Jim O’Connor brings method acting to Tokyo

In this five-evening Strasberg Method introductory course, you will get a first glimpse of how to train your senses and utilize memories and experiences to create the emotional conditions necessary to authentically bring your character to life.

Lee Strasberg designed a series of exercises to train the actor’s senses thereby giving the artist’s talent private access to their lifetime of experiences through sense memory. Beginning with the “cup” exercise and expanding into your treasure chest of emotions, you will begin to develop the skills to evoke past events which catapult you to meet the emotional demands of the play. Learn the fundamental techniques to recover these rich experiences and privately bring them back to life.

Pretend, make-believe, imagination and the magic “as if” play an enormous role in the actor’s work. They are necessary. However when these tools are insufficient, affective memory recalled sensorially through taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound, the backbone of Method acting, will deliver each and every time. The five senses cannot be denied. They are intense. They are real and so are every one of the characters you will ever portray. Learn to bring your character to life by bringing your life to the character.

About Jim O’Connor

Jim O’Connor received his bachelor of fine arts degree in acting from the University of Rhode Island, USA, where he studied the Meisner method. After working in regional theater under the guidance of Tony award winning Director, Adrian Hall, Jim relocated to New York City where his career shifted to daytime soap operas, episodic television and Emmy award winning national network commercials. Thereafter, Jim explored the growing trend as a television host with his own shows on the USA network amongst others. Throughout his pursuits, Jim steadily trained with Gary Swanson, a first generation acting pupil of Lee Strasberg and lifetime member of The Actor’s Studio. Jim enjoys teaching the knowledge he has been fortunate enough to obtain and now looks forward to sharing the same with Tokyo performing artists.

FAQ:

I have taken Strasberg classes before. Can I join this class anyway?

If you want to refresh your memory, ease back into acting after a break and also get to know the tutor’s way of working, you will still benefit from joining this class. However, if you are worried that an introductory course will not be challenging enough for you, you are welcome to join the ongoing training group right away. Please email the tutor directly, if you are unsure which level is right for you.

I have never taken an acting class before. Can I join this course?

Yes! Our introductory courses are suitable for both complete beginners as well as experienced actors, who want to learn a particular new technique.

If I miss a class, can I make it up at a later date?

If you know at the time of booking the class that you will be absent during one specific date, you can make up for the session the next time the course is repeated (introductory courses repeat every 5 to 10 weeks).

In case of missing a class because of a serious emergency, you can also make up the missed class the next time.

However, if you miss a class for personal reasons, the class can unfortunately not be made up.

I am not a native English speaker and am worried that my language level will not be high enough. Can I still join this course?

Absolutely! Many of our students are not native speakers of English. The classes are a great place to become more comfortable speaking English in an international environment while improving your acting skills.

I want to practice scenes in English but I don’t understand English instructions very well. Is there a Japanese translator available?

We don’t provide an official translator, but – though not guaranteed – usually there are bilingual students in each class, who can help you out if you have questions. The tutors are also always happy to explain things more slowly and simply if you need extra help understanding an exercise or direction.