Courses
Applications for our 2026 courses are open!
Golden Stage: Acting for Adults 50+
Ever wondered what it really takes to step into a character on stage? Curious how actors transform words on a page into living, breathing stories? Thinking it might be your turn to try?
This course introduces older artists to the fundamentals of acting, guiding participants through the essential steps an actor takes when first approaching a script—reading, analyzing, and beginning to bring characters to life. Through hands-on exercises, students develop core acting skills, including movement, stage presence, voice, and character building, gaining tools to perform with confidence and authenticity. The course is designed for artists of all backgrounds—whether you acted earlier in life, have always been curious about performing, or are exploring acting for the first time. Classes provide a supportive, encouraging space where students can experiment, take risks, and step fully into the creative world of acting.
Applications Open – March 2
Application Deadline – April 5
How to Enroll
Applicants are invited to submit a maximum 1-page letter of interest answering the following questions:
1) What excites you about exploring acting in this class?
2) Have you acted before, or is this your first time exploring acting? We’d love to hear about any performing experience you’ve had. If you haven’t acted before, that’s perfectly fine—tell us a little about something you enjoy or are passionate about. We just want to get to know you!
***Please keep your answers to each question under 100 words.
Applications can be submitted to education@tarragontheatre.com with the subject line ACTING.
If you are applying for a subsidy rate spot, please include SUBSIDY in the subject line.
For accessibility accommodations or to submit your application in an alternative format, please email or call Heather Caplap at education@tarragontheatre.com |(416) 531-1827 ext 249
APPLICATION DEADLINE – April 5
Cost
Regular Rate – $240
Subsidized Rate- $120* (limited availability)
*If you are applying for the subsidized rate please note it in the subject line of your application letter. You are welcome, but not required, to include a few sentences about why you would like to apply for the subsidized rate.
Dates and Times
Location: Tarragon Theatre
Time: Mondays, 12pm – 2pm
Dates:
- May 4
- May 11
- BREAK (May 18 is a holiday)
- May 25
- June 1
- June 8
- June 15
Instructor
Nicole Wilson is a director, actor, and educator with over 15 years of experience teaching acting, devising, directing, and long-form improvisation. She is currently the Apprentice Artistic Director at the Grand Theatre and the co-founder of Good Old Neon. From 2022–2025, Nicole served as the Artistic Director of act2StudioWORKS, a theatre company dedicated to training and creating performance opportunities for artists aged 50 and older—work that deeply informs her approach to teaching senior actors with respect, rigor, and care.
As a director, recent credits include Ivona, Princess of Burgundia (George Brown Theatre School), Phaedra’s Love (Stratford Festival), Dead Elephants, The Last Mammoth, Blue Remembered Hills (Good Old Neon), and Frankenstein(esque) (Silent Protagonist). She has assisted on major productions such as Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?(Canadian Stage), London Assurance (Stratford Festival), and Frozen (Grand Theatre). As an actor, Nicole has performed with companies including The Segal Centre, Good Old Neon, Lighthouse Theatre Festival, Orillia Opera House, Odyssey Theatre, Precisely Peters Productions, PLS (UK Tour), and Chekhov Collective, and appeared on television in The Good Witch (Seasons 6 & 7). Her work has been recognized with a My Entertainment Critics’ Pick for Outstanding Production and an Audience Choice Best Actress Award.
Nicole has taught at George Brown Theatre School, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto Film School, Theatre by the Bay, Shakespeare in the Ruff, the Grand Theatre, Impatient Theatre, and more. She trained at George Brown Theatre School and HB Studio in New York City, where she completed the Hagen Intensive Lab with Carol Rosenfeld.
Nicole believes it is never too late to begin acting training, and that a lifetime of lived experience is a valuable foundation for the craft. Central to her teaching philosophy is the belief that senior actors deserve the same care, rigor, and thoughtful challenge as any other group—without being handled with kid gloves. She teaches to the individual, meeting each participant where they are, making this course welcoming and meaningful for artists of all experience levels. The course is designed not to lower the bar, but to provide a focused, supportive environment where older artists can step into the world of acting, ask questions, draw on their life experience, and fully engage with the work.
Pattern Drafting & Draping
with Caroline O’Brien
This course builds upon foundational skills in professional costuming introducing students to the principles of costume design for live performance. Participants will learn about the design process, from concept development to interpreting a sketch. Through hands-on project(s), participants will gain practical experience in pattern drafting and draping, constructing basic blocks for costume development.
The course covers topics such as period styles, and fabric selection. Through hands-on workshop and projects, students will gain practical experience in creating costume elements.
*Participants should be able to operate an industrial sewing machine & basic professional costume building skills. Equivalent experience in self-taught practice is welcome.
*Please note this course will be held at TMU
*Materials provided, participants should plan to bring their own tool kit
Applications Open – March 23
Application Deadline – April 19
How to Enroll
Artists are invited to submit a maximum 1-page letter of interest and a recent resume.
Applications can be submitted to education@tarragontheatre.com with the subject line DRAFTING.
If you are applying for a subsidy rate spot, please include SUBSIDY in the subject line.
For accessibility accommodations or to submit your application in an alternative format, please email or call Heather Caplap at education@tarragontheatre.com |(416) 531-1827 ext 249
APPLICATION DEADLINE – April 19
Cost
Regular Rate – $430
Subsidized Rate- 220* (limited availability)
*If you are applying for the subsidized rate please note it in the subject line of your application email. You are welcome, but not required, to include a few sentences about why you would like to apply for the subsidized rate.
Dates and Times
Location: Toronto Metropolitan University
Time: 11am-4pm
Dates: May 19-22
Instructor
A native of Ireland, Caroline O’Brien is a costume designer and maker, a writer and educator. In her freelance career she has worked with major ballet and dance companies collaborating with choreographers from across North America and Europe, and has a long-standing collaborative relationship with Peggy Baker, Artistic Director of Peggy Baker Dance Projects. She worked with Canada’s National Ballet School as resident costume designer and wardrobe supervisor, a position she held for almost twenty years.
In addition to costuming Caroline has worked in large-scale sculpture incorporating industrial metal textiles with fashion fabrics. Her award-winning work is represented in private collections and has been performed and exhibited across Canada and internationally, and her designs were selected for the inaugural World Stage Design, 2005. She curated Sixty Years of Designing the Ballet for The National Ballet of Canada, awarded the Richard Martin citation for excellence in costume curation by the Costume Society of America.
Caroline was appointed Chair of the School of Performance in 2019 where she also teaches courses in tailoring, corsetry, dancewear, and historic costume making. As Chair, Caroline leads the academic, creative and administrative activities within the school. Prior to taking on this role, she worked as Director of Production, with key contributions to teaching, revising curriculum and enhancing the student learning experience.
Caroline holds a PhD from The National College of Art and Design, Dublin, Ireland where she completed her thesis on the design and making process in a professional ballet company, engaging The National Ballet of Canada as a case study. She has held artist residencies at Artscape Gibraltar Point in Toronto, Banff Centre for the Arts, several locations in Ireland and the UK, in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania and MEC (Maison des Etudiants Canadiens) in Paris. She has presented her work across the world, from Aalto University, UCLA, and New York in the U.S. to Toronto, Halifax, Montreal, Dublin, London, Nottingham, Paris, Auckland, Osaka, to name a few. She has served as a guest instructor at University of the Arts London, L’Ecole Supérieure de Ballet du Québec, Dalhousie University and has offered numerous independent costume workshops for beginners through seasoned professionals. Caroline is passionate about sharing her experience of the creative process as it applies to textile arts and live performance. Her workshops focus on applied learning in costume making, hand finished details and movement-added patternmaking while participants are encouraged to connect with one another and share industry and personal experience.
Caroline works with Metcalf Foundation and serves as Chair of the Tarragon Theatre Board of Directors.
Other educational opportunities in our building
IN STUDIO SCENE STUDY
with Karen Ivany
A great introduction to on camera acting for theatre-trained actors.
A rewarding work out for returning and advanced students wishing to sharpen and expand their screen acting skills.
Drawing from the methodologies of SANFORD MEISNER, STELLA ADLER, LEE STRASBERG, UTA HAGEN, MICHAEL CHEKHOV and STEPHAN PERDEKAMP, scene partners create authentic interactions, internalize core emotions and follow physical impulse within master, medium and close-up frames.
Scene explorations focus on committed State(s)-Of-Being, character development through Behaviour, interaction with Objects, beat Transitions, action/dialogue/movement/
Actors create by doing. Most of class time is dedicated to acting practice with live feedback between takes. Notes focus on WHAT IS WORKING WELL and WHAT MAY BE CLARIFIED in portrayals. As well as adapting to notes in real time, participants also learn to self-evaluate their work, an essential skill for the working actors submitting selftpes to casting. After each class, students receive all their class footage with additional notes for further review at home.
How to Enroll
Those interested in registering for a class may submit a form via the website, or email directly: karen@karenivany.ca
Cost
There are 3 levels of In Studio Scene Study (On Camera);
INTRO (4 weeks) – For Beginners with little or no prior acting training or experience
- Reg FEE: $325+HST
RETURNING STUDENTS (RS- Intermediate) (6 weeks) – Please submit resume for assessment via contact form on website www.karenivany.ca
- Reg Fee: $495+HST
ADVANCED (5 weeks) – By invitation only, please submit resume via contact form on website www.karenivany.ca
- Reg FEE: $425+HST
EQUITY MEMBERS RECEIVE 10% OFF REGULAR FEES
Dates and Times
Learn more at karenivany.ca
Instructor
Karen Ivany is a theatre-trained actor who transitioned to screen acting early in her career. Her twenty-five years of activism with ACTRA lead to her first teaching contracts for working and aspiring actors. Ms.Ivany was commissioned by The Second City Training Centre in Toronto to expand the Acting Program curriculum in 2010. During her tenure at Second City, she also established on camera acting classes and was the exclusive instructor of those popular specialty offerings. Karen has been teaching Respect On Set for both ACTRA and DGC members as well as students of the College of Makeup Art & Design (CMU) for over a decade. Ms. Ivany is a member of Acting Coaches and Educators (AACE), adhering to a strict code of ethics to keep actors safe and respected while practicing their craft.
EQ Training includes the following certificates;
Mental Health First Aid – Mental Health Commision of Canada
Emotional Intelligence In The workplace – Julie Freedman
How To Be An Effective Trans Ally – The 519 Community Centre Group, Toronto
Conflict Resolution and De-escalation Techniques – The St Stephen Community Centre, Toronto
Intimacy In The Acting Classroom – ACTRA (2018) and AACE (2022) – Siobahn Richardson, Intimacy Coordinator, Canada