Oliver Platt Visits High School Performance (Acting) Workshop
The esteemed stage and screen actor Oliver Platt (also a Dalton parent) visited the advanced acting class Performance Workshop and graciously and thoughtfully answered questions about the craft of acting.
Mr. Platt spoke about the need for an actors to forge their acting process, culling from experiences with different teachers and other actors to assemble a process that works for them. He also addressed some of the differences in working in film and theater, emphasizing that each required deep focus and concentration. That said, he was keen for the students to appreciate that the preparation was at the service of the spontaneity and joy of performance. "You do the hard work so you can play." He also appreciated how the class was exploring writing and performing their original material. He felt the business had changed in the last decade, and young actors should not just be waiting for parts to appear, but additionally were obligated to create their own stuff and was pleased that this process was part of the Dalton theater curriculum. He graciously asked to be invited back when the class was performing some of their original projects.
Story provided by Robert Sloan, Middle and High School Theatre Teacher and Theatre Department Chair