Fifteen Press-ups

“Fifteen press-ups, you’re late…C’mon fifteen press-ups until he is here, he is fifteen seconds late!”
Beginning this acting class with push-ups? Who is this woman and why are we doing this for someone who is one fifteen seconds late? Because this was an acting class with Kathy Pogson. Staring at the ground as our sore arms from the movement class the day before attempted to press ourselves up, we realized this would be unlike any class we’ve had before.

“What is Acting?” she asked us. The ten of us sat in a circle and each giving our definition, as we know it. Some said acting was truth. Some used actor’s vocabulary, saying it was the pursuit of an objective. Still others said it was the creating of a character. All of these definitions, though sound, were wrong. Kathy examined each answer following it up with the question: how? How does one be truthful, pursue and objective, or create a character? We didn’t know. Stumped, she reveled after many guesses what her definition of acting was. Her answer was brilliant and simple. I am afraid I cannot share it now, hoping it will become a little secret to unlocking the craft along with my fellow students. After being enlightened to this new definition of acting, we all realized we didn’t actually know anything when it really came down to it.

With both apprehension and excitement we entered our second acting class.  All students were required to bring in either and object or photo of sentimental value and sit in front of the class to talk about it. Before we spoke, however, we were to connect to the object. In my own time I got up to talk. Sitting in front of the class, staring at a picture of my parents at my age, very much in love, I noticed something new. My mother was carrying a leather clutch and my father’s shoes were not brown desert boots as I had thought, but a different entirely unidentifiable type of shoe. I began to speak, not quite aware of what I was saying. I still cannot remember what I said in my explanation of the picture, but it didn’t matter. I had looked at this picture thousands of times, but this time I began to tear up looking at my parents loving embrace. I stopped my explanation, saying “ Wait, what?” trying to figure out why I suddenly got emotional in front of a group of basically strangers.

Walking home from class that day I realized, I miss my parents. The object had allowed me to access this feeling in the thinking of its meaning to me. This object work is a tool for acting, allowing one to access a feeling or emotional space they couldn’t otherwise truthfully create or understand.
I have only had two acting classes and they have already gifted me with unforgettable experiences and tools. Realizing I missed my parents, I am now going to Skype them. Its funny what acting teaches you about yourself. It has the ability to show you things you didn’t even know you felt. Needless to say, I think LDA will be an unforgettable experience and I cannot wait to keep having the time of my life here.

-Anna