Acting Tidbits
The Universal Imagination
Recently, an actor-friend said to me “You have to use yourself in your work, what else do you have?” Seems logical enough, doesn’t it? But what “self” was he talking about? The defended, habitual self that limits choices, ideas, even perception?
Private Acts?
A wonderful, old definition of acting is “committing private acts in public.” But what does this mean? It means that actors must have the freedom to be a fool in public, brave enough to lose and be humiliated, courageous enough to look stupid, to allow, even seek to let the ugliness and the neediness show through, to appear physically, vocally or emotionally unattractive, to share fantasies and dreams, no matter how much you may be mocked or derided.
Navigation
Testimonials
"He taught more than any other teacher I had . . . is responsible for creating the kind of actor I am today. He taught me how to truly take risks in my work, invest authentically in my characters, and expect nothing but professionalism from myself and my colleagues. Peter’s standards were high and exacting, and as a student, I was thrilled to be held to them. It was the first time I had been treated like an actor, not just as a student. The method that Peter taught is still one that I use today – he gave me the tools to access, emotionally and intellectually, very dense material. He allowed me to see that with every character, every piece there is always a way that is deeper and truer than you first imagine.”Julianne Moore, Actress