My acting process: getting out of my own way

• Main Author: Asiedu, Emelia Pinamang
• Other Authors: Kalina, Paul
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: University of Iowa 2018
• Subjects: Acting; Actor; Actress; Ghanaian; Theatre; Thesis
• Online Access: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/3247; https://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7697&context=etd

My thesis paper will address why I act and different aspects of my work as an actor. Acting training is a constant process and it is the job of the actor to keep up a regular routine that keeps one from going out of practice. I will discuss what I personally do regularly to stay in training. I will also discuss the process I go through to prepare myself to perform in acting roles. Though my approach to developing each new character is different, there are some aspects of my approach that remain constant. This paper will also describe the kinds of stories I am interested in telling. Though actors are equipped to tell a wide variety of stories from many different perspectives, I, as a Ghanaian female artist of color, am drawn to specific kinds of projects that relate to my life experiences. These are the stories that I feel compelled to tell. I believe my work is not just an occupation but rather encompasses the way I choose to live my life. So I will also discuss the ways in which I think my acting work is relevant in the world at large. I will include the ways in which I feel my work has had an impact in my environment, as well as how I hope to use my acting a vehicle to influence change in the future.