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Announcing... theh first seaon of:
The Driftwood Theatre School
Gibsons British Columbia
a wholly integrated approach to training the performing artist
for information regarding classes, workshops and intensives
please contact Sally 604-886-1281, or
Joanne Bennison jbennison@dccnet.com or
Ingrid Bilton ibilton@yahoo.ca
Place your hand
on the body and you have placed your
hand on the unconscious. Our sensory
impressions, our life's experiences, and our
cultural history are encoded into our bodies.
Wilheim Reich * Morris Berman | ease
form beauty entirety
Basya Hunter arrived in America from the Moscow Art
Theatre in the early 1920s. She acted as assistant to
Richard Boleslavsky and Maria Ouspenskaya as they formed
The Actor's Lab in NYC.
This tour
from Russia precipitated significant shifts in perspective within the theatre
community. Today we are more familiar with those who sought to train with this
newly arrived force in theatre, namely Lee Strasburg and Stella Adler.
Michael Chekhov (1891-1955) artistic director of the
third studio at the MAT came to America in the 1940s
after escaping Russia in the 20s and working in Europe.
Basya had studied with Michael in Moscow. While performing
in The Inspector General Michael was described by Director
Constantin Stanislavsky as "the actor who most exemplifies
my values and aspirations for artistic performance".
The
nephew of Anton is also known for how he opposed Stanislavsky in the realm of
creative process. Nevertheless, all of the persons mentioned thus far were dedicated
to attaining practical insight into what is occurring in the performer physiologically
when at his best in performance. It was their mission to unravel the creative
mysteries with great observational care. The Russians would then design exercises,
meditations and improvisations to train their actors to ensure that the creative
mood and inspiration would become for them, second nature.
"
the characters they play have living souls
and these souls can be made manifest and convincing
through powerful radiation. In fact, there is nothing
in the sphere of our psychology which cannot thus
be radiated... other sensations you will experience
doing this work will be those of freedom, inner warmth
and joy."
M
Chekhov To The Actor
TORONTO 1971-1973
I studied with Basya Hunter
and her close associate David Harris at the Ryerson Theatre School. Basya and
David waxed eloquent and put us through an arduous training and I knew that we
were privileged. I had studied with numerous others but no other approach worked
intricately with the subtle body. This was transformative. This was utterly powerful.
Based upon values and principles that understand and
honor Aristotle's poetics, this art of acting is brought
to life with technique that frees the creative artist
and addresses the most important aspect of acting - THE SELF.
Everything I have leaned from you I have applied
through the years, in every medium, not only as an
actor, but as director, not only in theatre but also
in television, in camera work, scenery design, in
co-ordination of the complex thing that is live television
production." Yul Bryner A Preface, To The
Actor
Basya Hunter was a genius in her own right. She created
a wholly integrated training drawn from her Russian
mentors as well as her own vast experience and her inherent
artistic sensibilities. She initiated new conventions
in theatre while working in Toronto in the 70s. This
training has been the bedrock of my work as a teacher/mentor
and performer.
email Sally
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