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Kiss Lab

building skills for intimate scene work

with Courtney Abbott

​Saturdays, November 2 - 23 (9am-11am)

Tuition: $180

*4 sessions, 2 hours each.     *This class is for professional actors.

Ever feel like ‘roles with kissing just aren’t for me’? Passed on an audition because the scene felt impossible to capture in a self-tape? Wished you felt more prepared when the Intimacy Director shows up to rehearsal? Courtney Abbott wants to boost your confidence. This class will give you the tools to tackle a role with intimate content with gusto. 

 

We begin with movement research - exploring physical impulse through Body-Mind Centering and the developmental patterns. Bring kneepads and wear your softest movement clothes for maximum relaxation, expression, and discovery. Next, we move to the interpersonal. Participants will practice identifying and expressing boundaries and impulses with a scene partner, using the wisdom from week one to tune into the body and access authentic movement. Weeks 3 & 4 involve practical application of these skills in scene work, tailored to the individuals in the class. Actors will have the opportunity to work on solo pieces or partnered scenes, with materials of their own choosing or drawn from the instructor’s selections. No kissing required.

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Week 1: physical impulse 

Week 2: communication

Weeks 3 & 4: crafting intimate moments


Courtney Abbott (they/she) has been leading Intimacy work for professional theater artists and filmmakers since 2018. Prior to this work, they taught consent and bystander intervention to the United States Armed Forces. Courtney is passionate about non-violent communication, and making our industry and this nation safer for Queer & NB2ST folx of all ages. They are a stakeholder in the Back Room Shakespeare Project, and a proud alum of Northwestern and Ohio University. Past collaborations include Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, About Face, Redtwist, Citadel, Metropolis, First Floor, The Gift, Remy Bumppo, Writers Theatre, Northwestern University, and Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts.

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