Chris Browne Valenzuela

Chris as an Educator: Mask Work, Devised Works and Volunteer Work

Chris is a faculty member of both The Circle in the Square Theatre School and The Terry Knickerbocker Studio, where he teaches Mask Work.

Under the tutelage of the immeasurable Shelley Wyant, Chris specialized in Neutral Mask. The Discipline involves a full face mask with no clear expression. While wearing it, actors are not allowed to use their voices. Thus, devoid of facial and vocal crutches, the mask teaches actors to use their breath and body.

Even as a species, we came up with verbal language very late. Similarly, developing a character purely from the text results in an almost archeological search for the truth. If we start from the body and the breath, truth comes second nature. Thus, the actor’s work in general becomes more honest.

In addition to his work with masks, Chris also regularly teaches “Devised Works” at Circle in the Square, which he directs yearly at Circle’s Broadway Stage for the past three seasons.

Chris also regularly volunteers with “The Campfire Project”, an organization bringing therapeutic arts programming for refugees and asylum seekers worldwide to enhance physical and emotional support for resilience and wellbeing. His native Spanish language has made him especially useful in the institution’s work with refugees and asylum seekers from Latin America.