COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING

Instructor: Alex Bruhanski

Course Description: This is a workshop for the non-actor, the 'civilian' so-to-speak, to explore the basics of acting, primarily for the purpose of enriching one's personal and professional life. It is designed to enhance communication skills and develop ease in the public presentation of oneself. The workshop introduces exercises that will assist the participants in defining and achieving personal goals, as well as providing dynamic and effective approaches to conflict resolution.

New and creative perspectives in problem solving will add to the development of a stronger imagination, a richer sense of humor and a deeper sense of empathy. Listening skills will be a point of focus, along with techniques for greatly boosting memory and self-confidence. Each concept is actively explored through a series of improvisations and games that are fun, challenging and transformative, while presented in a safe, non-competitive and supportive environment.

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BASICS  OF  ACTING

Instructor: Alex Bruhanski

Course Description: This workshop provides a strong foundation for basic acting skills applicable to both stage and film. A vast array of concepts are explored through improvisation and then applied to script.
The following areas will be covered:

Preparing to perform: You will be taught techniques that assist the actor to control tension, overcome stage fright, identify with the fantasy circumstances inherent to a script or improvisation and to enhance focus and concentration.

Goals and Actions: Defining and identifying with a character's needs and pursuing those needs with clear, specific actions. This aspect of the training enhances the actor's ability to render clear, dynamic, interesting performances that are relatively replicable in subsequent takes or performances.

Accessing your truth: Exercises that enable the actor to access his or her own emotional histories, to actually re-experience and be able to apply those experiences to any scene, at will. Profoundly empowering.

Feedback technique: Exercises that train the actor to listen acutely not only to what is being communicated verbally and visually, but to simultaneously identify his or her own immediate and visceral response, and to trust and go with that response.

Mnemonics: You will be taught powerful memory techniques that will not only vastly improve your memory, but more importantly, will increase your confidence as an actor in your ability to master your lines.

Basics of script analysis: Learn to break down a script into manageable units of work, essential for scene work and auditions.

Brechtian Alienation Technique: Developed by Bertolt Brecht for the Berlin Ensemble, this technique is a pure delight and was created to free the actor from constraints, allowing them to play any character regardless of age, size, gender or ethnicity. Liberating and fun!

Comedy: This session deals with framing one's experience through a comedic perspective. The purpose is not to turn actors into stand-up comics, but to empower the actor to take control of the emotional weight of any particular scene.

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BEYOND  the  BASICS  of  ACTING

Instructor: Alex Bruhanski

Course Description: For actors who are continuing their training at the Studio or have had extensive previous training elsewhere and/or acting experience. This workshop will revisit basic acting concepts in greater depth to reinforce the actor's core foundation. New ideas for the actor will continue to be introduced and explored through improvisation and scene work. Scene work will be stressed with an emphasis on building a character, researching a role, the actor's range and addressing a variety of characterizational challenges. Expect to be stretched. The focus will be on digging deeper. The studio will be made available to actors in this workshop for scene rehearsals. Alex will also be working privately with actors on their scenes outside of class.