[NEohioPAL]Meisner class at Dobama

Thu Feb 12 05:45:38 PST 2004

--=====================_2867282==.ALT
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Hello all,

For those of you who attended the workshop with Victor D'Altorio on Feb 1 & 
2, the following is information on the class which will begin soon.  Those 
of you who were in the workshop will have priority for the class, but only 
until Monday Feb 23rd when enrollment will be open to all, so if you are 
interested, email Victor D'Altorio immediately at vdaltorio at neo.rr.com for 
instructions on how to secure a place in class.

When: Sunday nights March 7 through April 25 from 6:45-11pm.

Class size: 8 weeks/32 hours of class.  Limited to 16 students.

Where: Dobama Theatre, 1846 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights OH 44118

Cost: $275 for 8 weeks ($25 discount - $250 if paid in full before first class)

Contact: Victor D'Altorio at vdaltorio at neo.rr.com

Victor D'Altorio
L.A. Weekly critics best director 2000
Chicago's most recommended acting teacher by agents and casting directors 
1993-98

Victor guides the actor right to the truth, and to a very specific truth,
which is really rare. He creates an atmosphere of total safety.
Sometimes I wanted to smack him on the head when he directed me!
He insists that every moment be honest, specific, and fully alive.
I absolutely loved working with him.
Megan Mullally, Karen Walker on Will & Grace
Emmy Award, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

The only place you can act is in front of an audience, or a camera.
Everything else is preparation.

Good acting is personal.
It's genuine, intimate, spontaneous.

  The character is you--always you--
Living truthfully under imaginary circumstances.

Each character you play lives within your own boundaries
for expressiveness, depth of feeling, specificity of response.

Victor first directed me in an outrageous comedy off-Broadway called 
Talking Minks, and he is, easily, one of the best directors Ive worked 
with. Recently I recommended to a young actor on "The West Wing" that he 
take Victor's acting class, and the change in his work after only a few 
months was astonishing. His tendency to dramatize was gone and his sense of 
truth and commitment to the moment much, much stronger. He had more 
confidence, more presence, more charisma--which can't be taught, of 
course--but it emerged with the stronger sense of self he developed under 
Vic's tutelage."
Richard Schiff, Toby on The West Wing
Emmy Award, Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Singers spend hours vocalizing up and down the scales. Dancers stretch and 
bend at a bar. The actor must exercise the mechanism that allows for 
flexibility and freedom of expression--the ability to listen and respond 
truthfully, fully, freely and spontaneously. First as oneself. Then, with 
the addition of a specific set of imaginary circumstances. Sanford 
Meisner's repetition exercise is the basis for the work.

Particular emphasis is placed on listening and absorbing the other person 
in an honest and specific way.

The goal: to experience a flow state of mind and heart, free of 
conventionalized behaviors and preconceived responses.

Lose self-consciousness by focusing outwardly.
Respond to what's happening -not to what's expected or desired.
Unblock/Expand your range of expression.
Express fully, feely, and spontaneously.
Surprise yourself with your own unanticipated responses.
Relate to the imaginary circumstance in a much more specific way.
Allow the dialogue to ride on the moment-don't play the meaning of the lines.

Victor D'Altorio is a teacher, director, and actor. From 1990-98 he was one 
of Chicago's most respected, most recommended acting teachers at The 
Actors' Center, the Windy City's best known professional training program. 
 From 98-02 he had his own private studio in Los Angeles, where he taught 
class and privately coached many actors for TV and film. He was the L.A. 
Weekly Critics' Theatre Director of the Year for 2000, and was asked by 
L.A. County to adapt his work with actors for teens at high risk for HIV 
infection for an innovative California state funded program to educate 
youth in better, more truth-centered communication skills. He is a graduate 
of Northwestern University, and also of the William Esper Studio, NYC, 
where he completed the formal, 2-year Meisner work, which is the basis for 
his teaching.

--=====================_2867282==.ALT
Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"

<html>
<body>
Hello all, 
For those of you who attended the workshop with Victor D'Altorio on Feb 1
& 2, the following is information on the class which will begin
soon.  Those of you who were in the workshop will have priority for
the class, but only until Monday Feb 23rd when enrollment will be open to
all, so if you are interested, email Victor D'Altorio immediately at
vdaltorio at neo.rr.com for instructions on how to secure a place in
class. 
When: Sunday nights March 7 through April 25 from 6:45-11pm.
 
Class size: 8 weeks/32 hours of class.  Limited to 16 students. 
 
Where: Dobama Theatre, 1846 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights OH
44118 
Cost: $275 for 8 weeks ($25 discount - $250 if paid in full before first
class) 
Contact: Victor D'Altorio at vdaltorio at neo.rr.com 
Victor D'Altorio 
L.A. Weekly critics best director 2000 
Chicago's most recommended acting teacher by agents and casting
directors 1993-98 
Victor guides the actor right to the truth, and to a very specific
truth, 
which is really rare. He creates an atmosphere of total safety. 
Sometimes I wanted to smack him on the head when he directed me! 
He insists that every moment be honest, specific, and fully alive. 
I absolutely loved working with him. 
<div align="right">Megan Mullally, Karen Walker on Will
& Grace 
Emmy Award, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series 
 
</div>
<div align="center">The only place you can act is in front of an
audience, or a camera. 
Everything else is preparation. 
  
Good acting is personal. 
It's genuine, intimate, spontaneous. 
  
 The character is you--always you-- 
Living truthfully under imaginary circumstances. 
</div>
  
<div align="center">Each character you play lives within your own
boundaries 
for expressiveness, depth of feeling, specificity of response. 
</div>
  
<h3>Victor first directed me in an outrageous comedy off-Broadway
called Talking Minks, and he is, easily, one of the best directors Ive
worked with. Recently I recommended to a young actor on "The West
Wing" that he take Victor's acting class, and the change in his work
after only a few months was astonishing. His tendency to dramatize was
gone and his sense of truth and commitment to the moment much, much
stronger. He had more confidence, more presence, more charisma--which
can't be taught, of course--but it emerged with the stronger sense of
self he developed under Vic's tutelage." 
<div align="right">Richard Schiff, Toby on The West
Wing 
Emmy Award, Best Supporting Actor in a Drama
Series</h3></div>
Singers spend hours vocalizing up and down the scales. Dancers stretch
and bend at a bar. The actor must exercise the mechanism that allows for
flexibility and freedom of expression--the ability to listen and respond
truthfully, fully, freely and spontaneously. First as oneself. Then, with
the addition of a specific set of imaginary circumstances. Sanford
Meisner's repetition exercise is the basis for the work. 
  
Particular emphasis is placed on listening and absorbing the other
person in an honest and specific way. 
  
The goal: to experience a flow state of mind and heart, free of
conventionalized behaviors and preconceived responses. 
  
Lose self-consciousness by focusing outwardly. 
Respond to what's happening -not to what's expected or desired. 
Unblock/Expand your range of expression. 
Express fully, feely, and spontaneously. 
Surprise yourself with your own unanticipated responses. 
Relate to the imaginary circumstance in a much more specific way. 
Allow the dialogue to ride on the moment-don't play the meaning of the
lines. 
<div align="right"><h3> </h3></div>
Victor D'Altorio is a teacher, director, and actor. From 1990-98
he was one of Chicago's most respected, most recommended acting teachers
at The Actors' Center, the Windy City's best known professional training
program. From 98-02 he had his own private studio in Los Angeles, where
he taught class and privately coached many actors for TV and film. He was
the L.A. Weekly Critics' Theatre Director of the Year for 2000, and was
asked by L.A. County to adapt his work with actors for teens at high risk
for HIV infection for an innovative California state funded program to
educate youth in better, more truth-centered communication skills. He is
a graduate of Northwestern University, and also of the William Esper
Studio, NYC, where he completed the formal, 2-year Meisner work, which is
the basis for his teaching. 
 
 
</body>
</html>

--=====================_2867282==.ALT--