Master Scene Study

Seattle, like most theatre-towns, has a wide variety of skill-levels and experience levels in local actors. Professional actors have paid their dues and need a place to work with peers in a professional atmosphere and with reliable partners. Professionals more often than not must take roles that neither challenge them nor stretch their talents although they pay the bills and define them as professionals.

This ongoing workshop is an environment where actors may explore roles they may not get cast in, risk choices without affecting their reputations, and experiment with creative muscles rarely used. The atmosphere is of serious fun but not casual play. Critiques and adjustments are given with respect for actors’ successes and failures

because no creative artist can have the former without the latter. And no artist sets out to fail. I have an active revulsion towards “guru” teachers, or those who believe in “tearing you down” in order to build you up. My goal is to make you independently stronger and get more work outside of class; this is one of the only jobs that, if I do it well, I lose clients. And nothing satisfies me more.

It is my belief that working on great roles creates great actors, and participants are encouraged to challenge themselves by choosing scenes from plays of value, thematic size, and theatricality. I will have studied every play you choose; it’s my job. Choices will be adjusted based on the actors’ interpretation of the largest and most universal theme(s) of these plays, and then broken down into the specific and playable actions that make this abstract ruling idea—as Stanislavsky called it—an engaging performance. I will not direct you through my interpretation, but coach you to make your choices stronger, fully truthful, and with the passion of your soul.

1. •Master Class: Wednesdays 7:00-9:00
   

2. •12 performing Actors maximum
   

3. •Ongoing
   

4. •Suggested fee: $120 per month