Cassie Post

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TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

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TEACHING STATEMENT  

My Goal is to foster the development of cognitive and independent actors. I do not subscribe to any specific type of Teaching or Acting method, but use a culmination of the methods and techniques I've learned over the years, such as Stanislavski, Strasberg, Chekhov, Method, Meisner (Practical Aesthetics), View Points, etc. Working with the student, we build a vocabulary that allows them to feel comfortable and safe when communicating with myself and others. I treat students as individuals, allowing their previous experience and personality to inform the Goals set for them in class. 

My Group Teaching Structure includes: Creation of a safe space, introductions, ensemble development, individual projects, partner projects, and a final group project. 

Individual Teaching Structure is similar, with adjustments made to ensemble activities. The flexibility of the structure allows the opportunity for individual ingenuity, exploration, growth and finesse.

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TEACHING vs. DIRECTING

Teaching and Directing are synonymous for me. One cannot Direct without Teaching an actor; one cannot Teach without showing the actor how to interact with Direction. 

In Directing, I believe that one should not 'layer-on' to the text, but draw out the play from the text. With Teaching, one should not 'layer-on' to the student, but draw the actor out.

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GOALS

·       Initial articulation and final achievement of Actor/Student goals 

·       Strip the habitual features of the Actor/Student's behavior and inhibiting patterns

·       Foster a resonate sustainable voice, fluid body, energetic/physical spatial awareness, and a mentally flexible and healthy actor 

·       Inspire the Actor/Student to be self-sustaining and self-sufficient. When class/performance ends, the Actor can continue to teach his/herself using the tools we have honed in class

·       Text Analysis and Comprehension

·       Basic understanding and implementation of who, what, when, where, why, how

·       Healthy Emotional Recall

·       Execution of an Action

·       The ability to work in any environment

·       Supportive social base (ensemble, friends, community, family)  

TEACHING STRUCTURE

SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS!

SAFE SPACE: To set the company/class up for success one must create a Safe Space, by setting beginning guidelines and expectations. 

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PLACE:  Physically, they must care for the space by cleaning, maintaining, and building. This creates a reverence and personal connection with the space. 

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TIME:  Arrive on time and ready to work. When others respect your time, respect theirs as you would your own.

VULNERABILITY:  Be open to yourself and others. In class, we delve into extremely personal and intimate subjects. I ask for my students/actors to be open as possible to growth and learning. During these discoveries, I ask that the group support and give focus to the person sharing. We are creating an environment where everyone can feel free to share their thoughts and emotions; negative or judgmental reactions (interrupting, laughing during a personal moment, talking) can inhibit others growth, as well as blocking one's own emotional availability and flexibility. 

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SAFETY:  In a group setting, there is a designated Liaison. (As an Equity Actor, I have deeply appreciated my Equity Liaisons and Stage Managers being a voice for me when I felt uncomfortable at work.) This allows students/actors to anonymously submit their concerns to a Third-Party (e.g. stage manager, member of the company). The Third-Party addresses these concerns with me (anonymously) and we work together to address the situation, so the students/actors feel more comfortable, happy and safe. This anonymity allows students/actors to avoid negative repercussions and feel protected when voicing concerns. In addition, I am always available if a student/actor wants to speak with me in person, over the phone, or by email.

PAUSE!  Sometimes, acting can delve into very personal subjects and the emotional reaction can become overwhelming. Occasionally, it is good to push through these moments for growth and, at other times, it is healthy to take a step back and stop. I support both of these approaches and encourage students to speak their minds and go with their gut. Feel free to pause. 

PERSONAL MEETINGS:  I always find time to get to know the students/actors whether the setting is one-on-one, a classroom or a production. It can range from a meeting in the office, to coffee, to a walk in the park. As a Teacher/Director, I feel it is inequitable to ask someone to share so much, without reciprocation. It provides balance and trust within the relationship. Additionally, I find the student-teacher roles beneficial to some students  while being challenging to others. For the latter, a meeting serves as an opportunity for the student to see me as a person, instead of an 'omnipotent' Teacher. 

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LET'S BEGIN

INTRODUCTIONS: Monologues are a great way to get to know an actor. Their entrance, presentation of self, choice of monologue, execution and exit provide a wealth of information. Depending on the group and length of a workshop/class, we begin the process of articulating the class reaction (audience experience vs. actor experience). Through practice, they learn to communicate more clearly and concisely. I believe in observations, compliments, and constructive criticism from the class. 

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In Monologue work, we begin to identify embedded acting habits that inhibit or reduce the actors instrument and performance. Many of these habits are a result of 'moments of import' that have occurred throughout the actor’s life, and are revealed in a physical, emotional or mental habit. In this stage of development, we see the actor as they see their ‘Actor self'; later, this ties in to Personal Projects, where we see the actor as an individual.

ENSEMBLE DEVELOPMENT: A Safe Space is useless without an Ensemble to support it. Trust Building and Games establish the confidence and fellowship of the group, providing a healthy, happy, fun environment in which to work. Acting often deals with serious subjects, but to have fun on-and-off stage creates a healthy relationship with your art, allowing actors to 'loosen-up' and bond. Parallels can be drawn between class exercises and acting, such as physical/vocal habits, how to 'send' an action, grounding, spatial awareness, etc. Trust Building and Games are used intermittently throughout the actors’ development, to maintain ensemble and morale.

PERSONAL PROJECTS: Once the Ensemble has been established, we have a space and community in which the actor feels safe to open-up and explore. With this newfound openness, we can move forward with Personal Projects. Personal Projects are a more intimate introduction than Monologues and provide a deeper understanding of the actor as an Individual. The Project is entirely self-created, made and produced by the actor, with loose guidelines put in place. It is rehearsed in private, with a final presentation given to the class, and feedback given afterwards.

Personal Projects provide an opportunity to meet the actor as an Individual -  to see a glimpse of a ‘soul’, drawn from personal moments in a life. We can see how the past, present and future inform the actor: What choices and moments inform who (s)he is and how (s)he views the world? Why does (s)he choose to tell a particular story and how? It is a complete exhibition of Self (regardless of the level of openness the actor brings; which additionally informs). Akin to a one-person show, the class draws connections to theater, perhaps asking what engaged the actor and why? Presentation vs. Observation of topic, script, set, directorial, technical, etc.

PARTNER PROJECTS: Once the actor has been established as an Individual, then we add another layer: A Partner. Each partnership is given a Partner Project, such as a scene, exercise or report) which is then rehearsed in private and presented to the class (once or multiple times, depending on the length of the course). The goal of Partner Projects is to continue to strip away old habits, while building and maintaining a strong connection with your scene partner, established on text and character analysis. The partners must rehearse and fill their production through the imagination, physical practice or creation of set, costumes, etc. Similar to the Safe Space, they must build their own world.

The Partner Project section covers many topics: Learning to collaborate, introduction to text analysis, and character analysis, differentiation between the Individual and the Character, more stripping of old habits, definition and pursuit of an Objective, environment establishment and development, partner connection, spatial awareness, and use of physicality to tell the story.

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GROUP PROJECTS: The Group Project is the Finale. Small groups with multiple projects, ending in a final presentation; or a final production involving the entire group. A culmination and celebration of their work!

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