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THE CREATIVE TRIBE (The Meaning Of Ensemble)

“You will always ‘know’ your creative tribe…
When you can live your most authentic genuine Self in each other’s presence.
You will never feel alone.
And never walk away feeling lonely.
There will always be a willing generosity of Spirit.
There will always be an undeniable human to human connection. 
There will always be a wanting to share something deep and real.
There are many factors that magnetize us to that creative tribe:

There is THE LOVE OF ART. 
There is THE GIFT AND BLESSING OF TALENT.
There is THE JOY OF CREATION.
There is THE HUNGER FOR EXPLORATION.
There is THE FEARLESSNESS OF STRUGGLE.
There is THE EXCITEMENT OF DISCOVERY.
There is THE PASSION FOR REVEALING.
There is THE OPENNESS FOR EXPRESSION.
There is THE DESIRE FOR INVESTIGATION THAT STIMULATES UNDERSTANDING, EMPATHY AND COMPASSION.
There is THE UNQUENCHED THIRST OF  UNCEASING CURIOSITY.
And there is THE DELICIOUS APPETITE FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL STORY(living)TELLING.
And we have to understand…
It is sometimes through the darkest of moments…
And most inexplicable of circumstances…
That guide us…
Or lead us…
To that creative tribe.
Those same circumstances…
That we may think are causing us to crumble…
And break our heart and Spirit…
Are the same circumstances…
That actually break our heart open…
And allow our Spirit…
To be In-Spirited (inspired)…
Opening our Mind, Body & Soul…
And awakening us to something greater than we could have ever imagined.
Those same circumstances very often pave the path to our greatest purpose…
Our greatest potential…
All human beings at some point…
Will own some story of hardship.
That is part of the human experience.
But within hardship also lives an individual story…
A universal story…
Of how hardship paved an unexpected path to perseverance, growth, inner-strength, compassion, insight, understanding, creative inspiration and connection with others who can gather with each other and say:
Yes, I know. Me as well. I see you. I understand. Let’s not let it be in vain. Let’s do something remarkable with it all!‘.
And so we find our tribe.
Or our tribe finds us.
A tribe that meets through the most unlikely…
And yet, likely, of circumstances.
A tribe that is generous in knowledge, creativity, heart, compassion, passion, love, support, kinship, responsibility, accountability, creativity, talent & Spirit.
And because of those circumstances…
We RECOGNIZE each other.
We SEE each other.
We UNDERSTAND each other.
We CARE about each other.
We SUPPORT each other.
And, yes…
We LOVE each other…
From one artist to another…
From one actor to another…
From one human to another.
That is the magic of an ENSEMBLE!
Together we LEARN.
Together we EXPLORE.
Together we DISCOVER.
Together we GROW.
Together we EXPAND.
Together we STRUGGLE.
Together we BREAK-THROUGH.
Together we SUCCEED.
Together we SHARE.
Together we GIVE.
Together we MAKE ART.
Together we TELL & LIVE STORIES.
Together we REVEAL THE HUMAN CONDITION.
And TOGETHER we hold onto the fact…
That once we make it out of the fire…
There will be…
And is…
BEAUTY WITHIN THE ASHES…
That result in our life’s greatest contributions!” 
~Mario A. Campanaro 
Master Teacher 
MC² Actors Studio
Los Angeles | New York City | London 


THAT SPECIAL GIFT

“Children always get so excited about that special gift they’re given during holidays or birthdays. It’s that special gift that they ask for over and over to anyone who would listen. And usually they see that special gift on TV which makes it even more exciting. Or they see that others have that gift, and so they want it too! They see how special it is! It looks exhilarating, easy and fun to play with. And they think if only they could get that special gift, it would make all the difference in the world for their life and they would never ever stop playing with it. Then one day, someone actually makes their dream come true and they finally get it! They get that special gift that they’ve always wanted! And it comes all wrapped up in a nice box with perfect wrapping paper and a big ole bow. And they tear open that special gift! And they are mind-blown! Someone actually listened and they got it! And they love it love it love it! But then they realize they don’t know how to use that special gift. So with some help, through some trial and error, some struggles, some mistakes, a lot of creativity, and of course, the instructions, they finally figure out how to use that special gift. And now they can play with it. And they enjoy playing with it! It’s the most awesome thing ever! They love it! It’s everything they said they always wanted! And they tell everyone “Look at what I just got!” And then others say, “Ah cool! Me too! Look what I just got!“. And so they all get together and their imaginations go wild with the endless possibility of circumstances that manifest from all those special gifts. It brings a tribe together and many worlds are created! However, as is so often the case, once that gift no longer becomes so special to them and they stop using it or playing with it, it ends up just sitting home on a shelf somewhere taking up space. And then all of the sudden, that special gift disappears because it is put in a box and donated or handed down to someone else who will use it, enjoy it and appreciate it for how special it is. And some time goes by but they don’t even realize it’s gone. And then one day, they see it somewhere and then they remember it and they ask, “Wait, what ever happened to that gift?! I loved that gift! That gift was mine! Where did it go?! I want it back!”. But it’s no longer home. It’s no longer there. It’s no longer accessible. Now that special gift is going to take a lot of pursuing and work to get back. The same goes for your gifts as actors. They need to be loved, appreciated, enjoyed, learned about, cultivated and used. Your gifts are not meant to just sit at home doing nothing. If they are, they mysteriously just slip away and you start asking “Wait, what ever happened to that gift?! I loved that gift! That gift was mine! Where did it go?! I want it back!”. Stay focused! Be proactive! Appreciate the gifts you have and work hard toward doing something remarkable with them. No one is going to come knocking on your door to remind you to stay on track. And if you need a little reminder or a little push, let this be it! You have to be the CEO of your dreams or they slowly disappear. You have something so inexplicably special in you! Do not take that for granted! Dream big! But get the dream out of the dream state and go for making it a reality!”
~Mario A. Campanaro
Master Teacher 
MC² Actors Studio
Los Angeles | New York City | London


It’s Not About The Perfection…It’sAbout The Life!


What You See Is What You Get…


The Circles Of “I Am”…


If You Really Love It, Really Do It!


Authenticity Through Action…


Tapping Into Uncharted Territories…


Roundtable With Neil LaBute

Neil Labute is an acclaimed playwright, screenwriter and director. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree in dramatic writing from New York University and was the recipient of a literary fellowship to study at the Royal Court Theatre, London. In 2013, he was named one of the winners of the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ Arts and Letters Awards in Literature. Mr. LaBute’s plays include: Filthy Talk For Troubled Times, Bash: Latter-Day Plays, In The Company of Men, The Shape of Things (Drama Desk Award-Outstanding Play), The Distance From Here, The Mercy Seat, Autobahn, This Is How It Goes, Some Girl(s), Wrecks, In A Dark Dark House, Fat Pig (Outer Critics Circle Award-Outstanding Off-Broadway Play and Olivier Award Nomination-Best New Comedy), Helter Skelter/Land Of The Dead, The Break Of Noon, The New Testament, Some White Chick, The Furies, Strange Fruit, In A Forest, Dark And Deep, Lovely Head & Other Plays, Reasons To Be Happy, The Break Of Noon, Money Shot, The Way We Get By, All The Ways To Say I Love You, The War On Terror, How To Fight Loneliness, True Love Will Find You In The End, Reasons To Be Pretty (Drama Desk Award Nomination-Outstanding Play and Tony Award Nomination-Best Play). His work also earned him the honor as a Lortel’s Playwright Sidewalk Inductee in 2013. LaBute is also the author of Seconds of Pleasure published by Grove Atlantic. His films include In the Company of Men (Independent Spirit Award-Best First Screenplay, New York Critics’ Circle Award-Best First Feature and the Filmmaker Trophy at the Sundance Film Festival), Your Friends And Neighbors, Nurse Betty, Some Velvet Morning, Bash: Latter-Day Plays,The Van Helsing Series, It’s Ok, Ten X Ten, Full Circle, The I-Land, Denise, Double Or Nothing, BFF, Bench Seat, After School Special, Sexting, Tumble, Possession, Some Velvet Morning, Some Girl(s), Dirty Weekend, Full Circle, The Shape of Things, The Wicker Man, Lakeview Terrace and Death At A Funeral.
Thursday August 26th 2021 6:00 pm PST
It was an extraordinary night for our Los Angeles Ensemble filled with passion, knowledge, wisdom, advice, encouragement, stories, humor, love, humility and mountains of generosity by the one and only legend NEIL LABUTE! We are all so humbled, grateful and inspired! We are very much looking forward to welcoming Mr. Labute back for a work session class for our Los Angeles Ensemble and a Roundtable Discussion class for our London Ensemble in the very near future!

Becoming The Answer


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