Teaching Acting Online: Ten Tips Toward Creating a Strong Container

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have moved our acting classes online. As I prepare for September, I am acutely aware of the need to reimagine the idea of "creating a container" in our new virtual acting studio. How can I create the conditions for trust and risktaking to flourish, and take care of my students' emotional well-being as they move through the psychological demands of actor training, all during a global pandemic? This situation presents distinct challenges, and I am grateful there are supportive practices available, many of which we already use in our face-to-face classes. Making these practices more conscious and explicit for both ourselves and our students will help us best support them in navigating the sometimes murky emotional waters of actor training through these uncertain and challenging times.

So What Do You Mean by "Creating a Container" Anyway?

Creating containers is something we all do, at least a little, and is so ingrained into the fabric of theatre that we may not think much about it. Containers hold and support the wildness of our theatrical investigations and enable us to dive deep. It is why we (usually) practice in a closed studio rather than a busy public space. The most basic container is the studio itself, and the set time of class, or rehearsal, or a performance; space and time define the bounds of our explorations so that we can enter and exit our work clearly. Some other common containers include: the witnessing and responsiveness of the instructor (including creating a supportive environment and intervening in moments of emotional overwhelm or physical danger); the witnessing of the ensemble (especially in moments of risk or vulnerability); "exercises"; physical forms; text; a working agreement created by the ensemble; reflection practices like journaling or "hunkering"; conscious awareness of one's body, emotional responses, and actions; entering and exiting practices such as a check-ins and closing circles; warm-ups and warm-downs; and any practices that support consciously changing states, in particular that support shifting "out of" the work.

Unique Challenges to Container Creation While Teaching Remotely during COVID-19

A private, secure, supportive space is not a given for all of our students. First-year students may not even know this is necessary or have an accurate idea of what they will be doing. Many students live with parents or guardians, not all of whom are supportive of their artistry. Some students live with abusive families or partners, have roommates they do not want to disturb, or fear complaints from neighbors. We cannot assume that all of our students have a space in which they can move, voice, emote, and act freely and unselfconsciously. Students from marginalized communities may be more impacted by this challenge than other students. [End Page E-1]

Our primary response to this should be proactive and collaborative. We can let students (especially new, incoming students) know what to expect and directly address what they will need in terms of space to work. Some students may try to arrange moving to a more supportive living/working environment (several of my students made moves this spring as we shifted online). Some students may elect to take a term or two out, and should be supported in this, rather than pressed to continue to keep enrollment numbers up. If students do not have a safe space at home to work, it is up to us to facilitate a frank discussion with them about what will best serve their work and life. That said, some students in difficult home situations may still be able to work freely in that environment, and this decision should also be respected and supported. To some greater or lesser extent, we can also be flexible and creative in our offerings and expectations in order to support inclusion for all of our students, regardless of their living situations.

Physical space aside, we are now also working at a deficit of embodied presence. Within this context, how can we hold the work and support students as they learn to navigate the complexities of our...