Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Dear Friends,
Several MICHA faculty taught 35 undergraduates from campuses of California State University at the annual
CSU Summer Arts Festival in July. The students collaborated with poets, musicians, sound designers and
writers for a culmination performance. Working with young people who were learning the technique for the
first time was exciting and moving for all of us who participated.
We have plans in 2015 to publish multilingual editions of Lessons for Teachers, edited by Jessica Cerullo.
Several teachers joined the faculty of MICHA this year and added new ideas and approaches to the work that
enlarged our perspectives and brought great enthusiasm and joy to the atmosphere of the workshop. We con-
gratulate them for their dedication to the work.
“My imagination has to be powerful enough to dictate to my heart, to my body, to my narrow ideas.
To develop our imagination means to lift it up so high that it is inspiring me as a free thing.”
Participants: Peggy
Coffey, Zenzele Cooper,
Kristin Dana, Stephanie
Dorian, Gillian Eaton,
Luis Flores, Christine
Hamel, Ellie Heyman,
Robert Homer-
Drummond, Lynne
Innerst, Geordie
MacMinn, Daniel
Millhouse, Rena Polley,
Mara Radulovic,
Alexander Romanitan,
Connie Rotunda, Emmett
Smith, Jan Tkach,
Bernadette Wintsch-
Heinen
Observers: Janice
Orlandi, Martin Anderson,
Bethany Caputo
Faculty: Joanna Merlin, Participants and Faculty, Teacher Training Workshop
Ted Pugh, Fern Sloan Brooklyn, NY—January 2014
News
Step 2. The Teaching Artist who taught the class asks questions of the Student Partici-
pants, in order to focus the discussion on an aspect of the class which the Teaching Art-
ist feels needs more development.
Step 3. Student Participants ask neutral questions of the Teaching Artist to illuminate that
journey.
Step 4. Student Participants ask for permission to express opinions to the Teaching Artist.
This question takes the form: “I have an opinion about (blank). Would you like to hear
it?”
Step 5. The Teaching Artists state what is ‘next’ for them, in light of the feedback ex-
changed.
Step 6. The Teaching Artists end their class/feedback session as they see fit, by employ-
ing a gesture, sound, statement, etc.
“The first step: We must understand and concentrate on the simple idea that imagination is the ability to see something
invisible. If I see this piece of paper, it isn’t imagination because I really see it, but at the moment when I close my eyes and
continue to see this paper, which is no longer visible to me, that is imagination.
“It is very important to be a little bit astonished about this simple thing. If you can find in your soul a little bit of astonish-
ment, you have already taken a step forward. To be a little astonished about imaginary things. Everything about which we are
astonished, about which we are filled with wonder, gives us always something new. The artist has always to feel everything as
new - as is for the first time. That is the power of the artist. That is the real impulsive power of the artist, to be astonished every
time about everything. ...Please try to realize this wonder that you can see unseen things.
“Now comes the second step: Not only can I see unseen things, but I am able to create in my imagination things which
are not existing in reality. For instance, I can create a flower which I have never seen. My own creation. This must be very as-
tonishing for those who want to develop their imaginations, but I do not think you can persuade someone who is not an artist in
his nature about this wonder. Such a person will answer you, "And what about it?" He will never understand, while the person
who is gifted will realize that it is a wonder that I am able to create this flower and see it before me. ...We must pay attention to
the fact that it is astonishing, to the fact that it fills us with wonder.
“First, we can see unseen things; and, second, we can create unreal things. The third step: If you will create something
and then live with this creation. For instance, if you create a strange and interesting landscape, and if you concentrate on this
beautiful and strange landscape, you will notice that this landscape changes you. This is again a great wonder. Your creation
influences you, its creator, and the soul of the creator changes under the influence of his own creation. this is really the ability of
an artist - to be changed because of his own creation.
“The fourth and last step. We have to influence this image. We have to change it... to create a character which I am go-
ing to act. I see my image in my imagination and then, if I have a well-developed imagination, I am able to do with this image all
that I want. Now it is standing before me, and through my imagination I let my character grow older and older, then younger and
younger. Or he is first full of radiating power, and then he becomes an egotistical person. I can change not only his outward ap-
pearance, but I can change his soul. I can create the whole human being if I want to, and I can give him this kind of soul, and
that kind of being, and this kind of will, etc. I can create a human soul, and spirit and body in my imagination.
“These abilities are really astonishing, we must never forget that one of our most important technical abilities is to be
astonished and to be active in the world of our imagination.”
The
MICHA
2014 Workshop
And
Festival
Connecticut College
New London, Conn.
Marian Seldes
In Memoriam—Marian Seldes after working on the New York stage for
The great actress and MICHA advi-
sory board member Miriam Seldes once
more than six decades. She was espe-
cially known for her many productions of
1928-2014
wrote that as a young woman, when Edward Albee plays, but she was seen in
she first read Michael Chekhov, she had all the great works including those by
disagreements with and doubts about Tennessee Williams and Samuel As for coming up with the title of the
his teachings. But she then counseled Beckett. piece, she explained she was quoting a
her own readers to “read on” with Mi- She had a considerable television ca- Chekhov student who said, “I always
chael Chekhov’s words. She explained, reer and appeared in a number of films loved acting and tried hard to learn it,
“… you will find yourself having a con- as well. but with Michael Chekhov it became
versation with a master teacher. Take In 2010, when given a lifetime achieve- more than a profession to me. It became
your time,” she wrote. “He took a life- ment Tony Award, she said, “All I’ve a sort of religion.” Miss Seldes wrote,
time.” done is live my life in the theater and “Her name was Marilyn Monroe.”
Miss Seldes gave that advice in an loved it. If you can get an award for being Miss Seldes also pointed out To The
article about Michael Chekhov she happy, that’s what I’ve got.” Actor belongs in the library of “the stu-
penned for the July/August 2003 edition In the article, she recounted how her dent, the teacher, the person who wants
of American Theatre magazine, entitled teacher Sanford Meisner told her Michael to form a theatre...”
A Sort of Religion. Chekhov made him “realize that truth as At MICHA, we are grateful for her
She died October 6, 2014, at age 86, naturalism was far from the truth.” warmth and kind support.
Spotlight—Mary Jo Romeo What brought you to MICHA? How does MC Technique benefit
MICHA’s board Mary Jo Romeo: My business partner your corporate work?
of directors has its Ellie Heyman is active and convinced me MJR: At UP Business Communica-
newest member in to attend the 2013 International work- tions we do a lot of physical work with
Mary Jo Romeo. shop. I fell in love with the work, the com- clients. Corporate professionals spend
She joined the munity and how it challenged me to think a crazy amount of time on words, and
board in late 2013 differently. Joanna Merlin, who is amaz- often don’t think about how they show
and more recently ing, then invited me to join. MICHA is so up physically. But from Michael Chek-
became secretary vibrant, it’s a privilege to be a part of it. hov technique they can learn a ton: the
of the executive value of being fully present and in the
What do you bring to MICHA? moment, an increased awareness of
board. She comes to MICHA from the
business world, not the theater, as presi- MJR: My 25+ years of business acu- non-verbal communication, increased
dent of UP Business Commincations, men in marketing, sales, leadership, self-awareness, the benefit of physi-
with more than 25 years sales and man- management, finances and structure cally warming up before big meetings,
agement experience. She spoke with brings a different voice to the board and getting to the story behind the story. I
MICHA News about her new role. hopefully some fresh thinking. could go on and on.
See MICHA’s Vimeo page for all of MICHA’s latest videos — vimeo.com/channels/micha —
including one called A Found Family, on the very class that inspired the above poem and previous article.
News
• All-Encompassing Atmosphere: MICHA will offer classes in the technique, plus an opportunity for
an artist retreat and an Open Space weekend, allowing for a personalized experience.
• International Faculty: As always MICHA’s top notch international faculty members will lead MICHA’s
workshops, including Joanna Merlin who worked with Michael Chekhov.
At left, the lush campus of Connecti-
cut College, in New London, Conn.,
the site of the 2015 MICHA Interna-
tional Summer Workshop and Festi-
val. Pictured here is a morning
meditation with an amazing view
during the 2014 Summer workshop.
Summer Workshop - Arrive: June 14, Depart: June 20 (Faculty subject to change.)
An Opportunity to Open Up
MICHA’s popular Theater of the Future - Open Space weekend allows participants to start new conver-
sations or continue old ones. MICHA also takes the “open” idea further than ever once more this year,
offering a week-long opportunity to “pause,” with The Pause: A Retreat. Those interested can take time
for independent study and informal conversation, and choose to be day observers.
Board of Directors
President: Joanna Merlin, Vice President: Fern Sloan
P.O. Box 175
Secretary: Mary Jo Romeo, Treasurer: Jessica Cerullo
Quaker Hill, CT
06375 USA Marjolein Baars, Ragnar Freidank, Zelda Fichandler,
Phelim McDermott, Andrei Malaev-Babel, Michael Mayer,
Lenard Petit, Ted Pugh, Deborah Robertson
202.841.5141 Advisory Board
www.michaelchekhov.org Anne Bogart, Martha Clarke, William Elmhirst,
Tom Schumacher, Jimmy Smits, Julie Taymor
Front cover: Participants at the MICHA International
Workshop and Festival, New London, Conn., Summer 2014.
Back cover: Students at the CSU Summer Arts intenstive,
Monterey Bay, Calif., Summer 2014.
Become a F ri e n d of MI C H A
Managing Director: MICHA News Designer: -First right of attendance at workshops
Jessica Cerullo Peter Tedeschi -Discounts on all US workshops and performances
-Discounts on books and merchandise
Office Manager: -The opportunity to post on MICHA’s website under Links
MICHA News Editors:
Tamara MacGregor
Peter Tedeschi Mail this form with a check (in U.S. dollars) to:
Membership/Workshops Jessica Cerullo MICHA, P.O. Box 175, Quaker Hill, CT, 06375, USA
Production Manager: Or join online at michaelchekhov.org
Rebecca Joy Photographers: For an Individual…..………....$75.00
Scott Burrell For an Organization….........$125.00
News
A Publication of Peter Tedeschi Additional donation……..$________
The Michael Chekhov Assn. Total Enclosed……..$________
Copyright 2014