Materials & Blog

Exercise: DIY Monologue #1

ExercisesKellen YorkAugust 6, 2018monologue, writing prompt, Artist in Society, Homework

Articulation Exercises

Articulation gets a bad reputation from the training methods that everyone sees in the movies. Tongue-twisters like "Sally sells sea shells by the sea shore" are useful, but there's a more straightforward method to practice.

ALEX from Alone at the Beach by Richard Dresser

Could work for either gender as a comedic or dramatic monologue, depending on tone, but overall would be a weak contender for a professional audition.

Stomping and Shakuhachi music on Spotify

Music to stomp by.

Training MaterialsKellen YorkMay 27, 2018suzuki training, suzuki, stomping and shakuhatchi

Chekhovian center exercise: Tom Cruise in Magnolia

ExercisesKellen YorkMay 21, 2018chekhov training, chekhov, chekhov centers, tom cruise, magnolia, chekhov exercise

Monologue deconstruction guide

Training Materials, MonologuesKellen YorkMay 21, 2018monologue, monologue deconstructed

Chekhovian centers explained

Training MaterialsKellen YorkMay 21, 2018chekhov, chekhovian centers

Stomping and Shakuhachi text – Dante's Inferno

Training MaterialsKellen YorkMay 21, 2018stomping and shakuhatchi, suzuki, suzuki training

Viewpoints Spotify playlist

Training MaterialsKellen YorkMay 21, 2018playlist, spotify, viewpoints training, viewpoints

Stomping and Shakuhachi text – Macbeth

Training MaterialsKellen YorkMay 21, 2018macbeth, stomping and shakuhatchi, suzuki, suzuki training

Exercise: Jim & Andy

ExercisesKellen YorkMay 21, 2018Artist in Society, Homework, Jim & Andy, Jim Carrey, chekhov training

Exercise: Brel and Mercury and Waits

Training Materials, ExercisesKellen YorkMay 21, 2018chekhov hands, jacques brel, live aid, chekhov, freddy mercury, tom waits, chekhov training

Verse and scansion – how to read Shakespeare

Training MaterialsKellen YorkMay 21, 2018iambic pentameter, shakespeare, verse and scansion, shakespeare training

Directors on Directing: Lee Lewis on Australian theatre (part 3 of 3)

Lee Lewis originally trained as an actor at Columbia University in New York before returning to her native Australia, where she earned a Masters of Directing at NIDA. She currently serves as the Artistic Director of Griffin Theatre Company in Sydney.

I sat down with her for lunch between tech rehearsals for her new show.

Directors on Directing: Lee Lewis on directing, racial profiling, and death (part 2 of 3)

Lee Lewis originally trained as an actor at Columbia University in New York before returning to her native Australia, where she earned a Masters of Directing at NIDA. She currently serves as the Artistic Director of Griffin Theatre Company in Sydney.

I sat down with her for lunch between tech rehearsals for her new show.

MACBETH from Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Classic monologue from classic play. The monologue is useless as an audition piece - it’s too short and too well-known - but it’s a good place to start understanding Shakespearean scansion.

EZRA from Partners by Dorothy Fortenberry

Could work for either gender as a comedic or dramatic monologue, depending on tone, but overall would be a weak contender for a professional audition.

TONI from Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

Originally female, has a child, likely 35+. This piece could easily be played as a younger woman or a man by removing some lines. Excellent overall dramatic monologue.

Directors on Directing: Lee Lewis on acting and beginning (part 1 of 3)

Lee Lewis originally trained as an actor at Columbia University in New York before returning to her native Australia, where she earned a Masters of Directing at NIDA. She currently serves as the Artistic Director of Griffin Theatre Company in Sydney.

I sat down with her for lunch between tech rehearsals for her new show.