Acting Through Song

You’re working on a song that means something to you. You can hit all the notes and it sure sounds good, but how do you bring the meaning of this song to life? How might you bring emotion, intention, and clarity to the story this song wants to tell? And of course, the question everyone wants to know: What do I do with my hands?!?!

What is Acting Through Song?

In this class participants will learn how to apply acting techniques to more fully inhabit a song they are working on. You’ll unpack the text of your song and learn how to invest in the imaginary circumstances of your song’s story. We’ll explore nervous system regulation techniques for keeping you grounded and calm during performance, and you’ll celebrate and support your fellow participants’ performances with playful and engaging exercises.

What to expect:

A vocal and physical warm-up
Exploration of a particular acting technique and how to apply it to your song
An opportunity to sing your song for the group
Supportive, story-oriented feedback from your facilitators
Closing with reinforcements and takeaways

This class is ideal for:

Intermediate/advanced singers who are curious about adding an additional layer of performance to their work.
Early career performers who want to deepen or refresh their approach to a particular song
Lifelong singers who want to approach their song skills from a different perspective

You’ll walk away with:

A variety of techniques for embodying the story and meaning of your song
Clarity on how to engage with emotional material in a sustainable way
An approach that works well with your unique learning and access needs
A profound sense of relief that indeed, you do know what to do with your hands. :)

What students are saying:

"Thank you so much for such a wonderful class! I just wanted to share that you exceeded all my expectations as an instructor. I always felt like I was in good hands, and every time I thought I knew something you came back with so much more depth of knowledge and experience. I especially appreciate your intentionality around creating a supportive space adapted to our individual goals." -Nick Nielsen, actor

"Stephanie Lynne Smith is an extraordinary performance coach. She holds the deepest respect for each individual while having the uncanny ability to help unlock each person’s potential—all wrapped around with a bit of 'magic'." - Lani F., singer

Upcoming Acting Through Song Dates:

2.5 hours | Offered once per season | $50/participant | 10 spots

FALL 2026:
Sunday September 20th from 2:00p - 4:30p

WINTER 2027:
TBA

SPRING 2027:
TBA

SUMMER 2027:
TBA

REGISTER USING THE FORM BELOW
Email us to be informed when the next class is announced: [email protected].

About the Facilitators

Caitlin Lushington (she/they) coaches actors and creative beings towards a deeper trust of their creative process, and she supports arts educators to radically reimagine how we teach and lead in creative professions. She has 13+ years of professional experience as a performer, director, and intimacy choreographer, and holds an MFA in Actor Training and Coaching from the Royal Central School of Speech in Drama (London). She currently teaches as a professor of Applied Theatre at Pacific University.

Caitlin loves to sing, and feels deeply supported in her vocal journey with the lessons she's had at Resound. She is an avid believer in using our voices as a vehicles for personal transformation, and is delighted and honored to hear yours.

Learn more: www.caitlinlushington.com

Stephanie Lynne Smith (she/her) is a chamber musician and encourages duets, small ensembles, instrumentalists, composers, actors, and those who want to accompany themselves on an instrument.

Somewhere along the way to becoming a concert pianist, Stephanie Smith fell in love with singers and discovered her passion for promoting composers and new compositions. After several decades of touring, conducting and producing, she is thrilled to live in Oregon full-time and embrace her love of teaching. Stephanie promotes a life of balance that includes the arts, self-care, and stress reduction. [read more]

“As you move toward a dream, the dream moves toward you." - Julia Cameron