Sunday, December 9, 2007
Studio Session
Our studio session was the last one in class, and therefore we had to be the most prepared. I was very nervous about the lines because any time i am given more then 4 lines to memorize i start to worry about whether or not i will be able to remember them. I often get caught up in my head with trying to remember lines and wind up not listening to Gaby's character at all. I think i did slightly better with this in class, especially after our first run through of it and after receiving feedback from the class and Jon. I was unsure whether or not the minimal physical score we had would detract from our scene, but the class said it was ok since the text was engaging. Working with my dramatic action helped to keep my energy, interest, and focus up in the scene. I enjoyed trying different tactics with Gaby's character in order to get what my character wants out from her. Playing around with different intonations and pauses makes the dramatic action more apparent. While we continue rehearsals i will continue to experiment with different tactics in speech and movement, and hopefully i will settle on some before our Work in Progress performance on Tuesday.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Final scene performance
It's coming along. However, my performance of Adine in 'The Dispute' is far from complete. I know I still need to do a lot of work on it. When Anna and I practiced in front of the class, I was nervous at first, but it turned out to be A LOT of help. I learned that I need to remember to fully embody each moment, and go all out with it. The challenge that goes with that, however, is that I have to figure out how to do this and not throw the through line of my character's journey and of the scene out the window. I find it hard to connect everything while performing or 'doing' each moment one at a time. I also need to focus my physical intention, and make every movement purposeful. It seems so hard to do, however, when we don't have Jon to remind us and tell us what we are doing wrong while practicing.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Studio Session!
Since we began working on the studio sessions, I’ve seen a lot of our acting training from the semester being combined, bringing all the little pieces together at last. When it came to our scene from ‘The Dispute,’ my weakness is obviously my voice and my ability to embody the intention of the scene. With my voice, it is difficult because I suppose my voice comes most naturally in a higher register. It feels odd trying to pitch down. I feel like I lose the ability to show emotion because it seems that everything I say is rather flat. Sure, it may be more understandable, but I believe the new obstacle is being able to infuse that with emotion. I think I’m improving when it comes to projecting, although I must say I did not notice a change in how I spoke once I took my choker off. But hey, if it makes everything think I’m louder, then I guess I’ll go with it. As for embodying the character and the scene, it is true that I totally understand the arch of the story. However, I have a hard time getting my thoughts out physically. Give me pen and paper or a computer and I can tell you what it all means in minutes, but put me up on a stage and my English major side rears its ugly head – I read. I know what I’m thinking and what I want to do, but it doesn’t come out. However, I’m hoping that once I am completely solid and no longer fumble with ANY of my lines, I will hopefully be able to focus solely on physical specificity because I will no longer be fiddling with a script in my hands.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Studio Session
We have just begun our studio sessions for class last Friday for our final project. Being the first to go in these sessions was a bit daunting at first, being that my knowledge of my chracter and the story had not gotten to where I wanted it to be. However, once the learning in class began, I realized that it was okay to be so early in the rehersal process. I was given many valuable tips from both the teacher and the other students. I still find that my main concern is with the externalization of my character. After finishing this session, I was happy to find that it was, in a way, more effective to have the session that early in the process, so that I could find out my more noticable errors in my performace and have ample time to fix them.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Self Reflection
1. Name and briefly discuss the most significant lesson you learned about acting from the 365 Project.
One thing that I learned in the 365 project was that silence and stillness can be as effective and powerful as any dialog. When I first read the script for the second constant, I was a bit turned off by it, as I didn't see how simply standing in one spot could be a performance, or at least one which could convey a message. However, when I actually got to my location that morning and began performing, I found that not only could stillness and silence have an effect, but that it had an effect upon me as well. I stood there just looking out into the cold morning, then felt compelled to close my eyes. I didn't know how long I would have them closed, until I suddenly felt the warmth of the sun on my back, telling me that I had been in my mourning stance long enough.
2. Discuss how you can deepen this lesson with your final Acting I project.
In the final project, this silence can be used very effectively to build tension between the characters. While I am not acting alone in this piece, I think that the silence, and only talking when I really do feel that warmth will help the scene flow and make sense.
3. Name your most effective acting moment in 365. How was it effective and what were you doing in terms of technique to make it effective?
I think the most effective moment was the beginning of Sin Collector, when I sat on the wall with the newspaper and mug, not saying anything, and looking at Laura putting mirrors in her jacket. I just felt that I was really present in the scene, as I really wanted to work on focusing energy, and I think my energy was very well focused. The extended silence worked great with the scene, allowing for the audience not to be distracted by lines. I felt their focus the whole time. It really helped start that play on the right foot and helped the characters connect to each other and the audience.
4. Discuss how you can deepen your technique in working on your final Acting I project.
In the final project, I think that the attachment to a character who represents a significant other can be very well shown through silence. The energy which is focused at the other is enough to give the audience a clue as to what is going on. I can see myself really milking the silences and making much eye contact to build the relationship and help to give the audience a true sense of the atmosphere.
5. What is the most apparent weakness, unanswered challenge or missed opportunity in your 365 performances? If you could go back into rehearsal, how might you address this element in order to make your performance more effective?
In the Puja Play, I did not focus my energy very well. It may have been the fact that we did not rehearse the play much, or that I was distracted by the environment and the process of getting there and setting up, but I did not feel quite attached to the play. The play could have been performed so well, but it did not live up to its full potential. My movements did not have much purpose behind them, such as the belly rubbing, and my lines did not encompass the scene at all.
One thing that I learned in the 365 project was that silence and stillness can be as effective and powerful as any dialog. When I first read the script for the second constant, I was a bit turned off by it, as I didn't see how simply standing in one spot could be a performance, or at least one which could convey a message. However, when I actually got to my location that morning and began performing, I found that not only could stillness and silence have an effect, but that it had an effect upon me as well. I stood there just looking out into the cold morning, then felt compelled to close my eyes. I didn't know how long I would have them closed, until I suddenly felt the warmth of the sun on my back, telling me that I had been in my mourning stance long enough.
2. Discuss how you can deepen this lesson with your final Acting I project.
In the final project, this silence can be used very effectively to build tension between the characters. While I am not acting alone in this piece, I think that the silence, and only talking when I really do feel that warmth will help the scene flow and make sense.
3. Name your most effective acting moment in 365. How was it effective and what were you doing in terms of technique to make it effective?
I think the most effective moment was the beginning of Sin Collector, when I sat on the wall with the newspaper and mug, not saying anything, and looking at Laura putting mirrors in her jacket. I just felt that I was really present in the scene, as I really wanted to work on focusing energy, and I think my energy was very well focused. The extended silence worked great with the scene, allowing for the audience not to be distracted by lines. I felt their focus the whole time. It really helped start that play on the right foot and helped the characters connect to each other and the audience.
4. Discuss how you can deepen your technique in working on your final Acting I project.
In the final project, I think that the attachment to a character who represents a significant other can be very well shown through silence. The energy which is focused at the other is enough to give the audience a clue as to what is going on. I can see myself really milking the silences and making much eye contact to build the relationship and help to give the audience a true sense of the atmosphere.
5. What is the most apparent weakness, unanswered challenge or missed opportunity in your 365 performances? If you could go back into rehearsal, how might you address this element in order to make your performance more effective?
In the Puja Play, I did not focus my energy very well. It may have been the fact that we did not rehearse the play much, or that I was distracted by the environment and the process of getting there and setting up, but I did not feel quite attached to the play. The play could have been performed so well, but it did not live up to its full potential. My movements did not have much purpose behind them, such as the belly rubbing, and my lines did not encompass the scene at all.
Monday, November 19, 2007
365 Self Reflection
1. The most significant lesson I have learned from the 365 project would have to be that I still need work on completely embodying the character externally. I'm sure the cold weather played a factor, but I would be lying to myself I said that was the only restraint. I think that having one of my first true acting experiences be such a public performance definitely set a high challenge for myself, but I think it has had a long-lasting effect on my approach to acting in the future. Though I may not have performed as well as I had hoped, I think the result after the fact has increased my range as an actor.
2. I think I can deepen this lesson for my final project by looking more at the actual character I am portraying than just the lines and my relationship with the other character(s). I think line memorization should take a more minor role on my mind than in previous performances, so that I can better focus on embpdying the character through my performance and not just internally.
3. I believe my most effective acting moment in 365 was my stillness after my sin collection in Sin Collector. Though it was probably one of the more unnoticed moments in all of the performances, it was the one time where I truly felt emotions and was able to convey them. My stillness underneath the tree in the dark played off of architecture, shape, tempo and my spatial relationship with the two main characters of the play.
4. I think I tend to lose my focus from the character I am portraying and instead overly assert my focus externally to lines and blocking, creating my usually stoic posture and facial expression during performances. I think with the amount of focus I have at my disposal, I can really use it internally to stimulate more emotion in my acting.
5. My greatest weakness still remains to convey externally what I am feeling internally. I truly feel what I believe the character would be feeling, but I am not able to clue the audience in just yet. If I could go back to rehersal, I think I would do well to take myself out of the character that I am studying.
2. I think I can deepen this lesson for my final project by looking more at the actual character I am portraying than just the lines and my relationship with the other character(s). I think line memorization should take a more minor role on my mind than in previous performances, so that I can better focus on embpdying the character through my performance and not just internally.
3. I believe my most effective acting moment in 365 was my stillness after my sin collection in Sin Collector. Though it was probably one of the more unnoticed moments in all of the performances, it was the one time where I truly felt emotions and was able to convey them. My stillness underneath the tree in the dark played off of architecture, shape, tempo and my spatial relationship with the two main characters of the play.
4. I think I tend to lose my focus from the character I am portraying and instead overly assert my focus externally to lines and blocking, creating my usually stoic posture and facial expression during performances. I think with the amount of focus I have at my disposal, I can really use it internally to stimulate more emotion in my acting.
5. My greatest weakness still remains to convey externally what I am feeling internally. I truly feel what I believe the character would be feeling, but I am not able to clue the audience in just yet. If I could go back to rehersal, I think I would do well to take myself out of the character that I am studying.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Self-Reflection
1. Name and briefly discuss the most significant lesson you learned about acting from the 365 Project.
One lesson I have learned from 365 is that, when performing, you need to keep up your awareness of everything around – including those in the scene as well as your audience. Going off of kinesthetic response and using your peripheral vision, I feel like I’ve become more aware of how to take everything in as well as concentrate better on a scene.
2. Discuss how you can deepen this lesson with your final Acting I project.
Often times, when I’m doing a scene, I either get caught up in what I’m doing or get distracted by what is going on with the audience. With my final scene, there are multiple asides, which I think will allow me to integrate what I’m doing on stage with how I interact with the audience. I can continue to address my scene partner while also being aware that there are people watching and work there presence into my performance if I so decide to.
3. Name your most effective acting moment in 365. How was it effective and what were you doing in terms of technique to make it effective?
I suppose my most effective acting moment, or at least the moment when I felt most in character and comfortable, was during 7-11. With the over-exaggerated mockery of the scene, I felt that I could be silly and move about with my scene partners and work off of their energy while also keeping in character. Also, I liked the way I had to do the little scene within the scene twice, changing the way I used my voice to convey different emotions.
4. Discuss how you can deepen your technique in working on your final Acting I project.
With the final scene, I think I can finally concentrate and focus more on how I say my words and how they affect my physical action. My final scene is significant within the context of the play, but also still rather silly in the grand scheme of things. Being a comedy of manners, I feel that I can go in many silly directions with my character and explore her different possible emotions.
5. What is the most apparent weakness, unanswered challenge or missed opportunity in your 365 performances? If you could go back into rehearsal, how might you address this element in order to make your performance more effective?
One thing that I know is a problem is my small voice. During rehearsal, everyone told me I needed to speak up so any audience member who was further away would be able to hear me. The thing is, is that I thought I was, but apparently it wasn’t successful. I guess what seems loud to me actually isn’t. So, I suppose the next time, if I need to really raise my voice, I should use a voice that sounds like I’m yelling at the top of my lungs to me and get my full breath support behind it because maybe that will be the desired level for my audience. Perhaps by using Vera's techniques, I can come up with a way to speak that not only seems loud to me, but my audience as well.
One lesson I have learned from 365 is that, when performing, you need to keep up your awareness of everything around – including those in the scene as well as your audience. Going off of kinesthetic response and using your peripheral vision, I feel like I’ve become more aware of how to take everything in as well as concentrate better on a scene.
2. Discuss how you can deepen this lesson with your final Acting I project.
Often times, when I’m doing a scene, I either get caught up in what I’m doing or get distracted by what is going on with the audience. With my final scene, there are multiple asides, which I think will allow me to integrate what I’m doing on stage with how I interact with the audience. I can continue to address my scene partner while also being aware that there are people watching and work there presence into my performance if I so decide to.
3. Name your most effective acting moment in 365. How was it effective and what were you doing in terms of technique to make it effective?
I suppose my most effective acting moment, or at least the moment when I felt most in character and comfortable, was during 7-11. With the over-exaggerated mockery of the scene, I felt that I could be silly and move about with my scene partners and work off of their energy while also keeping in character. Also, I liked the way I had to do the little scene within the scene twice, changing the way I used my voice to convey different emotions.
4. Discuss how you can deepen your technique in working on your final Acting I project.
With the final scene, I think I can finally concentrate and focus more on how I say my words and how they affect my physical action. My final scene is significant within the context of the play, but also still rather silly in the grand scheme of things. Being a comedy of manners, I feel that I can go in many silly directions with my character and explore her different possible emotions.
5. What is the most apparent weakness, unanswered challenge or missed opportunity in your 365 performances? If you could go back into rehearsal, how might you address this element in order to make your performance more effective?
One thing that I know is a problem is my small voice. During rehearsal, everyone told me I needed to speak up so any audience member who was further away would be able to hear me. The thing is, is that I thought I was, but apparently it wasn’t successful. I guess what seems loud to me actually isn’t. So, I suppose the next time, if I need to really raise my voice, I should use a voice that sounds like I’m yelling at the top of my lungs to me and get my full breath support behind it because maybe that will be the desired level for my audience. Perhaps by using Vera's techniques, I can come up with a way to speak that not only seems loud to me, but my audience as well.
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