This week, we are exploring our final scene assignments with our scene partners. As you begin anew to prepare for your final performance, act as if you have just booked a job performing in the play you have been cast in. What do you do to prepare to work with the director? Have you read the play at least twice? What types of discoveries have you made about your character? What is the play about? What are the relationships that your character has within the world of the play? Have you started to break down the scenes? Do you know what year the play takes place and what is happening in the world at this time? Who is the President of the United States when this play takes place? What does your character want? What obstacles are in the way? Now is the time to do this work, not when you get to rehearsal. It is time to trust your instincts and bring it all together. Just do it.
I've started researching and looking into more details about my play and seeing what I can bring to it based off of what I can find. My character I can already tell is very complex which I absolutely love! I love working through personalities that are completely different from myself and trying to figure out the way their mind works. We still haven't picked out which scene we are doing so I have just been looking at the options we have and picking them slowly apart. I'm going to try really hard to just trust my instincts and go with it and hope for the best!
ReplyDeleteWhen I book a job I read the play once as an audience member, then I re-read the play specifically looking at what my character does. I then make a list of what he does. I then break that list down into compartments. Putting certain "deeds done" with other similar "deeds done." By doing this I find out where my characters "priorities lie" and what their tendency's are. For example, when looking at the character of Elisha Whitney in Anything Goes I made a list of what he does and then found that every deed fit into the four categories of Evangeline, Alcohol, Business, and Yale. I then find the feeling center for the character by looking at the deeds done and the categories. Whitney's two biggest categories are Evangeline and Alcohol. These two categories stem from a "feeling center" because all deeds done in these categories are motivated out of some feeling for these two things. Now that I know the feeling center, I can work on discovering the body of the character because I know where the character "lives" in his own body. While I am working on the physicalization I am also continuing my script study. I go in and mark the beats then I try to find a motivation for the beats and then I try to find an action verb for almost every line. Once I know the character center I try to find the archetype of the character. When I find the archetype of the character I then find pictures of famous characters from movies, Literature, famous people etc. that fit this archetype. This helps me to start to piece together more of the physical aspects of the character. During all of this I am memorizing my lines by rote so that I don't develop a "reading" of the script. After I memorize I go back through the script and read it once for every major character that I have a relationship with. I then read it again to find the major plots points that need to be highlighted. By the time I get to the rehearsal I like to have a solid foundation of the character so that when I am in rehearsal I can work on focusing on my partner and playing off the impulses that they give me in the moment. I then make tweaks and adjustments that the director gives me or from things that I have discovered in the rehearsal process.
ReplyDeleteImmersing myself in the life of the character is the first step for me. After multiple reads I think about the psychology of the character. How my tragic loss has not only affected me, but the people around me and my relationships with them. My sister and I are very close but after losing Danny that relationship has changed and been strained. She hurts too, but it is not the same pain that I feel and therefore I feel distanced from her. All though this is a serious play it has some greats moments of humor particularly the scene my partner and I will be performing. I feel it will be a great opportunity to explore the depth of my character. She can cry and scream, but she can also laugh and love. When the first stabbing pains of loss have worn off and we begin to move on life and be awkward and strange.
ReplyDeleteWe took a little while to get the play but now that we both have read it I’m very excited to get to work on it. True West is a really interesting play with two complicated characters. I see a lot of potential in where we could go with the scene that we choose (we have a few in mind). I think every scene can offer something different and helpful to both of us as actors. I feel like the characters are a little bit raw in this play and the tension between the two was almost palpable as I read it. It was a really honest feel to a brotherly relationship, however unhealthy. I’m a big fan of “just do it”. I’ve been working to gather the tools that I need and of course I’m always adding to that, but I find that when I read it too much it ruins it for me. When I over think things is when they start to become boring and moved by the script instead of by me. I’m really working on trusting my instincts but not only that, to use the skills that I have as well and not fall back on the bad habits I have. As always, any advice while working or before is more than welcomed.
ReplyDeleteI can answer yes to many of these questions! The play is in the “now” and that would make our President Obama. Looking at the character, she is very simple and easy going with a lot of drama around her. She is crazy but willing to do anything for anyone. The challenge will be making myself as an actor calm and collected and also carefree and easy going. There are not many obstacles for her because what makes her character besides the choices I make, is her sister! I can’t wait to see what happens between Rachel and I, I have yet to work with her. I find the character I am to portray is very funny without trying to be funny, she is very obvious without knowing it. The play is about her sister recovering from the death of her son, my character is there to be light hearted and bring play and fun to her sister. Sometimes the sister just brings confusion but for the most part she is a breath of relief for a second. I think the thing I will have to also work on is cut off the other persons lines too!
ReplyDeleteI can say when I begin to read a play I feel that I must meet the characters one and one. For instance if they have interesting lines I like to read them back or follow their emotions in different lines until I get a good idea of what type of character they are. After i do this if I have not already watched or have been told about the play I find a character that I can really relate to and i try to connect with them and start to view them as an individual who actually lives breathes and has a pulse.
ReplyDeleteI know that with Proof- I was assigned the character of Catharine, so when i was reading the play I tried to really looking at exactly how she would behave, respond and react. For me it makes it easier to really read into that character because it makes the transition of being that her smooth and well defined. I know that it takes a lot away from the general message of the play but it really makes me see how the play unfolds in that character's eyes. I know that when i do read it all the way through I look back on the instances that really caught my eye and made me see the symbolism of the characters. I feel that is why I always notice find symbols when discussing the character is the symbolism they always show, and how it is a clear meaning of their intentions and the message of the play.
I have definitely learned the hard way that after you book a job and before rehearsal you do the work. You look up all the unanswered questions so we can play the character we are supposed to play in the best way that we can. From my last scene, I did not do the work entirely and everyone could tell. For Proof I am play Catherine and I have studied her and feel that I have a good sense of how to play her. I think that my scene is going to greatly improve due to the fact that I have studied, done the work, and know what is going on as to how Catherine would react and what her actions would be. I am very confident and have learned from my mistakes that in the future when I book I job, I go right home and do research.
ReplyDeleteFor our final scenes I was casted as Harper in Angels in America. After reading through the play I was very interested in the whole story. My character in particular is one that has many layers. She is addicted to Valium and suffers from agoraphobia. I had to do research separately on the disorder she has and the pill that she is addicted to. The Valium is used to treat panic disorders and anxiety which is what the character suffers from. I used an emotional memory of a loved one in my family that used to have a similar addiction. I could recall her actions and remember how it slows down everything you do. I would bring that to the scene where I have to confront my husband about being homosexual. Within the world of this play my characters relationship to her surrounding are very closed off. She has imaginary friends that she talks to and spends most of her time alone contemplating life while she’s on drugs. The play is set in the mid 1980’s and it is a time when being homosexual was looked down upon. These were times when AIDS was only blamed on being gay and since my character is Mormon it goes against all of her religious beliefs. Ronald Reagan was the president during this time. My character wants to know answers that she already knows deep inside. Obstacles in the way are her husband’s denial to the subject at hand. Going with instincts and research on the actress that played the character in the movie adaptation I feel that I can bring a lot to this scene, even though our scene is brief the way we act it out will make it have more depth in the end.
ReplyDeleteI'd say it makes sense to meet you scene partner once or twice being not off book jet. Learning the lines by hart always makes you judge the character and a cold read gives you an idea about your partner. Once formalities have been established the lines should be memorized by hart and the character history should be ready in order not to waist your partners time. It really depends on the play whether I read it once, twice, or several times. If it is a very complicated play then I have to read it more often. I usually try to read the play without taking a break as though it is performed. I always think about technical choices how this could be staged and I imagine the characters and pay close attention on reactions and character traits.
ReplyDeleteAustin is a character who changes dramatically threw out the play. At the beginning he is a sort of boring, clean cut, romance novel writer and later on his brother Lee ruined his perfect life. His coherent lifestyle experiences a crucial twist. He begins to drink and his choices become questionable. He becomes more and more insane and he wants to take his brother down with him. Although he is not specifically thinking about revenge, he deeply hates the intruder Lee. He admires him but is also looking back in an melancholic manure to his perfect picture book life.
I also researched and listened to the song Red Sails in the Sunset Austin is singing threw out the play. I couldn't find a specific reference that could allude to the plot.
This is certainly a very difficult play and scene particularly for my own abilities. This scene stretches me far from my comfort zones as an actor but has many aspects, relationships and personalities that I can actually relate to. Hopefully as I continue to read the play I will understand more about the character and the relationships he has within the context. The true understanding however will hopefully emerge in the rehearsal setting if I take bigger risks than I'm used to. Exploring more in the way of not what I would do if I was playing this character, but what this character would in fact do. Who is he? Why does he act the way he acts? Everything from movement, to voice, to feelings, and on are hopefully aspects I can start to understand as the rehearsal process takes off. The rest of the given circumstances of the play come from the homework I've started doing as to the time, setting, and attitude of the play and when/where it takes place. Naturally with the focus in the center of a single room between two people, those outside forces can't distract, but should be felt as perhaps present in some distant manner.
ReplyDeleteWith being cast as Catherine in proof 2 times before, as soon as I saw the name of the play on the paper I knew what I would be playin again. However, I'm glad we have the chance to play Steel Magnolias. As I stated in class; I am very uncomfortable playing older. I always worry about my 'posture' and 'movement' and 'voice' but then Nicole made me realized that the text already does all of that for me, that I don't need to have the 'mom voice' or the walk. It's hard to break the superficial acting when you're playing a large age difference such as 30 + years but I think once we break that mind barrier, we can do it.
ReplyDeleteFor me, reading and re-reading the script is the first step in preparing for rehearsal. I spend a lot of time carefully studying where the scene shifts in different directions. A scene is a like a piece of music. If the actors/players don’t recognize the changes in tempo, dynamics, etc. it can be so boring to the audience. I also examine both characters carefully. Obviously I must have a solid foundation of who I am playing, but I like to analyze the other character(s) as well to see what role my character plays in their lives.
ReplyDeleteI must admit I’m not fond of my character, Hal. Not that I’m not fond of being cast as him, I’ve just found through reading the script that he doesn’t make a lot sense. He is supposed to be the love interest, more or less. However, he ends up being an antagonist of sorts. He doubts Catherine’s abilities and might as well be a blatant sexist. The main reason he bothers me is that when all is said and done, and Catherine proves her mathematical genius, she forgives him easily and they live happily ever after. It’s very challenging to play a character like this. Although I suppose since we’re only doing a small excerpt from the play, the audience will only see a snapshot of him. However, if I had actually booked a job as Hal, it would be a difficult experience.
For my final scene, I want to know the reason for anything that happens in it. It is important to know the relationship my character has with the other character in the scene, this helps me determine the manner at which my character acts towards the other characters in the scene- are they best friends? Did they just meet? Do they hate each other because they are in a fight right now? Then I look for the reasons behind my character’s action in the scene. Why is he saying what he is saying? To find these things out, it helps to know what is going on in the play up to that scene. What major events have already occurred? What happened in the very scene before? Once I know all this it is ultimately up to me to act in the scene, which can prove to be difficult maybe if it requires me to act out of my comfort zone. But this is what I like about different scenes- whether it challenges me to go away from my comfort zone, humor.
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