May 18, 2019
Gail Sixsmith on embodiment of character for actors | BCP001
Actor, art director, screenwriter, and movement specialist, Gail Sixsmith joined me to talk about her perspective on conversations - what makes them good and what makes them frustrating. As human beings we are transmitting messages all the time, whether we are aware of it or not. An actor, says Gail, has to learn to embody those messages in how they portray a character through gesture, posturing, quality of voice, intonation and so on. Unless there are layers of subtext in play, what they are saying in words has to be congruent with what their body is transmitting. She reminds us that this is something that inspirational communicators do really well.
Gail coaches Performing Arts students to use their bodies effectively in becoming expressive, potent, and versatile actors. She draws on a wide range of physical practice which reflects her eclectic and extensive line of artistic enquiry: Dance Theatre, Choreographic Performance, Body Weather, Butoh, Alba Emoting, Rasaboxes, Physical Impr…