The West Virginia University School of Theatre and Dance will host the Summer Acting Academy, June 23-28 at the Canady Creative Arts Center, providing an opportunity for young students to explore their theatre passions in a supportive setting with help from WVU Theatre instructors and students.
After a brief hiatus, the academy is back and revitalized thanks to Acacia Daken, an accomplished visiting assistant professor, who arrived at the WVU School of Theatre and Dance in August 2024 and is directing this year’s Academy.
“When I arrived at WVU this year from Australia, I really wanted to bring something like this back,” Daken said. “I used to run youth programs back home and missed that connection with younger performers. It felt like a great way to engage with the community here and help the next generation of actors find their footing.”
The academy is split into two smaller day camps designed for different age groups. The Youth Acting Academy is for ages 8-11 and introduces performers to the worlds of stage and screen performance. Instructors will work with students on scene work, voices and accents, musical theatre, puppetry and on-camera acting.
“It’s a chance to see what’s possible and to explore all different mediums of acting—from theatre to film—and discover where their passion lies,” Daken said.
The Teen Acting Academy is for ages 12-18 and expands upon the techniques learned in the Youth Academy. The goal of the Teen Academy is to spark creativity and hone each student’s performing skills, inspiring confidence for a potential future acting career in theatre or film.
“I want to support teens as they prepare for college, or to simply explore their artistic voice,” Daken said.
The academies will be taught by WVU Theatre faculty, students and alumni who will pass on their knowledge and form connections with students who may want to major in acting one day.
“What I’m most looking forward to is watching each student discover their love for acting and seeing that spark when they realize this is something they’re passionate about,” said Jonnie Carpathios, a graduate teaching assistant at the School of Theatre and Dance. “It’s incredibly rewarding to help them build the skills and confidence they need to grow as performers and take their next steps in the world of theatre and beyond.”
Daken added, “I hope the academy inspires students by giving them the chance to work alongside some of our incredibly talented current students and recent graduates. We’re lucky to have some fantastic people on board.”
Daken is a lecturer and voice and accent coach, with an MA in Acting and an MFA in Voice Studies from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. She is the founder of Vocal Chameleon and is a junior board member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association. Her acting roles include Mayor Francine Watson in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation drama, "Itch," and Megan Morrison in the horror/mystery film, "Lies Within Us." She has also served as a dialect coach for productions such as “It Only Takes a Night” and “Kid Snow.”
For more information about the Summer Acting Academy and other WVU College of Creative Arts and Media summer programs, visit https://creativeartsandmedia.wvu.edu/community-engagement.