Tuition on Acting and Directing

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

David Amitin has run courses on Acting and Directing since 1973.

In England he has taught in London at the Drama Centre, the Mountview Theatre School, the Drama Studio and the Oval House. He presented successively, with advanced students of these academies, “Yerma” by García Lorca, “Zoo Story” by Edward Albee and “Three Sisters” by Anton Chejov.

In Exeter University, at the Drama Department, he conducted a project on “The theatre of the Absurd” with last year students, which included plays by Ionesco, Jarry, Vitrac and Arrabal.

In 1973 he taught at the Teatro Universitario of Oporto, Portugal, invited by the Gulbenkian Foundation, running courses for actors and directors.

During the last 25 years he has taught in Buenos Aires, Argentina, organizing courses for actors and directors.

In 2002 he moves to Madrid, Spain, where he resides presently.

In 2002 is invited by the Unión de Actores (Actor’s Union) in Madrid, and runs a course for actors under the title “An actor prepares: film and theatre”.

In 2003 teaches Acting in the “VI Posgraduate Course - Aula de Teatro Clásico” for the RESAD (Royal Conservatoire of Drama), Madrid.

In 2004 he runs a Course on “ Acting for Singers” at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía , in Madrid.


THE TUITION

During his apprenticeship students will become familiar with the different drama periods, from Greek tragedy to Elizabethan Drama (with special stress in Shakespeare), classic French and Spanish theatre, and the new currents of the 19th century, Henrik Ibsen , August Strindberg, Anton Chejov, up to the most relevant contemporary authors, Samuel Beckett, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Bernard-Marie Koltès, Thomas Bernhard, Sam Shepard, and David Mamet, amongst others.

The ideal actor trained at David Amitin’s Studio is somebody able to work with his imaginary world, somebody who develops his ability of observation, and who can feel at ease portraying characters of a wide different upbringing, social environment and psychological features. Un actor that can get in touch with his past and make use of his memories in the creation of the emotional life of his parts.

In short, an actor open, alert, ready to accept the most extreme proposal form a teacher and turn it into an attractive theatrical event, and one who enjoys and is able to plunge in a text in order to understand the motivations of his character.

In both courses and workshops we demand of students a high degree of attendance and punctuality. Acting is something that depends both on what you learn from the teacher as well as what you give and receive from the group. A successful group dynamics is therefore essential.

Presentation of different kind of works and exercises will be demanded along the courses, and also the acquaintance with readings not directly related to the specific task of the group in a given moment.


CURRENT COURSES MADRID

In Acting Courses the stress is put in the development of the actor’s imagination, removal of emotional blockages, improvisational abilities, as well as the practice in the study of plays and scenes.

The workshop on Directing includes two aspects: the study of texts (In 2004/05 Chejov’s “Three Sisters”, Molière “L’Avare” and Sophocles “Elektra”) and the practice of directing actors in scenes that belong to the plays being studied.


Applications are open for the following Courses:


“Workshop on Classics, Shakespeare and Tchekhov” for professional actors and advanced students.

Wednesdays 10.30 – 2.30 pm


“Directing”

Wednesdays 7.00 – 10.30 pm


“Beginners”

Fridays 8 – 10.30 pm


“Masterclass”

Advanced workshop for actors, based on scripts by authors that have worked both in the theatre and in films: Ingmar Bergman, Sam Shepard, David Mamet, Rainer W. Fassbinder, etc.

Saturdays 10.30 – 2.30 pm

A personal interview is required before registration. The fee of each course will be informed therewith.