When deciding whether to pause my life, travel 10,000 miles from Australia, and invest in the Atlantic Acting School Summer Intensive, a wise friend told me: “You’ll never regret a summer in New York City.”
She was absolutely right.
The decision came almost on a whim. I booked my flights just three weeks out and secured one of the final spots in the cohort. As someone who typically craves structure, this spontaneity felt completely out of character, but it ultimately became central to my training in Practical Aesthetics.
Rediscovering the Work
When I was younger, I had an unbridled passion for storytelling. To immerse myself in a play or performance was to be fully consumed, to invest heart, body, and soul.
But as my acting career progressed, the realities of the industry began to take hold: financial pressure, constant auditioning, and inevitable rejection. Acting started to feel like a job. It felt safer to care less.
At Atlantic, I rediscovered my passion, and my willingness to care deeply.
I was reminded that it is, in fact, cool to care: to care about every sentence, every word, every punctuation choice. The work we bring to life is often the product of someone else’s lifetime of effort. It is our responsibility to honor that.
Training in Practical Aesthetics
My cohort shared this mindset. Over six weeks, we grew not only in our ability to collaborate and analyze text, but in our commitment to caring—fully and unapologetically—about the work.
The Practical Aesthetics approach to script analysis was transformative. It quieted my inner critic and reframed challenges. When something wasn’t working, it wasn’t failure; it was an opportunity to refine the analysis. That shift has been truly game-changing.
A heartfelt thank you to our script analysis mentors—Anya, Naomi, and Alana—for demanding and celebrating that level of rigor.
Voice, Movement, and Ensemble Work
Alongside this, our technical skills were pushed and refined through rigorous conservatory-style training.
The breakthroughs I experienced in voice class reshaped how I approach my instrument as both an actor and a singer. In movement, I developed a deeper understanding of ensemble work and my responsibility within it.
Thank you to Renee, Francine, Kelly, Charley, and Kevin.
Living in the Moment
From there came the next challenge: releasing into the moment.
Atlantic’s holistic approach, integrating moment work with script analysis, provided a sustainable foundation for truthful, present performance. This work changed me not only as an actor, but as a person.
I developed a deeper trust in my instincts, my impulses, and my capacity for spontaneity. I learned the value of simply being.
I’m incredibly grateful to my cohort and to our mentor, Andy Schneeflock, for fostering that space.
A Global Community in New York City
As an Aussie-American living in Sydney, I was curious about the cultural differences I might encounter in New York.
What I found both in the city and at Atlantic Acting School, was a strong sense of community and empowerment.
The Summer Intensive brought together actors from across the U.S. and around the world, each contributing their unique voice and experience. We celebrated one another’s successes and supported each other’s growth. Many of those moments both onstage and off, will stay with me for years to come.
Being in the heart of New York City’s theater industry also offered a powerful real-world connection to our work. Seeing performances across the city, including my personal hero Audra McDonald in Gypsy, was deeply inspiring.
A Lasting Impact
My summer in New York will remain one of my most cherished memories.
Thank you to the Summer 2025 cohort.
Atlantic Acting School and the Practical Aesthetics technique showed me the true meaning of collaboration. I discovered how powerful our work becomes when the connection between scene partners is alive. When it is rooted in trust, responsiveness, and shared commitment.
This is how I want to continue working: with trust, with passion, and with the deepest care.
Grace Driscoll
An Australian-American based in Sydney, Grace Driscoll is an actor, writer, and singer, whose coloratura soprano has captivated audiences nationally and abroad. A proud graduate of NIDA (2019) and the Atlantic Acting School Summer Intensive (2025), her highlighted stage credits include Natasha in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (Darlinghurst Theatre Company, dir. Dean Drieberg) and Candela in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Hayes Theatre Co, dir. Alex Berlage). She has also been Ensemble U/S Betty in Sunset Boulevard (Opera Australia dir. Paul Warwick-Griffin), Ensemble U/S Marianne and Kate in Girl From the North Country (GWB Entertainment, dir. Conor McPherson), and Rosalia U/S Maria in West Side Story (Opera Australia & GWB Entertainment, dir. Joey Mckneely).
Alongside these credits, Grace has worked on numerous independent works, with a special interest in the development and dramaturgy of new work by distinct, diverse voices. Passionate about wellbeing in the arts, she also works as a breathwork facilitator and is a proud member of MEAA (2020).
IG: itsgracedriscoll
Summer Intensive
Our Summer programs present students with the opportunity to gain a working and rigorous understanding of the Atlantic Technique, Practical Aesthetics, and to immerse themselves in a life-long community of dedicated actors.
Summer alumni have gone on to robust and prolific careers in theater, TV, and film. They include Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids), Charmaine Bingwa (“The Good Fight”), Anna Chlumsky (“Veep”), Zach Woods (“Silicon Valley”), and more!