History and Philosophy
"Acting is living truthfully under imaginary circumstances." Sanford Meisner
Sanford Meisner was one of the great pioneers of the training and teaching of American acting. His technique is one of the three major acting methods developed from and
inspired by Stanislavsky's discoveries and the experiments that emerged from the Group
Theatre. It remains a technique that is prized for its integrity and its ability to provide actors with the means to engage and access their talent Meisner taught for many years a The Neighborhood Playhouse where he developed the curriculum that we teach at The Meisner Studio.
Meisner based his technique on the principle of the reality of doing and in the belief that good acting should reveal the humanity in every character and that in order to be able to do that it is first necessary to acquire a deep connection to one's own.
The Studio admits only one class of 18 to 20 students per year. The structure of the Studio reflects traditional conservatory training: one class that forms a company that trains together throughout the two years of primary training, culminating in productions designed to bridge the process learned in the classroom through rehearsals and into performance. The training seeks to develop actors, who are fearless in their exploration and able to create behavior that is vibrant, authentic and expressive by providing them with solid craft and a deepened access to their talent.
The core curriculum leads the actors through a progressive and organized process to train the acting instrument by strengthening and challenging all the basic areas of actor training: his imagination to access and express the full palette of his temperament, his voice and speech to be resonant and free of habits that might interfere with his ability to
communicate and physical training to develop the skills and flexibility that the demands of any character he is challenged with may be met with confidence. In the culminating semester the curricular productions bring the classroom work to the rehearsal process through to performance.
Recent productions: Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmer & Necessary Targets by Eve Ensler; Big Love by Charles Mee & OTMA by Kate M. Ryan; The Altruists by Nicky Silver & A Bright room Called Day by Tony Kushner; Top Girls and Vinegar Tom by Caryl Churchill, Our Country's Good and Love of The Nightingale by Timerlake Wertenbaker
Faculty
Our faculty has developed a curriculum which includes the Meisner Technique of Acting; voice and speech, to acquire clear and articulate speech and to strengthen the vocal instrument; movement classes in both yoga and Williamston Technique, to develop a strong flexible and expressive body, free of restrictions; work with mask, which is sourced in Michael Chekhov's technique; work to use the body improvisationally, to explore character as a group; and script analysis to acquire information they need to prepare them for scene work in their process of preparing for our final production.
Acting
Vicki Hart
Voice and Speech
Donna Germain
Voice
Scott Flaherty
Accents and Dialects
John Van Wyden
Movement for Actors
Nathan Flower
Physical Character
Fritz Ertl
Play
Frank Deal, Lucas Calaeb Rooney
Stage Combat
J. David Brimmer
Alexander Technique
Greg Seel
Script Analysis
Fritz Ertl
Course of Study
All First Year Students at Tisch, Undergraduate Drama attend Studio classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. All Second Year Studio classes meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The alternate days are devoted to academic requirements.
First Year Curriculum
Acting: Meisner Technique First Year: Three times weekly. 2-1/2 to 3 hours each class
Voice & Speech/level one: Twice weekly. 1-1/2 hour each class
Voice/level one: Once each week. 2 hours
Movement for Actors/ level one: Twice weekly. 1-1/2 hour each class
Physical Character/ level one: Once each week. 2 hours
Clown: Once each week. 2 hours
Combat: Once each week. 2 hours
Second Year Curriculum
Acting: Meisner Technique Second Year: Three times weekly. 2-1/2 to 3 hours each class
Voice & Speech: Twice weekly. 1-1/2 hour each class
Voice: Once each week. 2 hours
Accents & Dialects. Once each week. 2 hours
Movement for Actors/ level two: Twice weekly. 1-1/2 hour each class
Physical Character/ level two: Once each week. 2 hours
Alexander Technique: Once each week. 2 hours
Clown: Once each week. 2 hours
Script Analysis: 2 hours
The Rehearsal Project: Ten weeks, evenings. 5 weeks three evenings. 5 weeks full rehearsals.
