How To Choose A New York Theatre Workshop

By Deanne Shepard


New York NY is famous for many things. Aside from yellow cabs, pizza and being the fictional home of numerous superheroes one of the things the city is most known for is theatre. A lot of people enjoy attending shows in and around the Broadway area. However what you may not know is that you can also go to theatres and attend a New York theatre workshop.

A number of excellent actors have come from the New York theatres. It was here that Lee Strasberg studied the work of Stanislavsky. This study helped him to develop what is now known as the Method school of acting, an approach that would be adopted by actors such as Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep.

A workshop can cover a number of different possible topics. It may look at certain types of acting. Using the example of method acting they may go into the origin of the craft. Furthermore they may show clips of actors such as Robert De Niro or Marlon Brando who were students of the Method approach.

Other classes may cover other aspects. For example improvisation is a tool that can be useful in both comedy and drama. While a lot of people associate improvisation with comedy it can also be used for dramatic effect. A classic example is the speech in Taxi Driver where the character Travis Bickle questions himself in the mirror.

You also have to consider your own individual performance. How you project your voice and how you move affect the character. While you want to project it should be realistic and not involve shouting and being over the top. There is also the issue of approaching the motivation of the character you play. The same line can be very different depending on the tone of the actor delivering it. A good teacher helps students to look at the subtext. This means looking at the intention behind the line as much as the line itself.

There is also the benefits in terms of group interaction. When people first start acting there is an impulse to show off and be the star. In reality acting is about being part of an ensemble and learning how to use your skills as part of a team as opposed to making yourself the centre of attention.

Workshops are also good in terms of improving communication skills. If you run a business you may want to consider a workshop in order to make it easier for your employees to interact with each other. This may sound strange but it can often be an effective tool in allowing people to communicate more effectively.

As well as the workshop you also need to consider the person teaching. Ideally they will have the appropriate experience to guide you and help you develop your skills. You can find out more by looking up theatres in your local area as well as feedback from people who have attended workshops in the past. This will help you get the most from your classes.




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