Uta Hagen

• Born in Germany, raised in Wisconsin 
• Began her career in 1937 at age 18
• Won Tony's, Drama Critics Awards, and Honarary Doctorates from several universities
• Starting in 1947 Hagen has taught acting at the Herbert Berghof Studio
• Taught many generations of actors
• Died in 2004 in NYC

Uta Hagen is considered one of the most fiercest and legendary women to ever grace the American Stage. After being 'blacklisted' in Hollywood from her affiliation with communism, she started a lifelong career in arts education. She spent her whole life teaching her acting theories to young actors made for the stage. She believe that when she can see acting, she will not like their performance. She encouraged her actors to physically and mentally embody their characters to an extent so extreame they would get lost in the text and forget the audience was present. Her main philosophy taught actors to discover their character's intentions on a deeper level. She often encouraged writing down your character's physical and mental destination. (http://www.wic.org/bio/hagen.htm) Uta Hagen's famous nine questions to prepare characters are:

• "1.  WHO AM I?  
  
  (All the details about your character including name, age, address, relatives, likes, dislikes, hobbies, career, description of physical traits, opinions, beliefs, religion, education, origins, enemies, loved ones, sociological influences, etc.)  
  
  

  2.  WHAT TIME IS IT?  

  (Century, season, year, day, minute, significance of time)  

  
  

  3.  WHERE AM I?  

  (Country, city, neighborhood, home, room, area of room)  

  
  

  4.  WHAT SURROUNDS ME?  

  (Animate and inanimate objects-complete details of environment)  

  
  

  5.  WHAT ARE THE GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES?  

  (Past, present, future and all of the events)  

  
  

  6.  WHAT IS MY RELATIONSHIP?  

  (Relation to total events, other characters, and to things)  

  
  

  7.  WHAT DO I WANT?  

  (Character's need.  The immediate and main objective)  

  
  

  8.  WHAT IS IN MY WAY?  

  (The obstacles which prevent character from getting his/her need)  

  
  

  9.  WHAT DO I DO TO GET WHAT I WANT?  

  (The action: physical and verbal, also-action verbs)" 

  
  

  (http://sites.pittsgrove.net/play/uta-hagen-s-9-questions)