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  • 1.  Intimacy training

    Posted 03-04-2024 08:11

    Hi theatre educators, 

    Is it becoming more common for teachers to do any sort of intimacy training? How do you approach scenes containing intimacy in your shows?

    I work with college student stage managers and am seeing that understanding of good practices is all over the map, which can be especially tricky in student directed shows. 

    You all are my heroes!

    Cheers, 

    Linda Apperson 



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    Linda Apperson
    Stage Manager and Mentor
    Milwaukie, OR
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  • 2.  RE: Intimacy training

    Posted 03-06-2024 08:29

    I don't teach it as a separate course, but weave those good practices into the other things I do teach. So when teaching folks to direct or manage a program, we talk about when to hire one.

    When teaching stage management, we talk about how to schedule and help your director work with an intimacy director. When things need to be part of the pre-show "fight call" time, even if it's not a fight. 

    When I'm teaching audio skills, I talk about consent and proper practices for micing a performer.

    When teaching wardrobe, hair, and makeup, we talk about respectful behaviors including body shape/size terminology, where to look if the person you're working with needs to disrobe, how to take measurements properly, how to coach a performer to sit/stand/dress, suitable underdressing (boxer briefs are a win for all in HS!), skin tone color terminology, and how to help a performer who is not comfortable with the situation either advicate for themselves or at least ask one of the crew to do so on their behalf. 

    In the professional world, the a performer will ask their dresser to take care of things and we do.

    I'll quickly add - the consent conversations we have as part of intimacy direction are good for our students to know as part of their own lives, too.   Shortly after I started incorporating the "consent before any touch" process, I had a female student tell me that she was on a date and felt more able to say "no" when he attempted to do something she wasn't comfortable with. 




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    Kristi Ross-Clausen
    Safety Maven/Consultant
    IATSE 470/Actors Equity Member
    Alliance for Wisconsin Theatre Education
    Association for Quality in AV Board
    AVIXA/USITT
    Teacher, Author, Speaker
    www.theaterhealthandsafety.com
    Appleton, WI
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  • 3.  RE: Intimacy training

    Posted 03-06-2024 13:42
    Kristi, 

    Thank you so much for taking time to write this thoughtful and thorough response, but especially thank you for the incredibly valuable work you are doing to teach these students best practices is so many ways. And three cheers to the student who applied skills learned in theatre to her life. 

    Cheers, 
    Linda







  • 4.  RE: Intimacy training

    Posted 04-01-2024 16:58

    I love Linda's response as well. In any production that calls for intimacy, we always first get the consent of the students and then the parents. Then we have specific rehearsals where we would practice those moments. We never implemented them into the other parts of the production until tech week. There are a lot of things you can do from a masking standpoint as well to give the perception of intimacy. 



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    Crit Fisher
    Lighting/Sound Designer
    New Albany High School
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  • 5.  RE: Intimacy training

    Posted 04-01-2024 16:58

    Great response Kristi. We have the same philosophy at our school. Everything begins with the consent. We have special rehearsals for the intimacy moments and do not implement them in the production until tech week. We also try our best to use masking and body position as our ally. 



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    Crit Fisher
    Lighting/Sound Designer
    New Albany High School
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  • 6.  RE: Intimacy training

    Posted 04-02-2024 14:48

    Here's an excellent resource

    https://www.theatricalintimacyed.com

    I took their workshop on best practices and it was excellent.

    they have one on working with young actors I hear is very good and plan to take.

    Incorporating what I learned from the first workshop has been very successful.

    good for you for thinking about it!

    Bill



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    William Gardiner
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