Amanda Meyers (center).
Foundations
of Interactive
Performance
with Amanda Meyers
Are you a trained actor looking to refine your perspectives for immersive/interactive theatre? Join us at Dell'Arte International, School of Physical Theatre, for a Foundations of Interactive Performance course with Amanda Meyers, assisted by Jeff Wirth! You will learn a process of experiential character development, tools that transform audience participants into co-creators, tips for playing with difficult participants, and more!
Students will prepare a 10-15 minute vignette which will be presented in a culminating performance at the end of the session; a night of 1x1 scenes called ON THE ROCKS: an interactive bar experience. Guests will have the opportunity to be in a story, or watch each story unravel.
Dates: July 19th–24th
July 19th Arrival / Orientation, Intensive Begins
July 20th-24th, Intensive
Culminating Performance July 24th Evening
Schedule & Classes
Roughly 30 hours of instruction time, plus a few hours for rehearsal outside of class. A sample day runs from 9am–5:30pm with a 90 minute lunch. Students are encouraged to spend free time exploring the forests, coasts, rivers and mountains of Humboldt County or attending some of the Baduwa’t Festival.
Who Should Apply?
This class is not for first time actors. The students should have taken at least one acting class, or grown up doing theatre or improv.
Fees
$527 — 15% off Early Bird Tuition (by 6/22/26)
$620 — Regular Tuition
Faculty
Amanda Meyers is an LA-based creative director specializing in interactive and site-specific theatre. In 2022, Amanda founded A Party at Anna’s to pull more Gen-Z artists into the world of immersive. Recent stage management credits include Capital W and Will Coile, and original immersive works have featured live musicians, improvised scenes, audience transport, and even a noise complaint or two (successfully negotiated). When it comes to Party At Anna’s, Amanda’s mix of structure and spontaneity leads to inventive, resource-maximizing productions that punch above their weight. Having trained with Jeff Wirth and Joanna Harmon since 2022, Amanda is honored to begin passing along Interactive Performance Training to the next generation of immersive creators.
Links: Website / @amandameyerss / @partyatannas
Jeff Wirth is a longtime innovator in interactive performance and a trusted guide for artists exploring audience engagement. He is the author of Interactive Acting and Interactive Performance 101, and the director of Interactive PlayLab. His work has been featured at Lincoln Center and SXSW, and he has collaborated with organizations including Cirque du Soleil, Blue Man Group, and Disney Imagineering. His approach centers on working with participants as active contributors, helping artists create experiences that are responsive, structured, and alive in the moment.
This summer, Jeff Wirth serves as Mentor in Residence, available to support students as they develop their own work. Rather than leading classes, he works directly with artists on in-progress ideas, stuck moments, and evolving pieces. Bring what you’re working on. Jeff helps clarify intention, sharpen structure, and test how your work holds up in the presence of real participants. His strength is in interactive performance, with practical insight that carries across physical theatre, clowning, and experimental forms. The focus stays on your goals, with feedback you can immediately apply.
Links: Website
What is Interactive Theater?
There are many definitions of Interactive, but if you ask us....Interactive Theatre is a form of structured improvisation that requires audience participation for the plot to progress. In context of our culminating show...Some Guests may only eaves drop on the drama, while others become wrapped up inside of it. Randomly selected guests are often 'adopted' into the plot. These Guests become a named character, and have an Inter-actor to begin their story with. Inter-actors are trained to carry the the guest through the story, and give you the power to influence how the story ends.
REFUND POLICY
This policy is in place to ensure our ability to continue offering high-quality programs to performers near and far. Registered students faced with the unfortunate need to withdraw from a course for any reason may request a refund of tuition paid based on the following timeline:
Early Withdrawal (45+ days out): Requests made more than 45 days before the course start date are eligible for a full refund, minus a $50 processing fee.
Standard Withdrawal (44–15 days out): Requests made between 44 and 15 days before the course start date are eligible for a 50% refund of the tuition paid.
Final Deadline (14 days or less): No refunds will be granted within 14 days of the start date or once the course has commenced.
All refund requests must be submitted via email or in writing to the program administrator. schooladmin@dellarte.com
Exceptions may be made for documented medical emergencies or visa denials at the discretion of the School Director. In these cases, we may offer a tuition credit for a future intensive instead of a cash refund.
A note about our Ticketing Service Provider: Zeffy
We use Zeffy because it is entirely free for organizers and patrons, meaning more money directly supports the artists. Zeffy asks for a contribution towards credit card processing fees. They automatically suggest a 17% fee, but you can select "other" and enter any amount, or none at all.