Chekhov Technique
Michael Chekhov was the nephew of the great Russian writer and playwright Anton Chekhov. He was also a student of Konstantin Stanislavski, considered to be the father of modern acting. In the 1930’s and 1940’s, Chekhov developed his technique, which strived to lead the actor to rich and vivid internal life.
The Chekhov Technique is a psychophysical technique, which means that the body and mind are one. When you make an outward physical action, you can sense that it has evoked an inner response. This work trains the actor to develop that relationship between their body and the creative imagination. When they work together in harmony, this results in the actor being able to awaken and develop a rich and transformative inner life. Chekhov gives the actor tools to use such as the psychological gesture, atmosphere, images, and centers. With these tools, and many others that we cover in both Chekhov 1 & 2, we can take the intangible imagination and transform it into tangible physical behavior. Chekhov’s book On the Technique of Acting is an excellent companion to the in-class work, and one of the best books on the craft ever written.
The Meisner Technique and the work of Michael Chekhov are incredibly compatible approaches to creating human behavior. Both Meisner and Chekhov believed that the imagination along with vivid human behavior are the foundational keys to good acting. The concept of radiating, the idea of communicating the character’s internal essence and choices supports Meisner’s belief that acting is the ability to do truthfully. Both Meisner and Chekhov believed that an actor did not have to go back to their literal past experiences in order to create behavior. Both fully separated themselves from the teachings of Lee Strasberg and his Method approach to acting. The best acting involves actors who are fully present, and in the moment, and both Meisner and Chekhov help develop actors who can do just that.
Chekhov 1 & 2 required for all students enrolled at the Maggie Flanigan Studio, and are offered in our Bare Essentials, Core, and Professional Actor Training Program.
SAM WILLETT
Sam is a highly trained artist. They started out as a classical musician through early years to adulthood and have trained in dance and singing as well. They received a BFA in Musical Theater from Point Park University where they first fell in love with the Chekhov Technique. They moved to NYC and started learning from Lenard Petit, Director and Master Teacher of the Michael Chekhov Studio.
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
“I was placed in the intense reigns of Charlie Sandlan. I became a better artist, actor, friend, sibling and daughter because of the studio. Even now, I crave the studio every day. What I learned is present in my work every day. I truly believe in everything they stand for.”
Jes Macallan
“Maggie taught me that I could control my work, my acting, and to throw all of the bullshit out that I had in my head about ‘what I should be doing’ and to just listen and respond honestly, in the moment. She gave me a craft. She is, quite simply put, THE BEST.”
Leslie Bibb
“Maggie Flanigan taught me the true meaning of artistry, passion, and professionalism. I am certain that I continue to work as an actress because of my training with Maggie. At every audition and every performance, her guiding voice is with me. It is a gift beyond measure.”
