Particularization & The Six Steps
Summer Workshop Series
Particularization & The Six Steps
Ground Your Scenes in Fierce, Unshakeable Reality
Date: Sunday, August 2, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Instructor: Patrick Stinson
Location: The Bit Theater
Registration: $40 (Or grab the full 5-workshop summer pass for $150)
Click Here for the 5 Workshop Bundle
About the Workshop
The biggest trap for a performer is playing "generals"—general anger, general sadness, or general relationships. Audiences don't connect with concepts; they connect with truth. When your choices on stage are fiercely specific, your acting instantly becomes dangerous, unpredictable, and deeply engaging.
In this intensive 2-hour masterclass, instructor Patrick Stinson introduces practical tools from legendary acting teacher Uta Hagen. This workshop shifts the focus away from script or narrative invention and places it entirely on the psychological truth of the immediate moment. You will learn how to safely anchor high stakes and deep relationships using concrete, reliable acting mechanics.
What You’ll Learn & Practice:
The Six Steps: Master Hagen’s iconic sequence of core questions every actor must answer to instantly ground themselves in a scene (Who am I? What surrounds me? What is my relationship? What do I want?).
Substitution & Transference: Learn how to safely borrow real-world stakes, dynamics, and feelings from your own life and transfer them onto your onstage partner so the connection feels immediate and urgent.
Physical Conditioning: Explore how heavy internal psychological states or intense physical environments (extreme cold, exhaustion, intoxication) organically manifest through localized physical obstacles rather than over-the-top pantomime.
The Object Exploration: Discover how to interact with everyday physical objects on stage with the sensory awareness and psychological weight of real life.
Who Is This For?
This workshop is vital for improvisers who want to stop relying on quick jokes and start building rich, multi-dimensional onstage relationships, as well as dramatic actors looking for a foolproof technique to find instant specificity under pressure.
Space is Strictly Limited: To ensure every single participant gets dedicated stage time, direct coaching, and personalized feedback, enrollment for this session is capped.
- All purchases are final.
- Line-up, Teams, and Cast may change without notice
- Unless otherwise indicated in the show description, doors and bar open one hour prior to showtime for most shows. Out of respect for other show guests, please arrive at the theater no later than 15 minutes prior to showtime. The doors may be closed to late arrivals.
- ​Online ticket sales close ~60 minutes prior to the start of the show. After that time, tickets can be purchased at the box office, if available. Ticket purchases are final.
- Your tickets are general admission, and we seat on a first-come, first-seated basis. Don't hesitate to contact us for reservations, particularly if you have a larger group.
- The Bit is an 18+ club, although younger, accompanied guests are welcome. Though we generally hover around a PG-13 rating, please be advised that most of our content is improvised and set your​ expectations accordingly. We do have family-friendly options, as well!
- By your attendance at a show, you agree to our terms and conditions.