Risk Stacking 2.0

Last week in my Studio Workshop class, we experimented with a risk-stacking exercise, and the results were amazing. In the spirit of “leaking the content” (my theme for 2020), I’d love to share it with you.

Actors are simultaneously using three different mechanisms (or instruments, if you prefer) in order to deliver a great performance: their vocal mechanism, their physical mechanism, and their emotional mechanism. 

It is my belief that you need to warm up all three in order to deliver your best work, and that most actors suffer from a lack of warm up in at least one of these areas. But that is fodder for another blog post.

In this exercise, I asked the actors to identify three different risks they would take: one vocal risk, one physical risk, and one emotional risk. I reminded them that a risk is different than a challenge, and that something would only qualify as a risk if they did not know how it would turn out. I then asked them to commit their risks to paper. Writing the risks down is an important step in making the commitment to follow through. 

During their work, every actor took all three of their risks. It was stunning. The room was bursting with energy and inspiration. It was some of the best work I had seen from each of these actors. 

After the performances, I asked the actors to share their risks. Without exception, the moments that were causing the laughter, the tears, the cheers, and the inspiration bursts from the audience were the moments of risk.

Take the risk, reap the reward.

If you are ready to unlock possibilities in your own work, consider giving this exercise a try. Stack your risks.