Each week we had different assignments. For example, to improvise a scenario where you spent 5 minutes in front of a mirror. Solo. No dialogue, no monologue. See what you can convey through your actions. We could bring our own props.

I tried to imagine that I was about to go out with my girlfriends to a night club. I carefully put on my makeup, I changed my outfit, put on my high heels, looked at myself in the mirror, and turned around and checked on my butt, and ready to go out.

The teacher asked if I was going to meet a date, I said no, just girlfriends. He didn't believe me. I guess I wasn't very convincing. :-)

Everybody did that exercise, the teacher was usually very brief in his comments, he looked bored, almost lazy.

There was only 1 person that got his attention. It's a black man, in his mid-20's. Tall, quiet type, with a lean body. He came on stage, stood in the middle facing the audience. He looked at himself in the imaginary mirror. After a few seconds, he slowly took out a shaving blade, and started shaving. Steadily, calmly, almost absent-mindedly, he shaved himself. He took all the time he could, as if that's the only thing in the world that matters.

Somehow, there was something about him that drew me in, I felt something in him that spoke to me, something curious that made me want to know more.

When he finished, Michael stood up and applauded:"Great! What a moving performance! Guys, this is what I call good acting. It's real, it's human, it's powerful. Great job!"

There were 1 scene where 2 girls playing sisters having a fight over something. They started the fight about boyfriends, then about their mother, then moved on to criticize each other, then 1 girl revealed her secret about being pregnant. It was certainly full of surprises and the actors, especially the dark-haired girl playing the younger sister, were very "out there", very engaged.

To my surprise, Michael waved his hand in an almost lazy gesture and said:"Superficial. Soap opera. Too much drama yet nothing authentic."

The girls stood on the stage and looking embarrassed. I felt sorry for them.

But the next session, the dark-haired girl came back, this time she was playing a young artist having a heated argument with her mother. She tried to convince her to believe in her, that she will get her college degree some day, but now she just has to try to become an actress. She was pleading, she was earnest, you can hear the pain in her voice. The lady, who was assigned to play her mother, was in an obvious supporting role. She was skeptic, she was harsh, but at the end, she softened and the 2 women embraced on stage.

This time, she earned Michael's appraise and a big hug.

Later I learned that, this girl was indeed a full-time student from Harlem. She was 21 and she tried to become an actress instead of finishing her nursing degree.