Description

Music

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Acting

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"Learn your lines and don't bump into the furniture."
- Spencer Tracy
"Acting is pretending."
- Bill Bartlett
"Art is when you see something and go, Aha, now I see."
- Joseph Cambell
"The actor should be able to create the universe in the palm of his hand."
- Laurence Olivier

Acting Made Simple       

Acting is pretending... be it Shakespeare or nursery rhymes.
All children are born actors.
Observe the games they play.
Look at the many roles each child will play, without inhibitions.
Be aware of their naturally focused energy and concentration on an objective.

All Imagine Project Acting programs are based on the philosophy that:
All actors must, through a process of experimentation, reawaken the sense of wonder and magic that is innately ours as children. Often as actors, in our perceived need to over analyze and dissect a part, we forget the basic concept of make believe, pretend, play. After all we "play" a role in a theatre piece accurately named a "play".
Enough said.

All our acting programs at Imagine Project are geared, through improvisation and experimentation, toward nurturing the young actor to trust his natural instinct. It is the child's ability to act and react honestly and naturally that we must constantly reinforce. We must prevent, or if necessary, break down the facade of sophistication and unreality that often develop as the actor begins to intellectualize. "How do I look?" "Where do I stand?" "How do I sound?" "What if I make a mistake?" In our workshops and classes an actor can not "make a mistake." Each attempt, successful or otherwise, is a step toward understanding.



All our classes have students working on their feet immediately.
No lectures.
No theories.
No rules.... other than:
Stage right!
Stage left!
Downstage!
Upstage!
Project!

Experience and confidence are gained through DOING!

At the end of each thirteen week term there is a final presentation in which each student will perform in both an original piece and a contemporary or classical scene ranging from Shakespeare to Tennessee Williams.

All classes and workshops have been developed by, and most will be taught by, Imagine Project founder and director Bill Bartlett.



Classes are currently accepting registration in the following locations:

Riverdale
3501 Riverdale Ave. (Corner of 235th Street)

Manhattan
131 West 72nd Street
(between Broadway and Columbus)

Brooklyn
TBA

A workshop is presently scheduled for Seattle Washington for summer 2007.

For further information please email us at:
Or call: 718 851 8091



"I continuously turn to Bill for his insight and direction."
Michael Pitt actor

A few notes on one of our more successful former students and present teachers, Michael Pitt:
Having studied with Bill Bartlett for three years at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and privately thereafter, Michael, who last year taught with us at The James Madison Bronx Little School, currently has five films either in production, post production or release:
He's presently filming the prequel to Abel Ferrara's stunning 1991 film "King of New York" - Michael plays the lead role as the younger character originally played by Chris Walken.

"The Hawk is Dying" - Co-stars with Paul Giamatti (In release)
"Silk" - Michael plays the lead opposite Keira Knightly.
"Delirious" co-stars with Steve Buscemi (Fall release)
Alison Bartlett, daughter and Imagine Project director extraordinaire, co-starred with Buscemi in "The Sopranos" season 5.
"Funny Games" - co-stars with Naomi Watts and Tim Roth. (Post production)

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