Events for November 14, 2024

This 6-week series offers an introduction to Action Theater, a unique form of improvisational theatre developed by the American performance artist, Ruth Zaporah. Fundamental to the practice is an embodied presence in performance, where the experiencing of the body informs the content, moment by moment. Through playful and rigorous exercises, which isolate and recombine movement, sound and language, we broaden our range of improvisational skills. Always working from an embodied state, we develop spatial awareness and access to our imagination, crafting creative impulses into clear images, stories and dreamscapes. This technique turns the mind inside out, examines existing habits and opens up new possibilities. We bring attention to the details of our physical choices, to the quality and range of our vocalizing. Working in solos, duets, trios and also as an ensemble, the class starts with physical and vocal warm-ins followed by various exercises, finishing with informal presentations.

Get out of your head and into your heart! When you are grounded in a scene, you know instinctively who your character is and how they feel; you won’t have to struggle with figuring out what to do next. You can be bold, free, and have much more fun! We will use The Meisner Acting Technique (repetition exercises), which trains actors to be better listeners, observers, more in touch with their instincts, more sensitive, and in turn respond truthfully to their partners and circumstances, with clarity and direction. This work puts the focus on deep listening, connecting, character point-of-view, behaviour, impulses, and reactions, which will lead to more organic, dramatic, and fun improv scenes. You will also gather some tools and training to help strengthen your technical stage skills, vocal and physical abilities, presence, boldness, and character development. You will receive constant feedback, so students must be prepared to grow.

Wednesdays 7:00-9:00pm (Nov 6 - Dec 11)