Rex Knowles and Sherry Landrum. Rex
and Sherry clearly have an extraordinary ability to motivate, encourage, and train young
people interested in theater as a career, and they have produced amazing results. It was
apparent at the graduation ceremony today that all of the students in the program,
including my daughter, have enormous respect for Rex and Sherry and that the students
have uniformly positive feelings about their experiences.
Over the course of the past two years I have witnessed first hand the very high level
of commitment that they elicit from their students and the well constructed challenges
they present to the students in the program. It is also clear that the learning in the
program goes well beyond acting and encompasses important lessons in responsibil-
ity, meeting deadlines, and working effectively with others as part of a team that must
function as a cohesive unit.
It was very apparent from the student speeches this afternoon that the program has a
transformative effect on the lives of the students who enroll in it and that the experi-
ences they share together build self-confidence and determination to achieve challegaing
goals.
My wife and I are both very grateful to Chattanooga State for having the vision to
bring such an outstanding program to your campus.
David W. Carrithers
Adolph Ochs Professor of Government
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Guest Artists
past guests have included:
David Spangler (philosopher, "practical mystic", writer)
Leslie Jordan (Emmy winning actor)
Dennis Haskins (actor, Saved by the Bell)
Del Shores (writer, producer, filmmaker, Sordid Lives)
Amy Dean Kennedy (filmmaker, producer, writer)
Brantley Dunaway (Producing Artistic Director, Kentucky Shakespeare)
Robert Cole (Tony winning Broadway producer)
Mark Edwards (President, Royal Mouse Travel and Entertainment) Leslie Jordan

Newell Alexander (actor, writer, producer)

Rosemary Alexander (actor, writer, producer)
Judy Lee Oliva (writer)
John Gilbert (actor)
Colleen Laliberte (mask, improvisation)
Jerry Bowman (mime, improvisation)
Dennis Haskins
Stewart Pimsler Dance & Theatre (movement)
 I am thankful for the confidence and courage I
now have to pursue my dream, thanks to your
program. I love you guys.

I came here. I took a chance. And it was the best

decision I ever made.

This really has been one of the greatest decisions

that I have ever made. I wouldn't trade this
experience for anything!

This is the best acting curriculum with the best

teachers that you'll find anywhere!

After a summer working in a professional

theatre, I now know that we are better prepared
to work in the theatre after this program than
graduates of many four year programs.

These past two years have been the most amazing

experience of my life.

The best, best, best two years of my life!

Pub. No. 11-70-202203-149-9/13/rk 1000 Chattanooga State Community College is an AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
national origin, sex, disability or age in its program and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination
policies: Director and Affirmative Action Officer, 4501 Amnicola Highway, Chattanooga, TN 37406, 423-697-4457.
 For further information contact:
Rex Knowles or Sherry Landrum
Executive Director Artistic Director
423-697-3246 423-697-3247
rex.knowles@chattanoogastate.edu
sherry.landrum@chattanoogastate.edu
www.chattanoogastate.edu/theatre

Chattanooga state Theatre DEPARTMENT

4501 Amnicola Highway Chattanooga, TN 37406