Blog: The Magic of Practical Aesthetics

I just finished the Summer Intensive program at Atlantic Acting School! It was a joyous, unforgettable experience taking those intense six weeks of full-on immersion into Practical Aesthetics, and sharing those weeks with some of the most talented people I know. I came to Atlantic without preconceived notions of the technique. The goal of every acting technique is to equip an actor the tools they need to be a more efficient actor. When a complex character, a play or a difficult scene comes along, there will always be a moment where one of these tools will come in handy–which is why having all these techniques at hand would provide a strong foundation for a working actor in the future. It all depends on the actor, which one they choose to pursue.

For the latter weeks of the program, I chose dramatic material from plays: Cock, Angels in America, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Implementing Practical Aesthetics on these texts made the process efficient, thoughtful, and more visceral. The goal of Practical Aesthetics is to unleash the truth of the “moment”. As the actor, you’ve done the basic preparation: memorization, play research, character and script analysis, etc. But the most exciting part for me was to be fully engaged in the moment with the other actor and make stage magic out of those preparations. Suddenly the “text” became fresh and new, the “actions” became more authentic and instinctive. 

I experienced it doing a scene from the play Cock, where we were told both actors should not rehearse outside of class, and just do it first-hand in class. The scene we chose is about a couple having a verbal altercation about infidelity. At first, I was scared of not doing any rehearsals prior, but I trusted the process. Once the other actor and myself were both on our feet doing the scene for the first time, then I felt the magic of Practical Aesthetics. The actions and words of the text came out like nothing you’ve rehearsed in your room. Everything you had in mind for the scene has rapidly changed. What happened was two actors intensely tethered in the moment. The trust between me and my scene partner was fully-charged and visceral, even if one had missed a line or forgotten a word, it did not matter–as we were both fully engaged and connected to the scene. It only took one breath, and one look into each other’s eyes and suddenly, the intensity of our impulses and actions became more truthful and authentic.

One thing I love about Practical Aesthetics is that it’s actually practical. Doable in a sense that everything you need to do is in the text itself. Paired with strong imagination and skills, the action that you choose corresponds to a more truthful as-if, which in turn would fire the match as you begin your actual scene. The result is an intense, in-the-moment, more truthful piece of acting. Practical Aesthetics teaches the actor to be smart, fully prepared, and confident as always. It’s like equipping your actor with a strong armor and weapon to tackle every piece of literature from the classics to the contemporary pieces of theater with such finesse and determination.

Learn more about Atlantic Acting School.