Practical Aesthetics is based on the practice of breaking down the process of acting into two essential components: Action and Moment, with the goal of simplifying the process of acting for the actor. The action is defined as "
what you are doing onstage," while moment is about "
how you are going to do it."
“Once you are deeply immersed in the given circumstances and have applied a clear method to the analysis of the text, then you can go onstage and completely let go.” -Anya Saffir, Atlantic Acting School Instead, the As-If ties the actor to an active goal, inviting them to think of something that
could happen, but
has not yet happened in their life, be it a personal worry or dread or dream or fantasy, that keeps the playing of action in the now, and gives the actor something to truthfully explore and fight for within a scene, with an outcome that is unknown. Despite knowing how the scene unfolds for the characters because the actors have read the script, this tool helps actors to play their way through an objective that motivates the lines, rather than act their idea of how the scene should play out. Like an athlete playing a sport, using the As-If in rehearsal, the actor may improvise their action opposite the other actor’s action, trying to win their goal, eventually replacing the words of the As-If with the words of the scene, so that the acting maintains a spirit of discovery and suspense.
Moment Once the actor has applied a clear analysis method to the text that immerses them in the given circumstances, they can enter the scene, onstage or on camera, with improvisational freedom in the moment. “The writer has provided the words-
the context. Script Analysis defines the action-the intention. How should you say the line? Perhaps, instead, you should ask, 'How does
my scene partner need to hear the line? What would be the best way to achieve my action in this moment? Determine that, and then say the line in order to further that goal.'” -Robert Bella,
Training of the American Actor Actors are trained to put their attention outward toward the other actor(s), with tools that heighten their listening, physical engagement, and responsiveness. "We are really interested in the live, spontaneous, improvised, unforeseeable moment." -Anya Saffir, Atlantic Acting School ==Practitioners==