Actors flock to North Bay for Meisner masterclass

Acting elite from around the world gathered in North Bay for a rare Meisner technique retreat led by acclaimed educator Larry Silverberg. Eric Taschner has more

For the last several weeks, Canadore College in North Bay has hosted about 20 acting teachers, directors and professional actors from across Canada and around the world for a training program that participants are calling ‘a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.’

The intensive session is being led by Larry Silverberg, an internationally recognized acting educator who has trained thousands of performers in Hollywood, on Broadway, and worldwide in what is known as the Meisner Technique. Silverberg, a Brooklyn native who studied under the late Sanford Meisner, is considered one of the foremost authorities on the approach and has authored numerous books on acting and actor development.

‘Working with an element of truth’

At the heart of the training is a focus on emotional presence and authentic behaviour rather than rote memorization of lines and cues. Actors are taught to live “truthfully under imaginary circumstances,” a core tenet of the Meisner approach, which emphasizes being fully engaged with scene partners in the moment.

Jim Braswell, an actor and working acting coach from Orlando, Fla., described the profound impact the past few weeks have had on his craft.

“What I’ve really learned in the last couple of weeks is the importance of being present in the moment and working with an element of truth so that your work comes out honestly,” Braswell said.

“I feel like I have a gold chip, a nugget, a secret that I can’t wait to share with so many other people.”

Silverberg told CTV News that the technique is designed to unlock an actor’s full potential, freeing them from self-consciousness so they can fully inhabit any role.

“The actor becomes the full, authentic expression of everything they are in each moment,” Silverberg said.

He described the goal as creating performances that are so compelling they command the audience’s complete attention, adding that the technique is meant to “take the audience’s breath away” and have them sitting on the edge of their seat.

‘Larry is the best teacher I ever studied with’

The Meisner Technique has influenced generations of celebrated performers, including Gregory Peck, Jeff Goldblum, Robert Duvall, Amy Schumer and Tom Cruise. Its reach extends far beyond North America, as evidenced by the international roster of participants who made the journey to northern Ontario for this session.

Begoña Soler, an actor and director from Valencia, Spain, travelled thousands of kilometres specifically to study under Silverberg.

“Larry is the best teacher I ever studied with,” Soler said.

Paola Miranda, a theatre and film actor and director from El Salvador, said the training has been invaluable, offering her fresh perspectives both as a performer and as a director who works with actors.

“I’m mostly directing right now. So, I’ll be going back home to direct,” Miranda said.

“This gives me a little chance to work with the actors.”

North Bay-based actor Mary Ann Johnson, who performed in a background role as a police officer on the television series Cardinal, emphasized that the Meisner approach transforms the way actors relate to their dialogue.

“I say my lines. Now you say your lines. It’s not like that at all,” Johnson said.

“Those lines are in your blood.”

‘I refer to him as a guru’

The training was brought to North Bay through the efforts of Rob McCubbin, a talent agent manager with Nexus Talent Group based in the city. McCubbin first studied under Silverberg in Salem, Ore., in 2012, when he was a teacher at the now-closed Widdifield Secondary School and had begun introducing the technique to drama students there.

McCubbin said he reached out to Silverberg with the idea of hosting a session in North Bay, and the response was positive.

“I reconnected with Larry and said, ‘What do you think? You know, do you think we can do it in North Bay?’” McCubbin said.

“And he said, ‘We’d love to give it a shot.’”

McCubbin spoke with deep respect about his mentor’s influence and expertise.

“He’s a master teacher,” McCubbin said.

“I refer to him as a guru.”

The training is designed not only to help actors bring greater authenticity and presence to their work on stage or screen but also to equip teachers and directors to pass the techniques on to others. For many participants, the knowledge gained in North Bay will be carried back to classrooms, rehearsal halls and film sets across the globe.

There are already talks underway to bring Silverberg back next summer for a second retreat session, ensuring that for this growing community of practitioners, the work continues. After all, as those in the craft often say, ‘the show must go on.’