Actors Approach is San Diego’s weekly professional workshop that will develop the actor’s skills from the audition through performance. Class instruction is focused upon the teachings of Constantin Stanislavski, Lee Strasberg, Sanford Meisner, Stella Adler, and Uta Hagen. Professional actors and passionate newcomers are guided towards the development of their own technique or “method” based upon their unique strengths and personal needs. Students receive one-on-one instruction in exercises and scene work. Class size is limited to allow for individual attention. Each class meeting is followed up by a newsletter with a personalized review of each student’s work and the instruction given as well as a list of upcoming performances and upcoming auditions. Actors Approach is taught by Francis Gercke, a professional director and actor (Actors’ Equity Association) and a graduate of the Actors Studio Drama School at the New School for Social Research (NYC).
Actors Approach is different from traditional models of the study of acting. The standard curriculum for the actor begins with exercises, moves into text analysis through the study of monologues and scenes, and results in a presentation of the material.
Actors Approach flips that model. Students of all levels and experience are treated like professionals. Therefore, from the first day of class each actor performs a personally chosen text and is introduced to the fundamental skills necessary for detailed script analysis. Next, the actor learns to develop a strong sense of faith through the creation a clearly defined physical life. Specific exercises — designed to improve the actor’s concentration — develop the absolutely necessary ability to respond impulsively to scene partners. Finally, the text is revisited to discover specific circumstances that will inspire and excite the actor’s imagination and lead to unique, personal responses in performance.