I am so excited to be sharing the details of Acting With Alexa’s first ever actor training retreat, in collaboration with two of my favourite people that I’ve met working in this industry.

Have a read through the information below and at the bottom of this page you’ll find more details and information on how to register for a spot. Any questions, feel free to reach out!

the who…

I first met Matt in 2016 on a job and had a lot of fun working with him. It made the excitement of being on set even more enjoyable because of such a respectful, encouraging environment. We kept in touch and I was thrilled to have him on board as director for the first short film I wrote, produced and acted in; ‘HERS’. Even outside of my personal experience Matt is known for his engaging, supportive working environment. Recently he directed both seasons of award winning family drama A Kind of Spark, which follows the lives of a group of autistic women and girls. (It’s utterly brilliant!) The programme has been repeatedly celebrated for its authentic casting and truthful depiction of neurodiversity, and Matt made sure to make the filming process as accessible and enjoyable for the actors as possible (documented here in a video for the BYUtv insider!) Needless to say, Matt’s process-focussed approach and genuine love of working with actors made him a perfect fit for collaboration for this retreat and I am incredibly grateful and happy to have him involved.

I connected with Steph via The 98% podcast when she reached out to me following the discussions I had had on the podcast about my negative experiences at drama school. Steph’s actor training programmes ‘Both Feet’ has actor’s safety, wellbeing, and enjoyment as number one priority. She works hard, using her neurolinguistic approach, to break down the age-old idea that actors need to be “broken down to build back up.” Steph has one mission; to revolutionize how we train ourselves as actors and make sure we are being our best selves as a human first and an actor second. Sound familiar? Steph and I couldn’t be any more aligned with how we approach working with actors and so this collaboration was a no brainer. I have seen how Steph’s training transforms actors for the better, I only wish I had met her earlier and had her work with me during my actor training!

Both Feet Actor Training offers actor retreats that are the only kind of training of its kind IN THE WORLD! So when Steph offered up her studio and living space for this training opportunity, I couldn’t say no. I am so excited to not only work with her, but see you learn from her too. Just check out these incredible reviews about her training, here on Google, and here on Facebook!

To hear more about these wonderful practitioners check out Series 1 Episode 14 of The 98% to hear Matt as a guest, and Series 5 Episode 11 to hear Steph’s episode!

THE WHAT…

I had the idea for this weekend partly due to the explosion of workshops that has happened since the pandemic. While it’s great that actors are continuing their learning, working on scenes, and finding opportunities to work in the room, many actors find themselves focussing too much on the outcome. Attending one because you want to meet a certain casting director, or get on a directors ‘radar’ to follow up with them in future, to pick a scene that will make you “stand out” or “impress”, to do it just because you feel like you have to or should to ‘keep busy’.

When we focus on outcomes, and, in the case of workshops, hypothetical outcomes that we may hope will come from our attendance, we lose all enjoyment of the process. Because I was losing my confidence at drama school, I was robbed of the enjoyment of the process and was constantly just looking towards what was next, seeing my training as just a means to an end. All that did was lessen my feelings of validity as an actor, and left me pining over the next thing, instead of finding the joy in the journey.

Enter; “A New Lens”. This training retreat is the antithesis to the classes where you spend 5 minutes actually acting and the rest nervously watching others, anticipating how your performance will be received. We’re going to dive head first into the craft, broadening our horizons as actors, and as people. With this training we aim to have you leaving the weekend rejuvenated, full of confidence in your craft and yourself, excited for what’s to come, and with a new found appreciation for all the processes of #actorslife - as well as preparing you for the outcomes you hope for, too! We hope you’ll make some lifelong memories as well, with likeminded actors who are kind, generous, and have that same fire in their belly that you do…With walks in the Welsh hills, and wild swimming to awaken the senses, we’ll be brave, playful and free both inside and outside of the studio!

the how…

Our number one reason for holding this retreat is because we love what we do and genuinely want to share this experience with each other, and you! there are unavoidable costs, however, including accommodation, food, a camera op..And I’m sure you’ll see the value in the time and expertise of three experienced industry practitioners delivering 16 hours of immersive training over two days!

Because this is the first event of its kind, we’re offering an introductory price of

£290

Spaces are limited to ensure individual attention and a collaborative environment. Only 10 spots available!

For more information on the accommodation click here!

For details on how to get to the location click here!

Want to hear from others about their retreat experience? Click here!

count me in!!

If you’re as excited about this retreat weekend as I am, I’d love to hear from you!

To register for a place, email actingwithalexa@gmail.com with the subject line TRAINING RETREAT for next steps. You’ll be asked to answer a couple questions and, upon offer, you’ll have one week to confirm your place.

Please ensure to check your junk folder for a reply!

What else is coming up?

If you can’t make the retreat, or are looking for a shorter workshop that still focuses on the craft - check this out! I’m leading an exclusive 6 hour workshop on Monday February 24th on screen acting and self taping in London! Register now!