AS OF 22 MARCH, 2020: Welcome, and thank you for visiting my website to investigate my work. My name is Jeffrey, and if you do not know me yet, I am passionately curious about both actors and actor training, and have worked as a theatre director and acting teacher for twenty years and counting. On my website, you can find reviews for some of the most recent productions I’ve directed, as well as recent testimonials from actors who have consulted me as a coach, or participated in my workshops.
Currently, much of the work I and my colleagues had planned for SPRING/2020 is currently on pause, or otherwise under advisement.
These are fascinating and uncertain times. As we confront Social Distancing, I am very moved by how much I’ve seen a primal, needful reach for community.
With the cancellation of my normal actor training initiatives due to the COVID-19 dangers, I would like to do what I can to keep a patch of our conversations alive as well as I can, and also maintain access for people to my services as a coach.
Beginning next week on Monday 30 March, I will be facilitating an online alternative during the absence of The Monday Night Acting Lab.
From 7:30P – 9P, I will be hosting online sessions via ZOOM, as a chance for us to check in, discuss great questions, and work on monologue preparation.
The format will be simple: this is partly about maintaining community and connection as well as we are able, but also about doing what we can to remain productive during this time of restlessness and anxiety. So, I ask that you log on prepared with either an acting oriented question for discussion by the group. Or a monologue you are working on, which you’d like to present for feedback before auditions resume and it’s business as usual.
I am starting with four Mondays:
30 March, 2020
6 April, 2020
13 April, 2020
20 April, 2020
Meanwhile, our health authorities and local resources will continue making sense of COVID-19. Depending on the view of public safety by 20 April, I may need to announce a continuing Online schedule.
Procedure: I am reducing my coaching fees because it feels truly necessary to keep our community and conversations alive. I am offering this online forum for a $10 fee per Monday. If you would like to participate, email me to enroll in the week’s Monday, pay your $10 via CashApp, and I will send you the ZOOM Invitation for Monday’s session. If you have questions, please reach out via Email.
Stay happy and healthy,
JEFFREY PUUKKA
All Recent Cancelled for Social Distancing to combat Covid-19 Current
“Our anxiety is high from the beginning scene” . . . “The Greek tales are timeless, and Puukka uses them to give us images of the realities of modern conflict between everyday people, armies and politicians. It’s not a patronizing liberal critique for pacifism, but a psychological interview of the dark side of human nature.”
(Women of Troy reviewed by Christa Morletti McIntyre, Oregon Arts Watch.)
“Jeffrey provides a space where you can simply exist, reflect, look ridiculous, try new things, and say “f**k it, let’s try it” and see where the chips fall in a space free of blame or shame. There isn’t necessarily a “right” way to do things, just many different options. You learn about the different aspects and driving factors that can influence individual actions, reactions, and choices. You learn about body awareness and how subtle changes can alter an encounter entirely. Most of all, you get to play and be challenged as much or as little as you prefer with a group of truly wonderful, welcoming, nurturing humans. I will absolutely be taking this lab again in the future and I highly encourage anyone interested to just do it, dive on in.”
(C.R. Monday Night Acting Lab participant.)
