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Fiona Choi (far left) in rehearsal. PHOTO: Deryk McAlpin
Education

TEACHER AS ARTIST

Acting Resources

DIGITAL PD WEEK

Explore digital classroom resources to teach Acting.

From this page you can investigate two approaches to acting, and explore interviews and video resources to use in your classroom.

Two different approaches

Outside-in: exploring movement qualities

This activity is based on Michael Chekhov's 'qualities of movement' approach. Walk around the space in neutral, and experiment with how each of the following movement qualities generates feeling and character in your body:

  • Molding
  • Floating
  • Flying
  • Radiating 

Consider which movement quality best suits your character. It may be a combination of qualities, and some may be more dominant in certain scenes.

Inside-out: exploring given circumstances

Given Circumstances are used by many theatre practitioners, such as in Uta Hagen's Acting Principles and Stanislavski's Technique. Study the text for clues, and discuss with your director and cast members. Ask yourself:

  • Who is the other character? What is their relationship to your character?
  • What is going on in this scene?
  • Where are you? How do your senses perceive this place?
  • When is this happening? How do your senses perceive things like weather, the season, time of day.
  • Why are you there? E.g. to apologise/celebrate/escape

Make notes on your script, and explore how these given circumstances affect your performance on the floor. Try focusing on one at a time, then layer them together.

Adapted from Fiona Choi's acting workshop in the Teacher as Artist Digital PD Week.

 

More Acting Resources

Click the images below to learn more about acting, with insight from actors in MTC productions. Click the buttons on each image to read quotes from each individual.  

Published on 30 November 2020

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