EPI for Theatre

Drawing from a system that describes personality structure, this workshop helps you better understand the character you're portraying and the similarities and differences between you and your character. Translating emotional energy into physical energy, the strengths and weaknesses of different personality styles are explored through movement. This gives you a kinesthetic experience of a variety of ways of being in the world.

One of the challenges as an actor is to play roles unlike who you are naturally. This work can help you broaden your range as an actor by finding yourself and the roles you play in this personality system, and by discovering, exploring and developing the physical mannerisms to personality styles other than your own.

Understanding the relationship between personality and the body will guide you in how your character would walk, stand, sit, gesture and move through space, giving you the consistency necessary for creating a full range of in-depth and powerful characters.

Please read more about EPI at the home page or the Articles link to read more about the foundation of this work. Working with actors is another application of the same principles.

From the Director

"Andrea's workshop, "EPI for Actors," is a wonderful program and well-worth it in any theatrical and/or educational setting.

I asked her to help us with a show that depends almost exclusively on the physical performance of the actors on a relatively bare stage. The cast was able to see the radical and subtle shifts of physicality as we explored different personality styles through movement. Her program added a new richness to what they did on stage and created a new sense of ensemble. The students' feedback was very positive.

Andrea is an excellent instructor. She accommodated our particular needs, and found that perfect balance of participation, observation, and education. Her style with the students was gentle and encouraging. Her enthusiasm sparked theirs."

Helen E. Prien, Ph.D.

Lock Haven University
Lock Haven, PA

What actors have said

I applied this work to my role for a show I'm working on; it outlines the character in a refreshing way and helps me approach the character more deeply-wholeheartedly, physically and verbally. It also gave me ideas of more types of movement and gestures for my character.

I'll try to incorporate the motions with the emotions of my character as he shifts from mood to mood.

This gave me a better grasp on how my director wants my character to behave and how he interacts with others. It gave me insight into how she would move-instead of just reading about her, I could come as close as possible to feeling what she feels.

I feel more confident with my character; this workshop has helped me become my character

This will help make it easier to interpret characters because part of the research is already done.

I can use what I learned about each personality style and apply that to the style of my character.

I will be able to think differently about the use of space; also I can practice exaggerated movements to place myself more fully into a role.

This work will help people break down walls within themselves and between themselves and others.

This workshop was a lot of fun, very informative, and will help you become a better actor.

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Responses to the statement, "I learned that __________":

"My range is limited," "understanding our differences helps to bring people together people," "taking a physical stance and doing a particular motion can access emotions and mental states and quickly shifts my energy and affect," " I can modify my state of mind by changing my posture," "I can access inner states of the other types," "one can learn from other types," "different types can work together," "one has the power to make one's self healthier."

Responses to, "About Andrea:"

She is soothing, created an atmosphere of security, has a gentle voice, is competent, disciplined, approachable, warm, structured, participative, engaging, reasonable and demanding, is knowledgeable, encouraging, motivating. She knew what she was talking about and loved the material; when someone loves the material, it will rub off on the learners. I found movement and feeling (and how they're linked) interesting; it makes perfect sense. Her depth of understanding and utilizing the material was obvious. She is very personable and non-critical. I felt very comfortable with her; she was clear, energetic and encouraging. She kept us on task and allowed an open inquiry.