Exterior of Hutchinson Hall at University of Washington

DRAMA 354 A: Psychophysical Foundations of Acting

Winter 2022
Meeting:
TTh 11:30am - 1:20pm / HUT 202
SLN:
13580
Section Type:
Studio
Instructor:
Syllabus Description (from Canvas):

Psycholophysical Foundations of Acting BA Winter 2022.docx

 

Psychophysical foundations of acting explores various psychophysical exercises that awaken and synthesize the breath, voice,  body, intellect, emotion and imagination for character transformation.  Michael Chekhov's technique of acting will be a substantial focus of the course. He was the nephew of the playwright Anton Chekhov, and a student of Konstantin Stanislavski.

We will explore the foundational principles of Stanislavski's 7 questions for the character and play ( Who am I, Where am I, What time is it, What do I want, Why do I want it, How do I get what I want, What is in my way of getting what I want) from a psycho-physical perspective. Michael Chekhov said" every move I make is a little work of art". The answer then to these questions is in the doing.

This work has the possibility of increasing awareness and sensitivity as an actor, expand the imagination, find new discoveries within the text, turn the words on the page into a living breath experience, develop a way of working and how to approach the part, and, as Michael Chekhov tells us, "open the doors and go fearlessly into the treasure house and search".

We will apply the work to monologues and scenes.

I look forward to seeing you this Winter quarter!

Catalog Description:
Explores various psychophysical exercises and techniques that awaken and synthesize the breath, body, voice, intellect, emotion and imagination in character transformation for the actor. Substantial focus on the foundational work of Michael Chekhov. Prerequisite: either DRAMA 351, DRAMA 352, or DRAMA 353.
GE Requirements Met:
Arts and Humanities (A&H)
Credits:
4.0
Status:
Active
Last updated:
October 10, 2025 - 5:19 pm