Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “Blog”
Your idea of a character is necessarily less interesting than you are, because it’s only a part of you. – Seth Barrish, many years ago. I’ve been an actor for a long time; I became a writer more recently. I’ve found that, for both, releasing my ideas of “how it …
Today I had a conversation with a fantastic artist. He mentioned, “I’m having some issues with Compare and Despair.” “Why?” “I just heard a song a guy wrote, and I think it’s better than anything I’ve ever written.” “But you are so talented and have accomplished so much!” He shrugged …
It is important to have a goal, but so often we forget about the journey. It seems we tend to look for the final result. The joy is in the work. That is where creativity begins. We draw from what we know and those who have gone before us. We …
It is Tuesday morning. I open the New York Times Arts section. Eli Gelb is nominated for a Tony award for his work in Stereophonic. I laugh and quietly let out a celebratory “Whoo!” sound. I’ve known Eli since he was fifteen years old. Eli took The Barrow Group’s six-week …
“All will be well in the garden.” So says the brilliant Peter Sellers’ character Chauncey “Chance” Gardiner in Hal Ashby’s 1979 film, “Being There.” I often think of this quote when asked by students how to get an agent or work with a casting director or join the union or …
I’m in a scene study class. Katherine has just finished doing her monologue. Before I can get a word out, she says, “I have to work on the circumstances, and I didn’t feel very relaxed. My body was tense, and I think I should play the opposite of what the …
Why am I still taking acting classes at this point in my life? After a long career edging towards 50 years? I am talking specifically about taking class at TBG, with Seth Barrish and Lee Brock, though I have trained in other techniques along the way. The following is an excerpt …
I’m teaching a ten-week monologue class. I ask everyone to bring in contemporary material, and also, of course, Shakespeare. A student, Alex, says, “I can’t do Shakespeare.” I think, “Can’t” is a strong word. It stops us from having an experience. “Can’t…” brings us to a full stop. Alex continues, …
Have you ever wanted the first go of a scene to feel more like the second go? Me too. And I’ve heard this from students in class a lot, sometimes with a bit of frustration or longing. Years ago my friend and fellow teacher Chris Wells and I were talking …
I’m teaching. Two actors finish their scene. One of them says, “That was so horrible. I wasn’t real. It was just terrible.” I pause and walk slowly to the side of the stage. “Why don’t you change the sentence in your head” “What do you mean?” “It’s just a sentence …
About five years ago I was approached about teaching a Musical Theatre class for The Barrow Group’s adult students. An acting class for singers and actors. It had been a while since TBG had such a class. They thought I would be a good candidate based on my years of …
I am standing on top of a ridge at thirteen thousand feet after hiking a bit with my skis on my shoulder. My son wants to start the day off with the deepest powder. I haven’t done this run in years and not with this much powder. I throw …
Some of the most extraordinary experiences I have while teaching come when I’m leading youth classes. Young artists are a constant reminder of the importance of play, imagination, and joy. Three ideas come to mind most clearly when I think of what I’ve learned from kids about storytelling: 1. Storytelling …
Ask any actor and they’ll tell you that some of the best acting they’ve ever seen has not been on screen or on a stage, but in small rooms. A play reading in a living room. A scene study class in an out-of-the-way studio space. Sharing a monologue in some …
I didn’t realize how someone asking me to write a blog would send me into a tailspin of identity crisis and panic about not having my own opinion about anything, let alone art. I blame this on being a fresh mom of two, where I basically live in an echo …
I’m sitting in rehearsal with K. Lorrel Manning, working on his one-person show, “Lost…Found.” He says a line about his father. He stops, overcome with emotion. “That just hit me so hard for the first time.” I look at Christine Cirker, my co-director, who catches my gaze. The room gets …
When I was a senior in college as an Early Childhood Education major, I took my first theater class. This was my first attempt to follow my dream of being a professional storyteller. It was a stage movement class that focused on character-building and storytelling with commedia dell’arte masks. My …
I’m on a speed boat speeding across the azure blue waters of the Galapagos Islands on our way to Kicker Rock. A brown-haired gentleman with Rayban sunglasses leans against the cabin wall sporting a yellow T-shirt that reads, “SLOW LIFE.” We arrive at our destination, a huge, jagged piece of …
New Year’s resolutions have never been my thing. Which may come as a surprise since I’m not only an actor, but a longtime personal trainer and a recently-certified life coach. I’ve spent years helping others clarify their desires, take steps in service of their goals and dreams, and shift limiting …
The holiday season is upon us, and whatever holidays you celebrate, I hope they’re happy. It’s also a gift-giving season for many, so I thought this might be a good time for my list of favorite theatre books. If you’ve taken class with me I’ve likely mentioned these before. As …