Meisner Technique 

Meisner Technique for actors is quickly becoming a centrepiece for any serious actor training program. The technique is on fire… from London to Manila to Prague to Dublin to Sao Paulo to Helsinki to Amsterdam – world-wide. It has become essential study for actors. Many of the most well-known actors working today have Meisner training on their resume.

The truth of ourselves is the root of our acting.”  Sanford Meisner.

This class will drill down on the ethos and the practice of “repetition exercises” as set out by Sanford Meisner and the late William Esper, arguably the finest teacher of Meisner’s technique after Meisner himself. We will take a layered approach.
Repetition work is a practice that will serve the actor for the rest of their creative lives. In addition to repetition exercises, we’ll move into the “independent activity/knock-knock” improvisations; Meisner’s “Preparation” technique for the actor will also be introduced.

All actors will be assigned a scene partner and a scene to prepare for a final presentation-emphasizing text from contemporary, world-class writers in English. Sanford Meisner had very particular ideas about how to begin and advance work on a scene – and we’ll integrate that into our work. Actors will be urged to do some rehearsals with partners during off hours.

“It’s much more important that the actor have an understanding heart, an ability to empathise with other human beings, an ability to respond with his feelings, and not with his head. That’s what makes an actor.” William Esper.