1st lesson free
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Michael
- Rate N$816
- Response 1h
N$816/hr
Contact
1st lesson free
- Theatre
Experienced tutor in Acting in Glen Ridge, Michael offers private lessons tailored to your needs.
- Theatre
Lesson location
About Michael
My name is Mike. I am a professionally trained actor with extensive stage experience and three years teaching experience. My passion lies in theater and I have performed in a number of on-stage productions ranging from classical to contemporary.
I've studied with some of the greats and as a result have learned very useful acting techniques. I put together all the best acting tools and custom-tailor a training program unique to each student that nurtures their individual talents and helps them become the best artists they can be.
I also specialize in public speaking and mock trial for teens.
My teaching philosophy consists of two parts:
First: Your life is inspiring. Your experiences are unique. And your perspective is unlike anyone else's on this planet. As actors, we tend to get audition material and generalize it immediately and create an idea of what our character should be. And then we advance a general idea of that prototype. This is a travesty. In truth, your life has given you experiences and emotions that are real and that you can draw from to justify and anchor any choice at all. You may not believe it, but this is true. My first job as a teacher is to validate you as a person.
Second: Your emotions must be real, but you're not allowed to show them in a way that is artificial or pretentious. Most actors make the same mistake when they get a scene. They get too excited. "This scene is great! So much good emotion! It's been so long since I've really sunk my teeth into good material. I can't wait to kill it!" And believe me, I get it. As an actor, sometimes the bait is too attempting not to take. But be weary of falling into this trap. If you show the audience your cards the entire time, they will know exactly where you're heading.
And if they know where you're heading, they won't remain interested for long. The other thing to recognize is that in real life, which we as actors are always trying to re-create, we tend to cover up our emotions and play it cool.
All of this to say that the craft of the scene lies in what you cover up and what you decide to show.
I teach it as a two-part process. In the first part, you over-act. You blow it out of the water. You yell, you cry, you laugh, you improvise, you go nuts and do all the things you know you can't do in front of a casting director. This is done not to teach you "bad habits" but instead, so you can get a sense of what you wish you could do but can't.
In the second part, you cover it up by not showing anything. And from there, we see what needs to come out. As the great Sanford Meisner once said, "Don't do anything until something happens to make you do it." This requires enormous self-restraint and patience. But ironically, something always does happen.
I am passionate about this work and there is nothing that gives me more satisfaction than seeing my students grow both personally and professionally.
I got started teaching as a substitute teacher for a local middle school to help put myself through law school and loved it so much that I returned to teaching as a math tutor several years ago. That evolved into teaching students in other disciplines such as acting, public speaking, and mock trial.
I trained at a prestigious acting conservatory in New York City and have performed in over a dozen regional and community theater productions ranging from Christopher Durang plays to John Patrick Shanley plays to Shakespeare plays. I also teach public speaking and mock trial to high school students throughout the state of NJ.
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About the lesson
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advance
- +2
levels :
Beginner
Intermediate
Advance
Professional
Child
- English
All languages in which the lesson is available :
English
I get to know the student on a personal level so that I can custom-tailor a training program that will help maximize their potential and their growth as artists.
My teaching philosophy consists of two parts:
First: Your life is inspiring. Your experiences are unique. And your perspective is unlike anyone else's on this planet. As actors, we tend to get audition material and generalize it immediately and create an idea of what our character should be. And then we advance a general idea of that prototype. This is a travesty. In truth, your life has given you experiences and emotions that are real and that you can draw from to justify and anchor any choice at all. You may not believe it, but this is true. My first job as a teacher is to validate you as a person.
Second: Your emotions must be real, but you're not allowed to show them in a way that is artificial or pretentious. Most actors make the same mistake when they get a scene. They get too excited. "This scene is great! So much good emotion! It's been so long since I've really sunk my teeth into good material. I can't wait to kill it!" And believe me, I get it. As an actor, sometimes the bait is too attempting not to take. But be weary of falling into this trap. If you show the audience your cards the entire time, they will know exactly where you're heading.
And if they know where you're heading, they won't remain interested for long. The other thing to recognize is that in real life, which we as actors are always trying to re-create, we tend to cover up our emotions and play it cool.
All of this to say that the craft of the scene lies in what you cover up and what you decide to show.
I teach it as a two-part process. In the first part, you over-act. You blow it out of the water. You yell, you cry, you laugh, you improvise, you go nuts and do all the things you know you can't do in front of a casting director. This is done not to teach you "bad habits" but instead, so you can get a sense of what you wish you could do but can't.
In the second part, you cover it up by not showing anything. And from there, we see what needs to come out. As the great Sanford Meisner once said, "Don't do anything until something happens to make you do it." This requires enormous self-restraint and patience. But ironically, something always does happen.
Students of all ages and ability levels from 10 years-old to 70 years-old.
Do your due diligence and delve into the background of the teachers you are considering to ensure that their philosophy on teaching and getting you to where you want to go are consistent with your own.
I love watching Broadway plays and just recently saw Glenda Jackson in King Lear.
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Rates
Rate
- N$816
Pack prices
- 5h: N$4080
- 10h: N$8160
free lessons
The first free lesson with Michael will allow you to get to know each other and clearly specify your needs for your next lessons.
- 1hr
online
- N$816/h
Details
I will work with the student on price so that no one gets shut out due to economic hardship.
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