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10/28/1973 - Exercise by Kenneth Cavander

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT rORLD AFFAIRS KC St Ronan Terrace New Haven Exercises Connecticut 06511 Mr Richard Nolte October Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York NY 10017 Dear Mr Nolte During month I meeting large number people hundred responded announce I published I looking actors theatrical projects The actors I mixed group experienced Broadway TV others looking their first professional since leaving drama school My purpose twofold I wanted myself available actors possible would sympathetic attuned I second I wanted start developing techniques would useful itself How would these techniques affect people Were dramatic Would different techniques currently workshops studi around country Whatever answers these questions I thought process asking something interesting bound emerge Instead auditioning actors singly I invited groups The numbers varied session session usually between people present The problem audition In I decided empirical adapt existing exercises create discover I along which would performers qualities I wanted I started about dozen different ideas month I three exercises produced consistently interesting results The I discarded complex initial audition teric unprepared strangers summarize significant parts I speculate might interpreted In exercises I asked actors recreate image phrase scrap music anything experience would induce familiar sense hackles rising shiver spine certain lines poetry fragments music memory painting Though emotion sometimes involved emotional memory closer child sense amazement something mysterious overwhelming world Then I asked actors having evoked experience themselves share others convey looking ability material oneself magnetic effect others something individual private significance Obviously people better others interesting which images recurring instance powerful sensations seemed scenes fantasies which individual himself herself expanding merging cosmos physical bound aries becoming blurred In another exercise actors asked perform group abstract power There rules words required person persuade watching audience In exercise balance power between individuals became almost tangible measurable datum experience A person could power second without words being exchanged violent action being performed Power became essence depended three relationship people involved audience The spectators became intensely involved sometimes actors seemed drmwing energy For disturbing others exhilarating For audience judging result often uncovered secret moral ethical premises The third exercise nvolved intangibles We about daily lives objects spaces inanimate neutral subject invent But suppose instance place could force energy attached could could accept reject What traditions sacred ground Or legend Arthurian Siege Perilous Why sometimes feeling discomfort someone favorite armchair The exercise consisted perimenting forces might mixed these feelings stories In version actor discover visible place remainder group selected forbidden In order something specific chose images project space extreme mortality Without exception individuals found place reacted images group would ggest There could explanations It might interesting track experimental psychologists follow For being though I concerned pragmatic seems What these similar exercises accomplish Where As I thought about I noticed dealt shape power power contained image arouse sensation whether excitement repulsion power control attitudes another power above based physical force For centuries fascinated power Our popular heroes conquerors Our slogans invoke victory power being Number One We obsessed potency We constantly subjected attempts enthral political credos spells incantations kinds In political clout military might toting sexual attractiveness money woven together But eople actors Power Game exercise asked these images interesting thing happens Getting holding power comfortable after Many times I would actors refuge passivity unassailable suppress feelings Instinctively might better losing Audience reactions equally interesting As I before hidden assumptions value udgments which deemed depended whether approve Winning unalloyed pleasure As touch feelings surrounding experience wielding power distracting uncomfortable associations intrude This surprising We after heirs Christian tradition gentle Jesus Hercules Superman What perhaps significant which people conflict barricade themselves behind facade indifference feeling control coldness In months I would explore among other things ramifications these ideas themselves specific characters situations events public private Iife Are current attitudes towards spell binding attractions power immutable Are changing What difference between power force All quite specific images I shall trying crystallize these month I shall report interesting program being undertaken Princeton University where dreams people explored extensions waking I hoping people concerned observe their Meanwhile missed attention words Secretary State Henry Kissinger Americans admire cowboy leading carav alone astride horse Without pistol maybe because doesn shooting He aiming right right A Wild West And I always convinced necessity whatever I People believe And I attach great import being believed persuades conquers someone mustn deceive Sincerely Ken Cavander Received New York October