The Foundational Blocks

If you’re constructing a building, the intricacy of your work relies on the strength of your foundation. If your foundation is weak, even the simplest building is doomed to collapse.

The same is true of acting. With a weak foundation, even the simplest of acting practices will be ineffective. However, with a strong foundation, you’ll be able to craft the acting equivalent of the Taj Mahal.

The Foundational Blocks help actors build a strong base upon which to build their process. These are practices that you should utilize regardless of your approach to acting as they ensure that an actor is present in the room and prepared for the work ahead of them.

The two Foundational Blocks are Freeing Your Mind and Body and Preparation and Research.

The Structural Blocks

Think of the Structural Blocks like interior design. Every aspect of a room must be considered in interior design, from the lighting to the furniture to the artwork. However, if a designer was given a small budget and a short timeframe to develop a room, they'd have to determine which elements are the most effective based on their personal instincts and the desires of the client.

The same is true of an actor's approach to their work. Every actor must determine which techniques and philosophies are the most effective for them, then use those concepts to meet the demands of the character, the show, and the creative team. Though many aspects must be considered in the development of a character, one actor may attach to a particular method or philosophy while another may find it to be ineffective.

And guess what? That's okay!

The Structural Blocks provide actors with a wide range of concepts, helping them create fully-realized characters in a way that they relate to. If the Foundational Blocks create the skeleton of a character, the Structural Blocks provide the flesh and blood.

The three Structural Blocks are Inner Life, Voice and Physicality, and Environment and Business.

The Situational Blocks

Sticking with the analogy of interior design, the Situational Blocks are similar to particular client requests. For instance, a client may want a designer to use only shades of green, implement antique furniture, or showcase a particular painting.

As an actor, you will be asked to do very particular things for certain shows or genres. For example, musicals demand that you sing, Shakespeare demands an understanding of language, and certain shows require dialects. These blocks may not apply to all of the shows that you do, but they're important skills and concepts to develop and understand.

There are countless Situational Blocks including (but not limited to): Shakespeare, Dialect, Specialized Voice and Physicality, Stage Combat, Dance, and Music.

*NOTE: Given the particular nature of the Situational Blocks, these concepts are reserved for Master Classes, Private Coaching Sessions, and Workshops.