Jon Ferreira

Jon Ferreira: Jon is the founder and proprietor of Mainestage Actors Studio & Talent (MAST), and the company’s principal teaching artist. Jon grew up in Bangor, where he was active in the local theatre scene. He earned his BFA in acting from Emerson College in Boston, where he was taught by world-renowned voice teacher, Kristin Linklater. For the next several years, Jon worked as a professional actor in Los Angeles, New York City, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Chicago. While in Pittsburgh, Jon earned a second degree in Theatre Education from Point Park University, and soon became a high school theatre teacher, where he wrote theatre curriculum for the state of Maryland. After moving back to Boston, Jon worked as a professional actor and director, as well as a costumed Colonial tour guide for Boston’s famous Freedom Trail Foundation. Jon went on to earn his MFA in Directing from Illinois State University, and worked as a director in Chicago, as well as a university theatre instructor. When Jon moved back to Bangor five years ago, he became active as a director at Penobscot Theatre Company and acted in local theatre productions. With over 30 years on stage, as well as nearly 20 years spent teaching in the classroom, Jon has also designed curriculum for many high school and college theatre programs. In 2013, Jon founded MAST, and is committed to providing a studio for local actors to explore their talent.

Greg Littlefield: Greg is a voice actor currently based in the Bangor area.  Born in Los Angeles and raised there and in San Antonio, Greg earned his degree in broadcasting and worked in radio as an on-air announcer for 15 years.  After leaving radio, he followed his love of performing and production and began doing freelance voiceover work from his home studio. He has recorded and produced a number of projects including commercials, e-Learning modules, audio drama, corporate narrations, and radio imaging. His latest project is an audiobook version of Seth Shapiro’s “Television: Innovation, Disruption, and the World’s Most Powerful Medium: Vol. 1” for Audible.com. Greg has been involved with community theatre in the Central Maine region for several years. He has provided off-stage voice work for community theaters all around the Bangor area as well as for the Penobscot Theatre Company. He is a founding member of the local adult improv troupe, Bangor Improv Group (or BIG).

Padraic Harrison: Padraic Harrison is a Maine native who started acting at the age of five. Since then, he has acted with Ten Bucks Theatre Company, Penobscot Theatre Company, Winterport Open Stage, and Bangor Community Theater. At twelve, he took a playwriting course taught by the late Tamela Glenn, where he wrote his first play. The play was later produced with a full performance with the other writers as the cast. It inspired him to do the same. In college, he studied theatre and creative writing. He wrote a play called Touching the Void for his thesis about college students with mental health problems. It was workshopped and then given a staged reading. His degree is from Bard College at Simon’s Rock. He is the former Vice President of Ten Bucks Theatre Company where he helped run, and wrote, for the 24 Hour New Play Festival. Padraic also acted and workshopped a play in Penobscot Theatre Company’s Northern Writes New Play Festival. 

Acting Basics

Acting Class for Teens & Adults

Teacher: Jon Ferreira

Class Times: Saturdays, 11 am - 1 pm (4 week class)

Location: 58 Main (58 Main Street, Bangor, ME 04401)

Price: $80 ($10/ hour)

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Course Description: This 4-week class is open to teens and adults (ages 12+), and is designed for beginning actors and those with experience on stage. This course introduces students to what it means to be on stage and perform in front of an audience. It is designed to help students free their creativity, feel comfortable in front of an audience, and ultimately gain confidence. Students will participate in improvisational games and acting exercises focused on building character, establishing location, raising stakes, creating conflict, discovering the moment before, and communicating other elements to an audience. No previous acting experience is necessary. Sneakers and loose clothing are recommended.

 

Playwriting for Teens

Teachers: Padraic Harrison & Jon Ferreira

Times: Sundays, 2 pm - 4 pm (4 week class)

Location: 58 Main (58 Main Street, Bangor, ME 04401)

Price: $80 ($10/ hour)

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Course Description: This 4-week class will teach young people (12-18 years old) the fundamentals of playwriting. The course will introduce the traditional approach to theatre, which is rooted in character and narrative structure, with emphasis on a play's arc through its beginning, turning point, and ending. In-class exercises are designed to help students write fearlessly and to silence their inner critic, while encouraging students to write both visually and concretely. Each week's assignment will introduce another element of craft, including dialogue, revealing action, theme, the power of the unspoken word, setting, and how plays are different from other media and basic storytelling techniques. They will learn how their characters’ backgrounds, culture, gender identity, age, and class influence their actions. Students will write a 10-minute play using the tools they’ve acquired, which will then be workshopped with their peers and instructors. Before giving feedback, students will learn to give and receive constructive criticism. The plays will then be performed in a staged reading for friends and family.

 

Audition Workshop

Teacher: Jon Ferreira

Date: TBD

Location: 58 Main (58 Main Street, Bangor, ME 04401)

Price: $60 

 

Course Description: This workshop is designed for actors looking to audition for Penobscot Theatre Company’s 2017/18 season, Ten Bucks Theatre Company’s fall and spring productions, or any other upcoming local auditions. The workshop will include lessons in how to write an acting resume and examples of winning headshots, with recommendations for local photographers. Furthermore, actors will learn invaluable techniques on how to audition effectively and tips on how to win a role. During the workshop, actors will work on previously memorized audition monologues, and be given direction and adjustments to make before their audition. Actors must choose a 1-2 minute monologue, and be prepared to work it in class. No previous acting experience is necessary. Sneakers and loose clothing are recommended.

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Introduction to Voice Acting Workshop

Teachers: Greg Littlefield & Jon Ferreira

Date: TBD

Location: 58 Main (58 Main Street, Bangor, ME 04401)

Price: $60

 

Course Description: This one-day workshop is geared toward everyone, and is designed to give aspiring voiceover artists a better picture of what is involved in becoming a professional voice actor.  The course will start with an overview of the many different ways voice recording is used in the industry, including audiobooks, commercials, industrial videos, e-learning, and animation, among others. Later in the workshop, the instructors will focus on the process of taking a script and bringing the words to life from the page.  Finally, actors will be able to spend time working the microphone and getting direction as though they're actually recording a script in the booth. The workshop will prepare students for making a demo reel, if they choose to do so after taking the class.

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​Recognizing the growing population, and the wealth of gifted folks in the Northern Maine region, I founded Mainestage Actors Studio & Talent (MAST) to provide another artistic home for this area's enormous talent. I saw a need for perhaps another resource here in the Bangor area, and thought I might have something to contribute. As a small studio focused on student learning and individualized attention, I think MAST compliments its artistic neighbors by offering something quite special in its individualized small group atmosphere. All boats will rise, and I believe art should always be collaborative and supportive.

 

I teach a variety of classes in Speech and Acting, which you can find above, but I also offer something unique, and that is private acting and/or life coaching for people of all levels. Examples might include an actor preparing for an upcoming audition, a business person preparing for an important speech, a student getting ready for an upcoming role in their high school musical, or perhaps just someone not quite ready to perform in front of their peers. I try and provide sound technique, while also building an environment of trust and safety. There's nothing better for a person's self-esteem than to succeed in a fun and supportive acting class or private coaching lesson. Most importantly, I offer classes to students of ALL ages and ALL levels of experience.

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We also offer motivational workshops and acting games for corporate events and/or training. If you're having a professional development day, and would love to break the ice, consider hiring MAST to come and do improv or acting games with your employees, and use a variety of exercises to build trust and boost productivity. 

 

I am a certified teacher with over 30 years of professional theatre experience and nearly two decades of teaching experience. I have three degrees in theatre: a BFA in Acting, a Post-Bacalaureate in Theatre Education, and an MFA in Directing. I am confident that you'll find I have very reasonable hourly, weekly, and fixed rate packages. Please feel free to call or write for pricing or for any questions you may have.