Aren Bass
About
About Me
I have spent fifteen years doing one thing: helping young people find their voice — on stage, in the classroom, and in life. I hold a BA in Theatre Arts and Early Childhood Education from UC Santa Cruz, which means I was literally trained to do exactly this. Teaching theatre to kids is not something I fell into. It is what I was built for.
I have directed more than 12 full-length productions with young performers — including The Lion King Jr., Annie, The Hobbit, Alice in Wonderland, and Twelfth Night — working with kids as young as Pre-K all the way through high school. I have taught improvisation, scene study, stage voice, character development, storytelling, and ensemble work to students across California and New York, in after-school programs, conservatories, parks and recreation programs, and professional theatre companies.
What makes my approach different is that I come from both worlds. As a theatre director, I know what it takes to put real work on a real stage. As a youth development professional, I know how to meet every kid exactly where they are — whether they are a natural performer bursting to get out, or a shy kid who has never stood in front of an audience before. Both are welcome in my classroom. Both leave with more confidence than they came in with.
I do not believe in one-size-fits-all lessons. Every student gets a session designed around their goals, their age, their experience level, and what makes them light up. Some kids want to nail an audition. Some want to get over stage fright. Some just want to try something new and have fun. All of it is valid, and all of it is something I can help with.
What I Teach
- Acting fundamentals and scene study
- Improvisation and comedic performance
- Stage voice, projection, and vocal presence
- Character development and storytelling
- Audition preparation (monologue coaching, cold reading)
- Musical theatre performance
- Public speaking and confidence-building through performance
Who I Work With
Kids ages 5 and up, teens, and adults. Complete beginners are absolutely welcome — I love working with first-timers. I also work with students who have some experience and want to go deeper.
Teaching Style
My teaching style is warm, high-energy, and completely judgment-free. I meet every student exactly where they are — whether they have never set foot on a stage or they are working toward their first professional audition — and I build from there.
I lead with play. Especially with younger students, the best learning happens when kids do not realize they are learning. We laugh, we experiment, we make bold choices, and we make mistakes on purpose — because that is how performers grow. Structure and rigor come in through the back door, woven into games, scenes, and exercises that feel like fun and work like training.
I am endlessly patient and genuinely enthusiastic about every student's progress, no matter how small the step. My goal in every session is for the student to leave feeling more capable and more confident than when they arrived — and excited to come back next time.
For older students and teens, I bring more direct coaching into the mix — script analysis, character specificity, audition strategy — while keeping the environment supportive and collaborative. There is no wrong answer in my classroom. There is only what we can discover together.
Fifteen years of directing youth theatre and running after-school programs has taught me one thing above everything else: every kid has something extraordinary in them. My job is to help them find it.
Curriculum
Every lesson is built around the student in front of me — their age, their goals, their experience level, and what makes them come alive. I do not follow a rigid curriculum. I follow the student.
That said, my lessons are always structured. Each session has a warm-up, a core skill focus, and a creative application — so students are not just learning concepts, they are putting them into practice in real time. Over multiple sessions, we build a progression that compounds: each lesson connects to the last and sets up the next.
For younger students (ages 5–12), I lean heavily into play-based learning. Games, imagination exercises, storytelling, and character work are the primary vehicles. Kids learn best when they are having fun, and theatre gives us an endless toolkit for making that happen.
For teens and adults, I introduce more technique-forward work — scene study, Meisner-based listening and responding, monologue development, cold reading, audition strategy, and vocal work. Sessions feel more like a rehearsal room than a classroom.
Across all ages and levels, every lesson includes:
- A physical and vocal warm-up to get the body and voice ready
- Skill-building work focused on the session's core goal
- Creative application through scene work, improv, or performance exercises
- Reflection and feedback — I always explain the why behind the work
- A clear takeaway or practice focus for before our next session
I record progress notes after every lesson so students and parents always know exactly where we are and where we are headed.
Recommended Student Texts
I tailor reading and materials to each student's age, level, and goals. Below are texts I draw from regularly and may recommend depending on where a student is in their training:
For Younger Students (Ages 5–12)
- Viola Spolin — Improvisation for the Theatre (teacher reference; exercises adapted for young learners)
- The Story Spine (a simple storytelling framework I introduce early)
- Age-appropriate monologue collections, such as Cool Characters for Kids by Roger Karshner
For Teens
- Sanford Meisner on Acting by Sanford Meisner — foundational reading for serious students
- The Intent to Live by Larry Moss — one of the best books on acting from the inside out
- The Monologue Audition by Karen Kohlhaas — practical and immediately useful
- Monologue collections: The Book of Monologues for Aspiring Actors edited by Marsh Cassady
For Adults and Advanced Students
- An Actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislavski — the original and still essential
- A Practical Handbook for the Actor by Bruder, Cohn, Olnek et al. — clear, no-nonsense technique
- Audition by Michael Shurtleff — required reading for anyone heading into the audition room
- The Actor and the Target by Declan Donnellan — brilliant on specificity and relationship
For Musical Theatre Students
- The Musical Theatre Audition by Victor Bumbalo
- Making It on Broadway by David Wienir — great for teens with professional aspirations
Note: I never require students to purchase texts before our first lesson. We will discuss what makes sense for your specific goals together.
Credentials & Affiliations
Bachelor of Arts — Theatre Arts & Early Childhood Education University of California, Santa Cruz
Dual degree combining professional theatre training with child development — specifically designed for exactly this kind of work.
Teaching & Directing Experience
15+ years teaching theatre, improvisation, scene study, stage voice, and musical theatre to students ages Pre-K through adult across California and New York.
12+ full-length productions directed with youth ensembles including:
- The Lion King Jr.
- Annie
- Honk!
- The Hobbit (original adaptation)
- Alice in Wonderland (original adaptation)
- Treasure Island (original adaptation)
- Robin Hood & Maid Marian (original adaptation)
- Twelfth Night (adapted for Pre-K/K, Marin Shakespeare Company)
- Puss in Boots (Marin Theatre Company)
- Rumpelstiltskin (Tiburon Parks & Recreation)
Teaching Artist experience with:
- All About Theatre, Santa Cruz CA
- Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation
- Marin Shakespeare Company
- Marin Theatre Company
- Mercy Center Bronx, South Bronx NY
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz
- Beth Shir Shalom, Santa Monica CA
Additional Credentials
- Mandated Reporter Certified
- Trained in Restorative Justice Practice
- Trained in Trauma-Informed Care
- Background check eligible (US SSN)
- SAG-AFTRA Eligible
Affiliations & Additional Work
- Founder, Mar-Mar Productions — original animated educational content for young audiences
- Published children's book author: Dreams Come True: Forever Friends and Little Anya and Her Forever Family
- Screenwriter — Dead on Arrival: Verona (feature screenplay, full pitch package)
- Current student, Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Los Angeles