3-MONTH PROGRAM
PEM IN PERFORMANCE | MELBOURNE
Dates
April 13 – July 6
(Showcase July 5th & 6th)
Times
Wednesdays 6pm-10pm
Sundays 10am-6pm
Price
$3300 AUD incl. GST
(Payment plans available)
Location
Melbourne Actors Guild, St Kilda
prerequisites
None.
ABOUT THE 3-MONTH PROGRAM
Learn to craft impactful and repeatable performances for stage and screen with PEM’s biological approach to acting. This immersive program will teach you to transform your approach to emotional access, create dynamic, deeply authentic characters and break through creative blockages limiting your potential.
Divided into two parts, this program will focus on refining your instrument, developing fundamental skills for authentic performance, as well as key PEM Acting principles. You will also integrate these techniques into monologue and scene work, with the program culminating in a live showcase directed by PEM Master Instructor Sarah Victoria.
Redefine your approach to performance, expand your artistic capabilities and learn to step into every role with authenticity, depth and confidence.
If you’re new to PEM or haven’t yet taken part in our long-term programs, we recommend the following training structure for the best learning experience: start with a Teaser Workshop, continue with a 3-Day Workshop, and then deepen your practice in our 3-Month Program.
PROGRAM OUTLINE
Part I: Instrument Refinement
You’ll establish foundational techniques needed for authentic acting while also safeguarding your personal wellbeing. Expand your emotional range and move through personal blockages to create flexibility in your instrument and cultivate vocal resonance. With PEM Emotion Work, PEM Voice, and PEM Character Work, you’ll develop the essential skills required for performance.
Part II: Application to Live Performance
Apply authentic emotion to text through monologue and scene work, process and interpret text through your body, and learn to embody your character’s emotional and physical reality. We finish the program with a live showcase, giving you the opportunity to apply your new skills in front of an audience.
PEM Emotion Work
Learn our hallmark method for accessing authentic emotion on demand through physiological access points in the nervous system. Expand your emotional range, shift personal and cultural blockages, and build the stamina to sustain intense emotional states safely. Go beyond the fundamentals and learn to organically transition through the emotions as well as craft complex Emotional Mixtures.
PEM Voice
PEM Voice restores your breathing, vocal and resonance systems to their natural, biological function, unlocking vocal power and flexibility without pressure or strain—after all, your voice should last a lifetime. Train to keep your voice free in emotional moments and allow your vocal expression to be authentic to your character’s emotional and physical reality.
PEM Character Work
Our unique physical approach to character work harnesses your biology to create authentic, nuanced characters from the ground up. By engaging your nervous system rather than relying on psychology, you’ll expand your range, break free from typecasting, and step into roles beyond your own experience—all while maintaining emotional clarity and safety.
Monologue and Scene Work
Break free from preconveived ideas about how a performance ‘should’ be and move into playful exploration as you learn to process text through your body rather than relying solely on intellectual analysis. Develop instinctive, embodied choices and create a genuine sense of relationship and history with your scene partner.
Rehearsal and Live Performance
The live showcase provides an exciting opportunity to apply your newly developed skills in front of an audience. Throughout rehearsals, you’ll deepen your understanding of the actor-director dynamic, refine your ability to take direction, and learn the professional expectations of an actor in both rehearsal and performance.
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS
The first half of the 3-month program will be taught by Certified PEM Instructors Samuel Rowe and Enna Blake. The second half will be led by PEM Master Instructor Sarah Victoria, who will also direct the live showcase.
SARAH VICTORIA
PEM Master Instructor
Sarah Victoria, CEO and Director of Kalliso and PEM International, is the world’s foremost expert on the Perdekamp Emotional Method (PEM). She has over 20 years of experience teaching this groundbreaking methodology internationally and wrote her master’s thesis on PEM in 2004.
Sarah has introduced PEM at prestigious institutions such as the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, UC Irvine, University of Houston and SMU Dallas as well as the Actors Center New York and the Royal Society of Medicine in London. Specialising in performance development, audition preparation, and emotional health, Sarah has coached professional actors for major TV and film productions while also bringing PEM to diverse communities, including individuals with PTSD, ADHD, and Autism. Another branch of her work is to cooperate with prisons and Refugee centers.
SAMUEL ROWE
PEM Certified Instructor
Samuel Rowe is an actor and PEM Certified Instructor based in Melbourne, Australia. Samuel has worked in professional theatres in Melbourne following his graduate degree in Acting from the Victorian College of the Arts (2018) and since 2019, has trained in PEM with Stephan Perdekamp and PEM Master Instructor Sarah Victoria. Samuel has assisted workshops at prestigious acting schools including the National Institute of Drama (NIDA), and since his certification in 2021 has coached actors in PEM from all over the world. Samuel has taught in-person PEM term classes at Film & TV Studio International in Melbourne, and will be holding classes with actors at Melbourne Actors Guild in 2024. With a great interest in fostering emotional development, Samuel is looking forward to sharing PEM with more people worldwide.
SAMUEL ROWE
PEM Certified Instructor
Samuel Rowe is an actor and PEM Certified Instructor based in Melbourne, Australia. Samuel has worked in professional theatres in Melbourne following his graduate degree in Acting from the Victorian College of the Arts (2018) and since 2019, has trained in PEM with Stephan Perdekamp and PEM Master Instructor Sarah Victoria. Samuel has assisted workshops at prestigious acting schools including the National Institute of Drama (NIDA), and since his certification in 2021 has coached actors in PEM from all over the world. Samuel has taught in-person PEM term classes at Film & TV Studio International in Melbourne, and will be holding classes with actors at Melbourne Actors Guild in 2024. With a great interest in fostering emotional development, Samuel is looking forward to sharing PEM with more people worldwide.
ENNA BLAKE
PEM Certified Instructor
Enna Blake is an actor, musician, and Certified PEM Instructor based in Melbourne, Australia. Since 2019, she has trained with PEM Master Instructor Sarah Victoria and PEM Founder Stephan Perdekamp and became certified to teach PEM in September 2022. Enna has assisted teaching PEM workshops at NIDA and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, and has held in-person workshops in Melbourne and San Francisco. As an actor, Enna has played supporting and lead roles in independent short and feature films such as ‘Land of Honey’ (2019) and ‘The Library Boys (2022) which won Comedy Vanguard Feature at Austin Film Festival. She has also starred in music videos such as ‘Loose Ends’ by Illy ft G Flip (2020) and released her own EP ‘Under Dusk’ with singer/songwriter Harrison Storm in 2022. Enna is currently a proud member of the Melbourne PEM Production Group and teaches PEM at Melbourne Actors Guild, and to actors internationally online.
HEAR FROM OUR STUDENTS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I need prior experience to participate in this course?
No specific background in acting or PEM is required. This course is designed for participants of all levels, from beginners to professionals.
What should I expect to gain from the 3-month program?
You can expect to gain a solid foundation in PEM’s unique biological approach to acting. By the end of the program, you’ll have developed essential skills in emotional access, application to text and character work. You’ll also gain practical experience applying these skills to monologue and scene work through the live showcase.
Beyond the technical skills, you’ll leave with increased confidence in your craft, a deeper understanding of emotions, how to embody complex characters, and a set of tools that will serve you throughout your career. Additionally, you’ll learn how to take care of your emotional wellbeing, ensuring that your artistry is sustainable in the long run.
What materials or preparation do I need to bring?
No specific materials or preparation is needed for this program. You are welcome to bring a notebook and pen for taking notes, and we encourage comfortable clothing suitable for movement. Most importantly, we ask that you bring an open mind and a readiness to play and explore.
How can I apply the skills learned in this program to my acting career?
The skills you’ll learn in this course are designed to be immediately applicable to both stage and screen acting. Through PEM’s biological techniques, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how to access and embody authentic emotion, allowing you to deliver more dynamic and truthful performances. These techniques help you move beyond psychological prep, offering a more embodied and sustainable approach to acting that can be applied to any role.
Additionally, the tools you develop in terms of vocal resonance, physicality, and emotional flexibility will enhance your ability to approach diverse characters with confidence. The program also emphasises actor wellbeing, ensuring you have the resilience to navigate the demands of a professional acting career. Ultimately, the skills you develop here will serve as a solid foundation for your continued growth and success in the industry.
How can I register?
Attendance to the 3-month program is by application only. Please fill out this form and we will be in touch with next steps.
HOW TO APPLY
Acceptance into the 3-month program is by application and audition only. To apply, please fill out this form.
Once we receive your application, we’ll be in touch to arrange a Zoom interview and audition. For the audition, you’ll need to prepare a short, modern monologue.
We aim to notify applicants of their acceptance within one week of their audition.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out—we’re happy to help!
