Bright and early this past Friday morning, I rolled out of bed and got dressed. I was exhausted from lack of sleep and the long drive from Orlando to Atlanta the day before. But somehow, I still found myself more excited than I had been in a while.
Ten minutes later, I was on the road toward my destination. With my friend, Casey, at the wheel, I was able to prep myself for the day. I pulled out my phone, opened a Joyce Meyer app, and reread a scripture that informed me God would be with me and empower me to do great things that day. We pulled up to the theatre not long after. Casey smiled and wished me the best of luck, as I exited her car and then walked across the street. As I entered the theatre lobby, I was greeted and then handed a notebook, pen, and packet that read ‘Tasha Smith Actors Workshop’ at the very top. I entered the theatre doors on my left and found a seat in the back row of the almost filled-to-capacity theatre. It wasn’t much of a surprise. After all, this was an actors workshop taught by Tasha Smith, who’s acting credits include Empire, Power, and multiple films and a television series directed by Tyler Perry. Newbies and seasoned actors alike, we were all there to soak up her knowledge and learn as much as we could to develop our craft. A few minutes later, we were all on our feet giving Tasha a standing ovation as she walked onto the stage. Even from the back of the theatre, I could feel her vibrant energy, as she welcomed us to her three-day workshop and beamed about how excited she was to work with us. She interacted with us by introducing the acting method we’d be covering and answered any questions or concerns regarding the workshop. Immediately after, we were all on stage with her and lead through a series of exercises that got us so deep into our emotions, most of us couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. I won’t go into full detail about everything that transpired during the weekend, because it’s much more beneficial for one to attend the workshop and actually experience it. But we were able to perform our required monologues in front of Tasha and also scenes that she gave us for collaboration with a partner. We applied the acting techniques she taught us and received very honest and helpful feedback about our performances. So, if you were to ask me if I’d recommend attending a TSAW workshop, even after my many years of acting onstage, I’d give you a definite yes. Even if you believe you know everything there is to know about acting, attending a workshop can still benefit you. I recall being told that from a college professor years ago. I didn’t take her words seriously because I didn’t see the point when the focus of my major was already Theatre Performance. But working with Tasha taught me so much about myself. I can now unleash my tear floodgates much easier as I tap into my emotions. Receiving direct feedback from her has already helped me gain much more confidence in my craft. It felt like she genuinely cared about all of us and her feedback was catered to each individual. I was also able to network with people who love acting as much as I do, handout my business cards, and also leave my headshots and resume for casting directors. My weekend with Tasha at TSAW was truly a unique and rewarding experience. I was able to learn more about my own instrument and most importantly, myself as a person.
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