A masterclass that required only the edge of your seat
Times of Bennett | Updated: Feb 15, 2024 20:01
By Aryamaan Jit Singh Bawa
Professor Hank Stratton, the Director of the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film and ProfessorAndrew Belser , Dean of Hixson Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts , University of Nebraska held an acting masterclass and a portfolio presentation with the students of the Times School of Media .
The poster for the acting masterclass by Professor Andrew Belser and Professor Hank Stratton.
The portfolio presentation was conducted on the pretext of prospective scholarships for selected students of TSOM to the University of Nebraska if the experts found them deserving. Sanya Bhattacharjee, Aryamaan Jit Singh Bawa and Awiral Anadi Singh presented their work in fields of performing arts, journalism and advertising to the experts.
The masterclass was titled ‘A Lesson for Performers Exploring Self in Space’ for the students ofBennett University to help bring out one’s innate performer on stage. It was organized in association with Acumen at Bennett University.
“The performing arts are an art like no other, I appreciate the enthusiasm of Bennett’s students to learn and grow through this session,” Professor Belser said to start the masterclass and acknowledging the audience.
Professor Stratton, an ex-actor himself who’s worked on shows and films across the years took to the stage to help guide the students by giving them challenging yet tough prompts to act out on stage. The acts consisted of no dialogue, limited speech, unique situations and much more.
“Simply be and think, listen and respond, and through this your performance will be that more natural,” Professor Stratton said to explain the importance of being in your element and living your role as a performer. He exhorted to the students to act till the awkwardness is shaken off the bones, till you feel natural enough to act with your eyes closed.
The masterclass had students in the audience laughing and gasping as they saw their batch mates enact oddly funny scenes on stage while trying to improvise their way through the acts. “The masterclass was amazing, Professor Stratton had such rich knowledge of film and performance and I could not have asked for a better way to learn than to actually perform in front of a Hollywood veteran,” said Priyansh Pabreja, a budding actor and Journalism student.
(The writer is a Semester IV student of the BA. Journalism and Mass Communication program)
Professor Hank Stratton, the Director of the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film and Professor
The poster for the acting masterclass by Professor Andrew Belser and Professor Hank Stratton.
The portfolio presentation was conducted on the pretext of prospective scholarships for selected students of TSOM to the University of Nebraska if the experts found them deserving. Sanya Bhattacharjee, Aryamaan Jit Singh Bawa and Awiral Anadi Singh presented their work in fields of performing arts, journalism and advertising to the experts.
The masterclass was titled ‘A Lesson for Performers Exploring Self in Space’ for the students of
“The performing arts are an art like no other, I appreciate the enthusiasm of Bennett’s students to learn and grow through this session,” Professor Belser said to start the masterclass and acknowledging the audience.
Professor Stratton, an ex-actor himself who’s worked on shows and films across the years took to the stage to help guide the students by giving them challenging yet tough prompts to act out on stage. The acts consisted of no dialogue, limited speech, unique situations and much more.
“Simply be and think, listen and respond, and through this your performance will be that more natural,” Professor Stratton said to explain the importance of being in your element and living your role as a performer. He exhorted to the students to act till the awkwardness is shaken off the bones, till you feel natural enough to act with your eyes closed.
The masterclass had students in the audience laughing and gasping as they saw their batch mates enact oddly funny scenes on stage while trying to improvise their way through the acts. “The masterclass was amazing, Professor Stratton had such rich knowledge of film and performance and I could not have asked for a better way to learn than to actually perform in front of a Hollywood veteran,” said Priyansh Pabreja, a budding actor and Journalism student.
(The writer is a Semester IV student of the BA. Journalism and Mass Communication program)