Rooms & Reckonings: An Acting Podcast

Patrick Poole
  • 5.0 (5)
  • PERFORMING ARTS

Focusing on a different acting theory book every episode, a guest host and I will summarize it, highlight the big ideas, weed out what's outdated or problematic, and figure out if the theories are still useful for the 21st Century. There are a thousand acting techniques out there; this should narrow things down whether you're an actor, student, teacher, or just interested theatre.

Episodes

  1. Improvisation for the Theater - Part 3 (Featuring Becky Fleckner)

    09/13/2020

    Improvisation for the Theater - Part 3 (Featuring Becky Fleckner)

    The exciting conclusion to this three-part episode! This one is a little shorter than previous episodes, but we still cover a lot of ground, discussing Spolin's directory of games, objective stage reality, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Lorraine Hansberry. Becky also takes an opportunity to plug her group, Artists-in-Place, which she co-founded with her partner. I've also provided a link to the theatre where you can see Becky perform as Little Stone in Eurydice, directed by Shannon Hill. Thank you for joining the conversation! Artists in Place - https://www.facebook.com/ArtistsInPlaceEurydice at Allens Lane - https://allenslane.org/Lorraine Hansberry - https://www.chipublib.org/lorraine-hansberry-biography/Multiple Intelligences - https://www.simplypsychology.org/multiple-intelligences.html

    43 min
  2. Improvisation for the Theater - Part 2 (Featuring Becky Fleckner)

    09/05/2020

    Improvisation for the Theater - Part 2 (Featuring Becky Fleckner)

    In the second part of my conversation with Becky Fleckner about Viola Spolin's Improvisation for the Theater, we discuss the application of this work in the classroom and in the rehearsal room. Becky shares more stories about her time as a teacher, and I go on another rant about Jared Leto. We mention a handful of artists connected to theatre and improvisation, and I've provided some links below with more information about them. The final episode of Improvisation for the Theater will be out next week. Thanks for joining the conversation! Keith Johnstone - https://www.keithjohnstone.com/Augusto Boal - https://hemisphericinstitute.org/en/hidvl-presentations/hidvl-presentations1/augusto-boal-and-the-theater-of-the-oppressed.htmlUta Hagen - https://americantheatrewing.org/legends/uta-hagen/ Jerzy Grotowski - https://culture.pl/en/artist/jerzy-grotowskiSanford Meisner - https://www.themeisnercenter.com/history.html

    56 min
  3. Improvisation for the Theater - Part 1 (Featuring Becky Fleckner)

    08/27/2020

    Improvisation for the Theater - Part 1 (Featuring Becky Fleckner)

    Part 1 of my conversation with Becky Fleckner about Viola Spolin's Improvisation for the Theater. We cover a lot of ground, but Spolin wrote a wealth of knowledge and so much of it is worth mentioning. We discuss some of the history and reasoning behind multiple publications and updates of this book. Later on, a lot of our conversation focuses on the teaching aspects of theatre, whether that means creating the right environment for students, encouraging their impulses, or making sure you don't love theatre so much that you make them hate it. Becky also shares some anecdotes from her time teaching to students on an island. I've shared links below to some of the people we mention in this episode in case you're unfamiliar with the names or why they're important to theatre. I've also included links to Viola Spolin's website and a New York bookstore where you can order some of her work. I've also included the link for the Artists in Place, co-founded by Becky. Next week, you'll be able to hear Becky and me continue our conversation in Part 2 of Improvisation for the Theater. Artists in Place - https://www.facebook.com/ArtistsInPlace/ Anne Bogart - https://dramatics.org/understanding-viewpoints/Stanislavski - https://www.biography.com/actor/constantin-stanislavskiKristin Linklater - https://www.thelinklatercenter.com/aboutusViola Spolin - https://www.violaspolin.org/bioBravo's Book Nook - https://www.bravosbooknook.com/search/site/improvisation%20for%20the%20theater

    1h 2m
  4. Improvisation for the Theater - Promo (Featuring Becky Fleckner)

    EPISODE 5

    Improvisation for the Theater - Promo (Featuring Becky Fleckner)

    The promo for the upcoming episodes for Rooms & Reckonings: An Acting Podcast! I talk to Becky Fleckner about Viola Spolin's Improvisation for the Theater. The first episode will be released next Wednesday, August 26th! Come join the conversation!

    2 min

  5. 08/06/2020

    Method or Madness - Part 2 (Featuring David Huynh)

    Part 2 of the first episode of Rooms & Reckonings: An Acting Podcast! My guest host is David Huynh, actor, educator, producer, advocate, and good friend. We finish discussing Method or Madness by Robert Lewis. This book addresses the major ideas of the system developed by Konstantin Stanislavski along with many of the misconceptions that sprung up around it through the first half of the 20th Century. This part covers lectures 1 through 4. I also finally remember what true crime podcast I was trying to think of in the first part. Once again, check out the different projects that David is a part of. He's doing a bunch of great stuff that you'll love! Once again, as in the first part, I'm putting a shout out to A Raisin in the Sun. If you haven't watched the production, I highly encourage you to check it out. David Huynh's Totally Awesome Amount of Projectshttps://www.david-huynh-actor.com/https://thesongcollectivenyc.org/https://www.lizardfolk.org/https://encounterparty.com/ A Raisin in the Sunhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzfgwxENvLk

    1h 4m

  6. 07/30/2020

    Method or Madness - Part 1 (Featuring David Huynh)

    The first episode of Rooms & Reckonings: An Acting Podcast! My guest host is David Huynh, actor, educator, producer, advocate, and good friend. For the first episode, we're discussing Method or Madness by Robert Lewis. This book addresses the major ideas of the system developed by Konstantin Stanislavski along with many of the misconceptions that sprung up around it through the first half of the 20th Century. Since there's so much to talk about, this episode is Part 1 of 2 for Method or Madness. We discuss a short history of the Method style of acting and lectures 1 through 4. Some other subjects that come up are Slings & Arrows, King Lear, Suicide Squad, Hamilton, and murder. David Huynh also does a million things, so below are some websites for him and the groups he's a part of. Also, each episode I'll give a recommendation for something related to theatre, either an artist, organization, or a production. For this episode, it's A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Below is a link to the YouTube video for the entire full length filmed production starring Esther Rolle and Danny Glover. Thank you for listening! Part 2 will be out next week on August 5th! David Huynh's Totally Awesome Amount of Projectshttps://www.david-huynh-actor.com/https://thesongcollectivenyc.org/https://www.lizardfolk.org/https://encounterparty.com/ A Raisin in the Sunhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzfgwxENvLk

    1h 8m

  7. EPISODE 2

    Episode 1 Promo

    The first promo for the first episode of my first podcast. So honored that David Huynh is my first guest and the first book we'll be talking about is Method or Madness by Robert Lewis! Whole lotta firsts! Episode drops on Wednesday July 29th!

    2 min

  8. EPISODE 1

    Trailer 1

    The first trailer for Rooms & Reckonings: An Acting Podcast! First episode out near the end of this month.

    1 min

Trailers

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Focusing on a different acting theory book every episode, a guest host and I will summarize it, highlight the big ideas, weed out what's outdated or problematic, and figure out if the theories are still useful for the 21st Century. There are a thousand acting techniques out there; this should narrow things down whether you're an actor, student, teacher, or just interested theatre.

Information

  • Creator
    Patrick Poole
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Patrick Poole