BeginningActing

MeisnerApproachSanfordMeisner,majorNewYorkActingTeacherofthe1940s,1950s,1960s,
1970s,1980s,and1990s.Home:NeighborhoodPlayhouse.

Technique:Therealityoftheactors(characters)choiceisbasedinthebehaviorof
theother.
Theprimaryfourstepsofthisapproachinclude:

Step#1 Readingbehavior Repetitionexercise.

Meisnerrepetitionexercise:Simplyput,theactorbeginsbyreadingthebehavioroftheotheractorona
simplelevel.Gradually,theactormovesbeneaththesurface,findingthenuancesoftheotheractors
behavior.Allthetimeactorsrepeataphraselikeyourenoddingyourhead,andImnoddingmyhead,
backandforthuntiloneortheotheractorfeelsitstimetosayanotherphrase.Theexercisehasseveral
goals:tofocusontheotheractor,togetoutofselfconsciousness,toreacttostimuli,toheightenlistening
skillsandperception,honeconcentration,andsharpentheactorstiming.Technicallyactorsrepeatthe
phraseuntilthephraseitselfbecomeslessimportant.Instead,whatisbeneaththephrasebecomes
significant.Theactorrespondswithouttoomuchthinkingratherthantryingtofigureoutwhattheother
actorisdoing,he/shemerelysayswhattheysee.

Step#2 Incorporatingthebodyintorepetition.
WhilestillusingtheMeisnerRepetitionexercise,theactorstrytobeckoneachothertotheirsideofthe
room.Thesimpleobjectiveistogetthepartnertocrossanimaginaryline,whichwedetermineinthe
spacebeforebeginningtheexercise.

Step#3 ImprovisationsusingasubtextualIwant tobespokenaloud.

Whileonyoursideoftheroom,theRepetitionPhraseisdropped,andinitsplaceactorsuseanIwant
phrase.Forexample,hugme,orappreciateme,ortakemeawayfromhere.Thisbecomesamantra
ofsorts.Theideaistocontinuetoreadbehavior,butnowthereissomethingatstake.Theactorisnot
merelyrepeatingaphrase,whichcanbecomestatic,butincorporatesanactivetask.TheIwantstilluses
theideaofdrawingtheotheractorin.

Step#4 Incorporating6basicactions:
a. tobeg,orplead
b. toseduce
c. todominate
d. todestroy
e. tocelebrate
f. toaccuse
Thereare,ofcourse,manymoreactionsanactorcanplay.Butthesesixarecalledbasicbecausetheyare
1)boldandtheatrical,and2)theyarenottiedtoatext,orstory.First,itisboldertocelebrateanother
personthanitistoenjoythemcelebrateimpliesanexpansive,physicalactivity,ratherthanapassive
action.Toseduceisbolderthantocharmorcajole,etc.Andsecond,tosteal,forexample,suggestsatext
ofsortsstealingwhat,fromwhom,etc.Itimpliesthatthereisastoryinvolved.Butthesesixcanbe
performedimmediately andtheatricallyyoudontneedastorytosupportthereadingbehindtheaction.