TRAINING THE YOUNG ACTOR: A PHYSICAL APPROACH A Thesis Presented to The Graduate ...

147 Pages·2009·0.35 MB·English

TRAINING THE YOUNG ACTOR:
A PHYSICAL APPROACH

A Thesis
Presented to
The Graduate Faculty of The University of Akron

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts

Anthony Lewis Johnson
December, 2009
TRAINING THE YOUNG ACTOR:
A PHYSICAL APPROACH

Anthony Lewis Johnson

Thesis

Approved: Accepted:

__________________________ __________________________
Advisor Dean of the College
Mr. James Slowiak Dr. Dudley Turner

__________________________ __________________________
Faculty Reader Dean of the Graduate School
Mr. Durand Pope Dr. George R. Newkome

__________________________ __________________________
School Director Date
Mr. Neil Sapienza
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
CHAPTER
I. INTRODUCTION TO TRAINING THE YOUNG ACTOR:
A PHYSICAL APPROACH...............................................................................1
II. AMERICAN INTERPRETATIONS OF STANISLAVSKI’S EARLY WORK.......5
Lee Strasberg.............................................................................................7
Stella Adler..................................................................................................8
Robert Lewis...............................................................................................9
Sanford Meisner .......................................................................................10
Uta Hagen.................................................................................................11 
III. STANISLAVSKI’S LATER WORK.................................................................13
Tension.....................................................................................................17
Intension and Justification ........................................................................19
Mental Action............................................................................................20
Mind and Body..........................................................................................25
Communication.........................................................................................27
Tempo-rhythm...........................................................................................30
Vocal Action..............................................................................................31
Physical Characterization.........................................................................34
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Total Action...............................................................................................35 
IV. JERZY GROTOWSKI: A BRIDGE TO STANISLAVSKI................................38
Evgeny Vakhtangov..................................................................................39
Vsevelod Meyerhold.................................................................................43
Poor Theatre.............................................................................................55
Environmental Theater .............................................................................55
Holy Actor.................................................................................................56
Montage....................................................................................................58
Score.........................................................................................................60
Contact......................................................................................................61 
V. TODAY’S ACTIONS.......................................................................................63
Eugenio Barba..........................................................................................63
Thomas Richards......................................................................................71 
VI. A PRACTICAL ACTION PLAN FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION...............76
First Day....................................................................................................77
Physical Warm-up.....................................................................................81
Mental Warm-up.......................................................................................92
Vocal Warm-up.........................................................................................95
First Quarter..............................................................................................99
First Quarter Mask Work.........................................................................105
Second Quarter ......................................................................................108
Second Quarter Mask Work ...................................................................115
Third Quarter...........................................................................................122
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Third Quarter Mask Work........................................................................125
Fourth Quarter........................................................................................128
Fourth Quarter Mask Work.....................................................................132 
VII. CONCLUSION...........................................................................................136
BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................140
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION TO TRAINING THE YOUNG ACTOR:
A PHYSICAL APPROACH

A number of scholars, actors, and directors view acting as a craft, while
others view it as art. Some view their method as the only correct way to perform,
and still others find value in all of the techniques. The debate will always go on.
There seems no clear consensus about how to teach acting. To find an answer,
one must define theater in terms of its purpose.
If theater is an art, then acting is not just a skill or craft passed down to
students, and it is not merely a vehicle for fortune and fame. Acting becomes
about asking some basic questions: What is theater? Why am I an actor? What
is acting? The answers lead an actor to two important figures in modern theater:
Konstantin Stanislavski and Jerzy Grotowski. Both men devoted their lives to
answering these questions. They were influenced by great minds before them
and around them. Their explorations gave birth to a physical approach to acting.
There are many acting techniques that teach a physical approach to adult
actors, but how can these principles be adapted for high school students? This
thesis will serve as a guide on how to teach acting to secondary school students
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using a physical approach. Beginning with a basic history of the system of
physical actions, as conceived by Konstantin Stanislavski and further developed
by Jerzy Grotowski and others, this guide will define the basic principles of
physical acting, including physical actions, mental action, mind and body,
interaction, tempo-rhythm, verbal action, physical characterization, and total
action.
Both Grotowski and Stanislavski looked for ways to remove obstacles (via
negativa), so the actor could find truth in his or her work. They saw that acting is
more than a bag of tricks, method, or technique; that it is an art form that honors
the actors, the process, and the surrounding world. This guide will also examine
some of Grotowski’s core concepts concerning physical actions: via negative,
conjunctio-oppositorum, Poor Theatre, montage, environmental theatre, Holy
Actor, score, contact, and sign.
Building on Stanislavski and Grotowski, other performance researchers
continue to investigate a physical approach to acting today. Eugenio Barba
(director of Odin Teatret and founder of the International School of Theatre
Anthropology), Thomas Richards (Artistic Director of the Workcenter of Jerzy
Grotowski and Thomas Richards), James Slowiak and Jairo Cuesta (Co-Artistic
Directors of New World Performance Laboratory) have added new ideas to
Stanislavski and Grotowski’s original concepts. A look into each of their
particular additions is also included in this work.
Finally, I will present a course outline and lesson plans to teach young
actors a physical approach to acting. The first day or introduction to the course
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lays out to students what is expected, how to prepare, and how to dress. Proper
warm-up exercises are suggested. The course is divided into four parts or
quarters, mirroring a typical school year. Each quarter builds upon the previous
quarter’s work.
A unit on mask work is included. Proper mask work enhances many of
the physical concepts presented. Libby Appel’s (former Dean of the California
Institute for the Arts) mask work serves as a model for this unit. She designed a
workshop, which compliments physical action work. Interweaving her work with
that of Stanislavski and Grotowski provides a thorough grounding in the
techniques of physical acting.
Why are these concepts critical to teach in American secondary
education? First, arts programs are the first to feel the effects of the budget cuts
facing schools today. As a result, well-intentioned teachers who do not have the
experience or resources to teach basic acting fundamentals lead many high
school theatre programs. Sadly, they end up teaching diluted technique at best
and, at worst, clichés and bad habits. This guide is intended to help the over-
loaded teacher instruct young actors in a few basic acting concepts. It also gives
the most experienced teacher a more in depth course to stimulate those students
who have the curiosity to discover the exciting possibilities physical theatre
training offers.
Second, American high school drama programs often teach bad technique
or no technique. When students arrive at college, a lot of time is spent getting rid
of bad habits. Why not expose high school students to the techniques of
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Stanislavski and Grotowski? Why not teach them some basic elements of craft
before they start developing bad habits? This guide provides a blueprint to give
secondary students a basic knowledge of the system of physical actions, a
concrete methodology toward performing before a live audience, and a chance to
build a corporeal acting foundation.
Before explaining Stanislavski’s concepts, it is essential to understand the
development of his work in America. In order to move forward, one must take a
step back. There is much confusion surrounding Stanislavski and his ideas,
especially in the United States. The next chapter will explore the American
evolution of Stanislavski’s ideas before tackling the last great innovation of his
system, which piloted his physical approach.
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CHAPTER II
AMERICAN INTERPRETATIONS OF STANISLAVSKI’S EARLY WORK

Stanislavski was the first theater practitioner to develop the various ideas
of actor training into a written and practical structure (Hodson 2008).
“Stanislavski called the detailed process he invented to analyze the components
of creating character a ‘system’…” (Schwarzbaum 2008). According to British
theatre director Declan Donnellan, “Stanislavski’s real legacy is his effort to
create life and vitality on the stage” (Hodson 2008). Stanislavski had a difficult
time formally putting his ideas down on paper. He wrote two books and planned
to write several others (Benedetti 2008). The English versions of these books
were heavily edited and left out many of his ideas (Nightingale 2008). In fact, An
Actor Prepares (first published in English in 1936), and Building a Character (first
published in English in 1949) were actually designed as one book with two parts
(Istel 2008 106-107). Stanislavski was displeased with the edited version of his
autobiography, My Life in Art. Stanislavski wanted his autobiography to
introduce his theories, but the American publishers were interested in his
memoirs only (My Life in Art Stanislavski 2008 xiv). All of his work, including his
journals, is preserved in Russia at the Moscow Art Theater Archive and Museum
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