Guess what? Guess what? Guess what? Guess what?
I'm studying Meisner. Something I read about years ago. Something I've seen footage of. But Meisner technique is not something I've ever practiced regularly. I am fortunate enough to learn the basics from a master instructor who learned from Sanford himself, Janet Alhanti. She has guided many, many actors in her lifetime and it has been enlightening thus far. I don't adhere to one technique, but I hope to gather wisdom and knowledge from each teacher I commit to in order to find what works best for me.
Fascinating, however, was Meisner himself. Besides being a part of the revolutionary Group Theatre, he was an incessant smoker and developed throat cancer. He underwent a laryngectomy, but he taught himself to speak again through a method of breathing and burping out sound. Meisner kept smoking. He developed throat cancer again and again he re-taught himself to speak in order to continue communicating and to continue teaching. (Whether or not he used a voice box to assist himself, I do not know) A relentless teacher with a rigidly loyal following, some of his classes were caught on camera for the world to see. My friend Chris gifted these very dvds to me one year - and indeed it is almost too disturbing to hear Meisner constantly burp and speak in his way - but what invaluable footage of a true master at work. Good stuff.
"An ounce of behavior is worth more than a pound of words." ~ Sanford Meisner
I'm studying Meisner. Something I read about years ago. Something I've seen footage of. But Meisner technique is not something I've ever practiced regularly. I am fortunate enough to learn the basics from a master instructor who learned from Sanford himself, Janet Alhanti. She has guided many, many actors in her lifetime and it has been enlightening thus far. I don't adhere to one technique, but I hope to gather wisdom and knowledge from each teacher I commit to in order to find what works best for me.
Fascinating, however, was Meisner himself. Besides being a part of the revolutionary Group Theatre, he was an incessant smoker and developed throat cancer. He underwent a laryngectomy, but he taught himself to speak again through a method of breathing and burping out sound. Meisner kept smoking. He developed throat cancer again and again he re-taught himself to speak in order to continue communicating and to continue teaching. (Whether or not he used a voice box to assist himself, I do not know) A relentless teacher with a rigidly loyal following, some of his classes were caught on camera for the world to see. My friend Chris gifted these very dvds to me one year - and indeed it is almost too disturbing to hear Meisner constantly burp and speak in his way - but what invaluable footage of a true master at work. Good stuff.
"An ounce of behavior is worth more than a pound of words." ~ Sanford Meisner
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