Testimonials

"There are people that one meets that change the course of one’s life forever. For me, Jodie Lynne McClintock is one of those people. I first met Jodie while performing in a production of Romeo and Juliet. I was blown away by her performance, by her knowledge of, and connection to the text. I felt as if I was in the presence of one of those fabled RSC actors (little did I know!). She was equally funny and moving in the role of the Nurse, and I knew I had to get to know her. In conversation, she told me that she was an acting coach, and I quickly made the decision to study with her…She is the perfect blend of American and British Acting styles, and her knowledge of classical material is unparalleled. I cannot recommend Jodie highly enough..."
Click here to read more from Daniel Lendzian.

"Jodie's authentic love and passion for Shakespeare and the work is rooted in every aspect of her teaching…I've studied acting at both RADA in London, and at the Yale School of Drama, and have not encountered or worked with a teacher and actress of Jodie's caliber and skill at either school..." More from Eric Stone.

"Jodie is a genius when it comes to classical texts and we would go over every word of a piece to decipher the sound, meaning, perspective, relevance, and significance to the character, the play, and within the context of the society when the play was written..."
More from Anitha Ghandi.

"Working with Jodie was brilliant. She is a genius in understanding Shakespeare and she presents it to you with so much intelligence, color, energy and love. She brings out your imagination for the craft and stays close with you in owning your own individuality to the work. That's what I love about her! Coaching privately with her was fantastic! In fact, I didn't want the sessions to end. Jodie's own professional background in the UK was one of the first reasons I decided to go to her… She is the #1 master teacher here in New York and she should be recognized for her contribution, dedication and craftsmanship..."
More from Fiona Marr.

I didn't even begin to comprehend Shakespeare until I worked with her..."
More from Jeff Farkash.

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Shakespeare

Because Ms. McClintock’s career and training has straddled both sides of the Atlantic, her approach to the work and most especially to Shakespeare is about bridging the two great acting traditions.

Being one of the very few American guest artists to have acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company, her coaching mission in Shakespeare and other heightened classical texts is to meld the British reverence for text with the vitality of the American actor.

To that end she has created a series of exercises that she employs not only in private coaching sessions and in on-going Shakespeare classes held at the Queens Studio but also in specialized workshops and master-classes designed to tour educational institutions and theatre companies.

Class Syllabus

This syllabus for her classical process can be adapted to a single master-class, a weekend workshop, or for an extended visiting residency. Topics covered can include: scansion and text analysis; playing action on the text rather than subtextually; operative words, alliteration, antithesis, conjunctions, and items in a series to inform choices and fashion characters; period movement and style in service to the text and in historical context; inventive metaphors and color to focus character based on Shakespeare’s aural imagery. To book a workshop/master-class/residency or to inquire about availability/schedule or to discuss any logistics or questions, please contact Ms. McClintock at the Queens Studio email (info@thequeensstudio.com) or phone (718) 476-2590.

Shakespeare 1
Introductory
This five-week workshop has been designed to introduce actors to Ms. McClintock and her methodology based on the British RSC approach to text. We create a shared vocabulary and bond to attack the work from a common point of view.

The five weeks cover a progression of work that includes:

Hamlet Act I - acting at the Globe, Shakespeare speaking beyond the grave
Hamlet's 5th Soliloquy - everything you will ever need to know about Iambic Pentameter
The Sonnets - the best one-minute Shakespeare monologues
Status Exercises from Max Stafford Clark
The 5 Question Technique of Earle Gister
Patsy Rodenburg's voice, breath and text work
Video comparison of Shakespeare productions

This class is generally a prerequisite for the Shakespeare Level 2 and Level 3 courses and has been taken by actors of all levels and ages. The idea is to create a common ground enabling us to move more quickly and successfully into advanced work.

The class meets for five weeks. Each session is approximately 3 hours long. Minimum class size: 4.

Shakespeare 2
Sonnets, Soliloquies and Scene Study
Where modern and contemporary playwrights demand that an actor work between the lines, Shakespeare requires a technical proficiency with language. It is in the text that Shakespeare gives us everything we need. This course will give actors the tools to clarify character choices, setting of time and place, scenic demands, and how to "speak the speech". We will analyze such concepts as operative words, scansion for proper pronunciation, conjunctions, comparisons, alliteration, and items in a series.

This course is designed to give you a basic foundation in the British approach to text and combine it with the vibrant, forceful American acting style. Each student works every week and will be assigned both scenes and monologues.

Shakespeare 3
Advanced Performance Technique
Playing with Passion (Rehearsal Into Performance)
For the professional actor or someone with a strong foundation in technique and language skills. This class will be conducted like a rep company in rehearsal for several rotating Shakespearean productions. Rehearsal/classes will use scene analysis and text work to help you fine-tune the skills you already possess. The course's aim is to give you such confidence in your technical proficiency, that you will be able to combine your intellectual and emotional work and fly freely into performance. Exact choice of plays and casting to be determined by student makeup. Rehearsals will be conducted following the tenets of repertory as practiced by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Admission by audition. (Prerequisite: Shakespeare 1 or the equivalent.)