MEISNER TECHNIQUE
According to Sanford Meisner, “acting is living truthfully under imaginary circumstances.” To achieve this aim, Meisner developed a series of exercises based upon Constantin Stanislavski's method of acting. Meisner's technique forces an actor to place their entire attention on the other actor's behavior, so they can respond to that behavior truthfully and spontaneously in the moment.
“An ounce of truth weighs more than a pound of “acting.””
Chris Thatcher's approach to the Meisner Technique enables an actor to quickly reach a deeper and more intense experience of their truth in the moment, but it also requires greater discipline and commitment from the actor.
Students of the Meisner Technique include: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michelle Pfeiffer, James Franco, Sandra Bullock, Jim Carrey, Allison Janney, Michael Douglas, Ashley Judd, Jeff Goldblum, William H. Macy, Heather Graham, John Malkovich, Kathy Bates, Dylan McDermott, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Steve McQueen, James Caan, Christopher Lloyd, Eli Wallach, Gregory Peck, and many others.
However, since Meisner's approach to characterization lacks a strong physical component, Chris also teaches the Michael Chekhov Technique. Chris teaches a unique combination of these techniques that is reliable and effective, producing inspired and powerful performances every time.
MICHAEL CHEKHOV TECHNIQUE
Michael Chekhov was Constantin Stanislavski's most brilliant student and the true heir to the Stanislavski method of acting. Chekhov's psycho-physical approach enables an actor to fully use their body and imagination to create memorable characters; root character objectives in the body; and enable the actor's emotional life to manifest as a natural byproduct of physicalized objectives.
Chekhov's technique is comprised of a myriad of reliable and effective acting tools, any one of which can inspire endless possibilities for artistic expression.
However, because the intense physicality of the Chekhov Technique can distract an actor from responding to the other actor's behavior truthfully and spontaneously in the moment, Chris also teaches the Meisner Technique. Chris teaches a unique combination of these techniques that is reliable and effective, producing inspired and powerful performances every time.
Students of the Chekhov Technique include: Anthony Hopkins, Jack Nicholson, Clint Eastwood, Marilyn Monroe, Elia Kazan, Paula Strasberg, Lloyd Bridges, Anthony Quinn, Gary Cooper, Gregory Peck, Jack Palance, Ingrid Bergman, Yul Brynner, Patricia Neal, Mala Powers, and Jack Colvin.
