The inspiration for my teaching philosophy can be found in a quote from Richard Boleslavsky’s, Acting: The First Six Lessons:
"I need an actor who knows the world’s literature and who can see the difference between German and French Romanticism. I need an actor who knows the history of painting, of sculpture, of music, who can always carry in his mind, at least approximately, the style of every period and the individuality of every great painter. I need an actor who has a fairly clear idea of the psychology of motion, of psychoanalysis, of the expressions of emotion, and the logic of feeling. I need an actor who knows something of the anatomy of the human body, as well as the great works of sculpture. All this knowledge is necessary because the actor comes in contact with these things, and has to work with them on the stage."
In this quote I see the justification for the general education requirements common to almost every traditional Bachelor’s degree granted. Not just content, as Boleslavsky covers major components of the undergraduate curriculum, but also the reason why such a breadth of knowledge is needed. Liberal arts and science studies prepare students for the world they will come in contact with. We give them the skills and understanding to be active participants in life, to engage with the world in meaningful ways, to evaluate their efforts, and to be productive in their “work” whatever form, mode, or stage it might take.
I couple this with my belief that the process of becoming a better theatre artist is the same process you must go through in order to become a better human being. Whether on the stage, directing, or in the classroom, you begin with honest and thorough self-evaluation. Based on the strengths and weaknesses discovered, you seek out new skills and knowledge and work to master them. As you progress in your studies, life, and in your art, this cycle will repeat itself over and over again. I require this process of myself, and I strive to instill it in my students.
To conclude, the study of Theatre leads and informs both what I teach, and how I teach. Theatre requires that you study and understand what it means to be human, and to then reproduce your discoveries on stage, before an audience. It is the study of liberal arts and sciences that provides both the artist/scholar, and those in other disciplines, with the tools, and the range of problem solving skills, which allows for that understanding to be reached, and that knowledge to be shared.
"I need an actor who knows the world’s literature and who can see the difference between German and French Romanticism. I need an actor who knows the history of painting, of sculpture, of music, who can always carry in his mind, at least approximately, the style of every period and the individuality of every great painter. I need an actor who has a fairly clear idea of the psychology of motion, of psychoanalysis, of the expressions of emotion, and the logic of feeling. I need an actor who knows something of the anatomy of the human body, as well as the great works of sculpture. All this knowledge is necessary because the actor comes in contact with these things, and has to work with them on the stage."
In this quote I see the justification for the general education requirements common to almost every traditional Bachelor’s degree granted. Not just content, as Boleslavsky covers major components of the undergraduate curriculum, but also the reason why such a breadth of knowledge is needed. Liberal arts and science studies prepare students for the world they will come in contact with. We give them the skills and understanding to be active participants in life, to engage with the world in meaningful ways, to evaluate their efforts, and to be productive in their “work” whatever form, mode, or stage it might take.
I couple this with my belief that the process of becoming a better theatre artist is the same process you must go through in order to become a better human being. Whether on the stage, directing, or in the classroom, you begin with honest and thorough self-evaluation. Based on the strengths and weaknesses discovered, you seek out new skills and knowledge and work to master them. As you progress in your studies, life, and in your art, this cycle will repeat itself over and over again. I require this process of myself, and I strive to instill it in my students.
To conclude, the study of Theatre leads and informs both what I teach, and how I teach. Theatre requires that you study and understand what it means to be human, and to then reproduce your discoveries on stage, before an audience. It is the study of liberal arts and sciences that provides both the artist/scholar, and those in other disciplines, with the tools, and the range of problem solving skills, which allows for that understanding to be reached, and that knowledge to be shared.
