“You Have a Blue Shirt”: An Introduction to The Sanford Meisner Acting Workouts - Part 1

What will you learn?
Participants in Part 1 will develop the ability to work truthfully under imaginary circumstances, minimising self-consciousness, and respond genuinely to scene partners rather than performing predetermined choices. The workshop builds a foundation for spontaneous, organic acting grounded in real human behavior. 

In Part 2, Students will advance beyond foundational skills to access deeper emotional life and work from richly imagined circumstances. The workshop emphasizes emotional preparation techniques, developing craft elements that bring specificity and depth to performance while maintaining moment-to-moment authenticity.

Who Should Join?
Part 1 is ideal for beginning actors seeking a foundation in authentic performance, experienced performers wanting to refine their craft through systematic training, and anyone curious about truthful, moment-to-moment acting. No prior Meisner experience required—just commitment, openness, and willingness to take risks in a supportive, improvisational environment.

Part 2 is designed for actors who have either completed Part 1, learned the material elsewhere, or are generally improvisational in their acting approach. Participants should be comfortable with basic repetition exercises and independent activities. Ideal for performers ready to deepen their craft, explore emotional preparation, and tackle more complex improvisations with greater vulnerability and risk-taking.

Skills Learned 
Part 1:
- Active listening
- Emotional accessibility and vulnerability
- Concentration and focus under pressure
- Building believable relationships through repetition
- Eliminating indicating and performance tension

Part 2:
- Emotional preparation and accessing personal emotional reservoirs
- Creating meaningful relationships through as-if endowments
- Creating and working with the given circumstances and imagination
- Sustaining emotional continuity through scenes

Syllabus Overview (Part 1)
1) Sessions 1-2: Introduction to Meisner principles; The Repetition Exercise fundamentals—establishing word-for-word repetition based on genuine observation

2) Sessions 3-5: Adding point of view; working from honest impulses; deepening emotional connections through variations of the repetition exercises.

3) Sessions 6-10: Independent activities—creating real doing with specific urgency and high stakes

Syllabus Overview (Part 2)
1) Sessions 1-3: Review and advancement of both Meisner principles and repetition with emotional preparation; introducing the "as-if" and daydream techniques

2) Sessions 4-10: Independent activities—creating real doing with specific urgency and even higher stakes through emotional preparation

Core Exercises
Part 1:
1) Repetition Exercise: Partners repeat phrases back and forth, responding to genuine behavioral changes

2) Independent Activities: Executing difficult tasks requiring real concentration while remaining available to scene partners

3) Pinch and Ouch: Developing instant, truthful reactions

4) Observation Work: Training actors to see and respond to what's actually happening

Part 2:
1) Advanced Repetition with Preparation: Adding emotional life to foundational work

2) Daydream/As-If Work: Using imagination to create personal meaning

3) Preparation Before Improvisations: Building emotional readiness

Date & Time:
Wednesdays: 8pm - 10pm
Saturdays: 3pm - 6pm
Part 1: Jan | 7 10 14 17 21 24 28 31               
           Feb | 4 7

Part 2: Mar | 4 7 11 14
            Apr | 1 4 8 11 15 18 

Age: 18 years old and above
Class Size: 6 - 12 pax
Course Fee:

*Inclusive of a RM50 registration fee for new TASA students.

Venue:
Level 3, Studio 5 @ klpac

Enquiry
E-mail: academy@klpac.org
WhatsApp / Call +60 18 266 3383

Facilitator

Qahar Aqilah was trained as an actor at the Michael Howard Studios in New York. Aside from performing, Qahar also conducts classes and workshops for people who want to learn the craft of acting, including improvisation and how to approach the text as an actor. A former member and co-founder of Shakespeare Demystified, he has performed in and co-directed their shows, as well as trained current and new members of the ensemble. He was also a founding member of The AIIA Improv troupe. Qahar was awarded Best Actor (Male) in the “SHORT + SWEET Theatre Malaysia” Festival in 2008. His teaching stints over the years include Sunway University’s Diploma in Performing Arts, Enfiniti Academy, and Actors Emergence Project. His actor coaching credits include Terbaik Dari Langit (2014) and Gol & Gincu Vol. 2 (2018) 

About The Actors Studio Academy @ klpac

BE EXTRAORDINARY

Founded by Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican and Joe Hasham OAM, The Actors Studio Academy is a pioneer in arts education in Malaysia. Its alumni comprises theatre luminaries and the crème de la crème of the industry today.

With a clear pathway for children through to adults, learn from artiste-educators with hands-on experience in the industry and enjoy direct access to klpac’s full range of facilities.

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