Workshops for Actors at the Kayenta New Play Lab
Two Special Sessions | Monday Nights | Limited Enrollment
As part of the Kayenta New Play Lab’s mission to support generative artists and develop new theatrical work, we’re excited to offer two exclusive workshop sessions designed specifically for actors. These Monday evening workshops are led by visiting theater professionals from outside the region—each bringing unique expertise in performance, process, and the development of new work.
Whether you’re a seasoned performer or an actor looking to deepen your craft, these sessions are an opportunity to learn from nationally recognized artists, explore new techniques, and connect with the creative process at the heart of new play development.
Monday, August 18, 6:00pm-9:00pm
Voice & Speech for the Actor
Want to be heard with clarity and confidence, and vocally transform into your character? Join LA-based performer and teaching artist Paul Turbiak for a Voice & Speech Workshop designed to meet you where you are. You’ll build awareness, tools, and a reliable framework for freeing your natural voice, being fully heard and understood, and making bold, character-driven vocal choices. Come ready to move in comfortable clothes, and bring a short, memorized piece – a monologue, poem, or song – that makes you feel something when you speak it.
Meet Your Instructor: Paul Turbiak
Paul Turbiak has appeared onstage all over Los Angeles and beyond. Recent theater highlights include Pascal in Pascal and Julien (2025 Stage Raw Award), Lee in True West (Center for the Arts at Kayenta), and Ariel in The Tempest (Independent Shakespeare Company). He has appeared onstage at The Geffen Playhouse, LATC, Pasadena Playhouse, Garry Marshall Theatre, Independent Shakespeare Company, 24th Street Theatre, the Bootleg, Rogue Artists Ensemble, Colony Theatre, Actors Co-op, Not Man Apart, A Noise Within, Sacred Fools, North Coast Repertory Theatre, East West Players, The Speakeasy Society, Son of Semele, Theatre of NOTE, the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, and REDCAT. Paul has picked up a number of film and commercial credits along the way, and his voiceover work can be heard in over 30 feature films. BA in Theater—Gordon College, MFA in Acting—CalArts. paulturbiak.com
Monday, August 25, 6:00pm-9:00pm
The Responsive Body
This workshop invites actors to engage the body as a sensitive, powerful instrument for stage performance. Through a blend of physical awareness, movement exploration, and ensemble-based exercises, participants will cultivate a deeper connection between body, breath, and impulse. The session will emphasize presence, responsiveness, and the actor’s ability to listen and adapt in real time. Whether you’re preparing for a demanding role or simply seeking to unlock new dimensions of your physical expression, this workshop offers tools to expand your range and heighten your awareness. Come ready to move, take creative risks, and rediscover the body as a vital source of imagination and play.
Meet Your Instructor: Sadie Kuwano
Sadie Kuwano is a Los Angeles and NYC-based actor and teaching artist, originally from Studio City, CA. On screen, she’s a series regular on In the Vault (seasons 1 and 2, Crackle) and has appeared in 9-1-1 (ABC), I Think You Should Leave (Netflix), Criminal Minds (CBS), Fresh Off the Boat (ABC) and Good Trouble (Freeform). Selected theatre includes Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Center for the Arts at Kayenta), PunkPlay (Circle X Theatre), Round Yon Virgin (IRT Theater), The Cerealist Bowl (AEG Presents: Phish), Mama Mama (Coin & Ghost), and Ubu Roi (Stairwell Theater NYC). Education: CalArts BFA, LACHSA @sadieontheinternet