BNTC Actor Training Studio

Basics of Viewpoints & Meisner

Tuesdays in April and May – 6pm to 8pm 9 sessions of Meisner+Viewpoints requiered before entering the advanced scene work class.

Classes held at Community Brookside on the northeast corner of 38th and Peoria (2nd Floor)

Viewpoints and Meisner are two separate acting techniques that develop different but complementary acting skills (read more about each in the blurbs under the advanced headings). These techniques are well suited as a foundation for ongoing deep practice because they start with very simple concepts that build upon one another in order to help actors develop and maintain emotional readiness, physical presence and creativity rooted in the impulses of the moment. After attending nine sessions on of these two courses, actors will have the vocabulary and background needed in order to access all other ongoing actor training opportunities at BNTC. Each type of actor training practice offered at BNTC is equally valuable to experienced and aspiring actors alike who wish to develop, sharpen and maintain essential acting skills.

Meisner

Tuesdays at Community Brookside 2nd Floor Studio – 6pm to 7pm

Meisner Technique relies on a practice of engaging in “repetitions” with an acting partner. Meisner Repetitions strip away the layers of the actor’s process in order to allow the actor to focus on the foundations of any powerful performance: presence in the moment, responsiveness to emotional impulses, connection with the partner, and emotional honesty. After completing the basics course, actors will build on the Meisner repetitions to explore acting in the context of the reality of doing. (Pre-requisite: Basics of Viewpoints & Meisner)

Drop-in Rate: $10/session

Monthly Membership: $65 (covers all Viewpoints, Meisner and Advanced Scene Work sessions)

Viewpoints

Tuesdays at Community Brookside 2nd Floor Studio – 7pm to 8pm

Viewpoints training is rooted in the body’s relationship to the space. A highly physical practice, Viewpoints training builds the actor’s sense of connection with the ensemble, and scaffolds the creative process around an understanding of the elements of time and space as they relate to the work of the performer. Actors trained in Viewpoints are known for their creative movement, keen awareness of the bigger visual picture and intuitive ability to respond to the physical impulses of the ensemble. (Pre-requisite: Basics of Viewpoints & Meisner)

Drop-in Rate: $10/session

Monthly Membership: $65 (covers all Viewpoints, Meisner and Advanced Scene Work sessions)

Advanced Scene Work

Tuesdays at Community Brookside 2nd Floor Studio – 8pm to 9pm

Viewpoints and Meisner work provide an excellent background for advanced scene work rooted in Active Analysis and various devising techniques. A lesser known aspect of Stanislavsky’s work in actor training, Active Analysis is a practice that Stanislavsky developed later in life. Said to have been censored by the Soviet government, this practice moves beyond the rigid text analysis associated with the Method of Physical Actions and walks the actor through a hands-on layered approach to text analysis. Active Analysis supports the actor in an organic process of finding the deeper emotional roots of the character’s objectives and given circumstances. Devising is a collaborative process of workshopping new material with actors, directors and writers. The devising process can take on many forms depending on the nature of the work being developed. BNTC utilises several devising processes rooted in concepts from Viewpoints, Meisner and Active Analysis. Involvement in the Advanced Scene Work workshop will sometimes take the form of engaging in Active Analysis with pre-written scripts and will sometimes involve participating in a devising workshop with other theatre/film artists. (Pre-requisite: Basics of Viewpoints & Meisner)

Drop-in Rate: $10/session

Monthly Membership: $65 (covers all Viewpoints, Meisner and Advanced Scene Work sessions)

Videos

Curious about what Meisner looks like in practice? Check back here in April for a preview video.

Curious about what Viewpoints looks like in practice? Check back her in April for a preview video.