On 7 October 2024, the 7-day Shanghai Theatre Academy InternationalMasterclass on Actor Training Method Acting Method 2024:Masterclass of The Gister Method successfully concluded.
The Gister Method was founded by the prominent 20th-century American acting teacher Earl R. Gister. This method uses highly practical script analysis and a powerful set of character creation techniques to directly identify the core elements for actors to enter their roles.
This masterclass invited Earl R. Gister's direct disciple, international training expert of the Gister Method, Joe Alberti, to teach in person. Alberti has conducted in-depth research on the Gister Method and theory, and has authored numerous books and papers on Earl R. Gister, including the book "How Actors Enter Roles: The Gister Method," which has been published domestically.
During the training of this masterclass, Alberti guided the participants to deeply analyze texts, clarify the tasks of characters, and choose actions. He helped them use imagination to build the inner life of characters, always focusing on their partners, maintaining a sense of presence, and activating the actors' spiritual lives to establish a complete process of organic action. Under his guidance, the participants rehearsed scenes from works such as "The Seagull", "The Cherry Orchard", "Uncle Vanya", "Three Sisters" and "Ivanov," gaining a deeper understanding of the Gister Method through practice.
The participants of this masterclass came from all over the country, including teachers, undergraduates and graduate students from well-known art schools, practitioners active in the fields of theatre, film, television and dance, as well as enthusiasts from non-artistic fields with a strong interest in acting.
On the afternoon of 7 October, Professor He Yan of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, who is also the chief planner and teaching director of this project, held an "Academic Lecture on Actor Training Methods of International Theatre Masters". The lecture focused on the influential actor training methods of 20th and 21st-century theatre masters and introduced several actor training methods of international theatre masters that Professor He Yan has successfully introduced to China since 2010. These included the Suzuki Method of Japan's national treasure-level theatre master, Jerzy Grotowski Method, Eugenio Barba's performance studies, Michael Chekhov Method, Meisner <ethod, Linklater Voice Training Method, Fitzmaurice Voice Training Method, Feldenkrais Method, Six Viewpoints Method, and Uta Hagen Method. The introduction of these international masters' actor training methods has had a profound impact on the practice, theoretical research, and educational development of performing arts in our country.
At the closing ceremony of the masterclass, President Huang Changyong of the Shanghai Theatre Academy and Professor Sheng Simei of the Shanghai Theatre Academy delivered speeches one after another. In his speech, President Huang Changyong fully affirmed the significant impact that Professor He Yan's introduction of international theatre masters' actor training methods has had on the practice, theoretical research, and educational development of performing arts in our country over the years. He believed that in the future, Professor He Yan's continued introduction of more international theatre masters' actor training methods will have an even more profound impact on the development of the industry.
At the graduation ceremony, Professor He Yan presented souvenirs and badges to training expert Joe Alberti and assistant Genoa Davidson, and awarded completion certificates to the trainees. Trainee representatives, including Associate Professor Yang Jia of the Shanghai Theatre Academy, young teacher Li Shuxian of Anhui University of Arts, and performing arts enthusiast Zhou Xinkou, delivered speeches one after another. They all expressed that they had greatly benefited from this masterclass and looked forward to more masterclasses on international theatre masters' actor training methods in the future. The Gister Method allows actors to enter their roles with respect for the script while maximizing their creativity. This organic combination will have important guiding significance for the practice of performance in our country. In the future, Professor He Yan will further collaborate with Mr Joe Alberti to more effectively integrate the Gister Method into Chinese performing arts practice and acting teaching. At the same time, Professor He Yan will continue to introduce actor training methods of influential international theatre masters in the 20th and 21st centuries, making efforts for the development of theatre and film studies in our country. Finally, heartfelt thanks to the overseas advisors to the Shanghai Theatre Academy International Performing Arts Research Center, Professor Michael Earley of the University of Cambridge, and Chinese-American Mr Mei Jianhua, for their help and support on inviting international theatre masters!
