THE EMPTY SPACE - PETER BROOK

:|:

-- click on image to enlarge --

"I can take an empty space and call it a bare stage." - Peter Brook

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

STANISLAVSKY (cont.)

:|:

-- click on image to enlarge --

"He who desires nothing, hopes for nothing and is afraid of nothing, cannot be an artist. - Anton Checkhov

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

STANISLAVSKY

-- click on image to enlarge --

Stanislavsky -- "To be without a sense of humor is indeed a scary thing . . . A sense of humor bespeaks the ability to see all facets of a subject; its lack betrays blindness or narrowness of vision."

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

THE FERVENT YEARS (cont.)

-- click on image to enlarge --

"Stick to what is strongest and most alive in oneself."

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

THE DIRECTOR (cont.) THE FERVENT YEARS

-- click on images to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

THE ACTOR (cont.) THE DIRECTOR

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

LEARNING FROM SANFORD MEISNER

PODCAST: Talk about recollections of learning from Sanford Meisner and the filming of the Master Class DVD.

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

THE ACTOR (cont.)

-- click on image to enlarge --

"Acting is essentially based on ... actions as we see them in our daily experience ..."

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

BRANDO TONIGHT

-- click to go to TCM Brando index --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

WHAT IS A PLAY (cont.) THE ACTOR

-- click on image to enlarge --

. . . The Actor (to be continued)
-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

WHAT IS A PLAY

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

CHARACTER: ARISTOTLE

-- click on image to enlarge --

"A man's character is most apparent in what he does or does not do." - Aristotle

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

NOTES ON A READING LIST

-- click on image to enlarge --

At the "other" end of this first Neighborhood Playhouse Journal, sit numerous pages that I had actually begun in the months just prior to beginning my studies at The Neighborhood Playhouse. They consist of notes taken from the books on the READING LIST I was assigned by the Playhouse to read before attending the school year.

I have wondered if these would be worthwhile to include here. Over the past few days, I've withheld any new entries trying to decide. That those pages have "nagged" at me is something I could not ignore. "They" have won out. I guess they need to be heard. Therefore, over the next few days, my entries will reflect the totality of this first Neighborhood Playhouse Journal, which would not be complete without these notes about my pre-school readings.

Perhaps these pages can be of use to others because the authors cited are a deeply rich resource to anyone interested in the art of theater.

Sincerely,
José Angel Santana


-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

MEISNER: THE OBJECT

-- click on image to enlarge --

MEISNER: Helpful if the "object" reminded you of or was connected to the "why."

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

CREATE MEANINGFULLY AND SPECIFICALLY

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

RELATIONSHIP - HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE OTHER PERSON?

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

MEISNER - "RELATIONSHIP MUST BE SPECIFIC."

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"BE SPECIFIC" -- Sanford Meisner

FREE IT UP . . .

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

THE MEANINGFUL PART OF THE WHY

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

DO WHAT YOU HAVE A FEELING FOR

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

HAVE A GOOD TIME

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

RELATIONSHIP

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

UNTRUTHFULLY SENSITIVE

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

NOTES ON "TRUTH"

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

CHOOSE WHAT YOU HAVE A FEELING FOR

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

PREPERATION

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

CONTACT

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

". . . CONTACT WITH THE OTEHR PERSON."

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

REALLY LISTEN - REALLY ANSWER

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

SCENE - BAREFOOT IN THE PARK

-- click on image to enlarge --

-- click on image to enlarge --
-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

EMOTIONAL PREPERATION

-- click on image to enlarge --

"It's not the way you think you should feel. It's the way you feel."

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner

PINCH + OUCH

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"What you do, depends on the other person." -- Sanford Meisner

SCENES

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words." -- Sanford Meisner, Acting Teacher

THE REALITY OF DOING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"Be specific." -- Sanford Meisner, Acting Teacher

DESIRES, HOPES, FEARS

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"Act before you think." -- Sanford Meisner, Acting Teacher

A RANGE OF EMOTION BEYOND ANGER

-- click on image to enlarge --

2/15/77

-------------------------------
"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

[Robert] Duval - Your acting has to do with your organized daydreams

-- click on image to enlarge --

[Robert] Duval - "Your acting has to do with your organized daydreams."

-------------------------------
"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

MEANINGS

-- click on images to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

SET-UP[S] - PRACTICE MAKES PROGRESS

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

PREPERATION - "AS IF" - REPITITION - REALLY DO

-- click on image to enlarge --

Preperation (set-ups) using the "as if"

-Repeat -
-Repeat from Point of view-
-Really do the activity; Really do the activity;
-Really do the activity
-You['ve] got to have to do the activity,
not just want to do it.

-------------------------------
"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

ON "THE INDEPENDENT ACTIVITY"

-- click on image to enlarge --

"To chose very personal, specifically difficult 'activities' for very specific reasons."

"Go with instincts."

-------------------------------
"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

Journaler on the influence of Sanford Meisner

Last week two theater artists Tee Quillin and John Mauldin interviewed the Journaler for their innovative Podcast, the INEXPLICABLE DUBE SHOW. The premise of our discussion was my participation in the SANFORD MEISNER MASTER CLASS (DVD), a rare and classic document showing my renowned teacher Sanford Meisner at work.

For those of you interested in one person's direct experience with studying under SANFORD MEISNER and how it has influenced my life and work, you might enjoy this Podcast in addition to the pages of this journal.

We cover much ground about the many aspects of the Journaler's experience with Sanford Meisner's work, while pointing out the great value of the SANFORD MEISNER MASTER CLASS (DVD).

You might enjoy this interview at, the INEXPLICABLE DUMB SHOW.

-------------------------------
"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

". . . What the circumstances permit you to do."

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

"- Once you come through the door nobody know[s] what's going to happen . . . "

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

"Come home and do . . ."

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

"I don't have to be mean."

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

" - work on the doing - the problem"

-- click on image to enlarge --

-------------------------------
"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

Bread and Wine and Time

Perhaps, someday when the infancy of the world-wide-web is a distant past, these posts from its earliest days, that many of us are only now beginning to learn to use to communicate in meaningful ways, will get stumbled upon. And those who do find them might marvel, as I do now, at how a theater artist from the Czech Republic, a world renown writer, and a runaway Cuban theater artist in West New York, NJ, could all meet in one place, like this. Is it a synchronicity that, I wrote the post below moments before switching the television channel at 11 PM sharp, so as not to miss a moment of my favorite show on television, The Charlie Rose Show; only to experience the shock of seeing my dear old friend, the very same renown writer of the letter I am about to post below, sitting and talking with Charlie Rose on his show, tonight! Just now?

Naaah!

What's to be made of this? When while posting my friend the writer's letter to me, I'm thinking, "Yeah, sure David was a student of Sanford Meisner's, that was our connection. It's a great letter. He won't mind . . ." But, still, I'm a bit self-conscious about even the "name dropping" aspect of the post. But . . . of course now, with his presence in my living room, and my new friend in Prague (actually on vacation in California), and me all meeting this way, sharing our common love of the work and all influenced by Sanford Meisner - the inspiration for this blog of journal entries of his teachings . . . with respect to "Time," I now proceed:

- Just received an e-mail from a new friend from the blogesphere, Brian Caspe from The Prague Playhouse, in the Czech Republic. A few days ago I posted an excerpt from his excellent article “Why should we work?” with links to his site. I just received the comment below within an e-mail he sent to me:

“. . . I think it's great that people outside of the Prague community should be interested in reading about what I considered a Prague problem.” - Brian

I wrote back:

“[Brian] That [yours] is such a great article with insight for every actor. It's the same exact situation in New York, LA or anywhere the commercial and the personal development of the craft exist in close proximity to each other . . . Someday, I'll find and send you a letter that a mentor of mine gave me at the beginning of my career, which is on the same theme that you write about now. That gives me an idea . . .” - José

-- click on image to enlarge --

My very first professional job was working on “The Blue Hour” hired by someone who became my first great mentor in the theater, its writer and director, David Mamet. When work on the play ended, we spoke on the phone and I expressed what a great drag it was to not only not be presently working, and more so, to no longer be working in such a wonderful environment that David had created, and with such marvelous actors, Patti LuPone among them.

This was my first paying job. (Thinking now, my second job altogether.)

A few days after our conversation, I received the letter above in the mail.

Brian and David, each in their own way, have written in the spirit of the greatest traditon of the theater: to pass on "the knowlege" to those coming up, just a little ways behind. They write of the great dual needs that every actor who cares about their craft must satisfy: to grow as an actor while trying to build a career of meaningful work, and the need to eat – the bread and the wine, and the time.

the journaler,
José Angel Santana

-------------------------------
"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut