Budding thespians will get a chance to test out their acting chops thanks to a new acting class being offered next semester.

The new class, called Introduction to Acting Technique, is being offered under the College of Professional Studies’ mass communications department and will be taught by Prof. Richard Thomas.

Thomas hopes the inclusion of this class in dramatic acts will lay the groundwork towards eventually making it possible for students to earn a St. John’s Bachelor’s Degree in Acting.

He also mentioned collaborations with the Manhattan’s American Academy of Art would play a big role in help teach interested students.

“The plan is for future students to take classes here during their freshman and sophomore years and then they would do the lion-share of acting at the Academy during their junior and senior year,” said Thomas. “They would then receive their degree from us.”

He also mentioned that he would like to establish a major in photojournalism, so students could graduate with a Bachelor of Science in the subject as well.

Thomas, who currently teaches a photojournalism course, said if the degree were to be established, St. John’s would be “the only major University in the tri-state area with a photojournalism degree.”

“It would have a photojournalism bent but it would consist of commercial photography, documentary photography as well as photojournalism,” he said. “So students will get a well-rounded experience.”

Thomas said he would like to get the dramatic acting degree established by 2010 and photojournalism by this fall.

“This expends the educational opportunities for students and gives them more choices,” he said. “The more choices we give to students, the more students we get.”