Florentina
Mocanu
photo by Dan Dion
About
Florentina Mocanu was born and raised in Romania. She studied at the People's School of Art in Bucharest and University of Theater Arts in Targu Mures graduating with Diploma in Acting/MFA for theatre and film. She performed for the National Theatre, Comedy Theatre of Bucharest, Romania Film. In the United States, she has worked in theatre and film while completing her education with an MA in Drama from San Francisco State University and a PhD in Drama/Theatre and Performance Studies from Stanford University. She taught acting, directing, dramaturgy, improvisation, and writing for performance at SFSU and Stanford University. Currently she teaches Classical Dramatic Literature at University of San Francisco, while freelancing as an actor, writer, director, choreographer, curator, scholar, and producer. She is a member of the SAG-AFTRA.
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Acting
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Theater
selected credits
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Miranda, The Tempest, National Theatre Targu Mures
Queen Margaret, The King is Dead, Studio Theatre
Hermia, A Midsummer-Night’s Dream, Comedy Theatre Bucharest
Wixen, The Three Penny Opera, Studio Theatre
Julia Tesman, Hedda Gabler, Studio Theatre
Hedvig, The Wild Duck, National Theatre Targu Mures
The Marquis & The Marquise,The Emperor’s Clothes, National
Cecile Volange, Dangerous Liasons, Comedy Theatre Bucharest
Etienne, The Green Parrot, Comedy Theatre Bucharest
Caesonia, Caligula, The Exit Theatre
Penthesilea, Penthesilea, Rhubarb Theatre San Francisco
Phaedra, Phaedra, Stanford University
Carlotta, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, San Francisco Playhouse
Margaret, Princess Ivonna, The Collected Works
Film
Teaching & Directing
Over the years, I have taught acting, directing, writing for theatre/film, and theatre history at Stanford University, San Francisco State University, San Francisco Arts Institute, & University of San Francisco.
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In these educational environments, I place a strong emphasis on understanding the chosen texts in the context of performance. Considering the significance of the text's historical and cultural settings.
Also, when teaching acting courses or directing theatre projects, I draw on various techniques from the work of theatre practitioners such as: Stanislavski, Meyerhold, Artaud, Brecht, Bogart, and Hagen. I also experiment and use improvisational techniques as a research/discovery tool that helps the performing artist create their own practical method that can be continuously improved in order to enrich and deepen their creative process.
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Education
PHD, Drama/Theatre Arts and Performance Studies– Stanford University
MA, Theater Arts, San Francisco State University
MFA Acting -Theater, Film and Television- UAT Targu-Mures, ROMANIA
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from "Make Me Change Me" by Jeremiah Barber