
Marta Rainer
Senior Lecturer and Director of Theatre and Theatre Studies
As performer, teacher, director, and writer, I aim to strike a balance between irreverence, honor, gleeful failure, discipline, and fervor.
I aim to help my students gain a deep awareness of the technical components and practical application of theatrical performance craft -- while simultaneously marveling at the wonders of human behavior which drama seeks to explore. As in my own professional life, I strongly encourage in the inventive lives of my students a confident autonomy as creators who can envision a product, articulate their goals, and relish navigating the process towards its accomplishment. An educational investigation of theatre provides the unique incentive to understand, engage in and challenge the many iterations of this ritual. It foments a productive confrontation between a student’s need to surrender to the unknown and to simultaneously embrace self-discipline – an imbalance which, in fact, professionals of many vocations continue to address, thus making its coursework valuable to all.
The spectrum of my interests runs the gamut from Stanislavski to Viola Spolin to solo performance (much inspired by my own conservatory training with Mike Nichols, George Morrison and Paul Sills at New Actors Workshop) as well as documentary theatre and performance art (a natural extension of my work as founding ensemble member of the NY Neo-Futurists). But whatever the form of dramatic storytelling, and in whatever courses I may teach here at my alma mater, I keep at the root of it all the commitment to risk being embarrassed, bored, or – scarier – profoundly transformed by other humans, in real time. In experiencing both drama and the teaching of it alike, we must agree to gather in a room with the intention to tell each other stories; this is the most basic and beautiful beginning to each theatrical endeavor. So please - come play!
My solo works have been produced nationally, internationally and Off-Broadway, I've had works of fiction, non-fiction and drama published, I have won awards both for acting and performance art, and have learned from some of the titans of our artistic era...but first and foremost, I should fess up to you that I have a cameo in a viral College Humor video. (You'd have hunted it down eventually.)
I hike, and take macro shots of flowers. I bake bread and will force you to eat it. I miss the Tatra mountains, and in movement class I sometimes play Old School Polish pop to quell my longing for the Motherland (Ojczyzno moja!). I owe much to the Wellesley College Russian department. My brother got me a personalized autograph from Sir Tom Jones and I wept with joy. I road trip like a champ with my hunky, talented and inspiring husband Paul. Looking forward to meeting you!
Education
- B.A., Wellesley College
- M.A., Antioch University McGregor
Current and upcoming courses
Devising Theatre Performance
THST355-2
This course is for the advanced theatre student who aspires to put into practice the collaborative creative and research responsibilities of devising and producing a one-act performance as an ensemble. Enthusiasm and curiosity (but no course prerequisites) required. In '24-'25, we will focus on creating a piece centered around the theme of climate change. The live performance will be intended for young audiences, and shared in partnership with local organizations. Students will take inspiration from the examples of renowned devised contemporary global theatre companies, whose work we will investigate. Students will learn how to build a production from physical impulse and observation, game, improvisation, research, sound and image collage, group gesture, collaborative writing, and more - and to learn to engage consistently with a scenographic team as co-creators. To prepare our students to become autonomous artists in the world, this course uniquely provides the opportunity to explore the creation of a performance event outside of text-driven modalities. To support this goal, students will receive the technical & training tools, ensemble rehearsal and individual assignments, concurrent critique, and an intensive structure within which to immerse themselves in the exciting devising process.
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This course invites the developing student of acting to approach the solo interpretation and performance of song as a powerful storytelling medium. In addition to reading, viewing, listening and evaluative assignments, visits by working professional actors in the musical field will enhance our exploration throughout the course. In-class/synchronous master classes rehearsing songs-in-progress should be expected weekly. It is strongly encouraged that students have been exposed to singing technique, which will benefit their work in this course. Students will learn to apply acting philosophies and performance techniques to disentangle the voice from the body and expand their avenues of physical expression, while preparing the imagination through lyrical interpretation and even character development. Students will get the in-joke "do you have an uptempo?" as they learn the constitutive elements of the cabaret genre. Students will propose multi-song plot narratives for an imagined one-person cabaret show, while considering how this underground art provides a liberating space for representation and expression. Each student will ultimately prepare a selection chosen from that envisioned show for public performance.