What is a choice? It is finding the specifics the actor uses to ground their performance, such as: entering scene, imbuing a physical prop with meaning or memory, or allowing a touch, sound or smell to inform onstage behavior.
With a focus on mindful awareness, actors can make choices to engage with inner thoughts, feelings, needs, etc. and outer circumstances, such as cast members, environment, and place. When an actor allows their scene partner to affect them it creates a charge and importance to the work that is magnetic and commands the audience's attention.
The Art of Making Choices is designed to give everyone from the beginner to the most experienced actors a firm foundation to approach any character. Part process and part performance, the workshop will create an open and creative space for the actor's growth and character exploration.
Each class will begin with a 30-minute focus on the relaxation and warm-up of body and voice. Students will learn the how-to and importance of engaging all five senses in their work. Using scene and monologue work participants will then learn to make choices:
• How to breakdown a script to find the overall objective.
• How to ask and answer the right, specific questions to reveal the action and motivation of each moment.
• How to find active physical gestures and movements to support the actor in revealing a subtext or deeper layers of the character.
• How to personalize the character using their own experiences to create a dynamic and unique performance on stage, on camera or in auditions.
Class will culminate with invited friends and family to showcase our work.
