TRAIN Programs
Choose one of our TRAIN tracks to guide you on your pre-professional acting journey.
ACCEPTING AUDITIONS
Video by Austin Lewis.
Acting for the Stage & Screen
TRAIN is Virginia's premier pre-professional actor training program designed to provide the serious acting student with the practical skills needed to succeed in the business. Students work with top industry professionals, including the award-winning arvold, an organization that provides casting, production, and education.
Our students leave the program with a well-rounded skill set, including monologues, scenes, cold reads, script analysis, on-camera work, audition skills, acting the song, vocal and physical techniques, and a better understanding of themselves as artists. We also emphasize rigor, preparation, consistency, discipline, accountability, responsibility, and materials for college, specialty centers, professional theater, film, and TV opportunities.
Program alumni have gone on to work with top theaters in the area, as well as in TV, commercials, films, web series, and voice-overs. As a testament to their exceptional guidance, Cadence students have achieved acceptance into prestigious institutions, including Carnegie Mellon University, Northwestern University, New York University, Missouri State University, North Carolina School of the Arts, Syracuse University, Shenandoah University, Montclair State University, JMU, and VCU, among others.
Ages
12 - 18
Tuition
$1500
Requirements
Students will be asked to record a short, one-minute monologue from a published play and a 16-bar cut of a song (if singing).
Submission
Videos should be emailed to TRAIN Program Director, Laine Satterfield, at laine@cadencetheatre.org
Audition Info
Program Schedule
Classes @ RPAA Tuesdays 5-7 PM
September 8-29
October 6-27
November 3-17
December 1-15
January 5-26
February 2-23
College Audition Prep
Strategic college brainstorming tailored to each student’s artistic goals for Musical Theatre and Acting programs
High-level coaching for monologues, songs, and audition material curation
Professional guidance for prescreen preparation, including filming and presentation coaching
Personalized 1:1 coaching sessions for artistic, academic, and audition readiness
Exclusive parent strategy sessions to ensure the process stays supportive, calm, and well-managed
Creative development support for crafting compelling and unique Wild Card videos
Where
RPAA inside Dominion Energy Arts Center
Who
High school juniors & seniors
Enrollment is now closed for 25-26.
To be put on the list for 26-27, email laine@cadencetheatre.org
Testimonials
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“TRAIN not only helped me get into my dream school but made me realize my own potential and worth as an artist and more importantly, a person. It really changed my life for the better, and I can’t thank you enough.”
— Train College Prep student
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“Your college prep course is invaluable. My daughter was invited to audition at each school to which she applied and felt confident during the process. The TRAIN experience has, no doubt, helped prepare my daughter for a career in musical theater.”
— Train College Prep parent
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"Cadence has been a massive help in my growth as a film actor. The TRAIN class especially gave me important skills and confidence that I’ve been able to apply directly to auditions and on set. The teachers and staff at Cadence are amazing and always kind, making the whole experience even better. Being part of such a supportive community has pushed me to improve and take my career more seriously. I’m really grateful for the experience and opportunities Cadence has provided. Thank you!"
— Kyle Larsen, TRAIN College Prep student
NEW PROGRAM
College Planning for Musical Theatre, Acting, & Vocal Performance
Programs
Who
Families of rising high school juniors and seniors
What
We specialize in helping families plan for the college admissions process for Musical Theatre, Acting, and Vocal Performance majors. We support the family on the process - without coaching the artistic side. We’ll help you stay organized, reduce stress, and create a clear, personalized plan for your student’s journey. From prescreens to Unifieds, to financial aid, we will support your strategy, planning, and logistics!
Where
Virtual
When
Ongoing
3-Meeting Package
What’s Included
Shared spreadsheet tools & planning templates
Personalized timeline and audition tracker
Support between meetings via email / text
Timing
These three meetings will take place during the summer so you can start the Fall semester with a clear plan, organized tools, and less stress. You’ll head into the prescreen season with confidence, not chaos!
Pricing
$750
We guide families through a three-step framework with tailored support & tools designed to keep everything organized and manageable.
Meeting One: Foundation & Strategy
Define goals: size, location, BFA vs. BA, conservatory vs. traditional college
Review academic profile: GPA, test scores
Initial budget discussion
Resume review: training history, strengths, growth opportunities
Lay framework for building a balanced college list
Meeting Two: Timeline & Logistics
Review college list
Build audition & prescreen tracker
Develop a personalized timeline with key dates
FAFSA/CSS and financial aid overview
Discuss travel and audition options (Unifieds, on-campus, etc.)
Meeting Three: Organize & Apply
Finalize prescreen and audition process
Navigate Common App and college portals
Guide parents on how to support without over-involving
Contingency planning for peace of mind
Tailored Support & Tools
Zoom meetings for live guidance and Q&A
Shared spreadsheet tools and templates
Personalized audition tracker and timeline
Ongoing support between meetings via email and text
Student and family goals: What are you looking for? (size, location, BFA vs BA, conservatory vs more traditional college)
Discuss student’s academic profile: GPA, test scores
Initial budget conversation
Review resume to understand training history and strengths and opportunities for growth
Lay framework for building list (extreme reach, reach, target, safety)
About Us
We are Mary Dunne Stewart and Jennifer Kaufman. We started out as theater moms, developed a friendship, and now that we have been through the college application process with our children and their friends, we know we bring a special expertise to the theater and vocal industries that no one else is offering in Richmond.
Mary supported her son Ethan through applications to 24 acting programs; he’s now a rising senior at Webster Conservatory. Jennifer’s daughter, a classically trained singer, just wrapped up the process and will begin her freshman year at NYU’s Steinhardt School studying Vocal Performance.
We don’t offer artistic coaching—but we know how overwhelming the process can be. We’re here to help families stay organized, reduce stress, and feel confident navigating this unique journey.
Instructors
Emmy Turner
TRAIN Instructor
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Emmy Turner has been performing, studying, and teaching stage combat for more than two decades with various organizations around the world. She is also a lead instructor with Virginia Stage Combat School here in Richmond. Her local choreography credits include Wolf Play with 5th Wall Theatre (recipient of a Special Recognition from the Richmond Theatre Community Circle), The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical and She Kills Monsters with SPARC Theatre, Hawks Ridge, Extremities, and She Kills Monsters with The Lynn Theatre, Level 4 with TheatreLAB, The Taming of the Shrew with Quill Theatre, Romeo and Juliet with Appomattox Regional Governor’s School, Sadie’s Last Painting with Free Jambalaya, and more. She has also taught classes for Festival Young Company (Richmond Shakespeare), SPARC, and Virginia Rep’s summer camps.
Anne Chapman
TRAIN Instructor
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Anne's (she/her) casting credits include Lincoln, Loving, Big Stone Gap, Harriet, Juanita, over 200 short films, commercials, PSAs, and museum films. She holds a BA in Theatre/Film and a Master's in Cinema, and was a 2018-2019 visiting scholar at the University of Cambridge. Nominated for the CSA’s Artios Awards three times, Anne is a member of the Casting Society, BAFTA, the BIFA Performance Nominations Subgroup, and the Television Academy. She has been an adjunct instructor in the VCUarts Cinema program since 2007. Anne believes in illuminating the path for upcoming talent, and delights in watching their careers progress.
Aaron Orensky
Fight Director
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Aaron Orensky has been studying theatrical and martial combat domestically and internationally for nearly three decades, training with the Society of American Fight Directors, the United Stuntmen’s Association, and Art of Combat. He has fought, taught, and assisted at workshops in Australia, Canada, Seattle, and New York City. Aaron has worked on productions ranging from Lucrezia Borgia with The Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center, to The Three Musketeers in Seattle, to the motion picture Lincoln. More recently, he has brought the violence to life for theatrical productions of Macbeth, SMOKE, Cyrano de Bergerac, Water by the Spoonful, True West, Hamlet, How to Bruise Gracefully, Stupid Kid, Gloria, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare in Love, The End of War, Peter Pan, The Pillowman, and various local film projects, including Cadence's The Taylows. Aaron is the Director of Virginia Stage Combat School and a Fight Director with Art of Combat.
Snapshots
Photos by Ivy Trails Photography and Laine Satterfield
Accessibility Statement
Dominion Energy Center is a physically accessible space with no stairs necessary to enter the building. If you need assistance, please email our Accessibility Coordinator, Laine, at laine@cadencetheatre.org. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow for adequate planning.