THE THREE STEPS

1) THE LITERAL: What is the literal and basic description of what the Character is doing within the Given Circumstances of the scene? (ie. A person waiting at a bus stop.)

2) THE ESSENTIAL ACTION: What is the nature of the action to the scene? What is it about the scene, without which, the scene could not exist? (ie. To commence a long journey home.) This is THE SPINE of the scene for the Character.

3) THE AS IF, What is it like to me?: The "as if" relates "THE ESSENTIAL ACTION" to the actors own life. ie. ESSENTIAL ACTION: "To commence a long journey home." AS IF: It's as if I am waiting for news of approval for my travel visa, in order to return to homeland, Cuba. This is personal and meaningful. It stimulates the actors imagination and truthful expression of the meaning of the scene.

Now, if you want to express a truth about a person who has no car and who is longing to see their lover, who lives across town, while waiting at a bus stop, the above approach might suffice.

The possibilities for application of this method are unlimited.

This is an approach that opens awareness to how the specific is universal. And how, the script/story is a metaphor that connects the artist's personal meanings with those of the audience.

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"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."