Although Stanislavski training is specifically for the development of professional actors to create depth of playing, aspects of the training can be harnessed for use in other areas of theatre practice. For example, Stanislavski's ideas around the development of the imagination, concentration and ensemble playing are very useful for other kinds of acting classes in Outreach Programmes. 

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The Outreach Programme evolved over a number of years with work developed from the Studio exercises and put into practice with groups around the island. The workshops can also incorporate techniques and exercises from other complimentary performing styles and disciplines.  The work has drawn on techniques developed by other international practitioners including Ann Bogart, Jacque Le Coq,  Augusto Boal and Stewart Pearce.

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Bogart's View Pointing is a choreographic system design to help non-dancers to use space, build ensemble and develop physical and bodily awareness. Using it for professional actors and non-professionals has been very beneficial to build tight performances with groups of all abilities. It will help with fine-tuning performance instincts in space and in relation to each person working as part of a team. 

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Jacque Le Coq’s work with the mask has been very useful as an alternative way of building characters with strong physicality. Although it is for the most part used by able-bodied actors it is particularly effective when working with actors with special needs who respond and adapt very quickly with mask when creating roles on stage. 

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Augusto Boal's Forum Theatre is a tool that can be used to teach workshop participants to problem solve on their feet. It is a very adaptable way of working for educational purposes. 

Stewart Pearce, was Master of Voice at Shakespeare's The Globe Theatre when he introduced into the English speaking world the use of The Elements at an imaginative level to help enhance the voice in performance. It is very helpful to support communication with groups of different skills and levels both in-doors and at out-door events. Selecting and putting together programmes can be shaped for different groups of all ages, skills and intellectual abilities. 

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Since 2009 Stanislavski trained artists such as Sinead Hackett and Joe Devlin have facilitated Outreach theatre work around Ireland both North and South of the border. Sinead Hackett while working as Out-Reach Officer with The Focus Theatre ran workshops for many different youth theatres groups in the West of Ireland, in the Midlands and in Dublin. She also ran a pilot project for Schools with the Focus. The project focused on helping 11-year-olds deal with parents taking drugs. The week-long workshops demonstrate techniques utilised and developed by Augusto Boal. The workshop was target toward giving vulnerable children coping skills to deal with difficult behaviour and situations at home with drug-addicted parents. 

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As part of the Stanislavski Outreach programmes, Joe Devlin has trained people of different ages, skills bases, intellectual and physical abilities. He ran a creativity class in older years as part of the Bealtaine Festival workshops over an 18 month period in association with The Mill Theatre in Dundrum. Joe also facilitated creativity classes for adults in libraries in County Dublin in White Church, Lucan and Tallaght over a  4 year period. The work helped to develop confidence, the imagination, acting and writing skills. By year three the Tallaght group were touring their work into community centres and nursing homes. The classes also as worked for a  social group with theatre outings and seasonal dinners and lunches as part of breaking down the isolation that older people can find themselves in. 

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Joe also trained actors with intellectual and physical difficulties in Kilkenny based Equinox Theatre and with Stage Beyond in Derry. He used Stanislavski based exercises along with viewpoint and elemental voice work. In addition, he worked closely with Simon Thompson to devise mask theatre drawing on fairy-tales and mythology. Since then, Equinox Theatre Company has since taken part in the Dublin Theatre Festival and Stage Beyond have toured Northern Ireland. 

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Creativity classes for 18 to 85 years ran in the Ranelagh Arts Centre. People from different backgrounds and education abilities were introduced to theatre games, basic Stanislavski acting exercises and performed in scene studies. Theatre visits were part of the programme. A number of the group went on to take part in Blooms Day events in public spaces performing from James Joyce's Ulysses. Others performed in Shakespeare in the Park and in Life in the Village Arts Collaboration at the Ranelagh Arts Festival. 

 

 New classes will start in 2024. If you are interested in taking part or have an interest in starting a new creativity class for personal development and confidence building please contact us below.