CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
Breaking down a script and mining it for all the opportunities for fun, personalization and individual expression is one of my favorite parts of being an actor. Developing a character is a unique and exciting kind of authorship, informed by both a deep reading of the text and the actor’s life experience. Using a simple and reliable set of tools, I find working with actors to spark their own creativity and imagination, in order to unlock a character that is as deep and dynamic as they are, to be wildly satisfying.
How it works
Starting with text analysis, I work with actors to break down a script and/or a scene to pull out all of the necessary facts and circumstances that inform character and story. We then jump into the body to play with and discover what the physical appetite/big dream/objective of the character might be and how to use that information to meet the demands of the script. Along the way we will be looking for clues that might inform the physicality and/or voice of the character.
My goal is to provide all of the resources possible to make your job as easy and fun as possible so that you can step on set, on stage or into the rehearsal room ready to PLAY with absolute abandon.
We can work together before a job starts or throughout the process.
Sliding scale and package deals available
testimonials below!
Who it's for
Actors preparing for a job in Film, TV or Theatre
Actors wanting extra support in the process of rehearsal and performance preparation
Actors struggling to find playable character objectives
Actors feeling uninspired, looking to jumpstart their imagination and joy
Actors looking for more ownership over the work they bring into rehearsal and on set
Actors unsure of how to personalize their choices
Successful Outcomes
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true ownership of your work
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confidence in what and how you have prepared
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deeper personalization of character
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greater sense of joy and play
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comfort in the discomfort of not knowing how things will go moment to moment
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bringing courageous generosity and vulnerability into the space
Christine Friale
Actor, Vocalist, Writer, Composer
"Gabe is brilliant, gifted and has a huge heart. I've been working with Gabe for a couple of years now. He is always an amazing sounding board and guide as I've been working on non-traditional roles, devising new work and looking for ways to reimagine my approach in general. Gabe has absolutely been my secret sauce and I've not only been having incredibly fun in my projects but I've been finding personal liberation in the work and in my overall sense of artistry. I recommend Gabe often and recommend him now."
"Gabe helped me prep for the acting role of my career, a lead in a film I wrote in which I was an adult son confronted by my ailing father's wish for assisted suicide. I had trained as an actor in Meisner but could not reliably 'bring it' for this role. Gabe helped me relax and have fun with it both by connecting me to my playful expressive self and by digging into the specific of this character's struggle. On the day of the shoot, I used Gabe's process to warm myself up and do the scenes with the joy of full expression of all the emotions that come with life and death challenges. The film went on to be a festival favorite and recipient of multiple awards."
Richard Snyder
Standup comedian, award-winning filmmaker, and actor