SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – Last February, I had the chance to go back to theater acting.
I joined a workshop that was held for 5 consecutive Mondays under Ana Valdes-Lim of the Marie Eugenie Theater of the Assumption (METTA).
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go to the first class, but I managed to attend the last 4 classes. I went to my first class feeling physically and emotionally exhausted; at that time, I was working non-stop, sleeping very late, and just literally trying to catch up with everything around me.
The last time I did something related to theater acting was sometime back in 2006 or 2007, so I admit that before joining the classes at Assumption College, I was a bit rusty in the acting department.
But on my first Monday, I was welcomed to the class with a warm smile. Teacher Ana asked how I was doing, and I admitted I was tired and feeling nervous. I said I hoped the class would help me relax and that it would renew the passion for theater acting that I had way before I took up journalism. (READ: Bust a move: How dancing got me back on track)
During the entire workshop, Teacher Ana would normally start a class with body movements, telling us to imagine ourselves as starfishes in the sea trying to move in the waters. I would close my eyes and get lost in my thoughts. And then we would have various drills, such as simple touches with partners and imitation games, to get to know each other in the group.
Eventually, I found myself looking forward to the classes. Each Monday, for more than two hours, and in between the stress from work and my daily routine, I fed my soul with a sense of calm and happiness the exercises gave me.
One exercise that challenged me was when we had to stay silent while looking into our partner’s eyes. During that exercise, a part of me felt uncomfortable. It meant allowing another person to stare and see my innermost self.
As I went through the exercise for the last few sessions, I eventually felt the assurance that my partners understood what I was going through. By simply touching my hand and looking at my eyes, they assured me that everything’s going to be okay.
By the end of the workshop, we had to recite a short monologue from a classic play or one of Shakespeare’s plays. I picked Beatrice’s monologue from Much Ado About Nothing. Beatrice is my favorite character from Shakespeare’s plays because she’s a woman who challenged men (in this case, Benedict), and because she’s sarcastic and vulnerable.
At one point, we were asked to share the lessons we learned from the workshop. With the things I deal with – stress, demands, and different environmental factors – I said that the workshop gave me hope. It gave me the strength to keep fighting the battles that need to be fought, both in my personal life and in my career.
We all find inner peace in different places. In my case, I found the opportunity to cultivate inner peace and to renew the spiritual side of me in an acting workshop. The workshop was not just about self-expression – it was also about sharing thoughts, and teaching the importance of good karma, as they say.
On my last day, I left the class feeling recharged and with a renewed passion for a craft I had set aside. It goes to show that you can always go back to doing something that you love. You also have to set time for yourself, however difficult that may be in a chaotic surrounding.
Here’s hoping that all of us would find the inner peace we want for ourselves. – Rappler.com
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