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Greetings!
Here's the third installment in the continuing series on my preparation to play Charlie in the West Coast premier of Samuel D. Hunter's The Whale, at South Coast Rep. Check it out, and the play, if you get a chance. It will run from March 10th through March 31st, and ticket information is available here.
My Acting Technique and Scene Study Class resumes this Monday, January 7th. We have a wonderful group of students, and newcomers are welcome to join at any time, so please come by and check out what we're doing any Monday night. We'd love to have you. And feel free to to your friends and tell them to get in touch.
Happy New Year, and Peace.
Matthew Arkin
Matthew Arkin's Technique and Scene Study Class
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Being a record of my journey as I undertake a new role that, unlike many others I have played, fills me with a sense of immense challenge and a promise of growth, both as an actor and a seeker.
So there I was, spending the holidays at my father's house, joined by my children, and also feeling the pressure of the amount of work that I have to do to prepare for this role. I get precious little time with Sam and Abby, and I was loath to cut into that time, so I tried to find a way that I could do my work and include my children in the process in a way that would be interesting and fun for them. What I hit upon was the idea of all three of us watching online videos of people who suffer from obesity, and then discussing and exploring the ways that they move. Sam and Abby were great. They gave focused attention as they watched these men and women struggle to walk, to go up and down stairs, to sit and stand from seated positions. We all spent some time exploring that movement ourselves, and they pointed out many details, offering helpful suggestions and criticism. We found a way to turn it into play for all of us, and I got valuable work done with their help. (I want to point out that play is such a crucial part of what we do. There is a real need to reconnect with our creative child as we create a character, and kids can be a window into, and an inspiration towards, unselfconscious play - witness this dance that my daughter choreographed for the two of us . . . read more . . .
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