Training With Stella
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Use this category to share your experiences of training with Stella.
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September 6th, 2006 at 10:46 am
She was a very expensive teacher but did a work study with me. Unfortunately, she, as we all know, passed before I was able to get into the training. Dammit, I swept that theater for months too.
December 7th, 2006 at 7:44 am
STELLA “Promoting” HER BOOK ON THE DICK CAVETT SHOW
“I have been working on my exercises for years, since I learned how to make them, and I have thousands, and only now have I realized what I’m doing. It was a shock.
Look, I teach acting and I write textbooks for years and I had a good many explanations why I was doing it and you can find them all in the exercises and the books I wrote before my grand revelation.
But the truth is simple and merciless. I began to teach because I lost faith in talent.
What System? What Method? Do you follow me? To say it can be learned like an accounting class is heresy.
And I’m not afraid to say it all! I myself studied and attempted to learn acting because I had no talent!
I didn’t need a method when I was young! I simply did it: theatre! Badly, perhaps, but now I, the loser, claim that anybody could learn the art MECHANICALLY! What is that? Madness? Arrogance? Forgive me….
But honestly, in America we have all lost faith in talent, blessing, and all that stuff.
“How to Make Any Woman Satisfied” is a book you can buy at any bookstore. And it is based on the US Constitution! If you can learn satisfaction, then, for sure, you can learn how to act!
In fact, the only obstacle to learning how to act is talent!
No, no talent, please, none for-so-ever! [sic] Nothing! That’s what you really need to learn theatre! If you do have any talent, or even believe that you might have a talent — do not read my books!
I know, it’s painful. I understand it. I suffer myself from the
realization that I am a pig.
More so, the reason why I understand more than you in Method or Biomechanics—is because I’m LESS talented than you! Understand?
The confession—do you think it’s pleasant? Oh, how nice it would be to have a talent or something like this! But I know so much about the craft of theatre that there’s no hope for me whatsoever!
It’s too late for me, but I warn you, young people—give it up while it’s not too late!
Think about it, because when you start learning the systems and techniques, there’s no way back—you will start acting and directing
better and better! You will live under an illusion that you have
talent! I beg you to remember my miserable life and avoid suffering the same old age!
I know that some of you will insist. Go ahead. Read the Intro, read the Preface, read and forget about the talent forever! I pray to God that you not understand a thing in this book!”