THTR 300

Introduction to
Michael Chekhov Technique
Summer 2022

Tues & Thursday

1.00pm-2.40pm
University of Idaho
Theatre Dept.

Instructor of Record:
Robert J Milz, MFA Candidate
Chekhov Training: NMCA, Lisa Dalton
Marjo-Rikka Makela, Master Teacher
[email protected]
[email protected]
760-547-3182
"The imagination of an actor is not that of an ordinary person. I want to
know how to do things which I am not able to do. The moment I begin to
concentrate on an object I begin to use my imagination, and it becomes
something else." - Michael Chekhov

Aim
The aim of this course is to introduce you to a practical training methodology developed by the great
actor and teacher of acting, Michael Chekhov. A graduate of the Moscow Art Studio during the early
20th century, he was considered one of Stanislavski’s best students, and performed in many lead roles
throughout his stage career. He eventually moved to the United States, training stars such as James
Dean, Gregory Peck, Marilyn Monroe, Anthony Quinn, and Clint Eastwood. Through the study and
practice of actor preparation, various acting tools & strategies, and scene study; the course will offer a
basic primer on the acting techniques articulated by Mr. Chekhov.

Learning Goals
The goals of this course are:

1) To develop awareness of your own creative, acting ‘instrument’, as well as those of others, and
preparing to cross the threshold into the creative space.

2) To learn to trust yourself as well as others in a collaborative, ensemble process through the
development of a feeling of ease and concentration.

3) To foster the use of imagination, central to the work of Michael Chekhov.

4) To view acting, and theatre, as a craft able to pull from other disciplines, from art to science,
sports and the natural world, learning to appreciate beauty.

5) To acquire a basic knowledge of Chekhov’s chart for Inspired Acting.

6) To gain an understanding of how to prepare a character, via a psycho-physical approach to acting,

from body centers to psychological gesture.

7) To demonstrate an ability to implement various tools in ensemble; from staccato/legato

movement to tempo and rhythm.

8) To develop your written ability to reflect upon & articulate your experiences & processes, as well
as those of others.
Course Progression:
The 16-week course is divided into the following progression of learning development partially
mirroring Chekhov’s text On the Technique of Acting:

Weeks: 1-2: Preparing the Moving Self - How we move

Interrelated Components:
Chekhov’s invitation that actors cross into the creative space/”threshold”
Awareness of your Higher Ego
Expansion and Contraction
The Importance of Play and Improvisation
Concentration within heightened moments of Play, Points of Focus
Radiating and receiving energetically
Qualities of Movement: molding, flowing, flying and radiating

Week 3: Student Monologues (First Performance as a Baseline)

Weeks: 4-5: Exploring the Psychology of Movement – Why we move

Interrelated Components:
Archetypal gestures
BBEEP: Body – Full use, Breath, Extreme Polarity, Effort, PASS (Prepare, Action, Sustain, Stop)
(Beginning, Middle, and Sustained Ending to movement)

Weeks: 6
Student Monologues (Second Performance)

Weeks: 7-8: Developing the Psycho-Physical Actor

Sensations and Qualities, substitute for affective memory (building technique that is less transient or
reliant on method)
Overall or General Atmospheres, and Personal Atmospheres (sensory memory)

Weeks: 9 Student Monologues (Third Performance)

Weeks: 10 - Creating Fully Embodied Characters

The Three Sister Sensations of Equilibrium - balancing, falling, and floating weightlessly (gravity)
“Trinity of the Psychology” thinking, feeling, and willing
Incorporating Images and the Imaginary Body
Psychological Gesture, Chekhov’s most famous technique (veiled, unveiled, depending on size film vs
theatre).
Four Brothers of Art: Ease, Form, Beauty, Entirety

Weeks: 11: Working in an Ensemble Production:

Style, Ensemble Feeling, Preparing and Sustaining, Composition

Weeks: 12
Student Scenes (First Performance)
Weeks: 13: Working in an Ensemble Production:
Polarity, Climaxes accents, Rhythmical waves & repetition, pause, crescendo, diminuendo, tempo,
rhythm

Weeks: 14
Student Scenes (Second Performance)

Weeks: 15-16
Analysis & Reflection

Some of the work will involve rehearsing outside of class by yourself, and collaborating with partners.
You should anticipate dedicating a few hours for your solo midterm performance and a few hours (6-10)
for your final performance, in addition to your individual class preparation time. As well a series of
written components, involving both self-critiquing and assessing others’ performances, a certain amount
of analysis and embodiment/memorization of text will be required. You are asked to discuss any physical
or other considerations that may limit the extent of your full participation with the instructor at your
earliest convenience.

Required Reading:
Chekhov, Michael On the Technique of Acting

Dress:
Physical, vocal and imaginative warm-ups form a regular part of the curriculum; therefore, please wear
loose-fitting clothing that allows for freedom of movement and easy breathing. Footwear should be soft-
soled, indoor-only shoes, or socked or bare feet in the classroom. Other appropriate clothing and footwear
may be worn when working on specific characterizations. Minimal or no jewelry.

Course Requirements and Grading

Participation 30%
Monologue (3 Performances) 15%
Scene (2 Performances) 20%
Journals Entries (3) 15%
Production Review 10%
Self-Analysis Paper 10%

Overview of Submission/Assessment Dates

1) Monologue Performances 1, 2, 3 – to be submitted in Weeks 3, 6, 9
2) Journal Entries 1-3 – to be submitted in Weeks 4, 7, 10
3) Production Review – to submitted in Week 11
4) Scene Performances – to be presented in Weeks 12 and 14
5) Self-Analysis Paper – to be submitted in Week 15
PARTICIPATION (30%)
The course is largely participatory, experiential and incremental. It is therefore extremely problematic to
make up missed class work. You cannot act without being actively present: it’s as simple as that. Since this
is a hands-on practical class, it is extremely problematic to make up missed classwork. The expectation is
for you to arrive on time and stay for the complete class: excellent participation is necessary, as much of the
work is group-orientated. Your absence not only jeopardizes your own development, but that of your peer
group.

In the event that you should find yourself forced to be absent from class for an explained reason (e.g. illness,
family emergency or University sports commitment), please contact your professor to evaluate your progress
in the course and to discuss strategies for handling the situation.

MONOLOGUE: (15%)
The first performance assignment involves selecting, editing, and performing a monologue. This
assignment is scheduled for three performances, each providing the opportunity to work on additional
Chekhov technique each time you present for the class.

You will be assessed according to the following criteria:

1. Given Circumstances (quality & nature of given circumstances in which you have set the
monologue)
2. Objectives (you have chosen a clear objective & a goal is clearly being striven for; in other
words, you have a clear sense of dynamic energy driving the language)
3. Actions (there is purpose & energy behind the scene, indicating that you are playing precise
actions)
4. Knowledge of text (you have committed the lines of the scene to memory & your whole body
is actively engaged with those lines, i.e. it’s not just rote learning)
5. Voice & text (you can be heard both through volume & your articulation of text)
6. Spatial awareness & stage pictures (you’re not solely reliant on 2-dimensional staging).
7. The Chekhov Technique Each performance displays a clear attempt at incorporating Chekhov
technique, as we move through the material, from expansion and contraction, qualities of
movement, personal atmospheres and the moment before, three sisters, trinity of psychology
(thinking, feeling, and willing), and psychological gesture.

SCENE PERFORMANCES (20%)

The purpose of the scene assignment is to use the material you’ve learned throughout the course and to
apply your basic acting techniques, with special focus on Chekhov’s inspired acting, towards a
performance of a 10 min scene from a play. You and your partner will be asked to develop a scene
exploring either dramatic/tragic given circumstances, objectives, actions, tempo-rhythm, etc., or
humorous/comic given circumstances, objectives, actions, tempo-rhythm, etc.

You will be assessed according to the following criteria:

1. Knowledge of text (you have an understanding of motivation behind the words & thought
processes as well as accuracy of line delivery, etc)
2. Basic stage craft (you’re not constantly turning your back to audience, or solely playing on 2-
dimensional staging, you have an increased understanding of the importance of spatial
dynamics, etc)
 3. Basic acting skills (you are audible, relaxed, your performance involves a quality of dynamic
listening, being present ‘in the moment’, a sense of honesty i.e. not faking emotions, etc.
4. Interpretation skills (you show evidence of originality, active imagination, a clear attempt to
create a character through your body, voice, relationship with your onstage partner, you’re
playing clear actions &clear objectives, and you have a concrete sense of the given
circumstances and how they affect human behavior etc.)
5. Ensemble interaction (you’re working with your partner playfully and with a sense of real
connection, a dynamic sense of listening rather than having the lines learned by rote)
6. Risk taking (you show a willingness to try something brave, unexpected, honest)
7. The Chekhov Technique Each performance displays a clear attempt at incorporating Chekhov
technique, from expansion and contraction, qualities of movement (molding, flowing, flying
and radiating), personal atmospheres and the moment before, three sisters, trinity of psychology
(thinking, feeling, and willing), and psychological gesture, ensemble tempo and rhythm,
sustaining, moving in staccato or legato, awareness of style and composition.

JOURNALS ENTRIES (15%)

There are 3 journals. The first journal reflects upon your understanding of the technique thus far, as
applied to your experience in class exercises and the solo monologue. This same focus applies to journals
2 and 3, as you learn more about Chekhov’s inspired acting methodology. They are typically 300 words.
They should be double-spaced, in 12 point font, or handwritten neatly. It is your opportunity to develop
your ability to self-reflect, analyze and practice your writing skills. Journals should be submitted as hard
copies or email attachments. Please note: an informal email text is not sufficient.

Journal Prompts:
Prompts are meant to help you articulate and structure your responses, self-reflection and connect the
dots between class material, reading and your experiences. Discuss prompts that you find valuable and
meaningful to your learning and growth as a student. While each journal should address a number of
these prompts in depth, do not provide a laundry list of definitions – choose a few topics that really
engage your critical thinking and talk about what interests you!

JOURNAL 1: PREPARING THE MOVING SELF

A 300-word overview on what you have discovered about yourself, and the way you can move
your body, from the Chekhov training exercises during class studio time.

• How playful do you find you can allow yourself to be in a group? How has your participation
and playfulness in this class changed through the course of the first few weeks?
• What do you understand by “a feeling of ease” within improvisation and exercises?
• How would you define Chekhov’s “crossing into the creative threshold or space?”
• What does it mean when a performer, or character is in a state of expansion? Of Contraction?
• What did you discover about your monologue when exploring the Qualities of Movement:
molding, flowing, flying and radiating?
• How can you radiate and receive from the audience during and monologue performance?
JOURNAL 2: THE PSYCHOLOGY MOVEMENT
A 300-word overview on what you have discovered about yourself, habitual movement, emotional
basis for your own movement, for the character from your monologue; from the Chekhov
training exercises during class studio time.

• How has your performance and understanding of the character grown since the first
presentation? Which of Chekhov’s techniques for inspired acting have you connected with the
most?
• Did you find some Archetypal gestures that correspond with your character? If so, which ones
and why? How did these work to help you understand the psychology of your character and
what adjustments do you need to make from your own archetypal gestures?
• What is BBEEP: Body – Full use, Breath, Extreme Polarity, Effort, PASS (Prepare, Action,
Sustain, Stop) (Beginning, Middle, and Sustained Ending to movement)? How were you able to
use BBEEP during your monologue rehearsal and performance?
• What would you like to improve in your performance work, which Chekhov techniques covered
thus far do you still want to explore?

JOURNAL 3: DEVELOPING THE PSYCHO-PHYSICAL ACTOR

A 300-word overview on what you have discovered about yourself, how understanding and
expressing the character’s inner life via movement and how movement can influence emotions;
from the Chekhov training exercises during class studio time.

• How has your performance and understanding of the character grown since the first and second
presentations? Which of Chekhov’s techniques for inspired acting have you connected with the
most?
• How did you use Sensations and Qualities, as substitute for affective memory (building
technique that is less transient or reliant on method)
• How did your exploration of Overall or General Atmospheres, and Personal Atmospheres
(sensory memory) influence your performance?
• What would you like to improve in your performance work, which Chekhov techniques covered
thus far do you still want to explore?

PERFORMANCE CRITIQUE PAPER (10%) This paper is based upon your attendance of a
University of Idaho Theatre Department production. The paper should reflect your ability to respond with
critical awareness to the performance, to articulate a critique of the acting choices and to recognize the
actor’s work in production. These papers should be typewritten, double-spaced, in 12 point font, and at
least 500 words (800 max) in length. The style should be more formal than may be permissible with the
reflective journals.

PROMPTS FOR PERFORMANCE CRITIQUE PAPER

Name of Play/Production:
Author:
Production Company:
Venue:
Date of attendance:
Names of one Principal Actor and Character(s) Played:
ACTOR CHARACTER(S):
Names of one Supporting Actor and Character(s) Played:
ACTOR CHARACTER(S):
Because there may be many actors in a production, you cannot do a critique for each principal and
supporting actor. Use these guidelines to assess the work of the most noteworthy actors – i.e. the most
compelling & the least convincing – using the following criteria where appropriate:

Criterion 1: Stage Craft and Technical Skills:

1) How effective is the actor’s technical use of voice (projection/audibility/tone, etc.)?
2) How versatile is the actor’s physical apparatus?
3) Does the actor make effective use of stage space? Set? Costume? Props?
4) How confidently does the actor seem to respond to the challenges of live performance
(accommodating the audience where appropriate e.g. if there are asides or direct address to the
audience / control of nerves, etc.)?
5) What was the quality of ‘dynamic listening’ & being present ‘in the moment’?

Criterion (2): Interpretative Skills (a): Character

1) Was there an appropriate sense of motivation for the actor’s physical actions? (i.e.
what the character does)
2) Was there an appropriate sense of motivation for the actor’s verbal actions?
(i.e. what the character says)
3) Was there an appropriate sense of motivation for the actor’s inner actions?
(i.e. the intentions behind what the character says & does)
4) Does the actor appear confident and secure with the physical demands of piece (age, status,
cross-gender casting where appropriate, etc.)?

Criterion (3): Interpretative Skills (b): Piece

1) Does the actor demonstrate a clear understanding of the structure and action of the
material?
2) Does the actor demonstrate a clear understanding of the technical and stylistic
challenges of the material?
3) Where appropriate, how successfully does the actor balance stylistic demands with a
sense of ‘truthfulness’ in performance?
4) Where appropriate, how successfully does the actor use non-naturalistic story-telling
devices (e.g. asides, direct address to the audience etc.)?
5) Is the chosen style of acting clearly, consistently and imaginatively used?

Criterion (4): Ensemble Interaction

1) How attentive is the actor to what’s happening on the stage around him/her?
2) How well does the actor interact with others on stage as part of a collaborative ensemble?
3) How sensitive is the actor to their contribution to the story-telling as a whole?

Criterion (5): Chekhov Technique

As you answer these prompts (you don’t need to answer every prompt, so long you do address each
section) please incorporate what you have learned about Chekhov technique throughout the response.
Note how the actors' displayed moments of inspired acting, and when they could have benefited from
utilizing the technique.

Which performance was – for you – the most compelling? Why?

Which performance was – for you – the least convincing? Why?
Describe the most memorable moment of acting in the production, giving reasons for its impact on
you.

SELF ANALYSIS: CREATING FULLY EMBODIED CHARACTERS (10%)

A 800-word reflection on the tools you used to create character and how your use of these tools
changed with the changing given circumstances & scenic situations, on your process and those of
your peers in working towards performance, and more specifically how Chekhov’s chart for
inspired acting informed your rehearsal and performance.

• How did Chekhov’s approach allow you to create more consistent performances? Did it? If so,
how can this approach have benefits over, or work together with other actor training you have
experienced (Strassberg’s Method, Stanislavski, Meisner, Lecoq).
• How does your character’s body differ from your own? What’s their rhythm? Where do they
hold physical tension? What are the major physical differences between you and your
character?
• How did you investigate the play’s subtext? What resonances did you find between the text and
the subtext? i.e. what were the characters hiding? Was there a big difference between what they
said and what they meant? How was that difference conveyed to the audience? What visual
signals and/or body language communicated the information?
• What insights did you gain into the character from the rehearsal, & performing your scene to
your peer group?
• How did you make use of The Three Sister Sensations of Equilibrium - balancing, falling, and
floating weightlessly (gravity) to find your character’s state of being.
• Did you discover your character’s “Trinity of Psychology” thinking, feeling, and willing and of
so were you able to express these physically?
• In respect to the Four Brothers of Art: Ease, Form, Beauty, Entirety – how did these inform and
improve your work? How is a feeling ease different from simple relaxation?
• Explain your process for finding the character’s primary psychological gesture? When did you
use it veiled vs unveiled?
• What have you learned about yourself through this course?