Prague Playhouse Acting Studio

News

  • Acting during a pandemic

    Social distancing and acting, where people can be in close contact or vocally free, might feel like they don’t go together. It’s true that the pandemic has created all kinds of challenges, not just for acting classes but for film and theater productions. Many actors, who generally live job to job anyway, are completely out of work with productions shut down and theaters closed. Some companies have moved to doing plays over zoom and there have been a number of projects where actors and filmmakers have made completely socially distanced movies and web series. But generally these projects are an artistic outlet rather than income generation.

    Acting classes as well have had to adjust to the situation. There are lots of classes and workshops that you can find online now which is not a bad solution for a lot of actors, especially ones who are looking to work with a wider range of teachers. There are a lot of casting director workshops online now as well. These can be a great way to keep fit while waiting for production to get going again.

    At Prague Playhouse, we are fortunate to be able to resume in person classes. Our Fall Term will start September 14th. If you want to sign up, please fill out the information form. We will follow the latest government recommendations on social distancing and masks. Students must wash their hands and use disinfectant.

    In the spring, as the Czech Republic came out if lockdown, we resumed class with a strict mask policy in place. It wasn’t anyone’s preference, but we found that it was possible to have meaningful exercises even while wearing a mask and it didn’t interfere too much.

    Productions are slowly starting to return. Let’s hope that the trend continues!

  • Classes Starting May 4!

    We are very happy to announce that we will resume limited classes starting May 4 and a wider group May 11 (and new students). If you are interested in joining the class, you MUST register here.

    We will be wearing masks, washing hands and practicing social distancing the entire class. Can’t wait to see everyone!

  • Classes will resume once restrictions on movement are lifted

    The Spring Term which was supposed to start today is postponed until the government eases restrictions on movement. If you would like to sign up for the class (once it returns), please click here.

    I realize that everyone is dealing with the movement restrictions and probably not thinking that much about acting class. I will be posting some activities to do in the coming days. If you have any ideas of what to do while self isolating (besides obsessing over the news), feel free to post here!

  • CLASSES CANCELED UNTIL MARCH 30

    Due to the quarantine and to be safe (after all, these are just acting classes and not worth getting sick over!), there will be no more acting classes in the winter term. If you are interested in signing up for the spring term, which is scheduled to start March 30 (subject to change based on how the emergency situation progresses), please fill out the form here (http://contacts.pragueplayhouse.com/form/do/fid/2). At the very least, that will add you to the class mailing list where you will get detailed information about when the class will start and how to register.

    Stay safe out there! Wash your hands!

  • Virus Update

    As of now, the classes will continue as planned. Obviously, no one wants to come in contact with the virus and hopefully no one wants to spread it to others, so please: if you are feeling sick or if you have been in contact with someone who is sick (even with just a cold), stay at home. The classes are important but at the end of the day, they’re just acting classes.

    All students will be asked to wash their hands before class.

  • Fall Term Starts September 16!

    I’m really looking forward to getting back in the classroom after a nice long break! There have been a lot of people interested in the class, but there is still room if you haven’t signed up yet. Please take a look at the Acting for Beginners page for details and you can sign up here if you are interested!

    Class starts at 18:30 at Frantiska Krizka 1, 3rd floor, Prague 7!

    Hope to see you there!

  • What do you want?

    The last week, I had the pleasure of coaching some young actors who are working on a major TV show for Netflix. The actors were lovely and keen to get to work. We spent the majority of our time on defining and simplifying objectives. Objectives are some of the most basic circumstances you can define when analyzing a scene. Basically an objective is asking the question “what do I want?”.

    By defining what you (or, if you are inclined to think about things this way, your character) want in a scene or a particular interaction is a great way to give a sense of direction, rather than just going through the lines. A good objective will help the actor by providing something to focus on (as opposed to thinking about “what would I do in this situation” or “how would I feel”).

    There are some ways to refine your objectives which will help them be more effective:

    1. Make them as active as possible (instead of “I want to understand” or “I want them to listen” or “I want to feel a certain way”). An active outcome will free you up to feel all sorts of ways and get you out of your head
    2. Make them about the other person in the scene. If what you want has nothing to do with the other people in the scene, then maybe you have an “activity” (something you need to get done), but often you can find something you want from someone else in the scene. This will force you to interact with them and respond to what they are reacting to you.
    3. Make it as simple. In order to work for you, an objective should be as simple as possible. Try to make it ONE thing (rather than “I want X but I am worried about them wanting Y and I also am kind of afraid of getting X”, just make it “I want X”. Them wanting Y might get in the way (be an obstacle) of what you getting what you want and make you work harder to get X. Usually once you get down to the simple objective, it becomes something that is universal which is easy for you as the actor to buy into (see the next point).
    4. It doesn’t have to be related to the script/plot! This is a weird one. If your character wants to deliver a letter, but what’s in the letter means nothing to you, have a think about what would motivate YOU (the actor) to deliver the letter. There are no wrong answers here and what you are looking for is a way for you to connect and care about your (or your character’s) objective. If you give a shit, it’s going to be something you’ll fight for.
    5. Make it specific and concrete. The more concrete the objective is, rather than heady or an idea of something, the more of a chance you have at committing to getting it.

    Objectives are a simple and powerful tool to connect to and commit to the action that the author wrote for you to undertake in the scene. It’s ok at the start of looking at the scene to come up with broad objectives that are not terribly simple or action based (ie. not following the above points). But keep at it, keep refining them to make them more concrete, more personal, more simple, more needful of the other person in the scene. If you get to the point where you are simply driving for what you want and letting the other people’s reactions hit you, then you’re in a good spot!

  • Fall Term Coming Up!

    After taking a month to relax after the 2017/18 schedule of teaching, I’m finally getting around to publicizing the Fall Term!

    We start September 17th and the 12 week term will run until the beginning of December. There is still space to sign up, but be sure to let me know if you’re interested by going to our contact page.

    For potential students, you should plan on coming to the first class to watch and see if it’s something you would like to join. For continuing students, welcome back!

    Brian

  • [:en]Get back into the Swing of things![:]

    [:en]There are a few workshops coming up organized by friends of ours which will help you get into shape for the upcoming slew of productions coming to town. Check it out:
    This August we’re offering two amazing short intensive workshops, to expand your skills, refresh what you know, or try something completely different.

    Commedia dell’Arte
    August 14-19th. 3 evenings and 2 full days at the weekend.
    Cost 3500kc (2800 concessions)

    Historical fencing/stage combat
    August 21st-25th (26th) 3 evenings and a half day (working on full weekend)
    Cost 2900kc (No concessions)

    Discount price for both courses

    Commedia dell’Arte
    First up, a commedia dell’arte workshop with the superb and quirky talent of Olly Crick.
    Olly has over 30 years experience as an actor, teacher, director, musician, writer, clown and creator of wacky organised chaos on stage.

    I have the pleasure to say I worked on three shows with Olly, so I am glad to be able to offer 28 hours of workshop time for people in Prague.

    We will cover the basics, history, characters, mask work and physical characterisation in 3 evenings, and follow up with 2 full days at the weekend, where we will devise and perform a small show.
    No previous experience is required.
    A deposit is required to ensure a spot. Please check out the facebook event.
    https://www.facebook.com/events/655802241438204/

    Historical fencing/stage combat
    Second up, I have contacted some of Prague’s best and most renowned theatre and movie sword players at A.R.G.O. They run an historical fencing school AKA AKA – akademie rytířských umění

    We are offering again short intensive. Three evenings and a half day Saturday.

    The course will cover basic footwork and techniques for beginners, and present students with some experience more advanced techniques and basic sparring. Aspects of stage combat will also be explored.

    The sword styles/schools covered will be Italian rapier and Hungarian sabre.

    Presently we’re in negotiation of extending that to a full weekend at their base in Tabor. An incredible historical location with an amazing armoury.

    The cost of the course includes hire of equipment: weapons, masks and basic body protection.
    No previous experience is required.
    A deposit is required to ensure a spot. Please check out the facebook event.
    https://www.facebook.com/events/798993097158095/[:]

  • [:en]Using Downtime. 10 Things You Can Do When The Phone Isn’t Ringing[:]

    [:en]Actors careers are very often “hurry up and wait” and then “wait some more”. In the busy times (lots of auditions, lots of work, pilot season, etc), it can feel like there is no time to do any of the career maintenance. But there will come a time when you’re not so busy. Instead of sitting around waiting for the phone to ring, schedule some time to work on your career. Just like an out of work desk jockey should spend 8 hours a day looking for a new job, so should the out of work actor spend a significant amount of time preparing for the next opportunity.

    Here’s a list of the 10 things that you can do while you’re waiting around for the next job:

    1. Make sure your website (personal, imdb, spotlight, actors access, e-talenta, etc) is up to date. Add new credits, skills, photos, clean out old credits.
    2. Make sure your resume is up to date. Add new credits and skills.
    3. Make contact with your network. If you don’t have a network contact schedule, take some time to make one. If you have one, go down the list and send out a few emails per day to people you haven’t contacted in a while. Update their contact record with their recent credits/job titles.
    4. Work on your Skillz. Down-time is the perfect time to work on your skills. Reduce your foreign accent (or learn a new one), get those horseback riding lessons, do stage-combat, work on your memorization techniques, take those singing lessons!
    5. Read! Reading plays and screenplays is one of the best ways of developing your knowledge of acting. When you read, read the best (oscar/tony winners, famous) plays and screenplays critically: what makes them the best? Why are they known? What’s happening with the characters and the plot?
    6. Take an acting class. This goes hand in hand with the skills point, but specifically: joining an acting class will keep you sharp while you’re waiting for that next audition or job. If you’ve had experience in “serious” acting, try an improv class. There are a ton of good classes in everything from auditioning, musical theatre, improv, and of course Meisner!
    7. Work on your promo materials. Make sure you have all of the scenes you want for your showreel. Do you have business cards made up yet? Maybe you can work on those!
    8. Start writing. Nowadays, many actors aren’t limited by waiting around until a producer or director gives them an opportunity. We can create our own dream role by writing it ourselves. Many of my students have started writing and producing their own short films. If you aren’t good at writing your own project, then start anyway! Be bad at it and over time you’ll get better.
    9. Look for a [better] agent. This could go in the networking category, but if you don’t have one, you can focus specifically on researching agents in your target market that would be a good fit for you and getting in touch with them. If you do have an agent and you aren’t happy with them, you can use the time to look for a better one!
    10. Get fit. Downtime is a good time to focus on yourself. Both physically and mentally. Start exercising regularly. Meditate. Learn about cooking right. If you’re in a good place mentally and physically, then you will shine when you go on that next meeting!

    [:]