MEISNER TECHNIQUE

by CHRISTY WIONCEK

Christy Wioncek began her acting career as a model after signing with a top L.A. agent in 1988. Successful modeling stints in L.A. and Tokyo soon followed, as did offers to work in Paris and Milan. However, the more successful she became as a model, the more she realized the work wasn’t feeding her creative spirit. So she signed up for acting classes. Those classes led to more classes, workshops, cold reading classes, improv intensives, on-camera, and “Method” classes. The training section of her resume grew longer and longer as she searched for a meaningful approach to the art and craft of acting.

Eventually that search led to Sanford Meisner, the larger-than-life and by some accounts controversial acting instructor who had taught such greats as Gregory Peck, Robert Duvall, Anne Jackson, and Diane Keaton, to name only a few. Christy learned that Meisner was conducting a nationwide search for suitable applicants for an upcoming class.

Determined not to let odds play a part in her life or her career, Christy sent off her headshot and resume and a few weeks later, found herself face-to-face with the legendary instructor at his home in Los Angeles. They sat by his pool for nearly two hours sharing their thoughts and emotions about acting and life. When the meeting ended, Sandy’s assistant accompanied Christy to the door. As they walked, he turned to her and smiled. “Sandy has never taken that much time with anyone.” Christy knew at that moment that she had met her “life teacher,” a true mentor who would help her find that meaningful approach to acting that she had been searching for.

A few days later, a letter arrived confirming that she was one of 50 students (out of more than 3500 applicants from all over the country) chosen to study with Sandy for a month-long intensive on the island of Bequia. It soon became clear to the fifty students that these classes were essentially a month-long audition. When the classes ended, Christy learned that out of the fifty students in the summer program, she was one of only 22 chosen to continue to study in Sandy’s two-year private class.

The following two years studying with Sandy were intense and immensely rewarding. When the two years ended, Christy was invited to join Sandy’s first ever Master Class, which at that time was called The Actors Lab.

One day, during a conversation with Sandy, the subject of teaching came up. Sandy agreed that Christy would make a great teacher “some day.” He told her that her acting was pure, emotional, deep and beautiful and that she should continue to pursue an acting career of her own. “You’ll know when it’s time to teach,” he told her.

After Sandy passed away, Christy continued to study at the Master Class level with John Ruskin in L.A. for four more years. In addition to her acting studies, Christy continued to act, write, direct and produce independent films, one of which brought her nominations for both Best Film and Best Actress. She also began teaching and taught at The Actors Group before moving to Northern California to direct films.

Her decision to open an acting studio in the San Francisco Bay Area came from her discovery of how difficult it was as a director to find local actors that could handle emotional material in a truthful and meaningful way. To solve the problem, she began teaching one class a week to help actors who, like her before she discovered the Meisner Technique, were looking for a way to connect meaningfully to their craft. She soon found that she enjoyed teaching as much as directing and acting.

Sadly, Sanford Meisner passed away without having the opportunity to see Christy become the great teacher they both knew she would be “some day.” It was from their shared and deeply held desire to help other actors fulfill their dreams of becoming honest and truthful actors that the Bay Area Acting Studio was born.

KIRK BALTZ WEEKEND INTENSIVE

Kirk coaches many working actors with developing a sharper auditioning technique.

Kirk Baltz has been a working actor since 1987
and has studied extensively with Greg Zittle (Sanford Meisner apprentice), Susan Batson (coaches Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez...), Tony Greco (trained Phillip Seymour Hoffman...),
Sandra Seacat (coaches Aaron Eckhart, Laura Dern*, Mickey Rourke* ), Penny Allen (coaches Harvey Keitel...), and others.

He has appeared in such feature films as: Face Off, Bulworth, Natural Born Killers, Reservoir Dogs (as "Officer Marvin Nash"), and Dances With Wolves. He has been featured in such television shows as: 24, The Shield, NYPD Blue, Without A Trace and Will and Grace.

His most recent independent feature films include: Forfeit , Tattered Angel and The Dreamless.

Visit imdb.com for Kirk's credits.