Almost the Weekend!

So close! I can't believe it's almost the weekend. I thought this week felt very long. I blame the rehearsal schedule and inordinate amounts of homework. Usually I have more time to focus on a show, when I'm in a show. This time around, it's been a bit more of a juggling act. I'm going to be optimistic and say that's a good thing, and a lesson I need to learn in this business. Life won't wait when I have rehearsal.

So, onto classes:

Acting IV: We performed monologues assigned to us last week. They were Spoon River monologues, and Acting Professor told us that we needed to find an action to act during the monologue, and then we had to end the action with the monologue. So I was Mrs. Williams, the milliner, and my action was getting dressed to go outside. It wasn't a difficult assignment, but at the same time there were so many options to choose from. I could have done any number of actions to emphasize my piece, and in fact, if I were performing it again, I would pick something different that accentuates more of the point of the piece. My Professor told me I could have done more with the hat I was using as one of my props to tag the ending of my piece. I agree!

Then we did a small exercise where we thought of a word that affects us, makes us feel something emotionally, and then we had to stand and embody it. Our position should tell others the emotion that we're feeling. Eventually we'll be applying this technique to Greek Monologues, because Acting IV first session is Greek Theatre. Second session we'll be moving onto Drawing Room Comedy.

Rehearsal was cool. I decided to reinterpret some of my scenes and tried some new emotions on for size. It was good for me, because now I know more of what I think my character feels, and also more of what my director wants from me. I've discovered this is a good way to get feedback, sometimes. Some of the directors I've worked with, if they're enjoying your work (so far), or can't think of anything wrong with it, they just don't comment on your scenes. A lot of the time this leaves me wondering if I need to change my interpretation (especially on an emotionally difficult scene, you'd think they'd comment), because if they actually like something, they usually tell you. So I toy with characters and try new things, and then they usually speak up and say "Oh, I liked the thing you did the other day" or "This was really great tonight, keep it!" Hmmm, almost a passive aggressive method, I guess, but helpful in getting the feedback I need to feel I'm on the right path!

Tomorrow I'll be seeing the opening night of Much Ado About Nothing, and I'm really stoked! It's going to be a great one!