Playhouse West-Philadelphia

POST OF THE WEEK TO ACTORS: THE TRUTH IS THE TRUTH This week I will address a common question asked of me, as it was recently. I often get asked about the difference between film acting and theater acting, and is there a different technique for each. The answer is a resounding "No". There's no difference. You are either truthful or untruthful; real or fake, whether you are on stage or in front of a camera. This may ruffle some feathers, but teachers or classes that pr...ofess to teach "film acting technique" are really just... well, to put it as kind as I can... not legitimate. So, here is my absolute favorite quote on the subject, from one of the best of all time. All actors out there, there's no such thing as film acting. Forget whoever told you... no disrespect to some teachers out there... but I've done it little a while. There is no such thing as film acting; the truth is the TRUTH. There's all this, 'oh I have to bring it down.' No you don't. You have to be honest. The camera will catch you lying! Denzel Washington

MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS, WEEK OF 2/11/22 THE FUGITIVE KIND (1960) A trouble-prone drifter trying to go straight, wanders into a small Mississippi town looking for a simple and honest life but finds himself embroiled with problem-filled women. Directed by Sidney Lumet. Screenplay by Tennessee Williams, Meade Roberts, based on Williams' play, Orpheus Descending. Stars Marlon Brando, Joanne Woodward, Anna Magnani, Maureen Stapleton. Kind of scandalous in it's day, stretching... the boundaries of profanity and sexual content. Acting is very good, especially the ladies. JULES AND JIM (1962) Decades of a love triangle concerning two friends and an impulsive woman. Directed by Francois Truffaut. Screenplay by Francois Truffaut, Jean Gruault. Starts Jeanne Moreau, Oskar Werner, Henri Serre. Excellent film out of the French New Wave, with solid acting and outstanding cinematic story-telling.

POST OF THE WEEK TO ACTORS: This one actually comes from Viola Davis. I couldn't have summed up my sentiments any better, so let's just let Ms. Davis words articulate it... there is so much wisdom in this... INTERVIEWER: "I’ve seen you talk about 'pathologies' in discussions about acting. Why is that word useful for you?"... VIOLA DAVIS: "Pathology is the study of tumors. Is it benign? Is it malignant? You’re studying the origins of it. It’s the same thing with a character. Sanford Meisner would say the most powerful question you can ask as an actor is Why? "...I don’t think a lot of people even know what acting is. A lot of people who want to be actors want to be famous actors. They don’t want to sacrifice anything in a profession that has a 95 percent unemployment rate. And people feel that acting conversations are boring. I could go on about objectives and tactics you’ve lost people. They don’t want to hear about that. That’s not sexy. And therein lies the problem. When you’re creating a character, the most important thing you can do is observe life. All the putridness and the beauty of what it means to be a human being. Your choices have to be based on that. And nobody wants that truth."

MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS, WEEK OF 2/4/22 THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971) A pair of NYPD detectives in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a heroin smuggling ring based in Marseilles, but stopping them and capturing their leaders proves an elusive goal. Directed by William Friedkin, Screenplay by Ernest Tidyman. Stars Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, Fernando Rey, Tony Lo Bianco, Marcel Bozzuffi, Bill Hickman. Nominated for 8 Academy Awards, it won 5: Best Picture, Best Actor (Hackman),... Best Director, Best Screenplay (Adapted) and Best Editing. Fantastic, gritty, action crime drama with one of the best chase scenes in movie history. Great acting throughout. Hackman is sensational in one of his most iconic roles! JERRY MCGUIRE (1996) When a sports agent has a moral epiphany and is fired for expressing it, he decides to put his new philosophy to the test as an independent agent with the only athlete who stays with him and his former colleague. Directed and Written by Cameron Crowe. Stars Tom Cruise, Cube Gooding Jr., Renee Zellweger, Kelly Preston, Jerry O'Connell, Jay Mohr, Jonathan Lipnicki, Regina King, Bonnie Hunt. Nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor (Cruise), Screenplay and Editing. In a very memorable performance, Cuba Good won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. A terrific comedy / romance / drama, with a great script and excellent performances from the entire cast, including a young Jonathan Lipnicki (before he became a Playhouse West member).

MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS, WEEK OF 5/31/21 In honor of Memorial Day, and the upcoming Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion of Normandy. Great way to honor and remember those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998) A terrific movie to honor those brave men of D-Day. Stephen Spielberg directed this Robert Rodat script that begins with the the Normandy Landings, and then follows a group of U.S. Soldiers who go behind enemy lines to ret...rieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action. Stars an excellent cast, with Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Ed Burns, Barry Pepper, Adam Goldberg, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, Jeremy Davies, Matt Damon, Ted Danson, Paul Giamatti, Dennis Farina. Nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Spielberg for Best Director (Best Picture went embarrassingly to Shakespeare In Love). Masterfully done in every way. Instant classic and movie making at its best. GLORY (1989) Robert Gould Shaw leads the U.S. Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices from both his own Union Army, and the Confederates. Directed by Edward Zwick. Stars Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman, Andre Braugher. Nominated for 5 Academy Awards. Won 3, including Washington for Best Supporting Actor. Excellent acting and a very well-done historical drama! One of the best Civil Wars films ever made.

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The Regular submissions Deadline for our Playhouse West Film Festival-Philadelphia is coming up June 1st! Final Late Deadline is June 21. The festival is August 27-29, 2021.... https://filmfreeway.com/PlayhouseWestFilmFestival-Philadelp See more

PLAYHOUSE WEST - SCENE DAY - MAY 2021

POST OF THE WEEK FOR ACTORS: Every day you either get a little better or a little worse. For many years my students have heard this phrase repeated practically daily. For an actor, this not only applies to technique or other fundamental habits, it also applies to one's creativity and imagination. One's ability to be creative, to think and function imaginatively, and to play with "actor's faith", the ability to believe in the make believe, expands and becomes more fruitful... only through regular practice. An actor who is not constantly involved in the creative processes or neglects to engage in a ritual of using their imagination will soon realize how quickly these areas languish. Like anything else, without habitual use, our creativity loses its vigor, its vitality. Therefore, every actor must be committed to a life of daily creative play and thought to stimulate a fertile imagination. This includes an actor's ability to read interpretively and make strong, imaginative choices. An actor can only go as far their imagination can take them. Limited imagination, limited actor. Actors: what did you do today to practice creativity and nourish your imagination?

MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS, WEEK OF 5/17/21 ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975) A criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rebels against the oppressive nurse and rallies up the scared patients. Drama directed by Miloš Forman, based on the 1962 novel by Ken Kesey, produced by Michael Douglas. Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Will Sampson, Michael Berryman. Nominated for 9 Academy Awards, winning the top 5; Best Picture, Best Director, Best S...creenplay, Best Actor (Nicholson, Best Actress (Fletcher). Great supporting cast of Brad Dourif, Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd, Scatman Crothers, and others. See if you can spot a young Angelica Huston, basically an uncredited extra, as a woman in the crowd on the pier. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934) A renegade reporter and a crazy young heiress meet on a bus heading for New York, and end up stuck with each other when the bus leaves them behind at one of the stops. Directed by the great Frank Capra. Screenplay by Robert Riskin. Stars Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns. Winner of 5 Academy Awards, Best Picture, Best Actor (Gable), Best Actress (Colbert), Best Director and Best Screenplay. Yes, it won all the top awards! Fantastic comedy/romance film, just a delightful film filled with so many great bits Capra was famous for. A true classic!

MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS, WEEK OF 12/21/20 It's Christmas week, and there are some excellent, obvious movie choices I could make, It's a Wonderful Life being one. But as the end of 2020 draws near, this week, my choices are beautiful reminders of humankind's enduring and unshakable spirit, our faith in God and each other, our ability to face adversity, and to love and look out for one another. Enjoy these films based on true stories. APOLLO 13 (1995)... NASA must devise a strategy to return Apollo 13 to Earth safely after the spacecraft undergoes massive internal damage putting the lives of the three astronauts on board in jeopardy. Ron Howard directed this wonderful adventure/historical drama based on astronaut Jim Lovell's book detailing the real life events. Stars Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinese, Ed Harris, Kathleen Quinlan. Nominated for 9 Academy Awards, winning two (Best Sound and Best Editing). Riveting, suspenseful and touching story-telling. THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965) A classic musical about a young woman who leaves an Austrian convent to become governess to the children of a Naval officer widower. Based on the true story of the Von Trapp Family. Expertly directed by the great Robert Wise. Stars Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydin, Peggy Wood. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, it won 5, including Best Picture, Best Director, Sound, Editing and Musical Score - one of the best of all time. Andrews is enchanting and delightful, and Plummer is romantic and heroic. The acting is superb and deeply moving, and the whole cast shines in one of the best film adaptations of a stage musical. The cinematography and art direction is equally incredible and unforgettable. Such a beautiful and memorable film in every respect.

My Post of the Week to actors actually comes from Viola Davis, via a post made by one of my students. I couldn't have summed up my sentiments any better, so let's just let Ms. Davis words articulate it... there is so much wisdom in this... INTERVIEWER: "I’ve seen you talk about 'pathologies' in discussions about acting. Why is that word useful for you?" VIOLA DAVIS: "Pathology is the study of tumors. Is it benign? Is it malignant? You’re studying the origins of it. It’s t...he same thing with a character. Sanford Meisner would say the most powerful question you can ask as an actor is Why? "...I don’t think a lot of people even know what acting is. A lot of people who want to be actors want to be famous actors. They don’t want to sacrifice anything in a profession that has a 95 percent unemployment rate. And people feel that acting conversations are boring. I could go on about objectives and tactics you’ve lost people. They don’t want to hear about that. That’s not sexy. And therein lies the problem. When you’re creating a character, the most important thing you can do is observe life. All the putridness and the beauty of what it means to be a human being. Your choices have to be based on that. And nobody wants that truth." https://www.nytimes.com//viola-davis-ma-raineys-black-bott

MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS, WEEK OF 12/14/20 TOOTSIE (1982) An unsuccessful actor disguises himself as a woman in order to get a role on a trashy hospital soap. Written by Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal. Directed by one of the all-time greats, Sydney Pollack. Stars a tremendous cast of Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Terri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Billy Murray, Charles Durning, Sydney Pollack, Geena Davis, George Gaynes. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards (Lange won for Best Suppo...rting Actress), in a year full of incredible movies (Ghandi, The Verdict, An Officer and a Gentleman, Sophie's Choice, Frances among them). A comedic tour de force for Pollack, Hoffman and everyone involved, truly one of the great comedies of all time. CINEMA PARADISO (1988) A beautiful, enchanting story about a filmmaker who recalls his childhood when falling in love with the pictures at the cinema of his home village and forms a deep friendship with the cinema's projectionist. Internationally acclaimed film directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, with Philippe Noiret, Enzo Cannavale, Antonella Attili, Isa Danieli. Academy Award and Golden Globe winner for Best Foreign Language Film. Cinematically breathtaking! Imaginative narrative story-telling.

PLAYHOUSE WEST-PHILADELPHIA T-Shirt and Hoodie Fundraiser - must order by this Saturday. We have Regular short sleeves and M/W V-Necks ($18), Long Sleeve Tees ($23), or Hoodies ($33). All high quality. Great Christmas presents! https://www.customink.com//playhouse-west-philadelphia-the

MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS, WEEK OF 12/7/20 THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998) Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it. A Cohen Brothers comedy, written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. With a tremendous cast, starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman, David Huddleston, Mark Pellegrino (long time PW member), John Turturro, ...Tara Reid. Simply one of the funniest damn movies ever made, with Bridges creating an unforgettable character. Every actor created an unforgettable character in some way, just an excellent film for actors to study, and for everyone to laugh out loud a lot. Enjoy! IN HARM'S WAY (1965) A Naval officer, reprimanded after Pearl Harbor, is later promoted to Rear Admiral and gets a second chance to prove himself against the Japanese. Otto Preminger directed. Stars John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Patricia Neal, Brandon De Wilde, Dana Andrews, Burgess Meredith, Franchot Tone, Carrol O'Connor, Paula Prentis, Slim Pickens. An excellent cast and a solid war drama.

A shout out of support for Playhouse West-Philadelphia alum, Evangeline Young, who appears in "ON THE ROCKS", written and directed by Sophia Coppola, starring Bill Murray, Rashida Jones, Marlon Wayans. The film has been getting excellent reviews. Opens in select theaters this weekend, and on Apple TV next week. https://www.nytimes.com//01/movies/on-the-rocks-review.html

PLAYHOUSE WEST FILM FESTIVAL-PHILADELPHIA AWARD WINNERS! Now posted on our website. Congratulations to the nominees and winners! https://www.playhousewest.com/2020-awards.html

MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS, WEEK OF 10/12/20 THE COLOR PURPLE (1985) A black Southern woman struggles to find her identity after suffering abuse from her father and others over four decades. Expertly directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Alice Walker, stars Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg (film debut), Desreta Jackson, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey, Adolph Caesar, Rae Dawn Chong. Powerful and uplifting. Nominated for 11 Academ...y Awards, and incredibly no wins, but it was up against films like Out of Africa (won 7 Oscars), and other very strong films that year. Great film, outstanding acting and story-telling. THE 400 BLOWS (1959) A misunderstood young boy, left without attention, struggles with his parents and teachers due to his rebellious nature, and delves into a life of petty crime. French New Wave film, and the directorial debut of François Truffaut. Stars Jean-Pierre Léaud, Albert Rémy, and Claire Maurier. A personal favorite, on the top of my list of best foreign films. Tremendous cinematic story-telling, and highly influenced many of the excellent film directors since. Every serious filmmaker would be smart to study this film.

Playhouse West Film Festival-Philadelphia, less than a week away! Can watch all the films and Q&As virtually! Get your tickets! Full festival virtual ticket holders get to vote for Audience Choice Awards! https://www.playhousewest.com/2020-schedule-of-events--fest

MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS, WEEK OF 10/5/20 VIVA ZAPATA! (1952) Elia Kazan directed the script by John Steinbeck about Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, who led a rebellion against the corrupt, oppressive dictatorship of president Porfirio Díaz in the early 20th century. Stars Marlon Brando, Anthony Quinn, Jean Peters. Brando is excellent, as is Quinn who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Magnificently directed by Kazan, cinematically it's a masterpiece.... SOUNDER (1972) The oldest son of a loving and strong family of black sharecroppers comes of age in the Depression-era South after his father is imprisoned for stealing food. Directed by Martin Ritt. Stars Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, Kevin Hooks. Nominated for 4 Oscars, unfortunately in a year dominated by The Godfather. A simple, but very powerful film. Cicely Tyson is sensational, as usual.

MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS, WEEK OF 9/28/20 GENTLEMEN'S AGREEMENT (1947) A reporter pretends to be Jewish in order to cover a story on anti-Semitism, and personally discovers the true depths of bigotry and hatred. Written by Moss Hart, Directed by Elia Kazan. Star Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, John Garfield, Celeste Holm. Very courageous at the time of it's release, this film set the standard for stories about anti-semitism. Nominated for 8 Academy Awards, with Oscars wins fo...r Best Picture, Director (Kazan) and Supporting Actress (Holm). Excellent picture! AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (1979) Outstanding Norman Jewison directed film, with a script from Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtain, about a lawyer forced to defend a corrupt judge, while trying to find punishment for the guilty and provide justice for the innocent. Great cast! Stars Al Pacino, John Forsythe, Jack Warden, Lee Strasberg, Jeffrey Tambor, Craig T. Nelson and Christine Lahti in her film debut. Terrific acting and story-telling! One of Pacino's best roles! He was nominated for an Oscar but lost to Dustin Hoffman in Kramer vs. Kramer, in what was a sensational year for movies and performances.

PWFF-PHILLY VIRTUAL TICKETS NOW ON SALE! You can find links to individual blocks, as well as bundled single day and full festival passes. There are also tickets left for in-theater screenings too, except the Sunday, 4 pm block which is sold out.... https://www.playhousewest.com/2020-schedule-of-events--fest

Tickets for limited (20 people per screening), in-theater seating at our 2020 Playhouse West Film Festival - Philadelphia are on sale now. Tickets to attend virtually, including all the live streamed Q&As will go on sale Wednesday or Thursday. https://www.playhousewest.com/2020-schedule-of-events--fest

MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS, WEEK OF 9/21/20 TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944) During World War II, an American expatriate helps transport a French Resistance leader and his beautiful wife to Martinique while romancing a sensuous lounge singer. Based on an Ernest Hemingway novel, directed by Howard Hawks. Stars Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Walter Brennan. Outstanding film noir, comedy, adventure story. Bogey and Bacall are so fun to watch.... TO SIR, WITH LOVE (1967) James Clavell wrote and directed this British drama about a black, idealistic engineer-trainee and his experiences in teaching a group of rambunctious white high school students from the slums of London's East End. Stars the unparalleled Sidney Poitier, an actor every other actor must study. Excellent, touching film.

MY POST OF THE WEEK: Dare to be Impressive We live in a culture of accepted mediocrity, practically institutionalized mediocrity, where achievers are often shamed, mocked and almost intimidated into performing below their abilities, their level of talent and normal standards. The class clown or rebel achieves almost hero status in our current culture, while A students, or those who are striving for a higher standard of excellence are made fun of. The true artist doesn’t f...all for this. You must dare to be impressive. Dare to be exceptional - the envy of other artists, especially when it comes to your work ethic, dedication and commitment to truth and excellence. The true artist desires to produce work of lasting value and importance. The true artist dares to be impressive.

MOVE RECOMMENDATIONS, WEEK OF 9/14/20 PAPILLION (1973) Based on a true story, an excellent drama about safecracker Henri "The Butterfly" Charriere, who tries to escape from Devil's Island with counterfeiter Louis Dega. Directed by Franklin Schaffner, written by two giants of the screenwriting world, Dalton Trumbo and Lorenzo Semple Jr.. Stars Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman, Victor Jory, Don Gordon. Riveting acting by McQueen! Truly one one of the greatest performances in f...ilm history. Hoffman is also excellent, but it's McQueen who dazzles. THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP (1982) A comedy/drama about a struggling young writer who finds his life and work dominated by his unfaithful wife and his radical feminist mother, whose best-selling manifesto turns her into a cultural icon. Directed by George Roy Hill, Screenplay by Steve Tesich based on the John Irving novel. A stellar cast, starring Robin Williams, Mary Beth Hurt, Glenn Close, John Lithgow, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Swoosie Kurtz. Close and Lithgow both got Oscar nominations in Supporting Actor and Actress categories. Kind of an odd, funky film in all the right ways, with outstanding acting that is both funny and touching. LILLIES OF THE FIELD (1963) A traveling handyman becomes the answer to the prayers of nuns who wish to build a chapel in the desert, starring Sidney Poitier, Lilia Skala, Stanley Adams, and Dan Frazer; directed by Ralph Nelson. Nominated for 5 Academy Awards, Poitier won for Best Actor, the first African-American to win a Best Actor award and the second African-American to win any Oscar. Excellent film, poignant and touching. Poitier is stellar, as usual.

Playhouse West Film Festival-Philadelphia Full Schedule with film info is now posted on our website. Ticket information coming soon! https://www.playhousewest.com/2020-full-schedule-of-events-