I went to the first session of my acting class Monday night. The class is taught by an accomplished actor, Christine Decker, the Education Director of the Old Castle Theater Company in Bennington, Vt.

I wrote yesterday that I’m not sure why I am taking this class, it was somewhat clarified for me last night. Decker is an impressive actor, and a natural teacher. I had the sense that she had things to teach me, and I see that is true.

We worked together briefly on a short play I wrote – she acted in it – and I felt a very strong creative connection between us. I felt it again last night.

Christine gave us a tour of the funky old theater, now in a period of rebirth and renewal, then she got down to business. We did three rounds of improv acting, and then we got to read a monologue.

I felt comfortable there, the class is a fascinating mix of people – a college professor, a pastor (both vocations call for some theater), a war game role player, an older woman eager to act in local theater, and several young people interested in getting involved in theater.

I didn’t bring Red last night. I don’t really need to have a dog with me all the time, but Christine asked the class if it was okay for him to come, and the vote was unanimous. I’m used to this – lots of places don’t want to even see me if Red isn’t along.

A couple of people were not comfortable being photographed – I respect that, I will protect them from me. It’s fine with Christine if I take some photos of her and the class.

I reassured the class about my blog, I said I wrote mostly about me, but if I do write about others, it is always with permission.

Among the things I learned last night: acting is very similar to writing in the sense of thinking through material, getting your heart straight, projecting the story you want to tell or the emotion you want to evoke.

Creativity is similar in many different  ways – art, writing, acting. It differs in execution, but not always conception. A writer performs in words, not in real space. I don’t have to perform on stage or in public, except when I do readings in public.

I see my blog as a monologue, not a dialogue, but Christine challenged that idea for me – I have to understand and imagine people’s response to me, just as an actor does.

And this is something that has been difficult for me to do. Of course no one acts or writes in a vacuum, there is, in fact, a dialogue going on all the time.

This is an important thing for me to understand and accept, I always thought of writing as a solitary process. Acting is intensely collaborative, but my work is not as solitary as it used to be, or as I like to think it is.

Improv work opens one up – I need to think quickly and act in concert with other people. I can’t do it alone. That is also a good exercise for me. I have never collaborated with anyone.

We also talked a bit about acting and aging.

One fear I have about acting is whether or not I have the ability to memorize a lot of complex material. My memory is fine, but not as sharp as it once was, typical of people my age. I could not memorize hundreds of lines.

But my goal is not to act, or be in a play. That’s not really what I want. I want to learn more about the creative process, and open myself up, a constant challenge.

In a sense we are, all of us, acting all the time. And creative lives are almost similar.

Christine cracked me up when she outline the four responses directors expect from actors  when they give feedback or critiques: 1. “Fuck You. 2. I thought I was doing that. 3. “I Suck.” 4. “OK.”

I laughed because this is precisely what I think when my editors critique my writing. Creativity is creativity.

I think this work can help me see myself in a better way.

I am conscious of how I present myself, and also conscious of my interactions with others. I write about that a lot, and it usually upsets or offends someone. People on the Internet like to be free, but they don’t always like people on the receiving end of their thoughts to be as free as they are.

These are all things the class will help me understand. I will also be called on to work on a monologue I choose or that Christine chooses for me. I think the acting class will help me to visualize and develop the portrayal of people and characters.

Acting is much more visual than writing, this will help me in my photography. I loved the first class, the two hours flew by. Christine has a good way of engaging her students, she doesn’t push too hard, and she tries to encourage, but she is aways pushing in one way or another.

I’m excited about the class, and will share the experience.