The History of Rogues
Rogues was founded in 1993 in Vancouver, B.C. by seasoned working professionals, Christiane Hirt and Joe-Norman Shaw, who shared a desire to establish a creative home where actors could explore their craft in an environment devoted to the highest and most demanding artistic principles. After Christiane won the lead role of Hannah in the series Lonesome Dove, Christiane and Joe moved to Calgary where they re-established Company of Rogues in 1996, continuing their vision to cultivate a community of first class actors.
What Makes Rogues Training Different Than Other Theatre Schools?
Our training is rooted in the tradition espoused by the major studios in NYC and other American based institutions. From the teachings of Constantine Stanislavski and his interpretations through Sanford Meisner and Uta Hagen, our focus is on “authentic performance”. This is based on the Stanislavski concept of “the actor living the part”. Working from the first person, subjective tradition, an actor’s performance is deeply rooted in truthful human behaviour and emotion. This authenticity is the hallmark of many of the great, New York trained American film/stage actors-like Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Jessica Lange, Faye Dunaway, Diane Keaton, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Harvey Keitel, to name a few.
At Rogues, we train actors to apply this authentic style of acting to both theatre and film. Our actors have an honesty and raw emotional power not taught by most other actor training programs in Canada that are based in other traditions. While we provide training in all aspects of the craft including Voice, Movement, Scene Study and Shakespeare, setting us apart is our in-depth classes in Meisner Technique and Acting for Film & TV. It is our belief that a well-trained actor can work in all mediums if their work is grounded in the truth of human behaviour and emotion; this is the essence of an “authentic performance style”. This is what separates us from other actor training programs.
Reasons to Choose Rogues
– Customized programs free of academic requirements
– Instructors are working professionals
– Most classes offered evenings & weekends (allows for employment during training)
– Strong ties to the professional Film and Theatre communities in Calgary and Vancouver
– Represented at Theatre Alberta’s annual EMERGE Auditions
– Actors are actively sought by local/regional agents, casting directors, film makers and theatre companies
– Lifetime Mentorship
– Flexible Payment Plans
– 5% discount for members of ACTRA, CSIF and Equity
Company of Rogues Actors’ Studio provides a positive environment that fosters the development of the individual actor within a supportive ensemble of highly dedicated creative artists.
We invite you to audit our classes and discover why Company of Rogues is the place to be.