Free Write.

          In the book, the actors in the class have been working on pieces from "Spoon River Anthology". These pieces are very interesting, because they are written more like poetry than monologues. Therefore, it is easy to see why the students would struggle with some of the pieces; it takes a different sort of mindset to approach the speeches and perform them realistically and with emotion, rather than just reading them off the page. Despite initial difficulties, Meisner's advice and comments seem to assist the actors in giving a satisfying performance. He emphasizes the importance of preparation as well as "letting it all out"; when one student begins to tear up hesitantly during her piece, he excitedly encourages her to cry. One technique that he suggested which I found interesting was to perform the piece in your own words after reading it a few times, then go back to the script as written, and then continue with the improvisation of the text. I plan on trying this method the next time I am preparing a monologue.

"The first thing you have to do when you read a text is to find yourself - really find yourself. First you find yourself, then you find a way of doing the part which strikes you as being in character. Then, based on that reality, you have the nucleus of the role. Otherwise every shmuck from Erasmus Hall High School is an actor because everyone there knows how to read."

"Free Write."

          To be honest, I haven't had much time lately to truly make a lot of progress in this book. I have so much going on, with school, rehearsal, and other commitments, so Sandy has been put on the back burner for a while. However, whenever I do get a few moments to sit down and read a little, I am reminded of what a genius Meisner really is. His comments are not only hilarious and witty, but one hundred percent spot on in relation to what he has just seen and what he is trying to teach to his students. As I read, I imagine what the men and women in this class must have been thinking, and I wonder if they realized how truly lucky they were to have such an incredible mentor. It would be really interesting to see where these people are now - if they are still acting, if they still use the techniques that Meisner taught them, and if they look back fondly on their time in his class. Perhaps if I read on I will find out the answers to these pressing questions.

"It's the theater that interests me, not acting. I don't like actors very much, though I do like to act. It's enjoyable - sometimes. But I don't like what it brings to the surface in my personality: the self-centeredness, the childish vanity, the infantilism. That's what an actor has to have."

"Is this book fueling your passion for theatre?"

          Theatre has been my greatest passion in life ever since I first set foot on stage in the fifth grade. My love for this craft is constantly growing and developing, and I believe that this book has contributed to that process immensely. Before reading about Meisner and his technique, I felt sort of constrained - stuck in a rut of the one type of acting that I'd been taught and had used since elementary school. But once I delved into Meisner's book, it was like a breath of fresh air; something new and exciting that set my mind awhirl with all the potential possibilities and choices that I hadn't been exposed to. As I read this book, I constantly think to myself, "Wow, I'd love to try that," and I hope that some day I will be able to. Even if the Meisner technique ends up not being the right fit for me, I'm just glad that I got the chance to become familiar with it. I feel that by being introduced to it, I will become a more cultured and well-rounded actor, and that is something that I've been striving for ever since I began acting.

"Free Write."

          Yesterday, our Thespian troupe participated in the second part of our district's Individual Events Festival. Not only was it a blast, but we also performed extremely well! I had such a great time watching my friends and troupemates perform, accompanying some of the musical events, and performing in four different pieces! Although yesterday was stressful and hectic to say the least, all the hard work paid off because we received an Excellent for our ensemble pantomime, a Superior for our large group musical, and I received a Superior on my solo!! Words cannot describe how shocked and elated I was when I heard the news; it's the first time I've ever received a Superior, and the feeling is incredible. I know I could not have done it without the support and assistance of my amazing troupe; I love them so much, and my life would not be complete without them. Now, can't wait to do this all over again at States!

"Free Write."

          Yesterday, we participated in the first weekend of our district Individual Events competition. Although I did not perform (I will be performing all of my events next weekend), I had so much fun watching my friends and other schools compete. I thought all of the events that we took did extremely well, and two of our events even received a "Critics' Choice" (the highest possible rating; only one event per room is chosen). Not only am I inexplicably proud of my troupemates, but I also had a great time watching other scenes and pondering what types of techniques they might have used to prepare. As I've said before, my friends and I did use some of Meisner's techniques while preparing our mime for competition, so I wonder if any other students in our district did the same. I hope that all the hard work we did will pay off next weekend; I can already tell it did yesterday!

"Free Write."

          Because this book is so chock-full of quotes that I absolutely love, I've decided to dedicate this week to my favorite Meisner quotes (that I haven't already used as "Quotes of the Week"). Here are the best in my opinion:

Meisner: "Are you looking at me now?"

Student: "Yes."

M: "As Othello?"

S: "No."

M: "As who?"

S: "As myself, I guess."

M: "That's right. Can you hold on to that?"

"Silence has a myriad of meanings. In the theater silence is an absence of words, but never an absence of meaning."

"You try to be logical, as in life. You try to be polite, as in life. May I say, as the world's oldest living teacher, 'F*** polite!'"

"I tell you this: you cannot be a gentleman and be an actor."

"To become an accomplished musician you have to realize that it takes twenty years to be a master at it! A master! And the same is true of acting."

"In other words, if you don't give up acting out your cliches, I can't help you to learn how to act. I'm trying to get you to do an exercise, not to play a part."

"Don't behave as if acting were something that any amateur can turn on! It's not true!"

"Some years ago I owned a car. In winter when I got into my car, what's the first thing I did when I started the car? I pulled out the choke to give the cold motor some extra gas. It's a warming-up process, right? Well, for an actor, preparation is a warming-up process."

"Restraint is a virtue, but reticence in an actor isn't."

"Now I'm saying we have moved beyond the fundamental. Now it's possible to respond reasonably. So if your partner asks you what time it is, for God's sake look at your watch and tell him! And if he has the temerity to ask you how old you are, you have my permission to lie to him through your teeth!"

"Acting is a scary, paradoxical business. One of its center paradoxes is that in order to succeed as an actor you have to lose consciousness of your own self in order to transform yourself into the character in the play. It's not easy, but it can be done."

"If my partner in a scene said to me, 'How do you feel today?' I'd say quietly, 'Lousy.' That's perfectly acceptable. I don't have to take a pistol out and shoot myself or writhe on the floor."

"You cannot hide emotion, but you don't need three tons of it in order to color your behavior properly. It's just that you must not be empty."

"Don't be an actor. Be a human being who works off what exists under imaginary circumstances. Don't give a performance. Let the performance give you."

"I'm going to tell you all something. The text is your greatest enemy."

"There are some parts we don't have the temperament for even if we understand them, and there are some parts we are so right for that we don't even know that we understand them."

"Shaw said, 'Self-betrayal, magnified to suit the optics of the theater, is the whole art of acting.'"

"The American actor is very lucky. Why? Because so little is asked of him."

          I'm not even finished with the book yet, and it is easy to see that Meisner definitely has plenty of interesting things to say. I look forward to finishing the book and getting an overall view of his technique.

"What has been your favorite passage? Why?"

          I am really enjoying this book, so it is difficult for me to choose one specific passage that is my favorite. However, one of the best portions of the book in my opinion is Chapter 8, in which Meisner delves deeper into the art of preparation. He tells the class that "The text is like a canoe, and the river on which it sits is the emotion. The text floats on the river. If the water of the river is turbulent, the words will come out like a canoe on a rough river. It all depends on the flow of the river which is your emotion. The text takes on the character of your emotion." I found this analogy to be a very suitable and specific image, and I find that it helps me, at least in my mind, to connect the text with the emotion behind it. I plan on using this image from now on when trying to prepare a monologue or scene; I feel that it will allow me to become more organic as an actor and to truly convey the necessary emotion without worrying about how the words themselves will come out.


Quote of the week:

"I say, pick from your heart! Don't pick from your head! Why not be simple? What's the crime in being simple?"

"Free Write."

          Today, my friends and I made good use of the Meisner technique. For competition, we are preparing a group mime and we thought it would be great to develop the storyline and characters using some of Meisner's techniques. For instance, we utilized a lot of gridwork; this involves all the actors moving in straight lines in an imaginary grid and creating silent "moments" with each other. It is influenced either by someone calling out words as a theme or through music; today, we tried both. I believe this gridwork really helped us come together as an ensemble and we got a lot of incredible moments out of it that will work beautifully in our mime.
          Additionally, we did a few rounds of word association; this is when the actors sit in a circle, one actor starts by saying a certain word, and the rest take turns saying the first word that comes to mind (based off the previous word) until they return to the first word. After the word association is finished, the actors then go back and write down all the words they just said; although this may sound difficult, it actually wasn't very hard to remember everything we'd said. We started off by using themed words that related to our mime, and after writing them all down we chose our favorites. We then went back and used these in our gridwork, and the result was some amazing moments.
          We've basically created the skeleton for our mime, and I can't wait to continue using Meisner techniques to develop it and help us grow together as an ensemble. Critic's choice, here we come! :)


Quote of the week:

"You should do what I do when I practice diving in the Caribbean. I just go! I know it's not easy. It's formidable. Just go! And don't give yourself a reason why you shouldn't! If you want to throw yourself on the floor and chew a leg of that table, it's fine with me. It's undignified, it's unmanly, it's ungentlemanly -- but it's very good for your acting!"

 

 

 

"What do you not agree with?"

          I happen to find the Meisner technique absolutely fascinating; it is unlike anything I've ever seen or heard of before, and I am truly intrigued by several of the methods he describes in his book. However, there are a few aspects that I am having a difficult time agreeing with fully.
          For instance, Meisner seems to, at least from what I've read so far, avoid or even look down upon in-depth text or script analysis. His technique is all about being "in the head", and while I do see the benefits of this approach, I think that analyzing the piece of material you are working on is equally as, if not more, important. Additionally, many of the key points Meisner makes are very vague and hard to decipher. He constantly points out that a good actor "really listens" and "really does", but often times does not explain it any further than that. If his students are unable to understand the true meaning of his words, I don't see how his technique could be effective in training actors.
          Don't get me wrong, I find Meisner's technique interesting and worthwhile to learn. However, like every other method, it does have its limitations and downfalls, and I don't think an actor should necessarily throw himself/herself into it fully and blindly without exploring other options.


Quote of the week:

"I'll tell you this: you cannot escape the impact of emotion, whether it's in a big theater or a tiny one. If you have it, it infects you and the audience. If you don't have it, don't bother; just say the lines as truthfully as you are capable of doing. You can't fake emotion. It immediately exposes the fact that you ain't got it."

"Go out and do something your book recommends."

          The chapter I am reading now focuses on the importance of the process of preparation. In Meisner's world, preparation is a device which permits you to start a scene or play in a condition of emotional aliveness. The purpose of preparation is to ensure that neither actor enters the scene emotionally empty. However, the actor must resist the temptation to "show off" or project their emotional state of being. One of the most critical points he makes is that preparation only lasts for the first moment of the scene; once that moment has passed, neither actor truly knows how it is going to play out.
          So, after being inspired by Meisner's theory of preparation, I decided to try and utilize it on an actual scene. I am currently taking an advanced scene study class, and each week we are paired up with a different person in order to prepare a scene for the next class. So, after going over to my scene partner's house and choosing a scene to work with, I told her about preparation. Our scene is from Neil Simon's "The Gingerbread Lady"; I play a 47-year-old alcoholic ex-singing star divorcee, and my partner plays my 17-year-old daughter who now wants to live with me. Although this character is going to be challenging for me to play (seeing as I'm 30 years shy of 47 and can't really be described as an alcoholic), I believe that by using preparation I will be able to portray the character of Evy with more emotional fullness, or at least start the scene out with a bang.


Quote of the week:

"That's called 'emotion memory.' I don't use it, and neither did Stanislavsky after thirty years of experimentation. The reason? If you are twenty and work in a delicatessen, the chances are very slim that you can remember that glorious night you had with Sophia Loren."

"Free Write."

          As I move forward in this book, Meisner's "Word Repetition Game" continues to develop and acquire added layers and nuances that make the exercise all the more interesting and yet surprisingly difficult. What began as a simple, straightforward repetition of the same sentence over and over again has now been throw into the mix with each actor's point of view, an urgent independent activity, and most recently an emotional circumstance. Not to mention the fact that all actions and dialogue must rely solely on impulses and the actions of the other actor. All of these elements elevate this seemingly juvenile activity to a complex exercise that takes months of practice to become comfortable with. 

          The next step in the process is the introduction of actual scripts. Sandy gives each couple an "old-fashioned" script, old-fashioned only in the sense that it was written before they were born, and tells them to simply memorize the lines without any sort of emotional significance or meaning. All he asks of them is to learn the lines rotely and mechanically in order to avoid any preconceived habits, patterns of speech, or expected readings. This way, the script is a blank canvas, and the actors' reading can come naturally and truthfully based off their instincts.

Quote of the week:

"I'm saying that wishful thinking is a product of the imagination. If I say, 'I'll give you a hundred thousand dollars. What will you do with it?' On the one hand, if someone said, 'I'd pay my rent for the next five years,' I'd say, 'Bulls***. That's too realistic, it's too unimaginative, it's too practical.' On the other hand, what if a girl said, 'I'd like to go to the White House in a dress that's made of solid emeralds. Gorgeous! Solid emeralds! On some kind of cloth which can only be made my one nun in India!' That's extravagant, but it's the essence of wishful thinking."

"How does this book relate to your life outside of theatre?"

          In all honesty, and I know this may sound a little on the pathetic side, I don't really have much of a life outside of theater! I spend the large majority of my time working on projects that are somehow linked to acting, singing, or other aspects of the theater world. However, what is contained in Meisner's book can definitely be applied to everyday life, and I do appreciate that aspect of his technique very much. 
          The main focus of the Meisner technique is relying on instincts - they should drive all action, and nothing should be forced unless your impulses or your scene partner's impulses make you do it. I think that this idea would actually really help me in life in general - I tend to overthink and overanalyze things, so relying on my basic instincts and impulses would be a wonderful change for me. Whether it's in social situations, personal situations, or under any other circumstances, a person's basic instincts are often correct from the very beginning, and I think that I usually take mine for granted. By following my instincts more often, I believe that my life will become a little less complicated and stress-free, and I have Sandy to thank for that.


Quote of the week:

"God almighty, woman, stop acting! I can't stand it!"

"Free Write."

          "The foundation of acting is the reality of doing." This is the opening statement Meisner makes to his acting students in the first class of the semester, making them repeat it out loud and providing various examples to prove it to them. Once they are convinced enough, he introduces them to the basis for his technique, which he calls Repetition. It truly is as simple as it sounds - one person makes a statement, the other repeats it back to them, then the first person repeats it again, etc. It involves no intellectual activity, simply hearing what your partner is saying and repeating the words exactly. After practicing this seemingly juvenile exercise for a little while, they move on to the next level - repetition from your own point of view. For instance, if one actor says "Do you curl your hair?", the other may reply "Yes, I curl my hair," or even "No, I do not curl my hair." The exercise continues with each person repeating what the other has said but from their own perspective.

         Meisner then introduces two new principles to the Word Repetition Game: "Don't do anything unless something happens to make you do it," and "What you do doesn't depend on you; it depends on the other person." The exercise continues with some humorous situations unfolding, and the actors start to experiment with their impulses and instincts. Next, an independent activity is added - one of the actors chooses an activity to do with a high level of difficulty, a sense of urgency, and a valid reason as to why they must complete it. For example, Meisner tells one of the actors that he met a beautiful girl at a party, but he lost her phone number; therefore, his activity is to look through all the "Smiths" in the Manhattan phonebook until he finds her. While the actor is carrying out his or her independent activity, the repetition game continues - the other actor speaks to the actor doing the activity, who must still repeat what they've said while staying focused on their activity.

         That's just about as far as I've gotten in the book, but I am truly intrigued by this Word Repetition Game. Although it may seem ridiculously easy or dull, I can see how it would be difficult to stay truthful and genuine while playing. I'd love to try it out and see how I did; following your impulses is always a challenge, but I know it would also be liberating if I was able to surrender completely to my instincts.

Quote of the week:

"Beethoven was a bastard in real life, you know. He was a real bastard. But his music is pure and based in his real feeling. That is why he was great. Not because he fired his servant, which he did, because a sock was missing out of the laundry. What I'm saying is that the truth of ourselves is the root of our acting."

"Go out and do something your book recommends."

"God I hope I get it..."

        Something that Sanford Meisner talks about in his book is the importance of experience. It is crucial that actors attempt to gain as much theater experience as possible if they hope to grow and improve at their craft. This involves taking up any job opportunities or internships in the theater world, working as crew or in a backstage aspect, and most importantly, auditioning as much as possible.

        So, in a very spur of the moment decision,  I decided to follow Sandy's advice and go audition for something. I received an e-mail on Friday about an audition for a local conservatory, and by some miracle I managed to show up on Saturday and put on a decent audition. Although I must admit I was a tad nervous, the audition was actually very laid back. The owners/directors of the theater company seemed to like me a lot, especially my singing, and they said they would love to have me for an advanced scene study class they'd be starting soon. They also told me that I'd be great for some of the productions they'd be putting on this year, which really flattered and excited me. I'm so glad that I'm going to get the chance to get some more experience, and it's all thanks to Sandy! ;)

        And so, I'll close this week's blog with another quote from the book (I decided to make this a weekly thing):

"You know, it's all right to be wrong, but it's not all right not to try."

"Introduction. Why are you reading this book?"

   

          After a long and merciless two hours spent scrounging around Borders for a decent book, I finally decided to read Sanford Meisner On Acting for our Blog Project assignment. I was drawn to this book for several reasons. First of all, one of my close friends just returned from a summer theater program at Brown University, and after six weeks of learning and utilizing the Meisner Technique he now swears by it. Additionally, while scanning the back cover I was intrigued by the fact that this book follows the story of an acting class of eight men and eight women over the course of fifteen months as they hone their craft under the guidance of "Sandy" Meisner. This appealed to me because rather than just a straightforward how-to book filled with diagrams and dry instructions, this book is written almost like a diary, with dated entries spanning the duration of the actors' journeys. I have no doubt that this book will grasp hold of my attention and keep me interested, which is a challenge within itself.

        Finally, I chose this book because it was different. Throughout my entire "acting career", I feel like I've only been exposed to a certain type or method of acting that, to be honest, has left me a little unsatisfied. I feel that by expanding my horizons and opening myself up to new techniques and approaches, I will be able to grow leaps and bounds in regards to acting.

        As I skimmed through the first couple pages, something caught my eye - one of the opening quotes in the book chosen by Meisner, which reads:

        "I wish the stage were as narrow as the wire of a tightrope dancer, so that no incompetent would dare step upon it."

        I think me and Sandy will get along just fine.