Michael Chekhov Europe

Workshops

"As Michael Chekhov’s pupil, I learned more than acting... Every time he spoke, the world seemed to become bigger and more exciting... Acting became an art that increased your life and mind."

Marilyn Monroe

MCE offers workshops in Germany, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, North-Macedonia, Lebanon, Turkey, Russia, Armenia, and Israel. We also work in East Asia and Latin America, in collaboration with studios in Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, and Uruguay. Working language is English. On stage, participants may act in their own language.

Michael Chekhov Europe Training

Our educational programme Michael Chekhov Europe Training covers the whole Chekhov Technique in six modules and one individual project. The full programme can be achieved within two years. It is possible to enter at any module.

Module 1: Making Contact: Living Images: Body – Imagination – Emotion
Module 2: The Moving Space: Atmosphere – Creative Individuality – Play
Module 3: Psychological Gesture: The Spine of the Character: Objectives – Qualities – Archetypes
Module 4: ‘Me’ is The Other: Transforming into the Character: Imaginary centres – Imaginary body
Module 5: Communion with the Audience: Giving – Receiving – Sharing
Module 6: The Architecture of Performance: Improvisation – Composition – Style
Project: What I have to say! Applying the technique in your own artistic working field

The Training Programme has been created by MCE founding members Ulrich Meyer-Horsch, Suzana Nikolic, and Jesper Michelsen. It is taught by a faculty of 25 teachers from different countries (see below).

Download Programme: michaelchekhovtraining
Further information: Michael Chekhov Europe Training
Our studio in Zagreb: www.studiochekhov.hr
Our school in Hamburg: www.sfsh.de/chekhov-international

Michael Chekhov Europe Training

Workshops 2024/25

Michael Chekhov Summer Academy: 'Me' is the Other
Groznjan, Croatia, July 28 - August 1, 2024

"All true artists bear within themselves a deeply rooted and often unconscious desire for transformation." (M. Chekhov) The "Other", i.e. the character in a play, is always bigger than the personal experience of the performer. Michael Chekhov therefore asks us to look at the differences between the character and ourselves rather than at the similarities. If we dive into the inner and outer world of this other person, we will discover a whole new world.

• MCE Training module 4
• Faculty: Suzana Nikolic, Jesper Michelsen, Burcu Halacoglu, Cynthia Ashperger
• Costs: 480,-- € (regular) / 440,-- € (early bird)
• Further information: Mail: suzana@adu.hr

Psychological Gesture: The Character's Spine
Hamburg, Germany, October 3-6, 2024

The Psychological Gesture is probably the most famous tool of Michael Chekhov's acting technique. It is a psycho-physical movement that awakens the actor's inner life. A key to the essential features of the character, it enables the actor to express and embody his/her objectives. In the workshop, we will explore the natural flow of movement and breath and how it creates bold characters through gesture and archetypes. Stirring our will power, the Psychological Gesture gives the will a definite direction, awakens feelings, and evokes a condensed version of the character and his/her relationships.

• MCE Training module 3 o
• Faculty: Olivia Rüdinger, Slagana Vujosevik, Ulrich Meyer-Horsch o
• Play: "Mother Courage and her Children" by Bertolt Brecht o
• Costs: 480,-- € (regular) / 440,-- € (early bird) o
• October 7, we offer our additional Teachers Training for experienced acting teachers. Please contact Mail: chekhov@sfsh.de for details!
• Further details: link to announcement Hamburg workshop PDF
• www.sfsh.de/chekhov-international and Mail: chekhov@sfsh.de

The Architecture of Performance
Hamburg, Germany, January 30 - February 2, 2025

Improvisation as Art is the core of the creative process. It includes curiosity to take risks, to open up for the unknown and surprising as well as the skill to shape the given material - may it be text, movement, music or space. Creating and rehearsing a play, choreography or a musical score, needs a strong sense for Rhythm and Tempo. This is where Composition comes into play. The Feeling for Composition creates contours and gives the expression of ideas, dialogues, movements, shapes and colors a deeper meaning and visible form.

• MCE Training module 6
• Faculty: Ulrich Meyer-Horsch and team
• Costs: 480,-- € (regular) / 440,-- € (early bird)
• Further information www.sfsh.de/chekhov-international and Mail: chekhov@sfsh.de

4th CHEKHOV WORLD THEATRE Summer Academy
Hamburg, Germany, July 20-26, 2025

Michael Chekhov Technique meets
• Physical Theatre with Masks
• Traditional Asian Theatre and Dance
• Puppet and Object Theatre
• Intercultural Theatre in South-East Asia, East Africa, Mexico and Europe

This annual intercultural encounter brings performance and training approaches from different backgrounds and continents into a practical exchange. You will intensively study the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique, and at the same time you will be in dialogue with other artistic traditions and performance techniques from around the globe. The Summer Academy will open new perspectives on Acting, Movement, Characterization, Relationships, Style, Body & Space.

There will be different workshop tracks in the morning and afternoon, followed by showcases, events and open classes in the evening. The daily training sessions can be combined so you will get a sense of each of the offered forms.

• Including MCE Training module
• Faculty: to be announced
• Costs: 650,-- € (regular) / 590,-- € (early bird)
• Please ask for our additional Teachers Training for experienced acting teachers!
• Further details: www.sfsh.de/chekhov-international and Mail: chekhov@sfsh.de

More workshops are planned in: Warsaw (Poland); Zagreb (Croatia); Istanbul (Turkey); Tokyo and Osaka (Japan); and other cities. - details to be announced.

International faculty and guest teachers:
Suzana Nikolic (Croatia), Ulrich Meyer-Horsch (Germany), Jesper Michelsen (Denmark), David Zinder (Israel), Jobst Langhans (Germany), Asa Salvesen (Finland), Lenard Petit (USA), Sol Garre (Spain), Olivia Rüdinger (Germany/USA), Joanna Merlin (USA), Ted Pugh (USA), Sarah Kane (UK), Marjolein Baars (Netherlands), Jessica Cerullo (USA), Hugh O'Gorman (USA), Jan Oberndorff (Germany), Craig Mathers (USA), Anne Gottlieb (USA), Cynthia Ashperger (Canada), Dawn Arnold (USA), Burcu Halacoglu (Turkey), Elsa Valentim (Portugal), Tarja Nyberg (Finland), Slagana Vujosevik (North Macedonia)

The complete Training Programme is also taught at: Schule für Schauspiel Hamburg (Germany); StudioChekhov Croatia (Zagreb); Kumbaraci50 Tiyatro Istanbul (Turkey); and Yeditepe University Istanbul (Turkey).