My dearest Blogfriends,
I was just doing research for today's blog post, and I have to say that I am so incredibly, unbelievably excited right now. So let's get started.
As I mentioned in the Year in Review post last week (which is a fabulous read, if I do say so myself), there is an exciting workshop coming up in two weeks; consider yourself cordially invited.
I was just doing research for today's blog post, and I have to say that I am so incredibly, unbelievably excited right now. So let's get started.
As I mentioned in the Year in Review post last week (which is a fabulous read, if I do say so myself), there is an exciting workshop coming up in two weeks; consider yourself cordially invited.
Because of a year-in-the-making partnership between Los Angeles-based Steppenwolf West and Arts Collective, two astonishingly talented teachers from Steppenwolf West, Alexandra Billings and Eric Hunicutt, will be leading an acting workshop right here at Howard Community College! This very blogger is going to be attending said workshop, and as I've already stated, I could not be more excited.
Can you tell I'm excited? (Ok, I'm done now. Excited.)
The workshop, using the Viewpoints and Scenic Improvisation as the primary teaching tools, will give actors of all levels of experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore their process and discover new possibilities within their work. Now you might be asking youself, sure that sounds neat Matt, but WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Well, blogfriend, first I'm going to need you to calm down. Everyone knows writing in all caps is hostile. What the previous paragraph means is that this workshop isn't meant to replace the way you work as an actor; it's more about giving a vocabulary to what you already know instinctually, and how to hone those instincts to make you a better, more honest actor.
Quote break! Says instructor Alexandra Billings:
Can you tell I'm excited? (Ok, I'm done now. Excited.)
The workshop, using the Viewpoints and Scenic Improvisation as the primary teaching tools, will give actors of all levels of experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore their process and discover new possibilities within their work. Now you might be asking youself, sure that sounds neat Matt, but WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Well, blogfriend, first I'm going to need you to calm down. Everyone knows writing in all caps is hostile. What the previous paragraph means is that this workshop isn't meant to replace the way you work as an actor; it's more about giving a vocabulary to what you already know instinctually, and how to hone those instincts to make you a better, more honest actor.
Quote break! Says instructor Alexandra Billings:
Viewpoints is about working from the inside out and the outside in. It's about
what's possible. It's about finding your instinct and owning your power. It's
about the Imagination and the power that only you have. It's about the Truth.
Your Truth.
So how are we fortunate enough to get professional actors and instructors from the west coast to come teach a workshop here in Columbia, MD, at an affordable price? Well, after a fortuitous introduction through a mutual friend, Ms. Billings and Arts Collective Producing Artistic Director Sue Kramer met, and a workshop was set up at HCC last year (pictured right). Condensed into a couple days and focusing on the Viewpoints, a group of eleven students went on a journey to new artistic worlds with Sue and Alexandra.
Here’s a few things some of those students had to say:
“It was terrifying, but exciting. I’m able to be more in the moment with
someone, instead of going off and doing my own thing. I’m just able to share
the stage more.”
-NJ Agwuna
“[The workshop was] all about discovering things about yourself that you didn’t
necessarily know; it was like an internal awakening. It’s not one of those
things where you learn about it in class and then forget it later on. It’s
something that stays in your head.”
-Darius McKeiver
“I wasn’t sure what to expect, but when I met Alex she was so warm, welcoming,
fun, funny, and so very ‘there’ for all of us, that you couldn’t help but
instantly receive her in your group of closest friends. She knew how to speak to all of
us, each one in a different way, so we could understand what she was saying.”
-Grace Anastasiadis
So just imagine: if all those wonderful things could be said about a workshop that only lasted a few days, how awesome of an experience will it be to participate in a TWO-WEEK workshop with not only the raved-about Alexandra Billings, but her equally talented co-instructor Eric Hunicutt?
Quote Break! Says Mr. Hunicutt:
Playing: it's about discovery, not invention; about being engaged, not feeling
the pressure to be engaging; something we all did really well when we were 5 and
in the sandbox, yet seem to have forgotten in the years since. Improvisation is
all about recapturing that sense of freedom, play, and permission.
I think you can see why I’m so excited, blogfriends.
Now as I said, we’re about two weeks out, but as of this blog’s writing there are a few spots left. Space is limited, however, so if you are interested in signing up for the workshop, please click here for more details and to register! If you have any questions at all, please feel free to call the Arts Collective offices at 410-772-4515. Use vacation time and that money you’ve saved up if necessary… I promise it will be worth it!
Until next time, blogfriends.
