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A spiritual-political project [much like] Kushner envisioned
for his masterpiece Angels in America, Shelley Mitchell’s
performance is passionately mystical yet remarkably lucid.
She brings these characters to life with consummate craft.
(more)
SF Bay Guardian 2004
"Shelley Mitchell's portrayal of all thee
characters and angels, three-dimensional and whole, amazed
me!" Eamonn Walker, LORD OF WAR, OZ, DUMA
Dear Shelley,
With you as my guide, I found my artist's path but even more
importantly, the courage to walk it. Your insight, devotion
and talent has been a source of
inspiration to me. You truly care about your studentand prepare
them for the realities of the art form and what it's going
to demand of you. That truth has grounded me, been a beckon
of light to hold on to and helped me share what I feel inside.
I am forever grateful. Truly- Jason Foster, RENT
Talking with Angels speaks of life, death and
faith through a talented actor who deftly brings alive a remarkable
figure.(more)
SF Gate
Shelley, someone once told me 'Do what U want-the rest is
bullshit.' So that's the plan. I never in my most left-field-dreams
would've imagined a life as firey and exciting as the one
I'm living now. Thanx for all the truth. Thanx for all your
trade-mark bluntness. Thanx 4 teaching me about the present
moment. About "self-criticism" on a par with the
Chinese cultural revolution. I keep unfolding and in the back
of my head, I think back to the fall of 2000 when U 1st told
me over the phone that U were "gonna find my limit"
and that's where we would werkk. That's the torch 4 me to
hold onto. Challenges are what keep me young. Acting is not
Acting. Acting is Always Forever Now. Thanx
Dear Shelley...your class taught me that acting is largely
a matter of not hiding what is genuinely felt. Letting the
audience see my private face. I just need to be willing to
reveal what's actually there for me instead of trying to cover
it up with socially acceptable, politically correct, conventional
masks.
Shelley's class is like having a little corner of New York
right here in San Francisco. It is world class acting training.
I had the privilege of visiting the Actors Studio in NYC after
training with Shelley and was amazed to find that I fit right
in with the conversation.... I recommend it to anyone who
is serious about acting and wants to understand the craft.
-ADAM VENKER, actor
Even though I have taken several scene study classes and
read several books, the concept of fighting for what you want
and making bold, jugular decisions FINALLY came to life. The
light bulb turned on! The criticism of my acting has always
been to make more interesting choices that were less literal.
You showed me in one exercise how to take the "training
wheels" off. Now I feel I can better tap into my own
personal energy and power as an actor. I feel complete confidence
in my personal substance and ability to create great acting.
To date, I haven't been able to find that "place"
before. I cannot impress upon you enough how much admiration
I have for your teaching ability and ambition to push your
students.
I just wanted to express my gratitude for all you've taught
me. I feel like you really have helped me to get a lot of
my garbage off so I could see and be seen clearly. I am deeply
thankful to have you as a teacher.
In addition to the excellent acting coaching
I am receiving from Shelley, as a result of the whole process,
I have noticed a change in my personal and business life.
The only way I can put it is that I have become braver, so
I am risking and doing and accomplishing more. Thank you.GERALD
COX
You can learn more in one
of Shelley's classes about improving yourself as an
actor than you can in a year with ACT or Berkeley classes.
There is a level of honesty and trust in her class which literally
takes your breath away. Combine this with Shelley's extremely
accomplished, astute and always contsructive skill as an acting
teacher and you get, in my opinion, the best acting class
in the bay area. JOHN GILLIGAN, SOFTWARE ENGINER, ACTOR
H.K.: ... nine out of 10 Hollywood directors do not know how
to rehearse. And most actors do not know how to rehearse.
The rehearsal process is a very important part of the creation.
And it will do directors and actors a lot of good to study
the craft to learn how to rehearse. To learn how to do their
homework. To learn what to do as homework.
TR: Specifically, how does one rehearse?
HK: ... Well I cannot teach a class here now on acting. ...They
have to immerse themselves into it. I can tell you that if
you do not take the training that a Marine takes, and you
are thrown into the jungle, you're probably going to die.
If you do not take the training an actor needs to take when
you are put into that human jungle of cement and palm trees,
you are going to die. You need your craft to support you,
to guide you, to sustain you. I can only advise your directors
to study acting. And your actors to study acting.
If you want to be an actor you're going to have
to ask yourself a lot of questions that you don't necessariloy
want to hear the answer to.
KEVIN SPACEY
A theatrical school must clear the way for the
creative potentialities of the student; but he or she must
proceed along this road by herself; she cannot be taught.
The school must remove all the conventional rubbish which
prevents the spontaneous manifestation of the student’s
deeply hidden potentialities. EUGENE VAKHTANGOV, 1895
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