Statement of Teaching Philosophy
Education is a collaborative, active and flexible process. Learning is not predictable; neither are students. Therefore, it is my responsibility to remain open and adjust to individual learning styles, while continuing to focus the students upon the goals of the class.
Educational collaboration requires a safe community in which students are empowered to explore or test their ideas. Ultimately, success depends upon how thoughtfully and skillfully the student inquires, probes and examines. Putting the emphasis upon the success of the investigation facilitates recognition of existing knowledge and also puts the student in the position of being an active seeker of knowledge, not a consumer of knowledge, and learning becomes organic and dialectical in nature. By working together, a vital learning space is created which is key to unlocking enormous potential.
The most important element in creating such a community is respect for the individual. I strive to help the student develop his or her distinct artistic voice within the class. Focusing on individual growth while maintaining the health of the group is multi-purpose. Three of those purposes are: 1. Learning respect for yourself and others is paramount for the theatrical process. Theatre is never done in isolation. 2. Learning to be open to and choosing to employ different opinions, experiences, and backgrounds increases exponentially the potential for personal development. 3. Learning to think and act simultaneously inside and outside of his or her experience engenders self-knowledge, empathy, listening, flexibility, confidence, and generosity.
Underlying all is my belief that the theoretical must be applied through the practical. Theatre is an art form that requires all its participants to use their minds, bodies, voices, and souls; like athletics, theatre requires practice of these tools. Strengthening the muscles of the mind, body, voice and soul can only be achieved through regular use, therefore my classroom is a place to hone, to experience, to analyze, to articulate, to release, to fortify, to train, to do.
Statement of Acting Philosophy
Because the growth of an actor and a human being are synonymous, actor training is a life-long, complex, and cyclical process. When working with student actors, I assess where they are in their artistic and personal development so that I can challenge the artist yet remain respectful of the human being. I endeavor to instill the desire to take risks and to have faith that the unknown is rich. I want to impart tools, techniques, and philosophies that will help actors define their own approach. Ultimately, I am interested in cultivating courageous, collaborative, passionate, thinking, and disciplined, actors.
The following principals are my keys in guiding an actor toward realizing potential. They address, at times in isolation, at times in concert, training three of the instruments of the actor: body, mind, and spirit. (While voice is not specifically addressed, it is integral and not forgotten). Major influences in my approach in implementing these principles are: Brecht, Boal, Healthcote, Stanislavski, Jory, Bogart, Spolin, and Brook.
Ensemble
Because theatre is a collaborative art form, it is essential that actors learn to work with one another. Working in ensemble, an actor can learn when to give and take; when to lead and follow; when to speak and listen; and how to sense and act upon impulse. In practicing these skills, an actor's attention is drawn to what happens between people, and it is what happens between characters on stage that brings the story to life. In focusing upon these goals, powers of physicality, observation, concentration, self, and reaction to impulse will be strengthened, which are foundational in the art of acting.
Text Analysis
An actor's ability to read a script deeply and imaginatively is crucial. Learning to ask and recognize the most interesting question is at the heart of this process. With conscientious adherence to the given circumstances, an actor can begin to dive in to the world of the play through pertinent questioning, stimulating the imagination and creating a lake of information from which to draw while in rehearsal. Acting serves the text, and the text gives boundaries to the actor.
Imagination
Actors' imaginations are the most powerful source from which to draw. To bring alive a story an actor must be able to create not just a replication of the actual, but a transforming, living experience. To create such an experience, actors need to use their imagination to locate the fullest range of motivational force, rather than depending solely on observation and emotional memory.
Action
Acting is doing. It is not playing and emotion (love), a tone (romance), or an idea (being in love). The emotion, tone and idea come out of what you are actively trying to pursue with the other character.
Connecting to Humanity
An actor needs to develop resources of information and experience that connect with the rest of the world — socially, culturally, historically, and politically.
Education is a collaborative, active and flexible process. Learning is not predictable; neither are students. Therefore, it is my responsibility to remain open and adjust to individual learning styles, while continuing to focus the students upon the goals of the class.
Educational collaboration requires a safe community in which students are empowered to explore or test their ideas. Ultimately, success depends upon how thoughtfully and skillfully the student inquires, probes and examines. Putting the emphasis upon the success of the investigation facilitates recognition of existing knowledge and also puts the student in the position of being an active seeker of knowledge, not a consumer of knowledge, and learning becomes organic and dialectical in nature. By working together, a vital learning space is created which is key to unlocking enormous potential.
The most important element in creating such a community is respect for the individual. I strive to help the student develop his or her distinct artistic voice within the class. Focusing on individual growth while maintaining the health of the group is multi-purpose. Three of those purposes are: 1. Learning respect for yourself and others is paramount for the theatrical process. Theatre is never done in isolation. 2. Learning to be open to and choosing to employ different opinions, experiences, and backgrounds increases exponentially the potential for personal development. 3. Learning to think and act simultaneously inside and outside of his or her experience engenders self-knowledge, empathy, listening, flexibility, confidence, and generosity.
Underlying all is my belief that the theoretical must be applied through the practical. Theatre is an art form that requires all its participants to use their minds, bodies, voices, and souls; like athletics, theatre requires practice of these tools. Strengthening the muscles of the mind, body, voice and soul can only be achieved through regular use, therefore my classroom is a place to hone, to experience, to analyze, to articulate, to release, to fortify, to train, to do.
Statement of Acting Philosophy
Because the growth of an actor and a human being are synonymous, actor training is a life-long, complex, and cyclical process. When working with student actors, I assess where they are in their artistic and personal development so that I can challenge the artist yet remain respectful of the human being. I endeavor to instill the desire to take risks and to have faith that the unknown is rich. I want to impart tools, techniques, and philosophies that will help actors define their own approach. Ultimately, I am interested in cultivating courageous, collaborative, passionate, thinking, and disciplined, actors.
The following principals are my keys in guiding an actor toward realizing potential. They address, at times in isolation, at times in concert, training three of the instruments of the actor: body, mind, and spirit. (While voice is not specifically addressed, it is integral and not forgotten). Major influences in my approach in implementing these principles are: Brecht, Boal, Healthcote, Stanislavski, Jory, Bogart, Spolin, and Brook.
Ensemble
Because theatre is a collaborative art form, it is essential that actors learn to work with one another. Working in ensemble, an actor can learn when to give and take; when to lead and follow; when to speak and listen; and how to sense and act upon impulse. In practicing these skills, an actor's attention is drawn to what happens between people, and it is what happens between characters on stage that brings the story to life. In focusing upon these goals, powers of physicality, observation, concentration, self, and reaction to impulse will be strengthened, which are foundational in the art of acting.
Text Analysis
An actor's ability to read a script deeply and imaginatively is crucial. Learning to ask and recognize the most interesting question is at the heart of this process. With conscientious adherence to the given circumstances, an actor can begin to dive in to the world of the play through pertinent questioning, stimulating the imagination and creating a lake of information from which to draw while in rehearsal. Acting serves the text, and the text gives boundaries to the actor.
Imagination
Actors' imaginations are the most powerful source from which to draw. To bring alive a story an actor must be able to create not just a replication of the actual, but a transforming, living experience. To create such an experience, actors need to use their imagination to locate the fullest range of motivational force, rather than depending solely on observation and emotional memory.
Action
Acting is doing. It is not playing and emotion (love), a tone (romance), or an idea (being in love). The emotion, tone and idea come out of what you are actively trying to pursue with the other character.
Connecting to Humanity
An actor needs to develop resources of information and experience that connect with the rest of the world — socially, culturally, historically, and politically.