Myers – Briggs typology- part one

One of the ideas that makes my approach to theatre unique is that I am greatly concerned with the work of the individual actor. How do they come up with ideas about their character? How can get get their body engaged with what they are saying? How can they use their emotions in a safe manner that can be both repeated every night, and yet seem fresh as if it is the forst time they have felt those emotions. 

This is one of the dangers of theatre. Even though it is considered an art, it is dynamically different than its counterparts in the discipline. For example,  a studio artist creates their work, probably in private, and then shows the work in a gallery. There is no mistake that the work is separate from the creator, because they are two completely different objects. a Musician, even though he performs his piece in front of others, may not be as emotionally involved or vulnerable in front of the audience. Not so with theatre, specifically acting. The actor is his own painting, his own form of music. So, the rejection of the actor from the audience, becomes very close to personal rejection, because the lines of separation between art and life are very thin.

This is one of the reasons why many actors are incredibly confused, depressed, or impulsive, especially young actors. Many of the people I am surrounded by in the college setting are so self concious, so driven by anxiety and fear, that they cannot even fathom that their purpose is to give the gift of art. Instead, they walk on the stage defeated, as if they were about to be attacked by the director or audience. 

This is where the MB typology enters the picture. I found this theory a couple of years ago, and found it to be a miraculous tool to see ourselves through a looking glass, if we even dare to see ourselves truthfully. It pulls out the strengths and weaknesses of individual’s personalities to predict how they may act in situations or even help with the communication of ideas. 

I will explore these ideas in further detail later, but this is one of the fundamental blocks to the way i approach directing. I see each person as an individual, who needs a special language spoken or shown to them in order to understand their character, lines, blocking, etc. Since this is a new idea, and i am a new director, it has been difficult to keep these ideas and tendencies in mind, but not impossible. And this theory is not perfect by any means, I have much to work out in the coming years. but that’s ok, because I’m spending the next three years researching and trying out ideas for acting.