Step 1

Know Thyself

“The actor needs to work on himself” - Michael Chekhov

In order for an actor to truly connect with his instrument from a genuine place of truth and deep vulnerability, the actor must first and foremost dedicate time to working on himself. This involves a sincere and ongoing process of self-reflection and growth. Additionally, the actor needs to keenly observe the human condition, beginning with his/her own experiences and emotions, and then attentively extending this understanding to the people around him/her. This combined self-awareness and empathetic observation form the foundation for authentic performance.

STEP 2

Trust Yourself - Trust your Humanity

"In acting everything comes out of what you are, or some aspect of who you are." - Marlon Brando

Emotional honesty is the crucial next important step for an actor who is already developing the foundation laid in STEP 1. In theatre, and even more intensively in film, we aim to reveal the entire spectrum of the emotional and existential life of a human being. This means we must avoid, at all costs, any hint of “acting” in the superficial sense, and instead, wholeheartedly pursue “being” the person we embody in the story. We commit to telling that story with complete honesty, fully investing ourselves in the circumstances, as if our very own life depends on the truth of the moment.

STEP 3

Surrender

"Be in the moment. Period. Just be there. Because if you get all like, 'Oh I got to do this big thing.' It just never works. It just doesn't work. You've just got to let go. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. Whatever you do is ok, just be truthful, honest, real, and that's all you can ask for" - Robert De Niro

Allow yourself to be fully open and deeply invested in the present moment, embracing it with all your senses and emotions. As the great David Mamet wisely advises, “Invent nothing, deny nothing.” This means truly connecting to the material, the unfolding story, the specific circumstances, and your fellow actors from a place of uninterrupted, genuine presence with them, moment to moment. Trust yourself and the vibrant creative source that lives inside you. When you stay open and receptive, creativity will reveal itself in the most unexpected and magical ways—provided you don’t interfere or try to control it. Let your natural impulses guide the work, allowing your raw humanity to respond authentically. Take in and listen carefully to everyone around you, absorbing their energy fully. Listen not just with your ears, but with your whole body—feel every emotion as it arises. Absorb everything with your heart, letting it be your compass for truthful responses. Step your analytical mind completely out of the equation; it’s rarely your ally in the creative process. This moment is the birth of something unknown, even to you. It’s not the time or place for rigid plans or preconceptions. The less you rely on your mind telling you what to do and how to do it, the more authentic your connection to the material will be. In this surrender, creativity flows spontaneously and naturally in the most genuine, powerful ways.

STEP 4

Prepare and Let go

“Flip it. Hit the stage and go; “Keep up”. But you’ve got to do the work. You can’t do that without preparing the work. The great ones work that hard all the way to the end.” - Jeff Daniels

Prepare with unwavering discipline and dedication, but when you step on stage or in front of the camera, allow yourself to fully let go. Preparation is absolutely essential: diving deep into script analysis, understanding the story and the characters, maping out the beats in each scene, identifying the objectives etc.. Yet, when it’s time to perform, all of that hard work must be trusted as being internalised, as being part of the new story-bound you. When onstage or onset we are fully present in the moment and open to collaboration. We are not there to showcase our homework or act as planned. Don’t display your preparation, don’t try to control the outcome, don’t manipulate the process, and definitely don’t play the text… instead, let the text play you. Prepare so deeply that you connect with the story, and rest assured, the story connects back to you. Then, trust that your body and mind have stored all the vital information they need, and know that when the moment demands it, what needs to emerge will. Let openness, authenticity, and the rawness of your humanity inform every choice you make as an actor. Release control, release fear, release self-doubt, release all those heavy expectations that weigh you down. Cherish unpredictability, welcome messiness, and allow the genuine truth of real life to flow freely into your performance.

STEP 5

Be Consistent

“Without commitment, you'll never start. But more importantly, without consistency, you'll never finish" - Denzel Washington

And now that you’ve gone that far and you have achieved so much, this is the perfect time to truly focus on practicing consistency. Authenticity is yet another muscle to strengthen, one that is incredibly delicate because it’s so fine and subtle—it can easily get weakened if it isn’t nurtured with regular consistency, unwavering focus, and genuine dedication. Never assume that authenticity will simply be there unless you make it a priority to consistently pursue it, with daily practice and pursuit. It begins with being authentic every moment in your life and then it will flow smoothly into your art cause that’s all you practice. Practice on your own, but most importantly practice being authentic with others each and every moment. Don’t hesitate to seek out a good teacher or coach who will keep you accountable, challenge you, and truly help you grow in this fascinating self-discovery road.

STEP 6

Embrace your Uniqueness

”There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening
that is translated through you into action,
and because there is only one of you in all time,
this expression is unique.

If you block it,
it will never exist through any other medium
and be lost.
The world will not have it.

It is not yours to determine how good it is;
nor how it compares with other expressions.
It is your business to keep the channel open.
You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work.

You have to keep open and aware directly
to the urges that motivate you.
Keep the channel open.

No artist is ever pleased.
There is no satisfaction whatever at any time.
There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction;
a blessed unrest that keeps us marching
and makes us more alive than the others.” - Martha Graham

Embrace fully each stage of the journey you’re currently on, and understand that truly deepening your authenticity in your work requires both time and a steadfast commitment to yourself and your art. Celebrate what makes you different and unique—even those quirks or qualities others might label as “weird” or unusual. Accept those very traits and brand them as your signature niche. Dare to be different. Share your one-of-a-kind uniqueness boldly with the world around you. Resist the urge to fit in or dilute your uniqueness and creativity just to make it in the business. Welcome the discomfort and vulnerability that come with being your authentic self, even if it brings moments of fear or embarrassment. This is your unique power. Nurture it, cultivate it, and develop a truly visceral point of view. Remember, you are an artist!

STEP 7

Have fun

"Acting is fun for me and it doesn't really matter how, whether it's hard work or easy work, it's always fun" — Tommy Lee Jones

And as we wrap things up, let’s not forget the pure joy and excitement that comes from our conscious decision to act. To be completely swept away in that magical, creative flow that only a genuine, truthful, and authentic immersion in the work can offer. Let it carry you effortlessly – do less, relax more, and it will naturally do it all for you. Learn to let go of control, take the risk of riding the unpredictable wave, embrace all the vulnerability and insecurity that comes with the territory, and allow yourself—and the process—to surprise you in the most unexpected ways. Play like a carefree kid pretending to be a cowboy in the backyard, and trust deeply that if you believe it, we will also believe it. Have fun creating, truly enjoy your bold choice to be an actor, trust your unique instrument, dare to take risks by being yourself, and above all release any attachment to the outcome. Acting is a craft that continually deepens and improves through experiencing all kinds of twists and turns — and it’s definitely a journey meant for the most passionate, creative and resilient souls. See you at work!

Happy Blessed Empowered World Theatre Day!

May we always remember that Theatre is a place where we practice, experience as well as expand our humanity in order to understand that in a world of conflict and separation we are actually more similar and connected than what politics and systems of power are leading us to believe. First and foremost we, Humans, are imperfect and gracious at the same time. Theatre is an art of healing. It helps us heal the false perception of separation and distancing. We - artists and audiences of theater - are constantly focusing towards understanding each other and moving forward in inclusiveness, acceptance and comprehension of our differences and similarities, realising that our essential oneness is what makes us all humans. We are all visitors of a planet called earth, an ongoing school in which our book is called our story and our pen is called thoughts and actions. Our given talent is our freedom and our right is called "free will". It’s up to us what we do with all that. We may either excel together or keep on circling alone and separate and against each other in a never ending repetition of self-destruction and suffering. The sooner we understand and accept each other exactly as we are the more we harmonise with Life that accepts us all under the same terms. Theatre is our chance to come together to look ourselves in the mirror, to witness and learn and understand our nature with open hearts, the same Heart that makes us all human in the long history of humanity. Theatre gives us a chance to create a crack in our firmly solidified convictions for love to light through and set us free from the heavy chains of the ego of separation. If Love is our absolute power, the essence of what makes us Human, our driving force to a higher and true consciousness, then, Theatre is one of the major vehicles we created to help us get there!

Photo: Mike Rafail - That long black cloud

“Nietzsche was the one who did the job for me. At a certain moment in his life, the idea came to him of what he called ‘the love of your fate.’ Whatever your fate is, whatever the hell happens, you say, ‘This is what I need.’ It may look like a wreck, but go at it as though it were an opportunity, a challenge. If you bring love to that moment—not discouragement—you will find the strength is there. Any disaster you can survive is an improvement in your character, your stature, and your life. What a privilege! This is when the spontaneity of your own nature will have a chance to flow.

Then, when looking back at your life, you will see that the moments which seemed to be great failures followed by wreckage were the incidents that shaped the life you have now. You’ll see that this is really true. Nothing can happen to you that is not positive. Even though it looks and feels at the moment like a negative crisis, it is not. The crisis throws you back, and when you are required to exhibit strength, it comes.”

— Joseph Campbell " A Joseph Campbell Companion: Reflections on the Art of Living"