Introduction to Physical Theater

In this course we’ll start from the assumption that the basic unit of theater is not the text of the playwright but the body of the actor. We’ll investigate movement and explore our bodily intuition, learning to use our bodies as expressive instruments as we move in space and communicate physically—on stage as well as in everyday life. We’ll also work on developing openness, playfulness, and sensitivity to one another and to the fun and vitality of performance. Inevitably, this will mean loosening our mental faculties, learning to trust ourselves, and plunging into the unknown—all of which can be particularly difficult, and therefore particularly rewarding, for those of us with big overeducated brains prone to anxious overthinking! Finally, we’ll dip our toes into collaborative theater-making, looking at techniques for creating original work as an ensemble.

Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and light athletic shoes.