in person

with John Markland

OCtober 15th - Decmber 3rd

This session of character development and scene work will focus on accepting your ugly. Whether it is others or ourselves, as soon as the label of ugly is attached we begin to hide. Judgment disconnects it from compassion, empathy, and acceptance and so it is shamed, condemned, becomes a secret. We can do this to our face, our body, our sensitivity, or ideas, our beliefs, our likes, our intelligence and to so many parts that we smash ourselves like a crystal vase.

In doing so, we hold hostage or amputate our ability as actors to fully and honesty express many of our true colors. So, we end up forcing the “act”, pretending, hearing a loud voice inside saying “this is bad”, “no one believes this” “you’re a coward.” Better that then expose our ugliness to the world. It may feel like the inability to get rageful, a fear to look weak, terror at showing your body, speaking so others can’t hear, a resistance to crying and being vulnerable. You’re only partially there, so we can only partially feel you. The fuller you are the more power you have.

Open this cage and accept instead of judge. Ugliness can be rage, violence, snot dripping from your crying face, a roll of flesh, a crooked nose, a wonky smile, a lie, a slur, a spit, a threat, a crackly voice, a scar, a sadness, a depression, an ignorance, an ego, a vanity, a vice... it could be anything, but it is human and not to be shamed. The truth of accepting ugliness and that we can do ugly acts is TRUTH. And nothing can stop you when you are true.

We will free all that we call ugly. We will choose ugly characters and embody them fully. They will become a door to permission for you to break through and be ALL of You. The uglier the better. Rip open this cage and be free.

The class will be 8 weeks. The earlier you start the further you can go.

AUDITING