In-Person: Mask with William Hall

Ft. Mason Center

Class Time/Dates: Thursday 9:00am-5:00pm PST // August 3

Schedule: 1 session

Class length: 8 hours

Class size: 16 students maximum

Tuition: $133

Prerequisite: None! Open to adults 18 and older

This one day intensive will explore the impact of masks on the wearer and the audience. A mask can set free a fully realized character. We’ll use masks from William’s extensive collection of Commedia Masks, Tragedy masks, paper mask and other fun masks.  Come to play. 

“I felt that the mask was ALLOWING me to be free.  The characters of the mask DO NOT EXIST UNTIL the second you wear the mask. then, puff, there they are: that is MAGIC!” -Past workshop participant 

“The naturalistic mask expresses essential human types, and the non-naturalistic mask embodies forces.  The moment the mask absolves you in that way, the fact that it gives you something to hide behind makes it unnecessary for you to hide.  That is the fundamental paradox that exists in all acting: that because you are in safety, you can go into danger.  It is very strange, but all theater is based on that.  Because there is a greater security, you can take greater risks; and because here it is not you, and therefore everything about you is hidden, you can let yourself appear.  And that is what the mask is doing: the thing you are most afraid of losing, you lose right away—your ordinary defenses, your ordinary expressions, your ordinary face that you hide behind; and now you hide a hundred percent because you know the person looking at you doesn’t think it is you, and on account of that you can come right out of your shell.  We are so imprisoned, also, in such a narrow repertory that even if part of us wanted to, we actually can’t open our eyes or furrow our brows or move our mouths and cheeks beyond certain limits.  And suddenly we are given the capacity to do it: we open our eyes wider and raise our eyebrows higher than we ever have before.”   -Peter Brook on “Masks and Images”

No prior mask or acting experience necessary. Wear clothing that will allow you to move comfortably.