The conservatory method is the name most commonly given to the two year acting program in NYC. This approach is designed for students who constantly wish to improve in their craft. For centuries, aspiring fine art professionals have sought apprenticeships from trained masters. In NYC, student actors who are looking to improve themselves in their craft should certainly consider a two year program.
Actors who are true professionals know that the process of studying is never over. Years of training are the only way to become a “natural” actor. Great strength and dedication is required of actors who decide to focus years of their lives solely to improving in their art. In order for professional actors to separate themselves from the hobbyists, two year acting programs are a must.
Two year acting programs are a wonderful opportunity to learn the Meisner method. This method is a sequential one, meaning that the students first learn basics and then build their skill sets from there. Meisner training is very rigorous and can feel almost military in intensity. Students have to face the stripping and rebuilding of their identities and beliefs.
The goal of military training is to repurpose the soldier’s identity around the military. These programs draw actors out of themselves so that they are better able to analyze their thoughts and beliefs. This allows actors to become one with their characters instead of allowing their own emotions to hinder their performance.
There is no such thing as a person who is not at least partly controlled by compulsions, emotions, and desires. When it comes to theater, these qualities may not necessarily be an advantage. In order to allow the character to shine through, it is absolutely necessary for actors to be aware of and know how to control these traits.
Unfortunately, actors are prone to falling into poor habits. In short classes, actors might be able to partially address these habits. There is no question, however, that two year programs are far more effective at correcting these problems. This whole process is certainly not an easy one as students are required to strip away their exterior and reveal their more vulnerable sides. A two year acting program challenges students to bare their vulnerabilities and put themselves under the microscope all in an effort to make them more capable of creating lifelike characters for the audience. Two year programs allow students to correct bad habits and build more effective ones so that they can work well with fellow actors and create believable characters.
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