DIVING INTO THE ATLANTIC SUMMER SCHOOL
This year’s recipient of the sought-after Atlantic Acting School Scholarship, Emmanuelle Mattana, reflects on the intensive six weeks of training and what it taught her, about her craft and herself.
As a long-time women’s soccer fanatic, I’d always imagined my July 2023 would be spent stadium-side in a state of World Cup bliss, watching the loves of my life (the Matildas) make history on home soil and spread Sam-Kerr-equalising-goal mania across the land.
Instead, thanks to a scholarship and the generous support of the Equity Foundation, I find myself on a flight to New York, about to begin the Summer Intensive at the Atlantic Acting School. Instead of jerseys, screaming fans and my friends gushing about the infamous ‘WoSo Chart’ (IYKYK), I land in the midst of Fourth of July revelry, and spend my first evening at a Manhattan rooftop’s open-air cinema, watching Independence Day as fireworks go off. It’s a very American welcome.
Classes at Atlantic begin the next day and we meet our ensembles — a generous, bubbly group of actors from all over the world, equally excited and nervous to embark on whatever the next six weeks have in store.
There’s the Canadian boy obsessed with musical theatre, the French film actress who immediately befriends me (and speaks French with/at me after hearing the name ‘Emmanuelle’ in rollcall), the dancer-turned-actor dreaming of finding her voice, the doctor-turned-actor, novelist-turned-actor, the students at NYU getting summer credit — and me. Scrappy Aussie with the ‘funny accent’, ‘Oh my god, is every animal down under trying to kill you?’ energy and penchant for wearing outfits that make me look like a little boy from the ’80s.
The teachers warn us: “The Summer Intensive is… intense.” Ha.
The Atlantic Acting School teaches a technique called Practical Aesthetics, created by William H. Macy and playwright David Mamet. It is committed to telling the truth of a story above all else — honouring the intentions of the playwright, emphasising a rigorous script analysis process, and engaging in moment-to-moment work that runs off impulse and is never pre-planned. Ultimately, this means the focus of the technique is never on the actor and what they’re feeling, but on always playing action.
One particular teacher’s musings stick with me: if you just keep doing something, over and over again, it will change. Maybe it will organically transform as you’re compelled to do something different, or maybe the act of doing it and failing for so long will draw an emotion out of you. You might even succeed. In any case, it will become interesting all on its own, by virtue of it being truthful, and from you just continuing to do the thing.
Sure, this feels true to acting, but it strikes me as also feeling true to my experience in the program. I am doing that very same thing day after day, sometimes succeeding in my work, sometimes failing, but continuing to show up for myself and try. So much of my learning is born simply from this consistency — I don’t get to step away when it gets hard, and I’m quickly learning how much tougher I am than I thought, becoming empowered by challenges or setbacks, and excited by the idea that sometimes I might really (god forbid) suck. It helps when a loving ensemble have your back, pushing and supporting you in turn, inspiring you with their own brilliant work and always reminding you of the level of artistry you’re capable of.
Here are a few things I learnt:
• Americans are much cooler than Aussies with taking up space, celebrating their wins and vocally believing in themselves. I manifest more of this for myself.
• New York has a momentum that encourages you to meet it. The people are amazing, there is always something to do, and you get nothing out of staying in bed. I manifest this energy for myself back home. Also, chances are you’re living in a shoebox with windows that look directly into someone else’s shoebox, so you might as well get outside, no matter how much money you’re paying to rent said shoebox.
• Don’t fall asleep in Central Park without sunscreen on.
Six weeks fly by, and then it’s our final day. Tears are shed, meaningful interpretative movement sequences are movemented. But there’s no rest for the wicked (aside: I saw that on Broadway), because at 3 the next morning I’m wide awake in a 24/7 diner in Flatiron, plate of waffles in front of me, surrounded by a motley group of new Atlantic friends, watching the Australia vs France Quarter Final.
You already know how this goes… Excruciating deadlock, tension builds, the Tillies just keep doing it. Extra time. Penalties. Wait, seriously, more penalties? I’m pacing the diner like a loser and I have no fingernails. But they just keep going, continuing in Practical Aesthetics fashion to do the thing, and soon enough (only 20 penalties later) everything is transformed. It marks a huge, historic victory for Australia, and a baby-step one for an Aussie actor in NY trying her best and chasing her dreams.
Emmanuelle Mattana (she/they) is an actor, writer and maker passionate about telling stories that blend the playful with the political and connect with young, queer audiences. Best known for playing the lead role of Marnie in the International Emmy Kids® nominated tween series Mustangs FC (ABCMe x Matchbox Pictures), other performance credits include The Messenger (ABC), Surviving Summer, Clickbait (Netflix) and Ms Fisher’s MODern Murder Mysteries (Acorn TV). After selling out Melbourne indie seasons of her critically-acclaimed debut play Trophy Boys, the show will be touring nationally in 2024, and she is a current member of Sydney Theatre Company’s Watershed: Writers Group and Malthouse Theatre’s Besen Emerging Writers Group. As a filmmaker, her shorts have been commissioned by the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, Creative Victoria and the RSPCA and recognised at festivals internationally, including kids comedy short The Odyssey, which was awarded Best Youth Film at the St Kilda Film Festival.
The Equity Foundation thanks the Atlantic Acting School for their support of this scholarship, valued at $US7,950. Flights and accommodation were at the winner’s own expense.
