National Michael Chekhov Association


The National Michael Chekhov Association is an accredited actor training and teacher certification program in the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique.

Brief History

The began informally during the 1993 Association for Theatre in Higher Education conference at which the three founders, Mala Powers, Chekhov Estate Executrix; Lisa Dalton, American representative on the International Michael Chekhov Association's Board; and , Professor, University of Southern Maine, were presenting workshops on the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique.
Wil Kilroy initiated the Chekhov Theatre Institute in 1994 during the University of Southern Maine Summer Sessions. Several years later, the course was granted full graduate and undergraduate accreditation from the State of Maine Educational System. From 1994 through 2006, the three teachers team-taught the program at USM, initiating the first Michael Chekhov Teacher Certification Track globally.
In 2008 Charlie Bowles hosted the NMCA's summer training intensive in Arlington, TX. His involvement quickly escalated, becoming the Secretary and Treasurer on the NMCA Board. Charlie also acts as the Executive Producer of NMCA programming and was responsible for the creation the current NMCA training format and its sister publications.

Program

NMCA holds weeklong, 55-hour training intensives in various parts of the United States every year. Currently, the two main intensives are held in January at the University of Florida and in July at the University of Southern Maine.

Actor Training

Participants attend a weeklong intensive, learning the various tools of the technique while applying them to scene work, culminating in a final performance showcase.

Teacher Certification

Participants attend two weeklong intensives, learning the various tools of the technique while applying them to scene work, culminating in a final performance. Toward the end of the course, the teacher candidate will lead the attending class in a selected tool, as well as, attend an additional day at the end the intensive to synthesize their understanding through discussion. Finally, the teacher candidate must complete and present an approved project that demonstrates their mastery of the technique and ability to effectively communicate its use to others.