I Don't Need an Acting Class

Latest Episodes:

Pt. 2: Let the Play Tell You What to Work On Oct 24, 2022

Show notes

This episode features a work session with Kaleb on the character of Joe Pitt in Angels in America. It’s a rough one. But we’re not releasing this to abuse Kaleb any more than he already has been. We’re sharing this because so many of us make the mistake of inventing a backstory or past that has nothing to do with the facts of the play, don’t serve the play and therefore don’t help us ground ourselves in the reality of the circumstances as actors. When we invent an imagined past that is not connected to the facts of the play, it has to do with our own personal experience and preconceived notions. This is why using our own lives to create a character is such shaky territory. This session is also a reminder that even when we are building something factual, we have to be connected to them. As Stella Adler said: “the facts must be filtered through the imagination and become the experience of the facts.” Have an acting question for Milton? Email him at: questionsformilton@gmail.com

Pt. 1: Let the Play Tell You What to Work On Oct 17, 2022

Show notes

The reason we analyze text is so we can make discoveries that will bring us to life and bring depth to our work as actors. Gaining a deeper understanding of the play opens up a world of possibilities when it comes to our choices. However, we always want the play to dictate the choices we make. In this episode, Milton shares an example from Angels in America. Louis and Prior have been together for four years and have an incredible relationship. But no one where in the play is it mentioned how they met. This is a prime illustration of the play telling you what you might want to explore: an event where Louis and Prior met. But again, we don’t just make a random choice about how they met. We use what we know about the play and the characters to feed us. Have an acting question for Milton? Email him at: questionsformilton@gmail.com

What Do I Need For This Audition? Oct 10, 2022

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Most of the time, when we have a last minute audition, there’s no way we can accomplish everything. The best way to approach it is to pick a few things we want to work on. Sometimes it’s getting clear about the sequence of thoughts and making sure we have a specific relationship with everything we talk about. Sometimes we’ll choose to work on the character, or build the relationship with our scene partner. But choosing how we want to prepare isn’t arbitrary— the material will give us clues as to what we might want to work on. Have an acting question for Milton? Email him at: questionsformilton@gmail.com

Revelations on Acting Oct 03, 2022

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Welcome to Season 5 of I Don’t Need an Acting Class! Milton begins the season asking the class to reflect on their biggest takeaways and revelations. Among them: how easy it is to jump to a performance; how researching the time period and social circumstances helps our creativity come alive; how the more we know about the world we’re in, the more we're able to believe that world and understand our characters' behavior; the importance of making choices that we love and bringing ourselves up to the big ideas we’re working with. Have an acting question for Milton? Email him at: questionsformilton@gmail.com

A Small Favor Jul 23, 2022

Show notes

Hello friends, listeners, actors and artists. Today we're making a small request that you rate and review the podcast if it has helped you in any way. This simple gesture will help us return with a fifth season and continue the show indefinitely. Thank you in advance!

Thank You for a Great Season 4! Jun 28, 2022

Show notes

Dear listeners, We're gonna take a short break before we return with Season 5. In the meantime, please keep your acting questions coming. You can email Milton at: questionsformilton@gmail.com Thank you so much!

When Your Scene Partner Sucks May 31, 2022

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Whether you’re in an audition, in rehearsal or standing on stage during a performance, most of us know what it’s like to have a scene partner who gives you absolutely nothing. The unfortunate news is that we can’t blame our performance on our scene partners. The good news is: we can’t blame our performance on our scene partners. As actors, we have to take responsibility for everything we do, and that means using the power of our imaginations to make choices, not only for ourselves but for whomever we’re playing opposite. Also included in this episode: some tips on how to deal with actors who try to direct you or impose their process onto you. Have an acting question for Milton? Email him at questionsformilton@gmail.com

A Private Coaching May 24, 2022

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This week, we take a break from script analysis, and Milton shares a private coaching session with a new student. He covers some fundamentals such as talking out in order to grasp the sequence of thoughts, and take ownership of the text so that everything you talk about is filled and you’re not just spouting empty lines. Have an acting question for Milton? Email him at questionsformilton@gmail.com

An Introduction to Tennessee Williams, Pt. 2 May 17, 2022

Show notes

Tennessee Williams was keenly interested in outcasts, artists and wounded people like himself. He also wrote about the south and regardless of where his character’s find themselves, the mentality of the south looms large, whether they are holding onto their heritage or pushing it away. As Milton looks at his play The Glass Menagerie in this episodes, he allows himself to swim through it, giving us an example of how one might begin the process of working on it. “You have to allow yourself to wander,” he says. “This is my period of letting myself go where the hell I want.” Have an acting question for Milton? Email him at questionsformilton@gmail.com

An Introduction to Tennessee Williams, Pt. 1 May 10, 2022

Show notes

This episode begins with Milton giving general notes on plays, and then gets more specific to the work of Tennessee Williams. The world of Tennessee Williams is one of fantasy and escape because of the characters’ inability to face reality. The create and live in their own world because as Stella Adler said of Tennessee’s characters: “they are people at their end of their ability to cope.” Have an acting question for Milton? Email him at questionsformilton@gmail.com