STUDIO CHEKHOV
michael chekhov
“Real inspired acting is never DOING, it is always HAPPENING”
Michael Chekhov's unique approach to the art of acting and his influence within the theatre and film worlds has been immeasurable. Chekhov was one of Constantine Stanislavski's most prized students and is widely acknowledged as one of Russia's greatest actors.
THE CHEKHOV WORK engages the whole actor-- body, thoughts, feelings and will-impulses. Chekhov's approach is psychophysical, meaning it starts from the premise that the body feeds the mind and the mind feeds the body. Imagination is key to this relationship. Chekhov exercises and explorations unleash the actor's rich psychology through the body and the actor's creative individuality. Actors that study and apply Chekhov principles to their work surprise themselves and excite their audiences with their fully alive and in-the-moment performances.
“Chekhov Technique is a very liberating path to work as an actor. The material we encounter has an immediate impact with immediate rewards. His technique helps to inspire and to achieve a creative state in which is on one hand a pleasure to be in and at the same time full of expression. “
– Lenard Petit, Chekhov Technique Master Teacher –
Michael Chekhov was highly regarded by his contemporaries--Sanford Meisner, Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg, and Harold Clurman. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in Hitchcock’s “Spellbound." Along with his acting, Chekhov devoted his later life (until his death in 1955) to teaching his approach to some of the best actors and actresses in film history.
His books To The Actor, On The Technique Of Acting, To the Director and Playwright and Lessons for Teachers are important works for actors, teachers, writers and directors. Chekhov’s art continues to be masterfully taught and developed by outstanding teachers such as Joanna Merlin, Ted Pugh, Fern Sloan, Lenard Petit, George Shdanoff and more. In 1999, Jack Nicholson paid tribute to Chekhov in his Golden Globe Award acceptance speech and Anthony Hopkins discusses the power of Chekhov’s “Psychological Gesture” in “Inside the Actors Studio.”
Michael Chekhov’s approach to the art of acting is in the midst of a renaissance or sorts and is now being practiced in rehearsal rooms, studios and classrooms throughout the world. Actors and artists on every continent are discovering effective techniques that consistently improve and enrich the values and depth of their work.
"There’s always this need to continue growth, to expand. For me, Chekhov’s system is the most complete."
– Jack Nicholson at the 1998 Golden Globe Awards-
“Michael Chekhov made me realize that truth as naturalism was far from the truth. In him I witnessed exciting theatrical form with no loss of content, and I knew I wanted that too.”
– Sanford Meisner –
“Real inspired acting is never DOING, it is always HAPPENING”
Michael Chekhov's unique approach to the art of acting and his influence within the theatre and film worlds has been immeasurable. Chekhov was one of Constantine Stanislavski's most prized students and is widely acknowledged as one of Russia's greatest actors.
THE CHEKHOV WORK engages the whole actor-- body, thoughts, feelings and will-impulses. Chekhov's approach is psychophysical, meaning it starts from the premise that the body feeds the mind and the mind feeds the body. Imagination is key to this relationship. Chekhov exercises and explorations unleash the actor's rich psychology through the body and the actor's creative individuality. Actors that study and apply Chekhov principles to their work surprise themselves and excite their audiences with their fully alive and in-the-moment performances.
“Chekhov Technique is a very liberating path to work as an actor. The material we encounter has an immediate impact with immediate rewards. His technique helps to inspire and to achieve a creative state in which is on one hand a pleasure to be in and at the same time full of expression. “
– Lenard Petit, Chekhov Technique Master Teacher –
Michael Chekhov was highly regarded by his contemporaries--Sanford Meisner, Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg, and Harold Clurman. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in Hitchcock’s “Spellbound." Along with his acting, Chekhov devoted his later life (until his death in 1955) to teaching his approach to some of the best actors and actresses in film history.
His books To The Actor, On The Technique Of Acting, To the Director and Playwright and Lessons for Teachers are important works for actors, teachers, writers and directors. Chekhov’s art continues to be masterfully taught and developed by outstanding teachers such as Joanna Merlin, Ted Pugh, Fern Sloan, Lenard Petit, George Shdanoff and more. In 1999, Jack Nicholson paid tribute to Chekhov in his Golden Globe Award acceptance speech and Anthony Hopkins discusses the power of Chekhov’s “Psychological Gesture” in “Inside the Actors Studio.”
Michael Chekhov’s approach to the art of acting is in the midst of a renaissance or sorts and is now being practiced in rehearsal rooms, studios and classrooms throughout the world. Actors and artists on every continent are discovering effective techniques that consistently improve and enrich the values and depth of their work.
"There’s always this need to continue growth, to expand. For me, Chekhov’s system is the most complete."
– Jack Nicholson at the 1998 Golden Globe Awards-
“Michael Chekhov made me realize that truth as naturalism was far from the truth. In him I witnessed exciting theatrical form with no loss of content, and I knew I wanted that too.”
– Sanford Meisner –
THe Chekhov Work
LIZ SHIPMAN
Chekhov Teacher/ Co-Artistic Director |
Session 1 “INTO THE BODY IN THE SPACE IN THE MOMENT”--This Session of the Chekhov Progression focuses on the first 9 Psychophysical Exercises covered in Michael Chekhov’s TO THE ACTOR, Chapter 1 and/or Chapter 4 in ON THE TECHNIQUE OF ACTING. This Session is about learning basic Chekhov & Laban vocabulary, connecting the actor to his or her body, breath-to-moment work, imagination through the body, ensemble work and more. It is about the actor developing a way of working/processing/creating through the body.
Session 2 “QUALITIES/SENSATIONS/FEELINGS” —This Session of the Chekhov Work brings the actor to an understanding and relationship with his/her experience of Qualities (Effort/Energy), Sensations and Feelings. Working with various approaches to exploring Energy, the actor develops a process and vocabulary for harnessing Qualities of Movement, inviting Sensations and Connecting to Feelings. We connect imagination to our energetic alive innerlife and experiment with using this vocabulary to catalyze (Prepare), make choices, interact with the ensemble and follow the Qualitative, Sensational and Feeling (Emotional) Through-line. Session 3 “GESTURE WORK” —Here the actor is introduced to a cornerstone of the Chekhov Technique--Gesture. We begin with learning the specifics of creating a full-body, specific and radiating Gesture and explore the many ways that Gesture is integrated into the Chekhov work, including Archetypal Gestures, Gesture for Action, Character, Relationship, Atmosphere and more. From here on, Gesture becomes an integral part of the Chekhov Work. Session 4 “CHARACTER 1”--This Session introduces the actor to various Psychophysical & Imaginative approaches to developing a Character. We will employ Daydreaming the Character (Imagination & Incorporation), Psychological Gesture work, Character Archetype, Individual Atmosphere, Imaginary Body & Centers work, Storyboarding for Character, etc. We will begin to apply these approaches in the next Session. Session 5 “SHAKESPEARE & CHEKHOV 1; UNEARTHING THE TEXT & MONOLOGUE 1”--This Session offers actors a practical way of working with Shakespeare and other language-rich texts. We spend time demystifying Shakespeare, digging in, connecting & personalizing. We look for possible material, chose one Monologue and apply both text-savvy and Chekhov based games as the actor makes the character and the words their own. The goal is to make Shakespeare accessible to the actor and to the audience. If you know what you're saying and doing, the listener will too! Session 6 “ACTING THE SPACE”--This Session re-introduces the Chekhov Basics and incorporates various invaluable Spatial Techniques. The actor develops a relationship with Space, a vocabulary for imagining & understanding the Power of Space and is introduced to numerous Spatial Applications. These include Objective Atmospheres, Meaning-filled Space, Spatial Reference Points, Reach Space and Patterns, Levels of Spatial Awareness, etc. Session 7 “BEING & DOING; MOMENT-TO-MOMENT IN THE BODY”--This Session is companion to Session 2 in that 1st Year Actors will be engaging in the exploration of Qualities, Sensations and Feelings, etc., 2nd Year Actors will go deeper and engage in a process of Tracking, Following & Catalyzing the Experience and applying the continuous/sustained “Being/Doing” to character-related task & activity, Monologues & Scene work. Session 8 “RELATIONSHIP WORK”--This Session engages 2nd Year actors in Psychophysical Techniques that explore relationship as 1st Year Actors engage in the Basic Gesture Work as well as some Partnering and Ensemble Work. Techniques include Gesture for Relationship, Weight Bearing & Sharing, Chekhov Ghost Work, Proximics Work, Energy/Shape Connecting, etc. Where appropriate and with permission of the Meisner team, 2nd Years may work on Meisner material. Session 9 “CHARACTER 2—GOING DEEP”--As Character Techniques are introduced and explored by 1st Year Actors, 2nd Year Actors take the work to a deeper, more informed place as they work more advanced Scenes and Monologues. At this point, they are invited to work with material they are working on in Meisner. Session 10 “SHAKESPEARE & CHEKHOV 2; SCENES & MONOLOGUE BOOK”--This is the culminating Session of the Chekhov Progression and actors are expected to apply any and all aspects of the Chekhov Work to their final Shakespeare Scene. At the end of the Session, actors will have dug deeply into a Shakespeare scene, applied what they know and “bring it all to the table.” Additionally, they will begin compiling/working on a selection of classical characters and audition monologues for future reference. The goal is to instill confidence and no fear when it comes to tackling Shakespeare and like material or at least to include Shakespeare as an acting possibility. *NOTE: Throughout the training, actors will apply the Chekhov Work to In-Class Explorations, Monologues, Scenes, Improvisations and pure Psychophysical Journeys. Rather than working for product, actors will develop their Individualized acting process. Repetition, commitment, continued practice are necessary. It takes time and, with time and practice, comes the beginnings of mastery. Most importantly, when actors come to the end of their Chekhov training, they will have developed a vocabulary and set of tools and techniques that they can build on and deepen over time. They will have access to a visceral, alive, fully engaged acting process based on heightened awarenesses, well-developed imagination, the ability to think/act outside of the box, real and effective techniques to bring artistic individuality to all of their work. The Chekhov Actor embraces the Magic of the Artist within. |