In 2010, I took on the role of Artistic Director at the Joop van den Ende Academy in Hamburg, Germany. My mandate was to modernize and optimize the curriculum: to create performers who not only possessed the technical skills of ‘triple threats;’ who exhibited strong individuality and understanding of their craft in performance; but who most importantly had an understand and experience of what a ‘day to day’ life working in the theater entailed. The restructuring quickly produced postive results and graduates fo the JvDEA can be found working and creating in all branches of the European entertainment inudstry. One special aspect of the curriculum were the numerous live performance opportunities built into the coursework. Parallel to their technical study, each student performed in series of productions, offering them the chance to explore different theater styles, and ways of working.