Holly Cate

Teaching

CV >           Teaching Philosophy >

BODY, BODY, BODY, BODY, BODY

My approach to actor training – for stage and screen – is rooted in the belief that the body is the primary storytelling device of the actor.  It is the body that breathes, that makes sound, that engages in behavior, that is moving constantly toward needs and desires, that contains passion and is the clearest expression of our souls.  My interest in training the body to become a facile, expressive instrument is the spine that connects all of my teaching, from Movement for the Actor to Stanislavski Technique to On-Camera Acting.

ON-CAMERA ACTING

In my on-camera pedagogy, I am committed to building bridges between foundational actor training for the stage and developing the tools required to create nuanced, specific performances on camera.  At Muhlenberg, I’ve developed an advanced on-camera acting class that invites actors to synthesize the different elements of their training into a coherent and expedited process that’s effective in the fast-paced environment of television and film.  Actors work on commercials, television and film material and have the opportunity to leave the class with a professional reel of their work, which has gotten our graduates some of their first professional gigs.

BODY + CAMERA:  

I’m interested in exploring the power of the camera as an actor training tool when we bring body and camera together, from videos that explore space and proprioception in a foundational acting class to shooting an ensemble scene from Succession in a Stanislavski technique course to creating music videos out of embodied work in my Movement classes. 

  • Holly knows how to bring out the raw heart of whatever she is engaging with. She does not play the representation of the character on the page; she plays the idiosyncratic human with all of their strange details, and she challenges her students to do the same
    Slide Image
    Kylee Jacoby former student
    Read more
  • Holly’s is the most comprehensive and practical interpretation of Stanislavski’s fundamental building blocks of acting technique I have encountered. Actions and Objectives, Given Circumstances, Circles of Attention, the Moment Before, Status — Holly interprets all of the theories into a concrete physical creative practice.
    Slide Image
    Russell Norris former student
    Read more
  • While many acting teachers force young people into narrow conceptions of themselves from a young age, Holly fights against that, encouraging students to embody characters both near and far from themselves.
    Slide Image
    Avery Deutsch former student
    Read more
  • While many acting teachers force young people into narrow conceptions of themselves from a young age, Holly fights against that, encouraging students to embody characters both near and far from themselves.
    Slide Image
    Avery Deutsch former student
    Read more

Holly Cate © 2023

sitemap >

Holly Cate