In the NYC Vazquez Acting School you will study Meisner technique. Many American acting teachers inspired by Stanislavski broke off with Strasberg, believing his method was not an authentic adaptation of Stanislavski’s system.
Sanford Meisner, another Group Theatre pioneer, believed the method was far too focused on the internal workings of the actor, and that acting should be “outside in” rather than “inside out”. His ideas came to be called the Meisner technique, and he advocated actors fully immersing themselves “in the moment” and concentrating on their partner. Meisner taught actors to achieve spontaneity by understanding the given circumstances of the scene. He designed interpersonal exercises to help actors invest emotionally in the scene, freeing them to react “honestly” as the character. Meisner described acting as “…living truthfully under imaginary circumstances”. (www.vazquezactingclasses.com)
Meisner Technique: “To live truthfully under given imaginary circumstances.” The Meisner Technique is a step-by-step procedure of self-investigation for the actor now widely recognized as one of the foremost acting techniques taught today. Meisner’s unusual techniques were considered both unorthodox and effective. Actor Dennis Longwell wrote of sitting in on one of Meisner’s classes one day, when Meisner brought two students forward for an acting exercise. They were given a single line of dialogue, told to turn away, and instructed not to do or say anything until something happened to make them say the words (one of the fundamental principles of the Meisner technique). The first student’s line came when Meisner approached him from behind and gave him a strong pinch on the back, inspiring him to jump away and yelp his line in pain. The other student’s line came when Meisner reached around and slipped his hand into her blouse. Her line came out as a giggle as she moved away from his touch.
The goal of the Meisner technique has often been described as getting actors to “live truthfully under imaginary circumstances.” (www.vazquezactingclasses.com)
