When Carl Jung was asked for a word that was synonymous with insanity, he said control. 

How often as actors do we try to control- control the lines, control our “performance”, control the other actor, control the outcome? We cling to control because we fear that without it things will fall apart. We will fall apart. But our desperate clinging binds us, and our work suffers. 

Control doesn’t work. When let go of, creative magic rises.

In this 4 day intensive we will lean into our subconscious and learn to trust the unknown. As a result our work will come to life.

We will be working with the classic Tennessee Williams play “A Streetcar Named Desire” (download here), while focusing  on dreamwork and painting as tools. Imagine possible gender switches on both Stanley and Blanche…and “Yes!!!”…we will get messy and paint.

Dreams may seem complicated and inaccessible, when in fact they offer simple and direct messages guiding us to immensely creative, intuitive, and connected work.

Painting can also be a direct channel to the subconscious. A few years ago I found myself reaching for the brush once again while my Mother was passing. I rediscovered a safety, sanctuary, and freedom that elevated my work as an artist. I found that the physical act of painting freed my voice and allowed me to breath into my emotions and not be ruled by them.

We will explore how our subconscious is realized and brought to life through painting, releasing sound and simply stating the truth. In short…acting.

In my many years of doing this work I’ve noticed that the language actors work in can change their persona. You may work in English if you like, but if you speak a different mother tongue I invite you to do some work with your primary language. A deeper physical and emotional reservoir may be realized. If you speak multiple languages I encourage you to explore the possibility of using each one.

Trust me when I say I don’t have to understand what you are saying to get your intention.

To complement and support this intensive we will be visiting the Museum Brandhorst on Sunday July 21st as a group where you will be encouraged to find a piece of work (possibly by Cy Twombly…look him up) you feel compelled to pull into your work.