I first heard of Sanford Meisner when I did the Vagina Monologues last year. In the last six months, however, his acting technique has become an integral part of my training regimen. I’ve been studying the Meisner Technique with Rachael Adler of the Waterfront Conservatory (formerly known as Studio Magnetic). One of the key tenants…
Category: Acting
Seeing Red at Berkeley Rep
“[Rothko] believed that it was important to the human spirit to create art, to experience art, to be open to art because he truly believed it allowed an exultation of the heart and the spirit.” -Playwright John Logan
Audition Reader
I recently had the opportunity to be a reader opposite actresses auditioning for JP Allen‘s upcoming feature film. First takeaway? Show up for the audition… I really loved being on this side of the audition process, seeing what choices each actress brought to the table and seeing how she adjusted to the director’s feedback. Ha…I…
Leap of Faith
I’m doin’ it. I’m takin’ the leap! After more than four years with Rainforest Action Network, I’m bidding farewell to one of the raddest organizations in the world and devoting myself to nurturing my creative spirit. …to acting, and voice over, and writing, and imagination. It’s scary, and the future’s uncertain. But it’s exhilarating, and…
How To Audition Using TextExpander
My friend Christine recently used TextExpander to find an apartment in San Francisco–and if you’ve ever done this without TextExpander, you know what a pain it can be. Christine introduced herself to more than 70 potential roommates on Craigslist by sending them each a form email that she created. She didn’t copy and paste said…
3 Audition Tips for Casting Calls
Last Friday, my partner and I auditioned for principal roles in a web commercial. We were paired with a 10-year-old boy and for seven minutes or so, the three of us became family. When we walked into the room together, the director said we were a “nice looking” one. He asked us to line up…
Welcoming Vulnerabiltiy
The East Bay 2011 production of The Vagina Monologues opened on Saturday evening to a sold-out house! I’m confident that my cast mates would agree that it was our tightest run yet. Everybody came in with such great energy. I think a lot of that had to do with the packed audience, which facilitated an…
Meisner For Improv
I’ve been taking improv classes with Laura Derry at Bay Area Theater Sports (BATS), which is our equivalent of Chicago’s Second City. Although we’re tackling improv basics like spontaneity, I love our three-hour sessions because they demand vulnerability. Plus, being goofy and laughing your afternoon away is a pretty good way to spend the day….
The Truth Behind Ambiguous Acting Advice
I panicked after scanning the most recent rehearsal feedback provided to me by our Vagina Monologues directors. Why? Because their email opened with: “What happened this Sunday? You totally and completely changed the performance 180 degrees, you threw out our directions, you threw out all the original blocking…” I thought about all the work I…
How to Cultivate Vulnerability
Tammy Strobel over at Rowdy Kittens posted this a few days ago. My friend–the same gal who introduced me to Sasha Fierce–sent it to me after we had a chat about the acting class I’m taking. In said class, we defined the need we most wanted to fulfill during it. Mine? A need for vulnerability….
Session Lessons
I wrote too soon about the cheat sheet mentioned in my last post. Last night during my private voice over session with Elaine Clark at Voice One, I realized I’ve hardly been using my cheat sheet to the extent that I should. Who cares if you can markup a script? Writing notes on a piece…
My First Rehearsal for The Vagina Monologues
Yesterday was our first rehearsal for The Vagina Monologues – East Bay 2011. It was also my first rehearsal for anything beyond musicals in grammar school. Prior to, I was insanely nervous, pacing around the house–monologue sputtering from my lips. And then I got to our space and met a slew of cast members: plenty…
Alter Egos: Beyonce is to Sasha Fierce as Meghan is to…
Beyoncé Knowles’s alter ego Sasha Fierce was born with 2003’s “Crazy in Love,” but Sasha wasn’t formally introduced until the pop/R&B sensation’s 2008 studio album, “I Am… Sasha Fierce.” That said, it wasn’t until yesterday, January 6, 2011, that I had ever heard anything about the likes of Sasha Fierce. And just like that, Beyoncé…