I Don't Need an Acting Class

Latest Episodes:

Exploring the Inner Conflict Mar 13, 2023

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Even if we’re not working on a Strindberg play, we can learn so much from the playwright about how to bring depth to a character. One distinction about Strindberg is that he showed us real people, not only in external conflict in their relationships with one another, but internal conflict, in relationship to themselves. All human beings are paradoxes. As an example: a character may be confident, but finding where they have self-doubt could be a revelation. It’s these internal conflicts that are the character’s central problem. They are tortured not by the society in which they live, but their own psyche. Have an acting question for Milton? Email us at: questionsformilton@gmail.com

Am I Doing This Right? Mar 06, 2023

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So many of us know what it feels like to doubt ourselves, to ask ourselves: am I doing this right? This week, Milton talks about what it takes to own a play or piece of text with confidence when striving for greatness. The time, the work, the patience is endless, as is the fortitude required to remain steadfast throughout a career. In this rare and inspiring episode, Milton shares several personal stories of how he managed to get back up and move forward after getting knocked down. “This is not a profession for the faint of heart,” he says. “The field is littered with the bodies of people who gave up acting. And nobody cares.” Have an acting question for Milton? Email us at: questionsformilton@gmail.com

Suddenly Strindberg! Feb 27, 2023

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This week, Milton introduces us to the playwright August Strindberg, and how Stella Adler’s teaching contributed to the way actors approach his writing. While Chekov and Ibsen signified the beginning of realism, Strindberg marked the beginning of what we think of as the modern theater, deeply exploring the human being’s complexity and inner conflict. In this episode, as Milton introduces the Strindberg one-act Playing with Fire, he talks about two defining characteristics of the playwright: class, and the struggle between the sexes. Have an acting question for Milton or want to register for his upcoming workshop in March 2023? Email us at: questionsformilton@gmail.com

The "Why" That Turns The Dial Feb 20, 2023

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In this episode, Milton recalls one of Stella’s exercises which he teaches to this day. The purpose of the exercise is to invest ourselves fully in an action. One way we can do this is by understanding the “why” behind the action. We can play the action “to teach,” but understanding the “why”— (that unless you teach the extras how to ride a chariot properly, they could die)— turns the dial on the action, giving it weight and making it more active. Have an acting question for Milton or want to register for his upcoming workshop in March 2023? Email us at: questionsformilton@gmail.com

What We Need to Get Where We’re Going Feb 13, 2023

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This episode starts out with a simple “action” exercise but becomes about something much larger: how we go about creating (or talking out) the circumstances so that by the time we get to the words, they are filled with life and believable. As Milton has repeated time and again: “Just because you say it, doesn’t make it true.” We have to earn the lines. This episode is about figuring out what each of us needs in order to do that. Have an acting question for Milton or want to register for his upcoming workshop in March 2023? Email us at: questionsformilton@gmail.com

Experiencing the Research Feb 06, 2023

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As actors, Doing research is important, but it’s only useful if we’re able to turn it into something actable. There is nothing useful about the knowledge that comes from research if all we do is know it. This is where the imagination comes in. We have to take the time to let the new information gestate, to turn it around, dig deeper, ask ourselves what it means, all the while letting it affect us, filtering it into the emotional part of our instrument. Have an acting question for Milton or want to register for his upcoming workshop in March 2023? Email us at: questionsformilton@gmail.com

The More You Know Jan 30, 2023

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As we approach our new Script Analysis Class beginning March 8th, (if you’re interested in taking it, email us at: questionsformilton@gmail.com), this episode begins with a quote about “the more you know.” Not only does loving your choices free you, but so does knowing the circumstances, the people, the period, the world of the play— experientially. As the episode progresses, Milton and the class analyze the character of Paul in the play Loose Ends, and discover how what he does tells you about who he is. Have an acting question for Milton or want to register for his upcoming workshop? Email us at: questionsformilton@gmail.com

Choices That Free You Jan 23, 2023

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This week, Milton talks about how essential it is to be in love with our choices. If we, as actors, don’t LOVE the choices we make, we won’t commit to them 1000%. We will end up pushing a performance and feeling stuck. But if we are relentless about finding choices that personally excite us, then we won’t have to work so hard once we get up on our feet. Choices that thrill us, free us. Have an acting question for Milton? Email him at: questionsformilton@gmail.com

Margo Martindale: "Make a Stab at It" Jan 16, 2023

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This episode features Milton's conversation with his longtime friend, character actress Margo Martindale. Mostly recently, you might know her from The Watcher on Netflix, Bojack Horseman, Sneaky Pete and for her portrayal of Bella Abzug on the limited FX series Mrs. America. Margo won a Primetime Emmy and Critics Choice Award for her role as Mags Bennett on Justified; she then won two Emmys for playing a Russian spy on The Americans. Her movie credits include Dead Man Walking, Secretariat, Million Dollar Baby and August Osage County. In this conversation Margo shares how she works on material that lacks information about character and/or backstory, and talks about the importance of making a choice and committing to it. Have an acting question for Milton? Email him at: questionsformilton@gmail.com

Character Colors Prevent Cliché Jan 09, 2023

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This episode continues the discussion of how to build character. Specifically— how to avoid cliches by remembering that no person is just one thing. Using the tenants of script analysis, finding clues (or facts) in the text about your character is the first step. As you allow these facts to seep into your imagination and you begin analyzing and exploring the complexity of the character, it will eventually help you step into the shoes of this person. You’ll hear an example of this process towards the end of the episode when Milton asks the class to give their first impressions about the character trait “indifferent.” Have an acting question for Milton? Email him at: questionsformilton@gmail.com