Touchstone Theatre founder Bill George and Allentown Public Theatre artistic director Joshua Neth are co-teaching a year-long program of actor training starting this fall.

Valley Actor's Lab (VAL) seeks to provide excellent and systematic training to seriously-inclined actors in the Lehigh Valley.

George and Neth describe themselves as "two theater artists who hold their love of actors and the work of the actor above all earthly things."

Their intention in creating VAL is to strengthen the work of the Valley theater community by deepening the base of well-trained artists in the region and facilitating collaboration between producers and performers.

Scheduled to start in September, VAL classes will use theater exercises, games, demonstrations, and discussions to explore the work and culture of the actor.

Revolving around an exploration of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and Chekov's "The Seagull," the actor's work will be approached from the "inside out" (starting from an actor conceptualizing his or her character) as well as "outside in" (using tools like mask and puppetry to evoke and inform acting choices).

Participants will conclude the year with a dramatic presentation of their classwork at the end of June. Perks for participants include discount tickets to area theater productions, free and discounted admission to area theater workshops, and audition support and coaching for area theater productions.

The Valley Actor's Lab will hold classes Wednesday nights, Sept. 3 through June 27, 2015, over three eight-week sessions and one 10-week session.

Information: Bill George, Touchstone Theatre: 610-867-1689