Self Reliant Actor Master Class

John Woehrle is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and completed his MFA training @ the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. He is a member of the Pacific Resident Theater in Los Angeles and a finalist in the McKnight Fellowship for Screenwriters with his first screenplay, WEST METRO. John has appeared on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, various soap operas and in film, but his most memorable role is "Lenny" in OF MICE AND MEN. His director credits include a short independent film project, GAME DAY, theater and the award winning documentary film, PRIDE OF LIONS. Most recentlyJohn produced, wrote and acted in the critically acclaimed original play TRUST - developed in his Self Reliant Actor Workshop. Six of the nine cast members were SRP members. John taught at the prestigious, David Kagan’s School of Film Acting in Los Angeles before founding the Black Box Experiment, an ambitious student studio project that included film script development and theater showcases for public view.

In class we will hone TWO contrasting monologues to be industry ready for auditions. Start class with at least 1 monologues memorized preferably 2. I work very specifically from beat to beat for full understanding of the text to insure authenticity, depth and range to your performance. I will provide scenes for exercises used to help stretch our emotional expressiveness. IN MY OWN WORDS: In acting we get our impulses from the other actors not from the script. This involves listening, and allowing our own impulses to respond authentically. In class we explore these impulses using cold reading exercises that build the foundation of our work. Through this process your confidence will increase until you rely completely on your own instincts where ultimately your emotions, creativety, expressiveness, personality and inteligence will intersect all at the same time.You will work a minimum of 30 minutes every class! In class you always act from film, TV and play scripts. Teaching influences include the principles from Sandford Meisner's book ON ACTING while drawing on Stanislavky, Uta Hagen and Lee Strasberg and every teacher I've ever had including my mother. Cold reading and improvisation exercises are designed to overcome barriers of expression specific to each student. Great acting results from taking the risk to follow your instincts and expand your emotional range. You will learn how to respond emotionally to everything that's going in the scene. We learn through doing, not thinking. Our defense mechanisms can be deeply engrained making it a difficult challenge to let go. But it's an exciting challenge! Expect to be out of your comfort zone. Expect to grow as an actor. Authenticity, instinct, vulnerability, honesty, specificity and spontaneity are words you will hear repeatedly during your time in class. Actors (18 and older), who desire broadening and developing their art, are welcome. One on one coaching for actors and public speaking are available by appointment.