Course Description
An intensive study of the Repetition Exercise developed by Sanford Meisner. By the end of the course, the student should have mastered the basic exercise, begun to respond honestly, impulsively, and with full emotional, vocal, and physical engagement to a partner and have applied the technique to the study of text and character.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will take a leadership role in the course.
They will lead small break out groups in further use and
exploration of the techniques. This will require considerable
research and preparation outside of class. Graduate students
will also present an additional scene.
Athena Title
The Meisner Technique
Non-Traditional Format
Six hours of studio/lab work per week.
Prerequisite
THEA 2010 or THEA 3500
Semester Course Offered
Offered summer semester every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Mastering the technique has three levels, which may occur simultaneously. The first is simply learning to listen and repeat. The second is to read the impulses of a partner and the third is to drop all masks, barriers or blocks and become completely vulnerable to a partner, emotion and the text. All students are expected to reach the first level of the technique by the end of the session. Most will be able to reach the second level and some will reach the third. Grade will be based on the mastery of these levels.
Topical Outline
Day 1: Work on identifying the first thing you see Day 2 Basic Repetition Day 3 Changes in Repetition Day 4 Knock at the door Day 5 Repetition w/ activity Day 6 Repetition w/ activity Day 7 Increase intensity Day 8 Preparation and Alba Emoting Day 9 More on Preparation Day 10 In the extreme Day 11 Scenes Memorized COMPLETELY Day 12 Repetition with text Day 13 Repetition with text Day 14 Repetition with text Day 15 Final Scenes