Andrew Michael Bray's Blog

The Pen Story

amichaelbray — Thu, 26 May 2011 00:16:14 +0000

In case you didn’t realize, Jim Kirkwood is my hero. A few years ago, his retirement was celebrated, and in front of a theater full of touched former students, who arrived from across the country to surprise him on his retirement, he was asked to tell the PEN story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

It’s about time….

amichaelbray — Sun, 15 May 2011 06:01:31 +0000

…that I updated this lovely little website. To all my adoring fans (I wish) please forgive my technological slackerisms over the past two years. For all of my youthful antics, I just seem to be a little too behind the time, and I still don’t really know how to build –or manage, for that matter– a website.

Maybe one-day I’ll be rich enough to pay for a real website (sorry wordpress), but until then, I’ll just have to learn how to take advantage of all of this little blog’s Bells and Whistles.

If any of you folks have web design advice, you can pester me here by leaving a comment below, or you can poke me on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ginseng4u.

Please… Pester me with advice. I don’t even know how to tweet!! ( “Oh to tweet like real growing boy, I wish I knew how to tweet” Okay, I’ll write that song later…)

**Ran into Mark LaPierre, Diane Englert, and Brian Bartley in a FedEx store today. This town is wonderfully small.

A few words from the greats

amichaelbray — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:36:59 +0000

“You cannot trust an unprepared unconscious”- Stanislavski

“The good actor gives birth to the lines each night” -Stella Adler

“The good actor forgets what happens next.” -Uta Hagen

“The good actor does less more fully. The bad actor does less more fully.”- Robert Lewis

Mmmmm… yummy jellybeans. So tasty…

Tchaikovski… or Tchaichovsky….?

amichaelbray — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 03:16:39 +0000

The Russian composer said:
“Inspiration is a guest that doesn’t visit lazy people.”

Discuss.

Jellybean!!

amichaelbray — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:51:44 +0000

Today’s JELLYBEAN: “It’s better to do the wrong thing fully, than the right thing cautiously”.

Taken from Jim Kirkwood in his Advanced Acting Class, Diablo Valley College, 2001

This is THE hardest principle to stick to on stage. So much of our lives is structured around being right, being correct. The most difficult muscle to flex in the actor’s instrument is the ability to REVEL in the flaws.

We are made of mistakes, imperfections, some small and some big. Working towards perfection isn’t acting; it’s a pageant.

Jellybeans!!

amichaelbray — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:26:54 +0000

Jellybeans are musings/gems of wisdom/observations that get collected over time onstage, backstage, in rehearsal, at coffeeshops, and anywhere actors interact. Our job is to pass on what we’ve learned. So have some jellybeans!!

As the hits on my new blog begin to pile up, I encourage actors to leave responses to these Jellybeans.

Today’s JELLYBEAN: “The good actor forgets what happens next.”

I picked up this Jellybean in Jim Kirkwood’s Advanced Acting Class, Diablo Valley College 2001. (You’ll find that many of my Jellybeans originate with Jim)

Spaces left in Conscious Prep workshop, but not many!

amichaelbray — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 19:24:05 +0000

TODAY’S JELLYBEAN: “You cannot be the Critic and the Creator at the same time.”

Hello there Actors,

As the days come closer to the beginnings of our journey together, I wanted to make certain that everybody who is interested in the class has the chance to sign up. Interest in the workshop has suddenly spiked, and many actors who have expressed interest have still not officially reserved their space.

Contact me directly to discuss reservations, but do it soon!

Andrew Bray

503-839-9787 – ginseng4u@yahoo.com

Conscious Prep – Intensive Acting Workshop for Portland Actors

amichaelbray — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:50:55 +0000

~~Unique opportunity for the serious training actor~~

“Conscious Preparation for an Unconscious Result”:

An intensive IMMERSIVE workshop based on the instrumental teachings of The Greats: Adler, Strasberg, Clurman, Lewis, Chekhov, and ultimately, Stanislavski.

Over a period of 5 weeks, Acting Coach Andrew Bray will lead a group of attentive pupils through exercises and tools developed over the past 50 years by Acting Legend Jim Kirkwood. Over his career, Jim trained with Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, Robert Lewis, Harold Clurman, and Michael Chekhov. Based on their wisdom and insights that have changed the acting world ever since, Jim has been refining these tools to bring the most out of his actors. A Special focus will be placed on the development of POSITIVE ENGERY, URGENCY, VULNERABILITY, and COMMUNION.

WHEN: Saturdays and Wednesdays 10AM to 1PM from June 19^th to July 17^th.

WHERE: A Rehearsal Hall in Inner SE Portland, Negotiations for a space are still in discussion

HOW MANY: There will only be 14 seats available, so reserve your place fast!

TUITION: ^{(register before June 5th)} $210^{(After June 5th)} $250

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To Reserve your seat, contact Andrew Bray at ginseng4u@yahoo.com or (503) 839-9787