Act 2: Do You Have a Simmering Acting Passion?

Friday Feelings, Central New York, Syracuse Acting Community

Simmering in the corner of the Starbucks was not only fresh coffee but a conversation with two people on how to connect local artists with more theater and film gigs locally and nationally. With a hot latte in one hand and a cold brew in the other, Laura Stisser and Joe Barnes shared their love for acting from their younger years and film careers with me.

They met through a Fulton writer’s group where creatives network and bond over a similar passion for all things theater and film. Laura witnessed Joe’s work in the film “Under the Mercy” produced by him and directed by Peter Manhan. Instantly, Stisser knew this new connection would open up opportunities for her acting career.

A few years after Laura and Joe met, they created the Syracuse Actors Studio (SAS) to expand the Fulton Writer’s Group concept in the heart of CNY.  Some in SAS are writers, others directors or producers, and most are inspiring actors. Supporting each other through practice, input, and shared experiences, they find a nest of others, with all levels of experience, to hone their skills and expand their horizons.

Bursting at the seams of excitement SAS has grown in numbers, so Stisser and Barnes reached out to The Academy of American High in Liverpool for a new collaborative relationship to expand opportunities for members in their group. American High was founded in 2018 by a collective of entertainment industry veterans interested in discovering and fostering new talent.

With equal excitement for a new relationship, American High is opening its doors on Monday, October 28th, at 7 p.m. for a tour of its studios with SAS members as its guests. Anyone in Central New York interested in expanding their acting, writing, directing, and production alliances is invited to attend.

Although I acted in elementary plays and used my mother’s theater backdrops to create my own play, I never thought of acting beyond the safe realm of childhood. However, learning how to write scripts and produce a play has been sparked after meeting Laura and Joe and attending a few SAS meetings.

Perhaps you have a theater or film interest simmering in your soul too. If you do, come to the American High and Syracuse Acting Studios joint event on Monday, and leave rejuvenated to begin a career in the Central New York film community and beyond.

To learn more visit the Syracuse Actor’s Studio Facebook page at this link.