Green Shirt Studio: The Blog

Experience the Level 1 Meisner Class at Green Shirt Studio

2011-07-09T11:14:00.001-07:00

Hi there! I'm currently entering level 3 Meisner class with Green Shirt and am enjoying the journey. One of the best ways for me to reflect on class (which is intense) and to really understand the learning is to write, so I journal between class sessions. What follows are some short blogs from my journal during Level 1. If you don't know what Meisner is or what to expect, maybe this will help you decide to try it... and try it at Green Shirt. I continue to have a great experience in class and out with this studio. Sommer and Andrew are building a great community here!

Comment, comment, comment all you like -- it's much appreciated.

Cheers,

Shannon H.

January 12, 2011

What is character? What is Meisner? Beginning this class just brings questions. My questions are not necessarily the strongest. The questions come from friends after silence: Where are you taking the class? Who is your teacher? What does it mean to be certified? Well, I share some facts but my questioners aren't satisfied. Fellow actors begin to weigh in: Tell me about the teacher. Is there caring in the teaching? There are sighs and murmurs of "deep" and "hard emotional work". So, although, in the sense of adventure, I decided not to prepare with background reading, maybe I'm glad I don't know too much. Class is suddenly daunting. Okay, I see the first wall to scale is thoughts of others now my own. Hang tight. Daunted is the new curiosity, didn't you know?!

January 19, 2011

So we start by repeating an exercise from last week. Instant relaxation. I've done this before and I'm feeling more confident in doing it. And then, we're building on the exercise. It's going – growing-- in all directions at once. Aha, I'm swept up fascinated. It's as if a current of electricity flows between my partner and me. I feel a power at living the moment. It's week two and I see a glimmer of the power of the work. And…I'm daunted again. Internal monologue: Wow, can I do this? I'm doing this. Am I controlling? Contriving? Pre-meditating? Stop it! Out of the head, into the space. Listen. Okay, I see where the tough work begins. Yes, indeed, it's not hard but takes years to learn.

January 26, 2011

Ah…. The newness of class has worn off. Risk begins and in the words of a great director, I begin to go "splat". Similarly in the words of a great actor, I wade into the sandbox and get messy. Challenge. Provocation. On ceasing to be polite and instead honestly reflecting the experience of the moment. It's like being given a weapon. I don't know how to use it. I'm familiarizing myself with it. Running my hands over the smooth, wooden hilt. Part of me wants to have at like a young boy to a woodpile. I want to practice which is echoed by everyone. We all want to do this more, more, more. I see this energy between partners becoming addictive. We are practicing exercises for acting and yet it is much bigger than that. The exercises create relationship and intimacy. And that is one of the greatest and most powerful things that can happen between humans. So, if you follow that, then imagine my emotional state. An emotional roller coaster my friends. M-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-dy….

The day after class, slightly manic at this point, I was still thinking about everything at work when it slipped out. Repetition with a coworker. Uh oh. I mean he didn't know it was repetition. He had no idea what I was doing. But we had a real moment together. So now in real life Meisner becomes a secret weapon. Will I use it for good or for ill?

February 9

Personally speaking I found myself exhausted after class. It was an exhaustion in that "great workout" and "mentally challenged" sort of way. One the the things I'm enjoying about Meisner is that it's okay to not be able to articulate your thoughts, to mis-speak, or better yet be speechless at times. These moments feel honest which is the place we are going for. Yet, in the heroic effort the find the words there is also a fierce challenge to accept the observations given to you. Underneath the exhaustion of class was a "blue funk", as I like to call it, that I haven't felt in quite a while. Intellectually, I know we're practicing-- just learning through doing the exercises. It isn't personal, and I truly believe that. Yet, when you hear observations you have heard before in real life, you are confronted with your baggage. What do you do with the dark shadows that turn up? I don't want to prevent my reactions. I want to use them -- to turn them into tools and strengths. Personally speaking, I don' t know if I can.

February 16

On the one hand, I feel more and more free to impulsively participate and share with partners. And able to accept the home truths that come without having them drag me down. I'm even excited with the additional layers requiring divided attention and physical activities. Bring it on! On the other hand, there is something lurking under the surface. I could describe onions and their layers or icebergs and their tips as both fit. It happens when a sense of denial wells up during an exercise: the real impulse that isn't polite or constructively mannered. Okay, so there is honesty and there is HONESTY. So, how do I give my acting partner the best stuff (my most honest impulses and reactions) without taking them down like an automatic rifle? Yet.... Meisner would seem to say that you are doing your partner and the work a disservice if you don't give voice to the real impulse. So, will we still be okay if neither one of us is left standing?

Feb. 23

Continuing from last week…. We are accountable to each other my fellow classmates and I. We need each other to do our jobs as actors. I can do nothing better than give my scene partner my real reaction. What's great is that in class everyone wants to improve. We also all agree that class is a safe place, which makes that desire to go deeper easier to do. For me, honest reaction has been buried so deep in the attempt at civility in real life that I don't' even recognize it. It occurs to me only upon reflection. So as I practice Meisner, I will get to a point where action and reaction flow unhindered. Right now, it's like I'm a baby discovering its limbs--always flailing, always surprised at what is happening.

March 2

There is a very grey area surrounding point-of-view and denial. I question my motives when I contradict an observation in acting class. Is it really point-of-view as in a factual statement made correct? Or, am I hiding as in denying a physical observation when in fact I can't see the mirror to know if it is true or not? Why is my reaction to deny or contradict or change the subject? Should we call each other on this thus declaring our point-of-view and sticking to it? Squaring off on opposite sides of an observation with our partner? Or, go with the flow saying yes to the moment observing the first rule of improvisation? Could be either, couldn't it? Should be both? I don't think I can ask many more questions in one blog, can I?

March 9

I talk to myself a lot between class sessions. Settle down, be still and listen. Be present not past or future. Take things to heart. Be sensitive. "Pry off the lid" and be vulnerable. However, in class my nerves are so alert I feel frenetic. It gets in the way of real response and impulse. I recognize them too late. Always too late. Finding an activity is not an easy task -- far from it. I got lucky with my connection to the figurine I chose to try to sculpt out of playdoh. Having a strong connection within the activity is key. How to blow this up to extreme proportions I don't know. But the question I face is this: do you approach the activity from activity level and blow it up to extreme circumstances Or do you work exactly the opposite as in circumstances to activity?

March 16

I just can't believe there are two sessions left. I almost wanted to argue with everyone because I honestly didn't think it was true. We are just getting to trust each other. Just starting to be honest and vulnerable. And impatient as always, I am wondering about applying the work to scenes, plays, and character work. When? How? But that just brings us back to the original question that kicked off this blog. We haven't even gotten into it that question. I'm sticking until I can figure out some answers about that. I am not unaffected by the journey that this class has become even if acting wasn't as new for me as it was for others. Blogging has actually been a great way to codify what I'm experiencing. I hope everyone in class is journaling or something to help digest what we share in our 2 ½ hours every week.

March 23

I'm been absolutely obsessed with finding a good activity I'm not even thinking about vulnerability, impulse, listening or upping the stakes. It has been very, very frustrating to figure out activities. Is this class becoming about the activity? I've been so internally focused I wonder that I haven't grown a shell. I wish we could brainstorm in class and be collaborative in the discussion of the possibilities. A wise actor friend told me that Meisner would beat all the perfectionist tendencies out of me. I have to admit there is a great battle waging. With all this on my mind, accepting that this is the last class was almost unreal. It is so just the beginning. It isn't about hanging tight as I first thought, it's about riding the rollercoaster with both hands in the air, my friend.

Places to find auditions in Chicago

2010-01-27T18:13:00.000-08:00

We have begun to teach our brand new Meisner Monologues class, and as such we are preparing these students to either begin (or continue) auditioning in Chicago. I decided to put a little list together of some of the places to find auditions in Chicago:

Actors Access - For film, commercial, theater, etc. It is free to set up a profile (it will cost you $2 every time you submit electronically).

Mandy.com - For film student and independent film auditions. Mandy is free to set up a profile, and free to submit yourself for projects.

PerformInk Hotlines - Webzine that posts theater, film, dance auditions and jobs-- this is like the Chicago version of "Backstage." In order to view the "hotlines" (audition notices) on PerformInk's Premium Pages, you must purchase "P.I. Dollars" ($1 U.S. = 1 P.I. Dollar), and you can top up your account in different increments starting at $10. You will be charged one P.I. Dollar every time you view the Hotlines. Now, I know a lot of struggling actors don't want to pay the money, but I think it's worth it to check PerformInk, because there are a lot of auditions in this trade paper that you can't find anywhere else. Note: PerformInk updates their audition hotlines every Tuesday and Thursday, and make sure that you see on their website that they have been updated before you spend the money. Because PerformInk lists all the auditions several weeks back, it is not necessary to check it twice a week, but once every week or once every 2 weeks is a good plan.

The League of Chicago Theatres - A free place to find many of the same auditions that are listed in PerformInk.

Chicago Improv Network - A free message board devoted to all things improv (and sketch comedy) in Chicago. You will need to join CIN but it's free. Check the "Improv Classifieds" for improv, sketch and some theater and film auditions.

Yahoo! Groups - Some good ones are "cthlist," "chicago-theatre" and "CraigsTheaterList." I subscribe to all of them.

Facebook Fan Pages & Twitter - Become a fan or follow of your favorite Chicago theaters and casting directors, many of whom post their breakdowns/auditions as status updates, like this Facebook fan page for TP&R Casting.

Craigslist - Ok, some of the postings on here can be sketchy, but once you figure out what a few sketchy ones look like, you learn to tell the difference between those ones and the legit ones. Check out "Gigs" --> "Talent" and "Jobs" --> "TV/Film/Video." Cragislist is also a great place to find part-time work so you can make ends meet around your busy audition and performance schedule :)

Actors Equity - Type "Chicago" into the Actors Equity Casting Call search engine to view the Equity auditions in Chicago. If you are a non-Equity actor, you will not be able to make an appointment so you will need to "crash" the auditions, which means showing up an hour or two before the first audition starts, and getting your name on a list, and waiting around (sometimes all day) just to get a chance to maybe audition. Bring snacks and a good attitude, and be prepared to sit. A lot. But it's worth it. Every non-Equity actor should have the experience of crashing at least one Equity call. Best to do your research, though. Some theaters don't like non-Eq actors to crash, so visit the company's website before you decide to do this. Also, by checking PerformInk or the theater's website, you may find out that the company will be holding Non-Equity Generals, and if that's the case, it's best to audition at those rather than an Equity one.

I'm sure there are others that I could add to this list, but this these are the ones that I check on a regular basis, and you should, too! By checking these sites often, you should have many auditions to go to and will be busy busy!

Happy Auditioning!

Big weekend!

2010-01-01T20:35:00.000-08:00

We've got two free workshops going on tomorrow and Sunday. We can't wait to meet all the new folks we're going to be working with. The last one we had in December was a big success and we're sure this weekend will be as well. It's incredible to be opening new actor's eyes to Meisner's work. Hopefully we'll remember to get some pictures this time. Check back Monday for those...

New Classes starting in January!

2009-12-22T09:53:00.000-08:00

Green Shirt Studio announces new acting classes for the new year!

We're offering several new classes starting in January. Here are the details:

Meisner Level 1 - Living Truthfully ($250)
Session 1: Saturdays 1/16 - 3/20 from 1pm-3:30pm
Session 2: Sundays 1/17 - 3/21 from 12pm-2:30pm

Meisner Monologues ($200)
Session 1: Saturdays 1/16 -2/20 from 4pm-6pm

For details, class descriptions and to sign up, visit:

www.greenshirtstudio.com

Email: signup@greenshirtstudio.com
Phone: 773.944.0611

News News News!

2009-10-04T21:37:00.000-07:00

Well, we moved into our brand new space on Thursday. I'm happy to say that the studio is fully operational and we should have some pics up soon on our brand new (wait for it) website in the next couple of weeks. Thomas Weitz, our friend and general awesomeness-maker, is building the site for us and we can't thank him enough.

As if moving into the space weren't enough, classes started back up this weekend. We have a Level 3 class going on Saturdays and a brand new Level 1 class going on Sundays. Both classes are chock full of talented, dedicated, dashing students and the next 2 1/2 months are going to be phenomenal. I have no doubt about it. More details soon.

Finally, the cherry on top of this NEWS sundae is the fact that I've been asked by Jacque Lueken, the Education Director at Village Players Theater in Oak Park, to teach a Meisner intensive for Village Players' new training center. The workshop is happening on November 8th and you can find out more about it here. It's a great opportunity for me to go spread the Meisner gospel and go have some fun with the good people of Oak Park and Village Players. Thanks to Jacque for making it happen!

New Level 1 Class Enrolling for Fall

2009-09-06T22:08:00.000-07:00

News!

Green Shirt Studio has its own space— come October, we will be operating out of the former Schadenfreude rehearsal space, at 4636 N. Ravenswood Ave. We are very excited to have a home, and we have a lot of new ideas for future classes, so stay tuned!

We have a new Level 1 acting class starting next month! Here is the info:

What: Meisner Level 1: Living Truthfully
When: Sundays, 10am-12:30pm, Oct. 4th-Dec. 13th (no class on Nov. 29th)
Where: Green Shirt Studio, 4636 N. Ravenswood Ave., Suite 102
Cost: $250 (includes a copy of the book, The Sanford Meisner Approach)
How: To reserve your spot, call 773-944-0611 or e-mail andrew@greenshirtstudio.com

It's official!

2009-09-05T13:32:00.000-07:00

Well, we've been away for awhile but it's official... we finished our certificate training program and now are certified Meisner instructors! Andrew and I finished up the second half of our program this July through the True Acting Institute of Eckerd College, and above are pictures of us with Larry Silverberg as he handed us our diplomas. We had a wonderful time in Florida and it was great to see all of our cohorts again. We went through the process of doing ourselves and learning how to teach Emotional Preparation and Interpretation, and we can't wait to bring our knowledge to Chicago. We have so many exciting ideas in store for classes, so keep checking in for updates!

Oh, and Andrew and I got married while in Florida, too, so that's official as well! Yay!

Another Level 2 Class Completed!

2009-06-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

Well, we have finished up another Level 2 Meisner class that culminated in a scene presentation in front of an audience-- and Andrew and I are so proud of these guys! The scene presentation went so well, and once again, Chicago is gaining a new fierce and fearless bunch of actors who we think anyone would be privileged to work with. Pictured top row (from left): Me, Ann McGregor, Andrew Gallant, Tim Touhy, Laurel George, Ernie Gonzalez. Bottom row (from left): Matthew Helms, David Falk, Janice Rumschlag, Ryan Cleek. We will miss you!

Upcoming Level 2 Scene Presentation

2009-06-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

Join Green Shirt Studio as we host an "open class" and watch our Level 2 Meisner students present scenes and monologues for an invited audience.

Date:	Friday, June 12, 2009
Time:	7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:	Schadenfreude Rehearsal Space
Street:	4636 N. Ravenswood Ave., Suite 102
	Chicago, IL

If you would like to attend, please RSVP to our Facebook event link:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=599303081&v=feed&story_fbid=87660317405#/event.php?eid=84430272821

Or send an e-mail to me at sommer@greenshirtstudio.com

First Level 2 Graduates!

2009-06-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our first Level 2 students to make it through our 20-week training process! This was taken after their scene and monologue presentation in front of an invited audience on May 8, 2009. They did fabulous work, and were so giddy after being able to live truthfully under imaginary circumstances in front of people! Andrew and I are so proud of them, and hope to work alongside them in the future in the Chicago theatre community. Keep watching for them, they are fine actors, and we can't wait to see what they do next. Pictured from left: Kannan Arumugam, Jen Spyra, Bill Guschwan, Anna Brzozowski.

Saturday's with Sandy

2009-01-24T18:19:00.000-08:00

Our new Level 1 class kicked off this morning and I have to say Sommer and I are ecstatic to be teaching such a big, diverse, brilliant group of people. I can't imagine a more fulfilling way to spend the next 10 Saturdays than in their company, working thru Meisner's exercises.

And we're off...

Video treats...

2009-01-20T17:07:00.000-08:00

For those of you who haven't seen "Sanford Meisner: Theater's Best Kept Secret" here is the link to part 1 (all 7 parts are available on youtube).

I know I'm not the only one, but want to know what my favorite performance of the year is? Just watch this trailer.

Want to brush up on your audition skills? Then DO NOT click here.

I almost feel bad about posting it but one of television's lowest moments can be found right here.

One of my favorite movies and two awesome performances live on the internet right here.

Green Shirt Studio at the Improviser's Studio

2009-01-03T21:58:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to announce that Green Shirt Studio has been invited to kick off the brand new Improviser's Studio at The Playground Theater. For the inaugural session, we will be teaching a FREE 2-day workshop of the Meisner approach on Saturday January 17th and Sunday January 18th from 10am to 1pm. The workshop is open to everyone, and you do not have to be affiliated with The Playground to attend. To sign up, send an e-mail to improvisersstudio@the-playground.com, and see the attached flyer for more details.

Upcoming

2008-12-24T21:54:00.000-08:00

So we've got a temporary splash page up at www.greenshirtstudio.com and our friend, web genius and general hero Thomas will be unveiling the full site in the new year. Thomas, Sommer and I have been throwing around ideas about the functionality of the new site for a few months now and we're confident that, once completed, it will prove a rad addition to our growing Green Shirt enterprise.

We've also got a new Level 1 class beginning on January 24th (Saturday mornings from 10am-12:30pm) that will run thru March 28th, and we'll be picking up with the students from our inaugural class and moving onto our first session of Level 2 classes. We're very excited about it all and can't wait to get to back to work with all of our brilliant students. In January we're booked to teach a workshop at the Playground Theater in Chicago to the resident improvisers there. By late February or early March we'll begin taking our act on the road and teaching weekend workshops in places like Madison, Milwaukee, Iowa City and other midwestern bastions of the dramatic arts.

So, all in all, it's a busy and exciting time for Sommer and myself. Stay tuned as events unfold. We look forward to working with you in the new year! Happy Holidays.

Loving the Questions Themselves...

2008-12-09T09:56:00.000-08:00

A couple of students in a recent workshop experienced a bit of trepidation about the Meisner work. They had many questions about where the work leads, what it tangibly does etc. It's a common occurrence in Meisner classes, and Sommer and I got to pondering why that is. Here is an email we sent to the students with some of our conclusions:

"Sommer and I have been talking a lot about the questions you raised both before and during class, and we've had a number of ideas come up for us. First of all, it's important to note that the same kind of questions have come up in every Meisner class we've been in or taught, and the same kinds of questions are raised by the students in Meisner's book and films. The questions seem to be a universal response to doing this work. So, why is that the case? We think it is because the work challenges deeply held ideas and feelings about what acting is, about art, about the role of intellect in our lives and about the way people are 'supposed' to live and behave in our world. When such vital things are challenged, it's only natural for there to be big reactions. As Larry Silverberg (our mentor and student of Meisner) often says during his classes, "this work is not for everyone: it exacts a tremendous cost and the cost is personal." That said, it is also tremendously rewarding. But no written explanation is ever going to fully satisfy the deep questions that are borne from actually doing the work. When the questions come up for me, I find solace in remembering that many of our greatest actors, writers and directors have studied this technique. People like Gregory Peck, Robert Duvall, Grace Kelly, Arthur Miller, David Mamet, Mary Steenburgen, Jeff Goldblum, Sidney Pollack, Bob Fosse and on and on.

As to what the end result of Meisner training is, here are some thoughts: It's important to remember that the exercise is not the art. The Repetition is just an exercise, just as scales are an exercise for a pianist and barre work is exercise for a dancer. All are done as a means of training one to do something which is (and we should never forget that acting belongs in this category) very difficult. There's a zen adage that "we make a pot from clay but it is the emptiness inside that holds the water." We do the exercise so that when we are actually in performance we can get our conscious selves out of the way so that a space where the mysterious magic of true, impulsive, spontaneous creation can occur. The Meisner work, unlike most other approaches to acting, gives actors a way of actually working and practicing their craft outside of performance. We practice the Repetition regularly with each other and others who've had the training as a way of keeping our chops up. When real time is consistently put into working the steps of the exercise, many changes begin to occur. Some of the changes are obvious, some less tangible. We become more assertive, more confident, more relaxed, more present, more poised, more emotionally available, less self-conscious. Because I continue to do the work, I am more able to take each moment in life as it comes and respond to it from my genuine self. Our teacher Larry Silverberg says that, "the life of your acting depends on your ability to be available to and in response to everything that is actually happening as it's happening." The exercise helps us get there.

You asked about approaching text using Meisner and about applying it when working with others who've not been trained it it. First, the exercise works on you and naturally changes the way you deal with texts and performance. So, in that sense, all you need to do is hold yourself to the standards you've practiced while working through the exercise. Additionally there are many Meisner rehearsal techniques, ways of personalizing given circumstances and of emotionally preparing yourself that you can work on your own. When it comes to approaching text, Meisner (again) has developed a very systematic and step-by-step approach that can be done alone or with a partner. For example, he first has students write out the script by hand using no capital letters, punctuation, or stage directions as a way of taking away as many of the traps that might put an actor "in their head" as possible. Then there's a way of reading the script out loud for the first time, a way of doing the first read with a partner etc. But the work on text comes only after putting in a lot of time on the foundational exercises. There are many steps to the work and they all build upon the steps that preceded. The "simpler" steps, while they may seem a million years away from actual performance, are essential stepping stones that lead to working on text. Ultimately, as in the exercise itself, it is vital for students of the work to remain present in the moment that is happening at that moment and not worry about what's passed or what's to come. After all, isn't the singular present moment all we really have?"

Welcome to the Green Shirt Studio Blog!

2008-12-01T20:55:00.000-08:00

I'm blogging. You're blogging. I'm blogging. You're blogging. I'm blogging. You're blogging.

This is a place for current, past and potential students of Green Shirt Studio to check in with all that's currently brewing in the heads of their teachers. We'll ask many questions, answer some and generally wrestle with the art of acting. We may even review some shows. Who knows? So check in regularly...