BART 97A43 - The Acting Craft: Activating Truth

This workshop introduces students to the Meisner technique of acting and script analysis. Its first sessions train students to develop their emotional presence and ability to engage, listen and react truthfully and spontaneously to their partner and audience. Building on this foundation, students move to script analysis and the interpretation of scenes that resonate with contemporary thinking on gender, power and nature.

Students progress through a highly structured, incremental practice and method. They work individually and in pairs on the first three practice steps: “inner state”, “repetition”, and “tools”. Moving on to script analysis, students work collectively as a group to discuss and analyze three scenes before working in pairs again to rehearse and perform a scene of their choice.

Philosophically, students will be invited to reflect on the difference between reality and truth, experiencing the essential nature and role of theatre as a place for the discovery and sharing of human, social and political truths. By training their ability to ‘live truthfully under a given set of imaginary circumstances’ and learning to analyze and experience a script from any character’s viewpoint, students will gain personal and artistic freedom and empowerment, learning to harness and integrate the power of thought, emotion and intention.

Academic expectations

Mid-term assessment (50%): students are evaluated on their progress during the repetition exercise and use of tools (25%) as well as their participation and understanding of the script analysis methodology (25%)

Rehearsal and Final Presentation assessments (50%): students will be evaluated twice on their scene work, based on their commitment to the work, flexibility and progress as well as understanding and ability to integrate the Meisner technique

Students rewriting or adapting their scene will be also evaluated on their creative writing: coherence, writing style, authenticity: their final average will integrate this fourth grade in addition to up to one extra point on their final grade for their additional work.

Students are expected to attend all of the sessions, to rehearse an hour a week with their scene partner and learn their scene by week 4.

Sessions 1- 4: Listen, engage, influence

Our first four sessions introduce students to the three foundational steps of the Meisner acting technique: the inner state, the repetition exercise and tools.

Inner state (session 1): working with eyes closed and under the teacher’s guidance, participants direct their attention to their physical state. Students learn to decrypt specific body sensations into basic emotions (happy, sad, angry). Through this practice, students begin to integrate their inner state as a gateway: a) to ground their presence b) to recognize emotions that might be a helpful launchpad into a speech or conversation d) to ‘read’ the other person or audience based on their inner state.

The repetition exercise (sessions 2, 3): Building on the inner state practice, students move on to the repetition exercise. The teacher guides two working students through the rules and steps of the exercise, while the rest of class observes. Placing their acting partner at the center of their attention, students learn to build a deeply connected and dynamic relationship with their acting partner. Students work in pairs and practice the inner state exercise followed by the repetition exercise.

Tools (session 4): The teacher explains the concept of ‘tools’, or how to influence the other person/audience into a specific feeling, thought or action. Students work in pair on the ‘speed’ and ‘power’ exercises: a student delivers only a line of text to their partner, using a specific tool (examples of tools include: to amuse, to accuse, to seduce, to blackmail etc.). When the receiving partner can accurately name and experience the tool used by the speaking partner, partners switch roles. Students practice tools suggested by the instructor, identifying both their natural and challenging tools.

Sessions 5-7: Script analysis and character development

Students choose one of three scenes selected by the instructor and begin to integrate text work to their practice, learning about script analysis and character development

Scene One (session 5)

Two students read a scene from our curriculum. Guided by the instructor, they learn to analyze the scene from one character’s point of view: to identify the character’s literal action, connect three different emotional outcomes to this action, identify the character’s want, define their essential action and imagine “as if” scenarios (imaginary real-life situations) that would connect them personally to their essential action. Each student considers their character’s actions and want and identify the range of tools their character may be using, a key step to shaping their character.

Scene Two and Three (sessions 6, 7): the analysis and character construction is repeated for the two other scenes selected by the course

Sessions 8-10: Performance and Notes

Students run their scenes while class observes and provides feedback. The teacher directs students, helping to strengthen the students’ “as ifs” as needed and providing subtext intention and thoughts to clarify the use of tools. In the debrief for these sessions, the teacher and class provide constructive feedback, starting with the strengths displayed by each student and practical suggestions for next step work.

Sessions 8, 9, 10

In each session, three pairs of students perform their scene and receive directions and suggestions for next step work by the instructor and the rest of class. Each student will have the opportunity to perform their scene at least once

Session 11, 12. Final performances

Sessions 11, 12

Students incorporate notes from the instructor and class to present their scenes again

The teacher evaluates scenes on the following criteria: emotional presence, ability to focus on and read the audience/partner, ability to integrate direction, clarity of intention

Grade Weights

Participation (10%) — Based on presence, attention, support for fellow students, and contribution to collective class dynamics.

Sessions 2–8 Grade (40%) — Evaluation of student progress during sessions 2–8, which focus on improvisations, Meisner technique exercises, and scene rehearsal work.

Sessions 9–12 Grade (50%) — Evaluation of the final presentation of each student’s scene.

Grading Criteria

(applies to all graded components except participation)

2 points — Understanding of techniques acquired in class

5 points — Emotional access

4 points — Active listening to scene partners or exercise partners

4 points — Ability to achieve intended effects (i.e., effective use of Meisner technique “tools”)

5 points — Willingness to take risks and expand beyond one’s natural range

Grading Philosophy

Since all students begin from different starting points (e.g., in terms of emotional access), evaluation emphasizes effort and growth. For Sessions 2–8 and 9–12, the instructor records the highest grade achieved, rather than averaging multiple grades, provided the student has participated in several exercises or scene presentations. This approach encourages students to take risks, participate actively, and step outside their comfort zones.

Late work policy

The assignments are in presence work, so there is no option for late work.

Late arrival policy

Students are required to arrive on time. Late arrivals are very disruptive to class dynamics and must be fully justified.

Scene Choice and Bibliography

Students are REQUIRED to choose one scene among the following list and to read the whole play.

Students may choose any character, regardless of gender

A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen, Act 3, final scene, Scene between Nora and Helmer (starting from Nora: “Isn’t there one thing that strikes you as strange in our sitting here like this?” until Nora “I have never felt my mind so clear and certain as tonight.”). Students may learn the first or second part of the scene, or the full scene.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Act 4, last scene of the play, Scene between Proctor and Danforth (starting from Danforth “Come, then, sign your testimony” until Danforth “Which way do you go, Mister?” (Note: we cut lines from the scene that address other characters than Proctor and Danforth)

Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Act 1 scene 7 – Macbeth, Lady Macbeth. Full scene

Resilience, second play of the two play volume The Contingency Plan by Steve Waters, Pages 167- 171 (Nick Hern Books Modern Plays): Act 1, scene 1, scene between Chris and Sarika, from Chris “Am I right in thinking that our task, our duty is to make this planet a place to live on rather than just survive on?” until Chris “I don’t see you saying that in here. Sorry”.

Students who wish to work on an alternate play focusing on our relationship to power, gender or our nature, may do so with the approval of their professor, no later than by session 2.

Expected work and reading

In addition to reading the entire play of their chosen scene, students are expected to memorize their character’s lines and cues by week 4

Optional work and reading

Participants are encouraged to practice with acting partners outside of class

Participants interested in further understanding the acting technique used in the course are invited to read “On Acting” by Sanford Meisner and Dennis Longwell, Editions Vintage Books