“PRACTICAL AESTHETICS” – David Mamet’s Acting Technique (1st Round of workshop’s 2014/2015 season)

For a fifth consecutive year, the successful workshop on David Mamet’s acting technique, which is called Practical Aesthetics, is held in the premises of the Michalis Cacoyannis Foundation:

–    I don’t know what I am doing
–    I don’t know what to do with my “want”
–    How do I build the character that I am playing?
–    Should I feel what the character presumably feels?
–    Can I become the character?
–    On what should I concentrate on stage?
–    What are my acting tools?
–    How do I approach a text?
–    Can I work on a text on my own without the guidance of a teacher or director?
–    Is there a technique in acting? Is it something that can be learnt?

These are some of the most common apprehensions that most actors have, which though they are reasonable can be answered fully and practically.

Practical Aesthetics is the groundbreaking acting technique that David Mamet and his collaborators developed in the US in the mid-80 ‘s. Since then many well-known actors such as William Macy, Felicity Huffman (Oscar winner), Jessica Alba, Skeet Ulrich, Giancarlo Esposito, Larry Bryggman, Eddie Cahill, Neil Pepe and Kate Blumberg trained in and work using Practical Aesthetics.

This technique explains fully what an actor needs to do in order to do his job. It provides him with specific, crystal-clear and absolutely practical instructions that can be implemented both during rehearsals and performances. Thus, the professional actor who has trained in Practical Aesthetics can be full of confidence because he knows exactly what his job is and how to bring it to fruition.

Practical Aesthetics is described theoretically in A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK FOR THE ACTOR (written by six of Mamet’s students). Studying the handbook is necessary because it is going to form the basis for the application of Practical Aesthetics in the workshop.

The workshop is open to any new participant and to older students of the technique who will work independently in pairs. The training will be absolutely practical and will include many exercises and work on text(s).

Workshop duration: 32 hours
Workshop structure: 8 sessions 4 hours each (1 session per week every Wednesday 1-5pm).
Starting date: Wednesday 15/10/2014.
Finishing date: Wednesday 17/12/2014 (no meetings on Wednesdays 5/11/14 and 12/11/14)
Workshop fee: 140€/student in 2 installments of 70€ each.
Application deadline: 16/10/2014.

The first session on 15/10/2014 will be an open event to anybody who might be interested in a free trial. Enrollment to the workshop can take place after the first session.

For more information and a declaration of interest please contact us at XACTTHEATRE@YAHOO.GR. Please state your name, education, relevant experience (if any) and contact details.

KORINA CHRISAIDOU
Korina Chrisaidou studied acting in Athens (Drama School “Arhi”).  She trained in Practical Aesthetics in New York at the Atlantic Theatre Company, founded by D.Mamet and his collaborators. She followed through the training of Practical Aesthetics up to the highest level by attending the Vermont masterclass led by Scott Ziggler. She is a founding member of X-ACT theatre company.  As an actress she has presented work in Greece, Egypt, US and UK. Recently she played the leading role in the full length film “Eyolf” (director Spyros Diamantis) and its theatrical counterpart “Eyolf” by H. Ibsen. Before that she played the main part in Female Gender based on A. Strindberg texts with her company X-ACT at the M. Cacoyiannis Foundation directed by G.Haratzas. She has also collaborated with Korais Damatis, Leonidas Loizidis, Stephen Hutton, Maria Savva, Michael Seibel, Michalis Virvidakis. In film she has collaborated with Lena Markoyianni, Catherine Gulacsy, Ilias Yiannakakis, Yiorgos Markakis. In Television she collaborated with
Kostas Kostopoulos and Yiannis Vasiliadis. As an assistant director she worked with Nellie Karra and Maria Savva. She has also translated in Greek the principle handbook of Practical Aesthetics “A Practical Handbook for the Actor”. The last three years she taught and gave lectures at the Michalis Cacoyiannis Foundation, the Theatre of Changes, Drama School “Arhi”, Drama School Andreas Voutsinas in Thessaloniki , the department of Theatre Studies of the University of Patras and other organizations of theatre education.

GEORGE HARATZAS
George Haratzas was born in Athens. He studied acting in Athens (Drama School “Arhi”) and theatre directing in London (Master in Theatre Practices) at Rose Bruford College. He specialized in acting in New York, studying Practical Aesthetics at the Atlantic Theatre Company, the company that David Mamet and his collaborators founded. He is a founding member of X-ACT theatre company.  He has presented his work in England, Greece, Spain and the USA. As a director he recently directed Female Gender which was based on A. Strindberg texts at the M.Cacoyiannis Foundation with his company X-ACT. He has also presented work by H. Pinter, M. Crimp, P. Marber. As an actor he recently played the leading role in the full length film “Eyolf” (director Spyros Diamantis) and its theatrical counterpart “Eyolf” by H. Ibsen. He has collaborated with many directors such as Peader Kirk, Leonidas Loizidis, Chris Baldwin, Nellie Karra, Colin Elwood, George Agathonikiadis, Thomas Moschopoulos, Froso Mastrokallou, Elena Filippova and Zoi Lianostathis. He has translated theatrical plays and acting handbooks such as A Practical Handbook for the Actor by Bruder, et al which is the bible of Practical Aesthetics. He has taught and given lectures at many schools and institutions such as the Michalis Cacoyiannis Foundation, the Theatre of Changes, Drama School “Arhi”, Drama School Andreas Voutsinas in Thessaloniki, the department of Theatre Studies of the University of Patras, the cultural centre Notos in Chania and other organizations of theatre education.