MethodLab I: Group Explorations in Method Acting

The Insight Actors Group presents

• A series of 4 workshops to work on specific Method Acting exercises.
• Take one workshop or all four.
• Each one is $10 or take all four for $40.

Some of the actors we most admire are not wedded to any one approach to acting but borrow what works from various approaches.

In that Spirit, as a group we will explore some very solid Method Acting exercises that have the potential to greatly increase your power as an actor.

Each exercise builds on the last so it is highly recommended to take all four.

Registration Deadline: Friday, September 6, 2013. Please use the Registration Information section at the top of this page to register. Please register as soon as possible because it helps with planning.

Maximum participants for each of the 4 workshops: 12.

In MethodLab I (which will be one evening per week in September 2013), we will explore

• Sense Memory
• Telling a True Story
• Physicalization of Age and States of Being
• Solo Improvisation based on Observing Someone

I hope to follow MethodLab I with MethodLab II (possibly in the spring of 2014) in which as a group we will explore emotional memory and emotional availability exercises. MethodLab I or some kind of equivalent training will be a prerequisite for MethodLab II.

The main inspiration for this workshop series and the source for the exercises is The Art of Acting by Carlton Colyer (Colorado Springs, Colorado: Meriwether Publishing Ltd., 1989). I have included other concepts and adapted some of the exercises somewhat based on influences from other non-method approaches to acting. As indicated, the spirit of the workshop is to see the value in what Method Acting has to offer us and make discoveries about it together. I would not have been able to do this without Carlton Coyler's book as a guide.

About the Insight Actors Group

The Insight Actors Group was co-founded by Elaine Elrod and Timothy J. Anderson in the spring of 2010. Click the link to see our past events. Join the group on Facebook to be notified of future events. For the first two years, we held monthly meetings and did most of the promotions on Facebook through the Insight Actors Facebook Group page.

The Insight Actors Group is a participatory community of film and theatre actors in Edmonton, Alberta. We meet for workshops with guest directors and other artists, for readings, and for work on scenes and monologues. ($10 per workshop and $4 per group session with our acting coach Timothy J. Anderson) For more information, feel free to contact Elaine Elrod on Facebook or through email at elaine@actingandtheatre.com.

About the Facilitator

Elaine Elrod began exploring theatre at a very young age and has always approached her craft with dedication. She grew up in Washington, D.C. and studied history at the University of Chicago. Throughout her undergraduate years, she participated in theatre. In her fourth year, she was part of a performing improvisation troupe led by Steve Schroer and was also cast by Mark Hollmann as the Mother in a production of Marty.

She later moved to Canada with her husband and earned an M.A. in drama at the University of Alberta. She studied voice with opera singer Lary Benson at Alberta College and has performed solos, duets, and choral works in numerous student recitals.

In 2008, she sought out training in acting for film and television. From 2008 through 2013, she has appeared in four short independent films and additional theatre productions.

Elaine has taught at the University of Alberta and Continuing Education Services and has also facilitated drama workshops in the community.

www.elaine-elrod.com

FAQs

1. How do I register and pay for all 4 workshops ($40 for 4 workshops)?

1. If you want to come to all four of the workshops (recommended), at the top of this page, choose the second date listed in the drop-down menu (9 September 2013 through 30 September 2013).
2. To the right of the MethodLab I: All 4 Workshops option, select the number of people you are registering (in most cases, choose 1 to register for yourself)
3. Click the Mastercard, Visa, or Register button.

2. How do I register and pay for an individual workshop ($10 for 1 workshop)?

1. If you want to register for an individual workshop, at the top of this page, choose the appropriate date from the drop-down menu.
2. To the right of the corresponding MethodLab I workshop option, select the number of people you are registering (in most cases, choose 1 to register for yourself)
3. Click the Mastercard, Visa, or Register button.

3. How do I register and pay for 2 or 3 individual workshops? ($10 for each workshop)

1. If you want to register for 2 or 3 individual workshops, at the top of this page, choose the date of the earliest workshop you want to attend from the drop-down menu.
2. To the right of each of the MethodLab I workshop options you want to register for, select the number of people you are registering (in most cases, choose 1 to register for yourself)
3. Click the Mastercard, Visa, or Register button.

4. What is the fee used for?

The fee covers the cost of the venue and snacks, some of Elaine Elrod's time for organizing and facilitating the workshops, and the cost of using the Eventbrite tool for registration and promotion.

5. What is the Venue for MethodLab I?

As soon as we have received enough paid registrations to cover the cost of a hall, we will book a venue that is centrally located and announce it to all people who have registered. Because we do not have our venue booked yet, the dates may possibly change. (See the refund policy FAQ #12 below)

6. Is it possible that the dates for MethodLab I will Change?

Yes. Because we have not yet booked our venue, it is possible the dates may change if a venue is not available on the original date. (See the refund policy FAQ #12 below)

7. Are there any prerequisites for participating?

Everyone is welcome regardless of experience. Bring with you a spirit of openness, adventure, and respect for the craft of acting and the group process.

8. What should I wear?

Wear clothing that is loose and comfortable.

9. What are my transport/parking options getting to the event?

We will choose a venue that is centrally located, accessible by public transportation, and where a parking lot and/or street parking is available.

10. Where can I contact the organizer with any questions?

Elaine Elrod: elaine@actingandtheatre.com or 780-299-4278

11. Is my registration transferrable?

If you would like to transfer your registration, please contact Elaine Elrod at elaine@actingandtheatre.com or 780-299-4278 at least 24 hours prior to the event. Provide the name, email address, and phone number of the person who will be attending in your place. You cannot transfer your registration if I have not received a payment from you either through Eventbrite or a cheque.

12. What is the refund policy?

No refunds will be issued unless the event is cancelled or unless the date for the event changes after you register (due to the venue not being available on the original date) and you cannot attend on the new date. All other sales are final and cannot be refunded. The reason for this is that we are dependent on paid registrations for booking and paying for the venue and other costs associated with the workshop.

If the date of an event does change after you register (due to the venue not being available on the original date), I will issue the refund either through the Eventbrite web site (could take up to 5 to 7 business days after I issue the refund) or by cheque. If I need to send you a refund by cheque, it is your responsibility to contact me with your mailing address so I can mail the cheque to you.

13. The name on the registration/ticket doesn't match the attendee. Is that okay?

See FAQ #11 for "Is my registration transferrable?"