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Browse published articles attributed to Sarah Koestner, with full-archive search.
As those of you who have been following this blog know, a few weeks ago I started taking a weekly art class. It's been great for me to connect to my creativity in a structured way. I have learned so much about my creative process and I've only been in the class for 3 weeks! I can't wait to see what else I learn over the next couple of months.
Being an actor seems like the most fun job in the world. You ostensibly get to "play pretend" for a living. But sometimes for myself, and perhaps for you, it isn't fun. When my inner critic gets involved, it can suck all of the joy out of the process.
Here are some strategies that I employ to help make public speaking a more joyful and less nerve-wracking experience: Prepare: The more prepared you are, the less nervous you will be. Do your homework on whatever the topic is that you’re speaking about. Practice: Before you go into a performance situation make sure that you’ve practiced in front of actual people-- a friend or family member so the moment of performance isn’t the first time you’re speaking what you’ve prepared out loud.
As performers we want to be present and "in the moment." That phrase is thrown around a lot, but what I mean by "in the moment" is taking in the information that is currently happening. One way we can encourage this is by opening up our bodies before we get on stage. All performers should do a physical warm-up of some kind before they hit the stage for a performance or speech. Stretching and opening our bodies helps us to shed the accumulated experiences of our day so that we can perform at our best.
Recently I had the pleasure of seeing the Tony-nominated production of The Crucible. I am a huge fan of director Ivo Van Hove's work and loved his powerful production of A View From the Bridge earlier this season. Needless to say I was really looking forward to this evening at the theater. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. A large part of my disappointment was due to the fact that several of the main players were difficult to hear and understand.
"Spontaneity is being present in the present." Wei Wu Wei In my classes, I ask that my students learn their lines by "rote." This means without emphasis or inflection. It is a mechanical way to learn your lines, where you don't attach any emotions or objectives to the words. This process was introduced to me by William Esper when I was getting my MFA at Rutgers, Mason Gross School of the Arts and has its roots in the Meisner Technique.
“Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little. The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark.”rn-Agnes DeMille
"Everything you want is on the other side of fear." ~Jack Canfield
"Do not underestimate the thrill of trying." ~ Julia Cameron A few days ago, I got an idea for a book. I sat down at the computer and an outline flew out of me. It felt like this was the book I was born to write. In the process of writing the outline I entered that "flow state" where I felt totally in the creative zone. It was great.
I'm currently teaching a scene study class in Manhattan and a lot of my students speak to me about feeling "stuck." They feel unable to make progress in their acting career and find themselves spending lots of time in unfulfilling jobs that pay the rent but leave them little time to fill their creative wells. The good news for my students is that taking a class is one great way to get unstuck!
Last night I was fortunate enough to participate in a monthly meet-up with fellow Miller Voice Method teachers-in-training. The meet-up was overseen by Scott Miller, head teacher of the Miller Voice Method. Another teacher and I led the exercises for the evening. It was truly inspiring to be in a room with other like-minded teachers and artists. After a long slow August, my soul was yearning to be filled up with movement and inspiration. I found that at last night's meeting in spades.
"Quiet the mind and the soul will speak." ~Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati A couple of months ago I gave myself a challenge. I committed to meditating every morning for at least ten minutes a day for the next thirty days. I created a small altar on the coffee table in our living room, consisting of a Buddha statue, a surrender box, and an incense burner.
Hello friends! Previously I talked about meditation as a tool to bring more presence into our lives. I've decided I want to make meditation a more regular part of my current routine. Practice what you preach, right?
Yesterday, while taking a drop-in art class I had an experience that I don't always have when I'm engaging in something creative: I was fully "in the zone." My instructor even commented: "You're on fire today." Painting after painting was flying out of me. I felt free and almost reckless - a very unfamiliar feeling for me.
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's there are few. ~Suzuki
"Make each day your masterpiece." John Wooden I used to begin my day by pressing the snooze button about four times, scrolling through Instagram and email for a few minutes, dragging myself to the shower, smearing some makeup on my face and running out the door without breakfast. While it might have gotten me out the door in a timely manner, it did nothing for my mental well-being!
Today I want to talk about connection. It's something we all want more of and something that in today's culture, many of us are lacking. We lack real connection with friends, family members and even the people who are closest to us: our partners. Our society doesn't set us up for making connection a priority. Sure there's phones, text messaging and social media, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about heart to heart connection that can only happen when the phones are put down and we can slow down enough to really take one another in.