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One Second Ahead: A Fool's Guide to Teaching Drama
One Second Ahead—A Fool’s Guide to Teaching Drama delivers tools, processes, theories and play text analysis (Shakespeare and others) for teachers, students, actors, playwrights and directors. Director/educator Richard Weingartner captures the art of teaching drama in one volume of insights, anecdotes, formulas, hypotheses, remembrances and wisdom. Part memoir, part “notes from the classroom,” One Second Ahead—A Fool’s Guide to Teaching Drama is an invaluable guide for anyone seriously investigating the art of live theatre.*Richard W. Weingartner has been a drama teacher for many years. He has won numerous awards as an educator and has over 100 stage productions as director and writer under his belt, working with both students and professionals. Currently, he’s an acting coach and writer and resides in Massachusetts.
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Published November 12, 2023
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March 11, 2024
Disclaimer: I was one of the first students of Mr. Weingartner (who we students all just called Richard back in 1987, just because he was practically still a kid himself) at the school where he had the longest tenure of his career. I was going to reveal this at the end of this brief review. But that would be sneaky. So, following the command of Mr. Weingartmer, I will put that story first.
Drift in. Drift out. The stream-of-consciousness style of this book allows the reader to ponder what is being pontificated. (And a lot is pontificated.)
Where the book shines is in the self-reflective moments of the author. Richard drifts through moments of his past as well as in is teaching career to describe both formation and testimony to many of his principles. These principles – which for the acting professional should be the most crucial elements – play out like clever life wisdoms when embraced as part of a career memoir. They are as satisfying as perfect coffee on the first chilly day in November. But I am only guessing this as I never drink coffee.
Throughout the book are quirky bits of grammar. Our author lays heavy claim throughout that he is there to share, not there to dazzle, and so these print glitches ironically enhance one of the most profound principles Richard – er, Mr. Weingartner – espouses. Specifically: to experiment, to allow wandering, to wing it, and to not get bogged down with the rules set out before you enter the moment. While he doesn't (I don't think) ever state this principle directly, it is oozing off the pages. It is simultaneously encouraging to the artist, but more so comforting to any soul who happens to read the work through to the end.
As far as that artist I just mentioned? Indeed, I think this book is lying in its title's byline: "aA. Fools; Guide To Teaching Drama. " That's not bullshit for it will, indeed, manage to offer that guidance. However, the book shines as a tome for artists of any medium. It will remind us how to use our gifts towards practical produce, rather than get stuck in our ego's limiting dimensions. This is a work for artists to drift into and drift out from.
Quick and curious, it is very unlike most books you might read, simply because it is clearly written in a manner to capture the speaking style and thought patterns of the author himself. You are aware, throughout, if the voice and character who is "one second ahead." This effect of seeing the author's idiosyncracies captured in written text features offers actually crucial modeling examples of one way to approach creative projects. For some, these will be distracting, For those who remain patient, you will drift through them with delight and even a quit smile or two.
The bit I am most grateful for is that I can recommend this book to anyone with a creative spirit. It does not take its own mission too seriously; the tome is not exclusively for the student of acting nor for the stage director. These folks might gain specific bonuses, sure, but I was relieved as I turned the pages to note how, while telling the story of his process, it is not bound to principles which only benefit performers. Anyone can drift in or out of this piece. I urge folks to do so.
I was lucky, I met and was mentored under a version of the author who had not yet developed even 10% of the principles that he used for decades after I was among the group of talented actors and performers who were, in a way, his early sandbox. Nothing is more gratifying than to witness where those experimental years brought the author, and how so many elements we worked with evolved into brilliant guiding principles with applications far beyond their point of invention.
I didn't get Richard 1.0. Heck, I barely saw the proto-Richard – the man who would gain almost cult-like reverence from his performers, And I am glad for this because I experienced the Artist in process; drifting through his trials and ideas towards the realization that story comes first in his creative process.
Drift into Richard's world. You will be edified by how you drift out.
Drift in. Drift out. The stream-of-consciousness style of this book allows the reader to ponder what is being pontificated. (And a lot is pontificated.)
Where the book shines is in the self-reflective moments of the author. Richard drifts through moments of his past as well as in is teaching career to describe both formation and testimony to many of his principles. These principles – which for the acting professional should be the most crucial elements – play out like clever life wisdoms when embraced as part of a career memoir. They are as satisfying as perfect coffee on the first chilly day in November. But I am only guessing this as I never drink coffee.
Throughout the book are quirky bits of grammar. Our author lays heavy claim throughout that he is there to share, not there to dazzle, and so these print glitches ironically enhance one of the most profound principles Richard – er, Mr. Weingartner – espouses. Specifically: to experiment, to allow wandering, to wing it, and to not get bogged down with the rules set out before you enter the moment. While he doesn't (I don't think) ever state this principle directly, it is oozing off the pages. It is simultaneously encouraging to the artist, but more so comforting to any soul who happens to read the work through to the end.
As far as that artist I just mentioned? Indeed, I think this book is lying in its title's byline: "aA. Fools; Guide To Teaching Drama. " That's not bullshit for it will, indeed, manage to offer that guidance. However, the book shines as a tome for artists of any medium. It will remind us how to use our gifts towards practical produce, rather than get stuck in our ego's limiting dimensions. This is a work for artists to drift into and drift out from.
Quick and curious, it is very unlike most books you might read, simply because it is clearly written in a manner to capture the speaking style and thought patterns of the author himself. You are aware, throughout, if the voice and character who is "one second ahead." This effect of seeing the author's idiosyncracies captured in written text features offers actually crucial modeling examples of one way to approach creative projects. For some, these will be distracting, For those who remain patient, you will drift through them with delight and even a quit smile or two.
The bit I am most grateful for is that I can recommend this book to anyone with a creative spirit. It does not take its own mission too seriously; the tome is not exclusively for the student of acting nor for the stage director. These folks might gain specific bonuses, sure, but I was relieved as I turned the pages to note how, while telling the story of his process, it is not bound to principles which only benefit performers. Anyone can drift in or out of this piece. I urge folks to do so.
I was lucky, I met and was mentored under a version of the author who had not yet developed even 10% of the principles that he used for decades after I was among the group of talented actors and performers who were, in a way, his early sandbox. Nothing is more gratifying than to witness where those experimental years brought the author, and how so many elements we worked with evolved into brilliant guiding principles with applications far beyond their point of invention.
I didn't get Richard 1.0. Heck, I barely saw the proto-Richard – the man who would gain almost cult-like reverence from his performers, And I am glad for this because I experienced the Artist in process; drifting through his trials and ideas towards the realization that story comes first in his creative process.
Drift into Richard's world. You will be edified by how you drift out.
January 23, 2024
One of the most meaningful nuggets for me of One Second Ahead is knowing that Richard used a dictaphone when writing the entire book. What is more authentic than the words coming straight from the author, in the stream-of-consciousness way our brains actually work? Then, I opened the book and learned how “story comes first” is not only the mantra but IS the book. Though I didn’t have the opportunity to be a student of Richard’s, the magic I’ve heard his students reminisce on is something this book tenderly holds and in reading it, I “get it.” The magic is quite literally in page after page. Whether you are a theater kid or a teacher or an artist or, or, or…this work is full of wisdom, humor, and reminds us all to, “Be OK with chaos and loose ends, if you don’t know so be it. Work it out.”
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews