Testimonials
From Larry Silverberg (author of The Sanford Meisner Approach: An Actor's Workbook):
"As a student of acting, you are placing your life in the hands of an instructor who you must trust will help you grow in this most demanding and elusive art. So, obviously, you must choose your mentor very carefully. J Chachula is one of the most gifted actor/ teachers and finest human beings I know. He has paid the price personally and artistically to prepare himself to be your guide and your coach and the acting community in North Carolina is very fortunate to have him. J is deeply caring, sensitive, and brings his own unique voice to everything he does. If you are serious-minded about the craft of acting, you will find no better teacher than J and I know you are in for a wonderful adventure when you take the leap into the Meisner Approach with J at your side."
Feedback from past Meisner Intensives:
"I was surprised by how powerfully my emotions were charged. I was utterly stunned more than once…These little moments of intimacy were awesome. You were a joy to work with! Thank you so much. I am looking forward to working with you some more!"
Melanie Johnston
"I was a little unnerved by some of the things I did, but I'm glad I did it. I hope I continue to do things that unnerve me."
Paul Brown
"A class worth taking and worth my recommendation. You have a keen eye for what's obstructing a student."
Jeffrey Bergman
"We were not only able but expected to always only work from truth. I was surprised to find that we weren't ever "acting". That made me feel stronger in what I was doing because there was less pressure to perform. The element of truth throughout made the biggest impression on me. I did some things during activities that I would have never guessed I'd ever do. And was rather impressed by what I saw my classmates do. At some point or another I raised a brow for each one of my classmates. I was surprised mostly by my allowing myself to follow some impulses I had. I'm one of the most inhibited people I know but I let a lot of that go through the class. Not only was it therapeutic to me, it was a pleasant surprise."
Katherine Fleming
"It has been so helpful to me because I've had these basic ideas articulated to me so clearly. It's making a difference to me in my teaching."
Robin Monteith, Assistant Professor of Theatre, Greensboro College
"Thank you so much for this class and all the guidance and support. It's been my 'emotional yoga'. I'm sure there's some Sanskrit word for it but that's what Meisner is for me."
Marnie Telfer
"I've found it immensely enjoyable and frustrating. The enjoyable parts have been, in approximate descending order: Finding out that I can be deeply emotionally affected by imagining something on purpose, gaining a deeper sense of connection with scene partners, especially during repetition, watching and learning from other performances and questions from the class, watching you teach."
David Davis
"The class is making my head spin. Sometimes I am afraid. Sometimes I am exhilarated. Amazingly, the work puts me in touch with myself and what makes me tick. What more could you ask from any experience!! Thank you again for the class. You are a gentle, kind, trustworthy, honest aggressive spirit. Were you a boy scout?"
Jerome Johnson, Instructor, Wake Technical College
"Your class has been by far the best I've ever taken...There are things that I've been after that I've named now...
Brian Berger
"I LOVE the focus that you put on the students!! I feel that you really concentrate on each of us, and really HEAR us. That is great!! Please, don't ever lose that!!"
Matias Garcia
"Emotional preparation, coming in full and then listening, attending, etc: This is complex & interesting & challenging. So I'm learning & stretching & trying & failing. I appreciate the seriousness you bring to the class, the preparation, the commitment & patience you show. And the humor and compassion."
Sheila Kerrigan, author of The Performer's Guide to the Collaborative Process
"The first part of the Meisner study has been tremendous-- I finally feel like I'm becoming the actor I always wanted to be."
Brian Sowell
"I was surprised by how powerfully my emotions were charged. I was utterly stunned more than once…These little moments of intimacy were awesome. You were a joy to work with! Thank you so much. I am looking forward to working with you some more!"
Melanie Johnston
"I was a little unnerved by some of the things I did, but I'm glad I did it. I hope I continue to do things that unnerve me."
Paul Brown
"A class worth taking and worth my recommendation. You have a keen eye for what's obstructing a student."
Jeffrey Bergman
"We were not only able but expected to always only work from truth. I was surprised to find that we weren't ever "acting". That made me feel stronger in what I was doing because there was less pressure to perform. The element of truth throughout made the biggest impression on me. I did some things during activities that I would have never guessed I'd ever do. And was rather impressed by what I saw my classmates do. At some point or another I raised a brow for each one of my classmates. I was surprised mostly by my allowing myself to follow some impulses I had. I'm one of the most inhibited people I know but I let a lot of that go through the class. Not only was it therapeutic to me, it was a pleasant surprise."
Katherine Fleming
"It has been so helpful to me because I've had these basic ideas articulated to me so clearly. It's making a difference to me in my teaching."
Robin Monteith, Assistant Professor of Theatre, Greensboro College
"Thank you so much for this class and all the guidance and support. It's been my 'emotional yoga'. I'm sure there's some Sanskrit word for it but that's what Meisner is for me."
Marnie Telfer
"I've found it immensely enjoyable and frustrating. The enjoyable parts have been, in approximate descending order: Finding out that I can be deeply emotionally affected by imagining something on purpose, gaining a deeper sense of connection with scene partners, especially during repetition, watching and learning from other performances and questions from the class, watching you teach."
David Davis
"The class is making my head spin. Sometimes I am afraid. Sometimes I am exhilarated. Amazingly, the work puts me in touch with myself and what makes me tick. What more could you ask from any experience!! Thank you again for the class. You are a gentle, kind, trustworthy, honest aggressive spirit. Were you a boy scout?"
Jerome Johnson, Instructor, Wake Technical College
"Your class has been by far the best I've ever taken...There are things that I've been after that I've named now...
Brian Berger
"I LOVE the focus that you put on the students!! I feel that you really concentrate on each of us, and really HEAR us. That is great!! Please, don't ever lose that!!"
Matias Garcia
"Emotional preparation, coming in full and then listening, attending, etc: This is complex & interesting & challenging. So I'm learning & stretching & trying & failing. I appreciate the seriousness you bring to the class, the preparation, the commitment & patience you show. And the humor and compassion."
Sheila Kerrigan, author of The Performer's Guide to the Collaborative Process
"The first part of the Meisner study has been tremendous-- I finally feel like I'm becoming the actor I always wanted to be."
Brian Sowell
