David Barker guest blog posts as he discusses how his experience providing constructive feedback as a theatre professor versus his character Leonard in SEMINAR shredding the egos of his pupils one semi-colon at a time.
In "Seminar" I play Leonard, a teacher who
unleashes criticism with no regard to anyone's feelings, decorum or
ethics. In my 33 years of university
teaching, 31 at Arizona State University and 2 at UC Santa Barbara, I've always explained on the
first day of classes that the ability to receive constructive criticism is
required. It is required for artistic
growth and development. But it is also difficult, particularly for actors. This is why: as an actor you become the
target of criticism. The way you move, the
way you speak, the way you behave, your emotions, in short, you, in person
become the target. So when I tell you,
for example, "you are not speaking loud enough" or "you should
be much more upset" or "you are moving too quickly," it often is
challenging for the young actor to separate artistic analysis from personal
attack. The first day of classes I ask
what the difference is between these two comments: "you are not committing
enough to your objective," and "you are a moron." One has to do
with craft, and the other is personal.
Enter Leonard, the amoral, alcoholic, verbally abusive
former professor (he was fired for sleeping with students) who teaches four
young, aspiring writers in "Seminar."
His criticism is ruthless and relentless, and deeply personal. Leonard eschews some generally accepted rules
of a civilized society. He chooses his
words to cut through ego and pretense and apparently to wound. During his diatribes in Theresa's Rebeck's
2011 comedy, Leonard attacks the four twenty-something's with piercing words
such as moron, whore, coward, pussy, whiner, nobody, weenie and big baby. He doesn't care if someone's feelings get
hurt. He is in the business of training
writers, and preparing them for the cutthroat competition they're going to face
in the real world.
At ASU, I pride myself in being a tough teacher;
straightforward and honest, but completely ethical and understanding. So, in playing Leonard, my immediate point of connection is his
intensity, which comes very easily to me. But the acting challenge becomes
bringing to life his complete lack of sensitivity, which is more and more
foreign to me as I age closer to my 60s and deepen my compassion for
others. My four precious grandchildren
have softened me considerably. Fortunately I'm sharing the stage with four
dedicated, talented young actors who are present every moment and generous:
Kerry McCue, Kim Richard, Andy Cahoon and Will Hightower. And I trust the caring and sensitive
directorial eye of Ron May. They all
want every moment to spring to truthful and specific life. In the incubative confines of the rehearsal
studio, surrounded by artists I trust, the vicious verbal attacks become fun,
particularly when I consider they all serve a greater good: the bridge to the
profession Leonard provides all his students with, eventually.
- David Barker
Get your tickets for SEMINAR- running October 24th through November 9th, 2014.
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