DESIRES, HOPES, FEARS

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"Act before you think." -- Sanford Meisner, Acting Teacher

A RANGE OF EMOTION BEYOND ANGER

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2/15/77

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

[Robert] Duval - Your acting has to do with your organized daydreams

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[Robert] Duval - "Your acting has to do with your organized daydreams."

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

MEANINGS

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

SET-UP[S] - PRACTICE MAKES PROGRESS

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

PREPERATION - "AS IF" - REPITITION - REALLY DO

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Preperation (set-ups) using the "as if"

-Repeat -
-Repeat from Point of view-
-Really do the activity; Really do the activity;
-Really do the activity
-You['ve] got to have to do the activity,
not just want to do it.

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

ON "THE INDEPENDENT ACTIVITY"

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"To chose very personal, specifically difficult 'activities' for very specific reasons."

"Go with instincts."

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

Journaler on the influence of Sanford Meisner

Last week two theater artists Tee Quillin and John Mauldin interviewed the Journaler for their innovative Podcast, the INEXPLICABLE DUBE SHOW. The premise of our discussion was my participation in the SANFORD MEISNER MASTER CLASS (DVD), a rare and classic document showing my renowned teacher Sanford Meisner at work.

For those of you interested in one person's direct experience with studying under SANFORD MEISNER and how it has influenced my life and work, you might enjoy this Podcast in addition to the pages of this journal.

We cover much ground about the many aspects of the Journaler's experience with Sanford Meisner's work, while pointing out the great value of the SANFORD MEISNER MASTER CLASS (DVD).

You might enjoy this interview at, the INEXPLICABLE DUMB SHOW.

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

". . . What the circumstances permit you to do."

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

"- Once you come through the door nobody know[s] what's going to happen . . . "

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

"Come home and do . . ."

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

"I don't have to be mean."

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

" - work on the doing - the problem"

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

Bread and Wine and Time

Perhaps, someday when the infancy of the world-wide-web is a distant past, these posts from its earliest days, that many of us are only now beginning to learn to use to communicate in meaningful ways, will get stumbled upon. And those who do find them might marvel, as I do now, at how a theater artist from the Czech Republic, a world renown writer, and a runaway Cuban theater artist in West New York, NJ, could all meet in one place, like this. Is it a synchronicity that, I wrote the post below moments before switching the television channel at 11 PM sharp, so as not to miss a moment of my favorite show on television, The Charlie Rose Show; only to experience the shock of seeing my dear old friend, the very same renown writer of the letter I am about to post below, sitting and talking with Charlie Rose on his show, tonight! Just now?

Naaah!

What's to be made of this? When while posting my friend the writer's letter to me, I'm thinking, "Yeah, sure David was a student of Sanford Meisner's, that was our connection. It's a great letter. He won't mind . . ." But, still, I'm a bit self-conscious about even the "name dropping" aspect of the post. But . . . of course now, with his presence in my living room, and my new friend in Prague (actually on vacation in California), and me all meeting this way, sharing our common love of the work and all influenced by Sanford Meisner - the inspiration for this blog of journal entries of his teachings . . . with respect to "Time," I now proceed:

- Just received an e-mail from a new friend from the blogesphere, Brian Caspe from The Prague Playhouse, in the Czech Republic. A few days ago I posted an excerpt from his excellent article “Why should we work?” with links to his site. I just received the comment below within an e-mail he sent to me:

“. . . I think it's great that people outside of the Prague community should be interested in reading about what I considered a Prague problem.” - Brian

I wrote back:

“[Brian] That [yours] is such a great article with insight for every actor. It's the same exact situation in New York, LA or anywhere the commercial and the personal development of the craft exist in close proximity to each other . . . Someday, I'll find and send you a letter that a mentor of mine gave me at the beginning of my career, which is on the same theme that you write about now. That gives me an idea . . .” - José

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My very first professional job was working on “The Blue Hour” hired by someone who became my first great mentor in the theater, its writer and director, David Mamet. When work on the play ended, we spoke on the phone and I expressed what a great drag it was to not only not be presently working, and more so, to no longer be working in such a wonderful environment that David had created, and with such marvelous actors, Patti LuPone among them.

This was my first paying job. (Thinking now, my second job altogether.)

A few days after our conversation, I received the letter above in the mail.

Brian and David, each in their own way, have written in the spirit of the greatest traditon of the theater: to pass on "the knowlege" to those coming up, just a little ways behind. They write of the great dual needs that every actor who cares about their craft must satisfy: to grow as an actor while trying to build a career of meaningful work, and the need to eat – the bread and the wine, and the time.

the journaler,
José Angel Santana

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

FEBRUARY 12

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

Emotional Preparation Practice

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

the Journaler, now and then . . .

from The Mirror Up To Nature.

the Journaler with Kevin Spacey,
(L-R) Nina Bernstein, Scott Burkholder, Lucinda Jenney
in Trevor Griffith's "Real Dreams." (1984)

From: The Mirror Up To Nature (www.mirroruptonature.com)

"We are pleased to announce that we will soon be featuring an interview with José Angel Santana, Ph.D on the podcast! (Seen at right (above) with Kevin Spacey in Trevor Griffiths (Reds) at the Williamstown Theater Festival, 1984.)

Why, you ask? Well, it just so happnes that a younger Dr. Santana was one of the featured students on the Sanford Meisner Master Class DVD. We will be talking with him about that very experience and the projects he’s been working on in the interim.

What? You haven’t seen the DVD? Why don’t you buy it from Amazon?

Anyway, be on the lookout for it of at the Dumb Show. In the meantime, check out Dr. Santana’s website and tell him you got there from here!

Speaking of the Sanford Meisner DVD, you also need to be listening to the podcast for your chance to win a copy of the DVD thanks to Open Road Films! Information on that will be coming soon!"

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

FEBRUARY 9

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

FEBRUARY 8

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To clarify: EP = Emotional Preperation

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

FEBRUARY 7

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

SANFORD MEISNER MASTER CLASS (DVD)

SANFORD MEISNER MASTER CLASS (DVD)

AMAZON REVIEW

Sanford Meisner Master Class: A Sense of Truth, February 6, 2007

FULL DISCLOSURE:

28 years ago, I was one of the young student actors asked to participate in this documentary. And, to provide some idea about how important I think this program is, most of "my" work in this documentary is almost all total failure; and this embarrasses me.

That said:

Until now, I had been very proud of my participation in the documentary about Sanford Meisner, "The Theater's Best Kept Secret." However, with this program, I've just learned: the secret is out!

"The Sanford Meisner Master Class (DVD)," is astounding in its power to not only convey Mr. Meisner's genius for teaching the craft of acting, but as a student participant in this Master Class it is like witnessing the re-incarnation of a most important figure in my life, and of the 20th Century. It is like the great Sanford Meisner has come back to life, and with his teaching powers fully intact.

Though it has been years since I left the acting profession, and a few years since I also stopped teaching The Meisner Technique, Mr. Meisner's influence on all of my adult work has been profound. His most important influence on me, which this documentary expresses so eloquently, is perhaps Mr. Meisner's most precious gift: his uncompromising devotion to helping students develop their own "sense of truth." This 8 hour documentary shows how Mr. Meisner shared his gift of such a highly developed "sense of truth" as a standard for his students to strive toward attaining. He is the perfect model and embodiment of "a sense of truth."

"A sense of truth," that in the art of theater plays out from present moment-to-unanticipated-moment, between human beings, under the imaginary circumstances of a writer's work. And thus, provides humankind with a model for authentic, meaningful, and truthful human relationship.

Did I say, that Mr. Meisner's great contribution that exists in every frame of this 8 hour documentary is the cultivation and great value for a "sense of truth?"

:)

If you care about any of these things: the model of a magnificent teacher; the great value of learning by trial and error; creating an environment where students feel freedom to fail while striving to achieve excellence measured by the highest artistic standards; theater; the craft of acting; a "sense of truth"; seeing genius at work; a model for authentic human relationship, you will enjoy this program immensely and learn a great deal.

In a world so consumed with the artificial, it is no wonder that the legacy of this most genuine of teachers and his approach to art endures so. Right now, as I view it, this program serves as a potent reality check for me.

"The Sanford Meisner Master Class" is a great credit to the vision of Mr. Kent Paul, Mr. Jimmy Carville, and the people at Open Road Films for creating, preserving and sharing this extraordinary work with the world.

If you've ever wondered what all the "brouhaha" is about "The Meisner Technique" . . . behold. This is like watching Piccaso paint.

Word.
José Angel Santana, Ph.D.

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

FEBRUARY 6

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

Neighborhood Playhouse Reading

Neighborhood Playhouse Reading List, 1975

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

FEBRUARY 4

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

FEBRUARY 2

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To clarify:

Within a context of Sanford Meisner's instruction, this entry has to do with an element of the work within the full repetition exercise, whereby an improvisation is structured within imaginary circumstances whereby the acting partners choose an imaginary relationship consistent with the reality of sharing a common living area; "roommates,” for example. The entry "any simple relationship that will allow both people to come + go . . .," this entry refers to the introduction of the "[coming home] As if you are alone," element of Sanford Meisner’s work.

In a "roommates" scenario, each person arrives "home" not expecting the other person to be there; hence, "as if you are alone." One actor may arrive to an empty apartment, then the other who is unawares that the other is at home or not.

On the facing page, "Then do something that will feed your fantasy . . . You come from some very strong imaginary circumstance."

This aspect of the exercise is intended to practice the human happenstance of arriving home (entering from offstage), having come from an incident that has strong emotional resonance associatied to it. But, most importantly, DOING something in the present.

For example, a person has just returned home from meeting the person of their dreams, with the “dream lover’s” phone number, and instructions to "call me." The actor might arrive home to rehearse that phone call, making sure to prepare to say only those things that will advance the “dream relationship” only toward mutual admiration. While "rehearsing" for this big phone call. The other roommate {other actor) arrives from learning their bank account is overdrawn and needs to use the phone to raise a specific amount of money, "or else."

The goal is for the entire improvisation, everything that happens from beginning-to-end, to occur while “living truthfully under the imaginary circumstance.”

The nuance about this entry, that is easy to miss, is that we human beings arrive home and bring the emotional life from “what happened before” with us. Yet, we don’t force (play) the emotion; we are often not even aware of our feelings, yet they exist nonetheless. This emotion just lives inside of us effortlessly. (The actor, however, must know. Like a painter must know their colors.) We arrive with this emotional life living inside of us (left alone – the emotion), and place our attention on what we DO in the present moment.

Hope this helps.

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

February 1

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut