6 WEEKS · Thursdays, Oct 15 - Nov 19, 2026 · 2:00pm - 4:00 pm

Class Overview:

Step into the imaginative world of Michael Chekhov and explore the essential tools of his technique through movement, imagination, and embodied exploration. Discover Centers, Qualities, Atmospheres, Imaginary Bodies, and Psychological Gesture. An active, playful introduction to a technique that invites the actor to move beyond the intellectual and into a richer, more imaginative and embodied way of working. For those new to the technique or those wanting to deepen their practice.

Instructor: Rena Polley is an actor and teacher. She has worked in theatre, television and film for over thirty years. Rena originally studied with Uta Hagen and Herbert Berghof in New York City. She has been studying with master teachers from the Michael Chekhov Association for over twenty years and has her Teacher Certificate in the technique. She sat on the board of The Michael Chekhov Association and is a member of the International Michael Chekhov Studio Co-op of Independent Studios from around the world. Rena has taught at George Brown College and the Canadian Film Centre. Rena is co-founder of Michael Chekhov Canada and is the Artistic Director of The Chekhov Collective theatre company inspired by the principles of Michael Chekhov.

Michael Chekhov is the nephew of Anton Chekhov and is considered one of Russia’s greatest actors. He developed his acting technique from his early years with Stanislavsky and his tireless search for an alternative to the over analytical approach to acting. His refusal to exploit the actor’s personal feelings in his art ultimately separated him from Stanislavsky’s teachings. He believed there should be a clear differentiation between the actor as a person and the actor as an artist. He encouraged actors to use their imagination, and to embody ideas, feelings and actions rather than analyzing with the dry intellect. This embodied analysis allows for a more dynamic exploration while honouring creative individuality.