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J May 29, 2020 Dear reviewer, I am a professional actor, director, and Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre at Samford University I studied Alexander Technique with Kelley Schoger in my MFA Acting program at the University of Alabama for two years These are the two years I was in class with her during my program; I still contact Kelley to receive instruction regarding Alexander Technique, and she is so kind to continue to influence actors’ journeys even beyond graduation Under Kelley Schoger’s tutelage of the Alexander Technique, I have been able to find a freedom in my acting that has led to great physical and psychological possibilities within my craft that had never been explored before in my career Kelley introduced and taught Alexander Technique in a way that, five years after having been introduced to the technique, I still think about and implement on a daily basis in my day to day life as well as my career Kelley opened us up to Alexander Technique, not only as a tool for our craft, but as a tool for our lives, making the implementation into craft all the more attainable One way she did this in particular I will never forget; she took us out as a class to the parking decks and had each of us get into our vehicles and helped us find the position for our seats and steering wheels to lead us to the healthiest use of our bodies This was tremendous for me, in particular, as I commuted an hour away from school six days a week, adding up to roughly 12-20 hours in my car a week We also spent time in class examining how we execute daily activities, and this exercise led me to execute good use in simple every day tasks today that has resulted in less stress on my body and leaves me open and available to my students, colleagues, and family As Kelley recently told me mere weeks ago as I was struggling to find a healthy way to practice a new instrument (until I remembered Alexander Technique), “Alexander Technique helps us do all things in a healthier, more sustainable way.” Another pedagogical method Kelley incorporated into our training was one on one sessions While group class work was incredibly influential in a myriad of ways, one of those being able to watch others and learning from their journey as well, the one on one sessions were also very influential for me To have one on one time with her allowed us to dig into discoveries we made in class time, or in my own personal work, and allowed us to further the work in a way that helped engrain it, and led to further self awareness Kelley is an incredibly intentional, calming, trusting presence She created a safe, nurturing environment while still giving constructive criticism to lead to growth She challenged me as an actor and wouldn’t settle when she saw moments of forced performance or ill use I always left our lessons uplifted and hopeful and eager to be more in tune with my body, mind, and craft Alexander Technique can, I think, be overwhelming as an abstract concept, but she was very conscious of leading me gently through the journey all the while assuring me that it is a life long journey- not something you get in a quick manner- which allowed me to embrace where I was in the process and where I wanted to be In my life as an actor, Kelley’s pedagogical style regarding Alexander Technique has also helped me to craft characters free from my own habits, whether in musicals or plays I was completely unaware of some tendencies in my performances until we really began to examine my use on stage In my final Alexander Technique class, I wrote a paper in which I explored my progression as a performer leading up to discovery of Alexander Technique, and the progression after putting it into practice On the page following my letter, I will include “before and after” photos, if you will, that show the progression leading to freedom My two main physical habits as an actor were to hold tension in my shoulders and jaw Once Kelley brought this to my attention, I was able to check in on this in every rehearsal so that by the time performance came, I was able to experience in the moment the action of the play from a place of complete freedom I was able to take on the habits of my character once I released my own that were blocking my character’s honest, true habits Once I began to release my physical habits, my emotional acting life opened up in a way I had never experienced As humans, we naturally hold onto our emotions and even attempt to avoid showing them As actors, unfortunately, sometimes we like to clutch emotions and make them sit in an unnatural place so the audience can see we’re feeling an emotion As an actor who has been trained in Alexander Technique, with an open body and mind, I can experience the emotions as they honestly come, and the audience is able to experience catharsis as a result because it is not a put on; it is not an actor trick; I am able to honestly experience the fictional journey of the character as it is happening and my body and mind are free to experience whatever is to come next I’m not thinking about making an emotion happen This leads to falsehood and a forced, disingenuous performance that audiences don’t buy, even if they know nothing about acting technique During my time at University of Alabama, as I was making my own revelations about Alexander Technique, I had the opportunity to see Kelley put her own teaching into logistical practice as she performed the female lead in our production of Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts I will be perfectly honest for a moment and say that at the very beginning of my being introduced to Alexander Technique, I had a very elementary, unbased fear that giving into this idea of finding healthy use would detract from my ability to play very emotional or very physical roles Seeing Kelley play this role opened my eyes to the fact that Alexander Technique does just the opposite I was able to see my professor give into the world of the play, be honestly spontaneous in the moment, and openly reacting to what was being given to her by her fellow players I came to realize through her performance that Alexander Technique helps you find healthy use in whatever physicality and emotional life you need for that character; it does not restrain you from anything but allows you to do tremendous things without causing physical harm to yourself! Kelley Schoger is an impeccable educator In fact, her pedagogical style, patience, and ability to give constructive criticism in a safe environment has largely influenced who I am as an educator myself I know it might seem hyperbole to say Kelley changed my life, but had it not been for her leadership, my craft simply would not be what it is today Thank you for your time and careful consideration of my words Theatrically yours, Chelsea Reynolds Nicholson Assistant Professor, Musical Theatre Samford University cereynol@samford.edu 850-390-1273 Before Alexander Technique: Rootabaga, Flat Rock Playhouse, 2008 Please note extreme tension in the back and shoulders, and set jaw After Alexander Technique: The Eccentricities of a Nightingale, University of Alabama, 2017 Please note honest experiencing of the moment with freedom and openness in shoulders, back, and jaw
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