Conservatory Company

An Educational Program with Professional Expectations

The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival Conservatory Company is a performance-based training program for committed, early career actors who have a passion for Shakespeare, and want to develop the skills necessary to create innovative, collaborative theater in extraordinary spaces. It’s an artistic home to train and take risks.

Working alongside our nationally recognized acting company on and off stage, the 6 to 8 actors we invite into the program each season are offered an unmatched opportunity to transition from students to professionals. Our specialty is practical experience that provides our alumnae with a competitive edge.

Kendall Cafaro (cc)

Rapunzel, Ensemble (INTO THE WOODS); Ensemble (MUCH ADO, CYMBELINE)

Kendall is so excited to be making her Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival...

Kendall is so excited to be making her Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival debut! She is a New York City based actor and singer, originally from Southeast Michigan. She is an alum of Fordham University’s Theatre program and of the NTI Moscow Art Theatre Semester. Recently, Kendall has been covering a supernumerary role in La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera. New York Credits Include: The Ugly Kids (The Wild Project), As You Like It (The Brick Theater) Regional: Shrew! (Sun Valley Shakespeare Festival). She’d like to thank the team at HVSF for this incredible opportunity as well as her parents, family, and friends for their unwavering support. kendallcafaro.com

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Kayla Coleman (cc)

Little Red, Ensemble (INTO THE WOODS); Ensemble (MUCH ADO, CYMBELINE)

Kayla is ecstatic to be making her Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival debut...

Kayla is ecstatic to be making her Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival debut with the Conservatory Company. Originally hailing from Philadelphia, PA, Kayla is a NYC based actor, singer, writer, and activist. Kayla is a May 2018 graduate from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts’ Department of Drama. She completed her training at the New Studio on Broadway, and at NYU’s campus in Accra, Ghana. Kayla was most recently seen in the Argyle Theater’s production of Hairspray as a Dynamite. Many thanks to Stephanie Klapper, Mom, Bobo, family & my chosen community. Instagram: kayycole. kaylaccoleman.com

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Jon Cook (cc)

Ensemble (MUCH ADO, CYMBELINE, INTO THE WOODS)

Jon is thrilled to be under the tent this summer! In 2017 he played Friar...

Jon is thrilled to be under the tent this summer! In 2017 he played Friar Lawrence and Benvolio in Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival’s touring production of Romeo & Juliet, and has been a teaching artist with the festival’s education arm ever since. Back in the city he’s a proud company member of the Flea Theater in TriBeCa, where you can see him on stage this coming Fall. thejoncook.com

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Brandon Dial (cc)

Jack, Ensemble (INTO THE WOODS); Ensemble (MUCH ADO, CYMBELINE)

Brandon is an NYC-based actor. He is absolutely pumped to be joining HVSF...

Brandon is an NYC-based actor. He is absolutely pumped to be joining HVSF as a member of the Conservatory Company! Past credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Smith Street Stage), Selah (NYNW Fest.), Liz Swados’ The Golem (NYU StageWorks) and Trojan Women (The Hangar Theater, Wedge Series). BFA: NYU Tisch, Stella Adler/Classical Studio/ETW.

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Timiki Salinas (cc)

Ensemble (MUCH ADO, CYMBELINE, INTO THE WOODS)

Timiki Salinas is thrilled to be at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival...

Timiki Salinas is thrilled to be at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival this summer. He is a recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University where he co-founded The Bellwether Project. You can see him in their webseries, (in)alienable, on YouTube. NYC Credits: Pop Punk High (Le Poisson Rouge) and Cindy (Project Y). TV: Dickinson. Stay Connected: @thedancingtiki and timikisalinas.com

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Ryan Washington (cc)

Steward, Ensemble (INTO THE WOODS); Ensemble (MUCH ADO, CYMBELINE)

Ryan Washington is ecstatic to be cast as a member of the Hudson Valley Shakespeare...

Ryan Washington is ecstatic to be cast as a member of the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival Conservatory Company. He has worked with The Public Theater in Shakespeare in the Park’s productions of Twelfth Night and As You Like It. He is originally from Louisiana and very grateful to be able to work on his craft in NYC. He absolutely loves projects that will challenge and push his limits. He’s grateful to Christ, family and friends who have been with him on this journey.

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Program Description

Beginning in April 2019 in New York City, this immersive program will combine repertory rehearsal of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING and CYMBELINE (read the 2019 Season Announcement) with daily physical, vocal and imaginative exploration of Shakespeare’s text, before moving to Garrison, NY in May, where Conservatory Company members understudy and perform supporting roles on HVSF’s main stage under the theater tent. In July, Conservatory Company members then return to a local hall in Cold Spring, NY to rehearse the fourth and final production of the season, INTO THE WOODS.

HVSF is passionate about training, and believes it should be affordable. There is no fee to apply and, if invited into the program, a weekly stipend is provided to each Conservatory Company member.

The HVSF Conservatory Company is an educational program with professional expectations. It requires young artists who are eager to learn, motivated to work, and dedicated fully to the art.

Please Note: Conservatory Company members will be playing LEAD ROLES in INTO THE WOODS. Therefore, this season we are looking for excellent and versatile singers (rock, pop, musical) of all vocal ranges who are good movers. Actors who also play one or more instruments will be given priority.

See HVSF EPA notice for list of roles in season being filled by Equity actors. Many speaking roles will be covered by non-Equity Conservatory Company.

Submissions must be postmarked by December 15th, 2018. Submissions will be reviewed and preliminary auditions scheduled with Associate Artistic Director Sean McNall in New York City for the week of January 22, 2018. Dedicated callback appointments will be scheduled in New York City with Casting Director Stephanie Klapper and Artistic Director Davis McCallum on January 29-31, 2018. Auditions are available by invitation only.

HVSF will contact you by January 10th, 2019 if they wish to invite you to audition. Due to the volume of submissions, they will not contact you in the case of regrets. All interested candidates should mail two copies of headshot and resume.

For more detailed information, download the Conservatory Company FAQ.

For more information on any of Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival’s Education programs, email Nora Wilcox, Associate Director of Education, at nora@hvshakespeare.org.
Read the FAQ

Duration

April 17, 2019 – September 8, 2019

Union

Non-Union and EMC Candidates

Salary

$200 P/W (plus housing and travel)

How to Apply (Deadline: December 15, 2018)

APPLY BY POSTAL SERVICE:
Conservatory Company
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival
143 Main Street
Cold Spring, NY 10516