PHILOSOPHY OF ACTING
Sears enjoys and has experienced both stage and film acting.
Through her college education, Sears has experimented with many different acting methods (i.e. staples such as Stanislavski's method, Chekhov's psychological gesture, Bogart's Viewpoints, etc.). Ultimately, however, Sears views empathy as the best acting tool.
To truly play a role well, one must not only embody a character in his/her physical and vocal habits, but also think like the character, understanding the motivations behind each physical and vocal choice. An actor must ask all sorts of “What If” questions, depending on the specific script: What if the character lost all his wealth? Or fell in love? Or found herself in her enemy’s shoes? In other words, the actor must empathize deeply with the character.
And in experiencing the answers to these “What If” questions, the actor develops an ability to understand those whose circumstances and responses to those circumstances differ from his/her own. In other words, the actor used empathy to develop deeper empathy – which seems like a really meaningful way to live one’s life, in Sears’ estimation.
Some of Sears’ favorite, empathy-developing roles include:
MRS. WHICH IN
A WRINKLE IN TIME
ADAPTED BY JOHN GLORE
October 2017 | Dordt College | Directed by Teresa Ter Haar
Photo by Josiah Wallace
MARGARET LEAVITT IN
SILENT SKY
BY LAUREN GUNDERSON
February 2017 | Dordt College | Directed by Teresa Ter Haar
Sears received the Irene Ryan acting nomination and, in turn, represented this production at the Kennedy Center's regional American College Theatre Festival.
Photo by Josiah Wallace.
GRACE IN "OF ONE MIND"
Player 2 Productions
February 2017
This film was created for the Prairie Grass 48-Hour Film Challenge, and it received the People's Choice Award. View the film here.
EMILY BRENT IN
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE
BY AGATHA CHRISTIE
December 2016 | Dordt College | Directed by Logan Radde
Photo by Kyle Fosse.
MISHKIN IN
FOOLS BY NEIL SIMON
April 2016 | Dordt College | Directed by Lauren Bird
Sears received the Irene Ryan acting nomination and, in turn, represented this production at the Kennedy Center's regional American College Theatre Festival.
Photo by Kyle Fosse.
JUANITA IN "PARALLAX"
Player 2 Productions
February 2016
This film received the Best of Show Award in the Prairie Grass 48-Hour Film Challenge. View the film here.
MARY HATCH IN
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE:
A RADIO PLAY
December 2014 | Dordt College | Directed by Jon Hageman
Sears received the Irene Ryan acting nomination and, in turn, represented this production at the Kennedy Center's regional American College Theatre Festival.
