Spring Workshops 2012

Lurking in the shadows of our proper selves is the Bouffon—our outcast brethren. Tortured but hilarious, they assemble to the beat of screeching mockery. They seduce us and hold a mirror to the underbelly of human greed, power, sexuality—nothing is out of bounds. How do they speak such truth to power and make us laugh at the same time? This is social parody at its most grotesque.

In this 3-day workshop, actors focus on developing a fearless, playful presence in front of an audience. Using the whole body as a mask, the bouffon work pushes the actor out of his comfort zone to rediscover the pleasure of play. This fantastic world takes the actors to places and territories unsuspected. The creation process is engaged. Actors will also hone their improvisational skills and develop an ability to underpin heightened play with truth.

The study of Neutral Mask will challenge the actor to use their entire body in expressing themselves on stage. Working with the mask enables the performer to discover essential gesture and an economy of movement, as well as create a foundation and reference point for character. Through a series of improvisational and technical exercises the actor confronts their physical habits in order to move past the 'daily' body and enter the theatrical realm. The mask has no opinion but is alive and desires to engage, requiring the actor to undo their knowledge and bring their senses to bear in re-discovering the world around them. The study of the Neutral Mask is vital for actors wanting to gain a greater control over their body in movement, develop their imagination and bring a dynamic quality to their presence on stage.

"Adrienne Kapstein is an engaging, supportive, and spot-on teacher. Her Neutral Mask Intensive was simply fantastic. I look forward to studying more with the Movement Theatre Studio."
—Bill Bowers, Actor and Mime

This workshop is for performers that are on their way to finding a comedic skin that feels fun to live in and are asking 'what's next?' It is for those ready to jump directly into the comic world and continue the invention of the funny, working towards the creation of tangible, usable material. It is an opportunity to make new discoveries about your comic nature, bust through bad habits and confusion, and give birth to material that is deeply tethered to your clown and your relationships to others upon the stage. The ferocious honesty and grand expression that the clown demands can transform you into a translucent and riveting performer!

Using the red nose we'll warm up and (re)introduce ourselves to the comic world and each other. Then through individual improvisations we'll pursue adjustments to your clown to connect you more profoundly to honest, inventive, grand and hilarious expression. Finally through individual and group improvisations we'll hone each performers ability to find, develop and fine tune a game that is deeply tied to a proposal as well as your clown's nature and relationships to your collaborators. Once the theme and strategy of this game are identified we will work outwards from them to create building blocks for more elaborate bits and shows.

All applicants must have some former clown training (please indicate on resume when applying).

More Information

For more information, please Contact MTS.