TEACHER:

MFA: Playwriting, Devised Physical Theatre 

  • Contact Improvisation

  • Improvisational Movement

  • Movement for Actors

  • Acting for Dancers/Circus performers

  • The life of theatrical props.

These are among the number of classes Mercier instructs and facilitates. He has been teaching and offering his skills for over twelve years.
 

Master Classes and Workshops  have been offered at:

The Pioneer Valley Performing Arts High School
Admiration Theatre Ensemble, London
UMASS Amherst
Smith College
Easthampton High School (EHS)
Western New England University
Brattleboro, VT
Rochester, NY
Wilbraham Monson Academy
UMASS Amherst
Smith College
Hampshire College
Northampton, MA
Chicago, IL
New York, NY

“One significant turning point came for me in the form of Troy Mercier’s physical theatre workshop. It is my assertion that Troy’s work succeeded in bringing the class together as a theatrical ensemble. Even if that ensemble on existed for a few hours and was based on prior knowledge of one another, there was a marked difference in the way the class related after it was over. I felt much closer to my classmates after spending hours playfully exploring the space that Troy opened up for us. Within the context of the workshop, the traditional roles of teacher and student were tossed aside as unnecessary. It was in this way that the participants bonded as whole people rather than merely “students” or “classmates.”...

The questions I was left with following Mercier’s facilitation were not prompted by confusion. Instead, the questions were driven by the catharsis of guided play and trustworthy facilitation. At no point during the multi-hour session did I feel as if my trust in Mercier was misplaced...

I feel that my approach to physical theatre will be forever altered. I have always appreciated the value of physical theatre, but I now have a new lens through which to view it. One of the most striking aspects of Mercier’s work was the amount of instruction he was able to offer without speaking. I believe that this led to an increased level of focuse in the room and helped create a physical vocabulary. It is my assertion that worthwhile art often teaches us something about ourselves. Accordingly, this collaborative exercise reminded me of what it feels like to strip away our social selves and embrace a more playful and primal reality. In this playful world, it is much easier to take physical and emotional risks than it otherwise would be. As a result, I plan on incorporating work similar to Mercier’s in future rehearsal processes”


~ Hampshire College Student