RISING STARS ACTING PROGRAM

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The Weist-Barron-Ryan Rising Stars Acting Program offers a welcoming, supportive, and engaging environment where individuals can explore acting, develop new skills, and build confidence. Established in 2013, Rising Stars provides a variety of acting workshops, training opportunities, and resources for students with different needs, interests, and goals. Alongside our general public, semester-based courses, we offer specialized instruction with adapted teaching styles, pacing, and activities to help individuals with developmental disabilities participate, learn, and thrive.

Through acting and interactive exercises, students have opportunities to strengthen their confidence, speech and diction, public speaking, presentation skills, reading, focus, eye contact, communication, and self-expression. Our classes combine learning with fun, using games and hands-on activities to create an enjoyable and encouraging experience. Students explore a variety of on-camera techniques, including scene work, commercial reads, monologues, audition technique, directing, camera operation, and more. These skills can support personal growth and everyday life, whether students pursue acting professionally or simply enjoy learning something new.

For students interested in exploring the entertainment industry, Rising Stars also provides opportunities to gain experience through productions and special projects. Our actors directed and performed in We Are Actors, which earned Best Ensemble at the Atlantic City Cinefest. We also launched our Day in the Life series, working closely with students and their families to share their stories and experiences with a wider audience.

In 2022, we had the pleasure of casting more than 30 Rising Stars participants in Ezra, starring Robert De Niro and Whoopi Goldberg. These accomplishments reflect the creativity, dedication, and potential of our students, and we're proud to provide opportunities for them to learn, grow, express themselves, and shine both in and beyond the classroom.

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INFORMATION ON OUR PARENT CORPORATION

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The Rising Stars Acting Program is part of Weist-Barron-Ryan (WBR), a third-generation, family-owned acting and casting company with a long history of training performers and working in the entertainment industry. With roots dating back to 1954 and a presence in South Jersey since 1980, WBR is recognized as the nation's oldest on-camera acting program.

Over the years, WBR has helped aspiring and working performers develop their skills, including recognizable alumni such as Seth Green (Austin Powers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Family Guy) and Jameel Saleem, a writer whose credits include South Park, Bob's Burgers, and Disenchantment. Our broader WBR family includes performers who have gone on to work in film, television, commercials, and other areas of the entertainment industry.

Beyond acting instruction, WBR operates a full-service casting company, working directly with productions on feature films, television projects, commercials, digital media, and more. Our casting credits include Clerks III, Bruised, directed by and starring Halle Berry; Ezra, starring Robert De Niro and Whoopi Goldberg; Warrior, starring Tom Hardy; and Low Tide, from A24. Our television credits include Sex and the City and Lifetime's Death Saved My Life, alongside commercial projects for brands and organizations such as Comcast NBCUniversal, Ocean Casino Resort, and Caesars.

This connection between acting instruction and professional casting is an important part of what makes WBR special. Our experience working with productions helps inform the training, guidance, and resources we provide to performers at every stage of their journey.

We invite you to learn more about our parent organization, explore our casting credits, and discover the many ways WBR supports performers and productions.

Visit our website: www.weistbarronryan.com

On behalf of the entire WBR family, we welcome you to get to know us, explore our workshops, and experience the joy of acting firsthand. If you have questions about Rising Stars or would like to learn more about our programs, please don't hesitate to reach out. We'd love to hear from you!

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Sincerely, the WBR Team