LA GRANDE — Rikki Jo Hickey has been involved in theater since age 19 through various camps, workshops and opportunities that presented themselves. Now, those opportunities include opening mNemosyne Studios in La Grande.

mNemosyne Studios just held its grand opening on Monday, Dec. 11, introducing Hickey, the owner and theatrical arts teacher.

Hickey teaches a wide selection of acting classes for adults and children, and she conducts theatrical workshops as well as adult and teen improv classes at her studio.

“This business has been in existence for a year, but it was operating out of my home,” she said. “Then a space opened up that was affordable and appropriate in size, so I opened the doors (on Depot Street) last September.”

Hickey majored in theater at Eastern Oregon University, majoring in theater. After graduation, she attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she switched her degree focus to directing. There she earned her master’s degree in fine arts theater in 2010.

After receiving her education in theater, she and her husband, Kelly Yeates, and their three children settled in Washington.

“However, during COVID we moved back to La Grande, initially living with my in-laws until we could find a home of our own,” she said. “We love the valley, being outdoors and with our family.”

Hickey’s business plan is to encourage people’s attendance and participation in the performing arts and to turn out acting students who have some of the qualities that she would look for in an actor if she were directing.

She values things like teamwork or being an ensemble and working together. As a teacher, she said she looks for people who can “act clear to their toes,” and she wants to teach her students how to do that.

“My long-term dream is to open a performing arts school, but right now having a studio is a nice gentle way of going about teaching theater,” she said. “It’s about creating community. I want people doing it because it’s so fun.”

Personally, Hickey has been active in the theatrical arts in various venues. She was just in a show at Eastern Oregon University, and she was involved with the Shakespeare Festival at the Elgin Opera House. She also stage-managed Beauty and the Beast at the Elgin Opera House. She is currently on the Liberty Theatre board, and she is also an artist in residence at Arts Center East.

Hickey is also involved in writing a Youth Theatre Puppetry play for Optimist International. This is an adaptation of a Canadian story titled, “He Sweeps! He Scores!” by Jean Cutler Blackie, about a boy who is too small to be on the hockey team, and he checks out curling instead.

“The play will hopefully have its world premiere at Long Creek School in Long Creek,” she said. “I hope to workshop the play at my studio in January before finalizing the writing.”

Each class can accommodate up to 15 students, and classes are divided into age level cohorts: creative drama cohort for ages 3-6; young actors class for ages 6–10; youth acting for ages 10-12; classes for middle school kids ages 12-14; classes for high school kids ages 14-18; and classes for adults age 18 and older.

“Most of the time I want my students to come to class in movement clothes so that it’s similar to dance because I do a lot of movement-based theater,” she said. “I feel it makes the actor grow more quickly.”

Classes are conducted quarterly: September through December, January through March; and April through June, followed by a summer workshop. Among the scheduled workshops that Hickey will teach are stage management, directing class, a puppetry class, and mask-making and acting class.

“It’s not really about being a production-focused studio but it’s about learning the skills that will help actors if they are trying out at EOU, the Elgin Opera House or at the high school,” she said

Hickey is hoping to do some things with the Blue Mountain Community College theater, and she has begun discussions with them about workshops.

“I look forward to working with individuals who believe in the power of teamwork and constructive criticism as well those who have a desire to grow as a human and an actor,” she said. “I invite people of all different backgrounds to please consider the opportunities that could come from learning how to carry yourself and be comfortable in front of others as you are.”

Those interested in taking classes may register and make a deposit online at holisticacting.com. The balance due can be paid by cash or check when attending the first class.

See holisticacting.com for other classes, cohorts and private lessons along with her fees for each class.