Inside an Acting Master Class

By Amelia Raring

Every month Mill Mountain Theatre (MMT), Roanoke’s regional professional theatre and conservatory, hosts a master class free to the public; the course can run an hour or two, depending on the subject. Recently, MMT hosted a joint course with Virginia Tech with Bert, Nasi, and Jess (artists Bertrand Lesca, Nasi Voutsas, and Jessica Barber), members of a traveling theatre group who held performances of the work L’Addition over a weekend at the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech.

Several master classes I previously attended included topics ranging from voiceovers, auditions, and marketing, to commercials, but this one was different. Most master classes I’ve experienced are either a long lecture about the topic or a hands-on project where all of the students take turns with the activity. What happened here was a beautiful blend of both.

Entering the room were our instructors: Bert, Nasi, and Jess. They instructed us to grab a chair and sit around the room: we were going to play a game. Before I continue, please note that in my past experiences, when we play a game in theatre class, we don’t often get an in-depth explanation on what the activity helps us with or teaches us. However, when we finished our first game, the trio explained the purpose of the game in depth, making sure we understood why we did what we did before continuing on. This honestly came as a surprise, as I have stated before, we either receive a lecture or a series of fun tasks without obvious purpose. It created a new dimension to what we were learning, which is a scenario in which I thrive.

In another game, a pair went onto the stage and performed a simple and repetitive scene: one person wants the chair on one side of the stage, the other wants it on the opposite side, no talking was allowed. Now, one may think that this would get very boring very fast, but when I was up there you would find so many different ways to do the same action, allowing many more options for acting choices. Bert, Nasi, and Jess continually coached us with tips and pointers on how to make new acting decisions growing on what we already created.

In a similar game, everyone paired up, one person stood on a chair and the only line they could say was “No.” Their partner stood on the floor, their only line being “Can you come down?” The acting choices had to create the story. This was really fun because, as the one on the chair you could have so many reasons to say no. Maybe you did not want to come down, maybe you wanted to go higher (like you were in a tree), or, my favorite, you actually couldn’t come down. Same thing to the person on the ground: you could be upset, scared, or even peeved at the person on the chair as you ask your question. The next step to this game was that the person on the chair couldn’t say their line, they had to say it with their eyes. Nasi explained it as, “you are trying to say it to your partner's head, make them understand what you are saying without really saying it. Like using telepathy.” I thought this was very useful, because, as an actor, you typically know what your scene partner is going to respond with because it is scripted. Yet, with this game we practiced really meaning what we are saying, not just saying the line.

The final game was mentally challenging and chaotic, and all about patterns. In the game all players would stand in a circle. One person would start off by saying a person’s name in the room. The person whose name was called would then say another person’s name. This would continue until all players' names were called. Then you would do the same thing, but with walking patterns. Then we added colors, then eye contact, and finally you would do all the cycles at the same time. Chaos. But then the patterns started working. Once we had gone through the patterns numerous times, they explained the purpose of the game: multitasking. When acting in a play or musical, you don’t only have to worry about your lines, you also have to know the line before yours, know your blocking, and know what to do with your props all at the same time. As actors, you have many balls in the air, thinking about many things at the same time, while performing and entertaining your audience.

Overall, this master class was incredibly helpful in so many ways. I had an amazing time and learned a lot, and I truly think that this was my favorite master class I have ever attended. Bert, Nasi, and Jess helped me in so many ways and pointed out aspects that I had never considered, all the while having fun. I loved how they not only introduced new games, but they explained the meaning behind them and gave tips and pointers on how to get better. They have opened my eyes to new ways to act, and I am so grateful for that. Thank you to Virginia Tech and Mill Mountain Theatre for the opportunity for my growth as a student of the arts.

Amelia Raring is a freshman at Hidden Valley High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and a Mill Mountain Theatre Conservatory student. She is currently in the Burton Center for Performing Arts production of Hadestown: Teen Edition as a Fate and her school’s production of Cinderella. Raring has been performing theatre for the past five years and hopes to continue on into adulthood. Her favorite roles played are in Mill Mountain Theatre’s productions of Matilda as Matilda and Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird.

Top image from L’Addition by Tim Etchells with Bert and Nasi. Photo by Christophe Raynaud-Delage.