Shadia Almasri - An Honest Interview About the Meisner Summer Intensive - Call 917-789-1599
Channel: Maggieflaniganstudio
Date: 2017-05-09

The Meisner Summer Intensive training program at the Maggie Flanigan Studio introduces actors to Meisner Technique training. In this interview Shadia openly talks about her decision to stop working for the summer to take the Meisner Intensive.

Katie: Shadia what do you to think it meant to train as an actor before you started the six weeks summer intensive at Maggie Flanigan studio?

Shadia: Okay, well, I've moved to New York 10 years ago and I've been on stage singing, acting, what I thought was acting and surrounded by colleagues, some of which had trained, and some that maybe fell into this through another angle as I had. My idea, to be quite honest, about acting, was that it something that was just talent based. I came from within and you either had it or you didn't. Now, mind you, I had trained as a musician. I do have that background and idea of what it was to train as a singer and as a pianist. Waking up at 5 am to be at a conservatory at six and play four hours straight.

I do have that idea but I did not know that acting required so much depth and how much you have to dig inside of yourself, to be yourself on stage. It's mind-blowing really because we're all different and how do we bring that unique quality to an imaginary character. All this blew my mind during these past six weeks. I know I've only scratched the tip of the iceberg, it's only the surface, but the work that I did throughout these six weeks really, really demystified acting quite a bit for me. I know it's attainable through training. It's no longer he has it, she doesn't, he has it, she doesn't, whatever but it's something that you-- combination of talent but training, serious commitment, you can do so that's wonderful.

Katie: Well, what happened during these six weeks that change your perspective on acting, in training?

Shadia: What happened during these six weeks? I found myself living intensely and discovering and getting in touch with myself so much more than I hadn't done in a while if ever, to be honest. That desire to bring emotion and life into a character just drove me through the whole six weeks. I've always wanted to become someone else on stage really, I've always wanted to but I didn't know how. And, how? I don't know if I know it yet, but being in touch with myself, seeing what really stirs me within, what makes me laugh, what makes me cry, what makes me angry, is something that I had not really taken the time to think about. These six weeks have been really revealing in that way.

Katie: How do you describe Charlie as a teacher?

Shadia: Well, Charlie is someone-- he's very intense, he's very honest but he’s also very sweet and enduring. When I decided to take the step after years on stage in New York, after reaching that point where I feel that I had to break through, that I was too comfortable, I decided to take a summer off. [laughs] Crazy. Take a summer off, not work, and train. It's one of the bravest things I've done within my adult life, where everything has to be secure and safe and you have to know what's coming, what's the next thing. I decided that I was just going to play it a little bit unsafe for a while and see what's out there.

After looking at other schools. After doing the rounds and meeting other studios, when I met him, I felt that he was the one I needed to study with. He was honest. He understood what training is from an artist of another craft, which is music, to someone who is a performing actor. We understood each other that way.

But I also could tell that he was not going to let me slide by. I could tell that he was going to-- he expected each one of us to bring it, each class. Very high standards that he set for us. He made us set high standards for ourselves as well as artists. So that's something that I could tell when I met him for the first time and I confirmed throughout the six weeks. He made me work very hard. He made me cry. I felt ashamed about myself, about the work if I didn't do what I thought was [laughs] enough. It might never be enough because there's always somewhere else to go and he lets us know that. But he also tells us when we're doing work in the correct way.

To learn more about the Meisner Summer Intensive at the studio, call 917-789-1599 today to schedule your admission interview.

Maggie Flanigan Studio
153 W 27th St #803
New York, New York 10001
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http://www.maggieflaniganstudio.com/
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