Formal Training -- the 2005 plan

OK. I've finally decided what to do: it's a combination of a long range plan (to play out over this year) and taking advantage of current opportunities. I see 3 tiers:

1st Tier) There's basic "acting," the basics, the craft of it. This I'm really in love with, I have a definite sense of how I work, what I think it's all about, and what I'm shooting for, and that's probably why I'm finding it difficult to find a class/teacher/coach that's the right fit. However, at some point, I do believe I'll find someone/someplace where I can focus just on the basics -- I have a lot to learn (a lifetime's worth), and planetary wide, NYC is hands down one of the best places to work with people who really know that they're doing, who can really facilitate anyone who wants to learn and grow. Currently, real performance, really doing it, is the best teacher. When I'm ready to bring someone else into what is for me a very intimate, personal, private process, then I think I'll naturally find someone to work with.

However, Jason Bennett's subpersonality work seems promising, and it makes intuitive sense to me. He presents them in short workshops. I think in the fall, I want to try this, see if it is something I can work with.

2nd Tier) Scene work with a focus on audition and working quickly (i.e., film). This is practical work: film and audition for film and theatre (unless it's a monologue audition) requires one to work quickly, deeply. Last week, I audited a class at Weist-Barron, an on-camera audition class, that felt right. I felt connected to the teacher, and how he works, how he thinks and communicates, and he went right to one of my trouble spots, with very good suggestions about how to work through them. If I don't hold back, takes risks, don't worry about my failures (I want to fail more!), I think I might get somewhere in terms of finding and living the simple heart of a scene, of a relationship, of the other, of my character. Keeping it simple and clear -- that's my goal.

Also -- practical monologue work: Working with a casting director, a very enthusiastic casting director, at One On One Productions. She seems to have a great eye, knows the theatrical literature, and will suggest monologues for people in the class. Occasionally, people in classes are sometimes cast in professional projects that the casting director is currently working on, but that's not my goal here (and I almost didn't take the class, because I thought if it was a quasi-casting session, that would be too advanced for me), but this class seems quite basic, so my goal is simply to find more appropriate material (and she's in a very good position to suggest material with an eye towards cast-ability, i.e., the monologue should be a type of character that you could realistically play, i.e., be cast in) and to improve my monologue skills. What I want to happen in a monologue seems to be becoming more clear to me: my targets are clearer.

I didn't want to take two classes at once, but if I'm disciplined and manage my time well, I should be fine and will get a lot out of both. The monologue class is only 5 weeks, the on-camera audition class is 12. For the next 5 weeks, work and then at night -- preparation -- that will be my life. The more I can give (prepare, work, go for it and let myself fall down), the more I'll get out of them.

3rd Tier) Basic audition classes taught by working casting directors, like those at TVI. The scene-study on-camera audition class @ Weist-Barron, should help as good preparation for these types of 'results' orientated classes.

Other parts of my training: Improv. Improv really falls into a tier 1 (foundation) type of training, and I can do that at anytime. I think after the monologue class ends in June, but before the scene study class ends, I'm going to take something at UCB. Then in the fall, go back to TVI (John's cold-reading class), but only one class at a time.

And, CRITIALLY: audition, Audition, AUDITION! I need to commit to doing this at least once a week (more if something seems promising). Class is no substitute for real experience.

So . . . that's the plan between now and through the fall . . . and keep risking, as much as I can, and stretching for things just out of my reach . . .