Today is September 17 and I am on my way to the Matthew Corozine Studio located in the center of the theatre district 300 W. 43rd St., Suite #502 :: New York, NY 10036. Based in the Meisner Technique, MCS teaches "the reality of doing and finding the truth within yourself. Which happens to be the same technique that resonate to readers over at  MCS cultivates a new generation of professional artists that are currently working on Broadway, Hollywood, television, film, and live theatre.

I have the pleasure of observing an acting class taught by the very talented passionate and founder of MCS. To all my readers I give you the one and only Mr. Matthew Corozine... As I walk into the studio I found Matthew peparing for his twelve o'clock class. He is standing in front of a podium flipping through papers that I am sure are monologs or scenes for the actors .. oh how I miss  finding the right monolog for class.. I get a bit excited since its been about four years that I have been in an acting class. Matthew looks up and gives a big smile and a very loud hello... because in thearte there is no such thing as less more is always better!!! We shake hands and he suggest we go to the stage and sit on the couch.. and NO it's not the Casting couch. lolol..I pull out my pad and pencil and the questions begin..

Matthew Corozine Direactor, Actor, Teacher

DR
What made you make the transition from actor to director?

MC
I was always an actor/director, but as a director you can create your own work to do, you do  not have to wait to be casted.

DR
Do you find as a director you have more of a creative release then being an actor?

MC
Yes absolutely! You can live all the characters of a play—not just one your playing as an actor..you have the vision of the piece as a whole and how design works into your vision (lighting/costume/set)

DR
What inspired you to open up your own thearter company?

MC
I am a born leader—and started my own acting studio and from there, I was like, we should showcase the work that we are doing here, give it away!

DR
You also teach acting, how is that different from directing?

MC
Directing has a final product that you are aiming for.  Teaching acting is a process that you can “work for results” they come from the day to day training of building a craft and a technique.

DR
Have you ever had a student that had no talent?

MC
Ha!  Well, I believe that talent is in your instincts….the work I teach uncovers actors talent/and truth and gets them back to responding to their instincts. Some actors have a lot of instincts others have a smaller amount;  I believe everyone has something—some people are more watchable then others.

DR
What is like to work with someone that as no instincts for talent as oppose to someone with inmeasurable instincts of talent?

MC
I hate to think in terms of talent or non..the work I teach is very doable and tangiable…amazing things happen to the actors I teach whether to the world they have a lot of talent or not…people with amazing instincts are amazing to teach because everything is right there –you just tap in…some other people it is more work to get them out of their way and to their sense of truth in acting.

The Stage of the Matthew Corozine Studio

DR
Were you always involved with thearter growing up?

MC
Yes, my father is in the arts—a composer/musician so the arts were always encouraged and alive in my house---saved me!

DR
Who are some of the thearter legends you look up to?

MC
hmmmm…this is a good question..steppenwolfe theatre company,  Edward albee, elia kazan, meryl streep, judy garland, sanford meisner, Stephen Sondheim, marlon brando, james dean…anybody who is raw with guts and is not afraid to show them.

DR
What is the process you go through when you want to pick the next play to direct? 

MC
Can it fit in my intimate 40 seat theatre! Ha! Seriously, do I have the talent to meet the demands of these roles?

Crimes of The Heart Sara Towber April Magen Suzanne Adams Directed by Matthew Corozine .

DR
What are you working on now?

MC
I am teaching 6 classes a week, private coaching and producing play readings of original scripts as well as mounting small procuctions at MCS theatre, inc.

DR
What are your favorite plays to direct comedy or drama?

MC
I will take a good drama on the rocks anyday.

DR
What play has left an impact on you personally?

MC
I think they all do…when I saw gypsy with tyne daly when I was in high school on broadway, that was inspiring to me..her performance…

DR
Do you use your acting abilities to your advantage?

MC
My advantage? I hope so…ha….my abilities of an actor have increased my awareness,thru listenting, of human behavior and being present in the moment…life is fleeting.

DR
Have you thought about tapping into film?

MC
Yes, I have…tap tap…I see beautiful moments in class and wish they were filmed or make it to a final cut of a movie….you really understand that it is different everytime, cant do the scene the same way twice..i love that and that is scary for the actor to trust at the same time.

The Shadowbox Jacob Mirer Ingrid Saxon Directed by Matthew Corozine

DR
What is your goal for your company?

MC
Have many working actors…have productions mounted where actors and production crew get paid. Have an additional theatre—espansion!

DR
What would you like the readers to know about you?

MC
I care a lot about teaching acting and getting to the heart of the actor…very passionate about helping actors get out of their way, out of their head….I have built something out of nothing..i was never anyones assistant, I started my own studio from nerve, persistence, tenacity oh yeah and maybe some of that stuff you asked a few times earlier, talent.

To be or not To be that has always been the question. As the class comes to an end. I realize so many of us live our lives in reaction to other peoples actions, appause to just taking a second to think about what the situation is and why ones actions make us happy or sad, lose self control or hide our true emotions. I have always said and did whatever it is I wanted, but watching the actors in their natural and hesitant reactions made me wonder, do I have less or more of a  connection with myself...? I feel like we can never win, we tell shy people to be more outgoing, we tell fearless people to be more vunerable, watching Matthew as he disected the actors performences expressing to them where they needed to give more or give less,  made me think even in our orthantic moments we still need to act to get what we want. I sugesst everyone take an acting class, so you can renact the reality of lifes journey, not just for us to be entertained but to connect with an actors performance and learn from their action that cause our reaction. We can identify the emotion when reflecting on a expreience we have encountered, we will learn what really happened by being outside looking in, then understand why life can only be lived forward and understood backwards. Matthew Corize thank you for this wonderful experience you have closed my eyes and forced me to see through my heart. Hope you are ready cause this actor is all DRAMA see you in class. 

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