Seeking actors who have some basic training and performing experience for a scene study practice group. A core group of five students of Canadian actor, director, and teacher Scott Swan would like to expand our group. We would welcome actors to register, whether or not you have taken Scott’s classes. If you have not, we will introduce you to Scott’s techniques. We will meet three times between March and June, 2019. Two pairs of actors will perform pre-assigned scenes at each of the three meetings. There will be a guest director at each meeting to help us take the scenes further.
Note: Scott will not be present at these practice meetings. If you are not familiar with his techniques, you will be paired with one of his students who will introduce you to the technique and be your partner for working on the scene. This practice group is separate from the upcoming workshops that Scott himself will be offering in Edmonton. If you would like information about those, please send an email to elaine@actingandtheatre.com.
Dates: The first practice group meeting is Sunday, March 24, 2019, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The second meeting has not been scheduled yet, so that we can ensure it does not conflict with Scott’s upcoming workshops. The third meeting is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, June 15, 2019, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and will probably be held on that date.
Registration and More Information:
You can register online on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/scott-swan-scene-practice-group-tickets-56675696534
There is a $63.33 registration fee for all three meetings. The registration fee is being collected to cover the costs of renting a room, providing a small honorarium to the guest directors and for using Eventbrite for registrations and promotions. The organizer will make no profit from the event.
Prerequisites: We welcome actors who have some basic training and experience performing. You are not required to have studied with Scott. We would also welcome actors who have studied with him.
Maximum Number of Students: 12
Benefits: Meet other actors, practice performing for an audience of your peers, and work with and meet local directors. Be introduced to the Scott Swan technique, an original Canadian technique created by Scott Swan, who was the founding artistic director of Northern Light Theatre in Edmonton and is currently Artistic Director of the Seacoast Theatre Centre and Principal and Head Teacher of Seacoast Studios in Vancouver.
More About the Technique: Scott Swan’s “three-time-through” methodology and conditioning exercises give your logical brain something to focus on so that it will get out of your way and allow your unconscious and the creative side of your brain to absorb the material for the scene. The technique also helps you to respond genuinely and creatively to the imaginary circumstances of the scene and to your acting partner. You will learn the text very quickly without ever focusing on text as text. You will know the scene in your bones; and from the first moment, you will build trust and connection with your scene partner.
Time-Commitment:
Meet with your scene partner on your own time to work on one scene using Scott Swan’s three-time- through methodology and the conditioning exercises. Attend three monthly meetings. At one of these meetings (prescheduled), be prepared to perform your scene with your partner (off-book) and work with a guest director to further the scene.
Attendance: It is important if at all possible to attend all three meetings. You will only be performing at one meeting, but we need to be present at all meetings so that all the actors have the opportunity to practice performing for an audience. You will also learn from the feedback the other actors receive from the guest director.
