ALWAYS USE YOUR WORDS
Read Plays!! Put down the devices and read plays.
Stories and characters that live in our heads as we read are priceless
Then watch the movies and you'll see. Our minds are better than the movies most time.
My first Acting teacher was Virginia Ludders in 1994 in Glendale, Arizona. I was 18. I took her Acting I course and was in my first play.
Five Tellers Dancing in the Rain Written by Mark Dunn and Directed by Virginia Ludders.
I played Delores a 55 year old woman who lost her husband in a fire. I also met my friend Jenny Anderson a fellow actor that was in the same play and class as me.
Watch Slice of Life MissChiff the Clown Starring Jenny Anderson as MissChiff
Below are assignments from my time under the instruction of Edison Community College. My professor was Richard Westlake and we had to write letters and keep journals in addition to assignments. I learned so much and made great friends while in his class.
My Favorite Playwright is Tennessee Williams born March 26.
My Edison Community College Acting teacher Richard Westlake (R.I.P May 8th 2010 Obituary here) turned me on to his plays. He was a great teacher, easy going and funny. He encouraged me to sing. I performed my first and only musical under his direction.
A My Name Is Alice was the musical. My main monologue that I couldn't stand hearing by the time the actual performance came around as we did so many rehearsals was "the demigod"
It was fun.
My review of it is here.
Acting I, II, and III along with theater production with Dick Westlake was a great learning experience in 1999-2002.
Play Reports from 1999-2001
Theater
Acting II
Acting III
Heather Doria
Acting II
Feb 29, 00
Play Report #1
The Glass Mangerie
by Tennessee Williams
Classification:
Structure: Thematic
Genre: Dramatic Tragedy
Style: Presentational, Modified Realism
Theme: “Primarily it amounts to - social poise- Being able to square up to people and hold your own on any social level.”—Jim
Story of the Play
Sentence 1- Tom (a dreamer longing for adventure) and Laura (a weak very shy young woman with a slight disability labeling her crippled), are siblings who, having learned from Amanda (their controlling, needy mother), stifled their interior voices and attempted to survive in a world where only the strong prevail and dreamers live in Hollywood. .
Sentence 2- Amanda, an insecure single mother abandoned by her husband and obsessed with finding Laura a gentlemen caller, continues to rear her adult children with an “outside/in approach” in hopes they will become productive citizens.
Sentence 3- Amanda cleverly convinces Tom to invite Jim ( a coworker at the warehouse where Tom works) to dinner so that Laura can have a gentlemen caller to take care of them, which would leave Tom free to have an adventure and run away like his father did.
Sentence 4. Laura and Tom, with the help of Jim’s welcoming disposition, expose themselves for the first time, therefore breaking their mothers hold.
.
Sentence 5. Amanda, feeling defeated, after discovering that her precious gentle caller is engaged to someone else, tosses guilt on to time believing he knew all along, while she give pity to her (as she see it) heartbroken crippled daughter Laura.
Protagonist: Tom, Laura, and Amanda
Antagonist: Strict social standard that use the male and female cookie cutter approach to life as it “should” be.
Evaluation: There is so much I could write about this play. Tennessee Williams takes me to the depth that I crave. I enjoy his detailed writing style especially the subtextual (is that a word?) moments. I believe this could be seen on many levels and has many themes. The symbolism is extraordinary. I feel like I have discovered and accepted a new part of myself after reading this play. When reading this play I believe that one could get more out of it if they decide not to judge. Amanda was completely following the plan and being a good mother. Tom and Laura were the product of the plan. However the plan was corrupt. Was Williams making a statement about society during this time?
As for my evaluation, I can’t stop talking about it…. Tennessee Williams… Eureka!
Heather Doria
Acting II
Feb 29, 00
Play Report #2
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
by Tennessee Williams
Classification:
Structure: Thematic
Genre: Drama
Style: Representational, Modified Realism
Theme: “Mendacity is a system that we live in. Liquor is one way out an deaths the other”—Brick
Story of the Play
Sentence 1- Brick, (an alcoholic ex-college football star, guilt ridden over his best friend Skippers Death), Maggie (Bricks enabling childless wife, known as the “cat on the hot tin roof”), Big Daddy (Brick’s proud wealthy father dying of cancer), and Big Mama (Bricks pampering mother) all struggle to satisfy or deny their need for love while giving into their fears of abandonment.
Sentence 2- Mae (Bricks greedy sister in law), Gooper (Bricks insecure brother), and their five rambunctious children show up on the cotton plantation for big daddy’s sixty fifth birthday ready to deliver the news that he is dying of cancer, and hoping to claim some of his wealthy estate after he passes.
Sentence 3- The family is forced to face the lies buried within themselves when the foundation of their material world crumbles beneath them exposing their raw pain.
Sentence 4. When all the material possessions or alcohol fail to shield them, they use the truth as weapons to attack one another making everyone squirm within their own skin.
.
Sentence 5. Big Daddy (closer to death), Brick finally feeling his “click” (a word he uses to describe when the alcohol numbs him), Maggie using bribery locks up the liquor cabinet until Brick gives her a child, and Big Mama (torn apart) all explore how the mendacity forces them to grow in this negative world.
Protagonist: Everyone
Antagonist: Repressed solutions to unspoken problems, leading to unfortunate consequences.
Evaluation: This play hits home. My fathers family is from the area where the setting of this play takes place. Big daddy, of course with much less money, was my great grand father Sid Wallace. The values and roles that Mae and Maggie displayed could be my family. The only difference I see would be Sid was called “Granddaddy” Not big daddy, However just to show more symbolism my father referred to himself as “big daddy” (and yes in that same south tone) when I was younger. However my mother being from the north didn’t want to be called mama. She saw it as disrespect. The generations displayed in this play are incredible. William’s really reveals how Big Daddy (father) and Brick (son) have the same morals expressed differently. The unfortunate circumstances that happen such as Brick being alcoholic, Big Daddy needing power, or Maggie longing to belong, seem to have simple solutions if they communicated. Also the money and success didn’t help. I feel that Tennessee Williams could reach out to many of the old southern men and woman out there like Brick, Big Daddy, and Maggie. The only missing link is exposure. This play has been added to my book collection. Once again, enlightened.
Heather Doria
Acting II
Feb 29, 00
Play Report #3
A Streetcar Named Desire
by Tennessee Williams
Classification:
Structure: Thematic/ Story ?
Genre: Drama
Style: Representational, Modified Realism
Theme: “Yes, you are, your fix is worse then mine is! Only you’re not being sensible about it. I’m going to do something. Get a hold of myself and make myself a new life”—Blanche talking to Stella
Story of the Play
Sentence 1- Blanche, a insecure woman on the run after being ostracized from her home town for her sexual misconduct with a seventeen year old boy, finds her self on her pregnant sister Stella’s and her brutish brother in law Stanley’s door step with nowhere else to go, hoping to find security and love.
Sentence 2- Blanche, living in the world of make believe, pretends to be prim and proper but Stanley doesn’t buy it and begins his search to find out what blanche did with Belle Rave (land that belonged to the sisters), hoping to expose her so that Stella will make her leave returning his life with his wife and unborn baby back to the lusty animal romance that it was before Blanche’s arrival.
Sentence 3- After Blanche makes advances toward Mitch (Stanley’s long term friend and poker buddy) trying to rope him in with her disillusions, Stanley puts a stop to it by exposing that Blanche is a dirty, used up women, who lies and lures in men, resulting in a physical violent argument between the two.
Sentence 4. Blanche unable to face the truth becomes neurotic, drinking to numb herself, believing that a rich gentlemen will swoop her up and take away, becomes visibly mentally ill to both Stanley and Stella.
.
Sentence 5. Stella feeling guilty and hurt, sobs in Stanley’s sensitive caring arms as Blanche (believing that her rich gentlemen friend has sent for her) walks disaffected arm in arm with the doctor that is going to take her to a mental institution.
Protagonist: Blanche
Antagonist: Stanley’s masculine, simple, realist attitude that focuses to breakdown her belief, created to help her feel secure and deal with her past, that she can create a perfect imaginary world in which she hides posing as a queen, forcing others to live in it.
Evaluation: I would like to see this movie. I hope it can live up to the images in my mind. Stella and Stanley’s raw passion and understanding of each other captured my attention immediately. I wonder if Tennessee Williams was healing from the wound created by the plastic world that he was submersed into with the success of Glass Menagerie’s. Could Blanche’s character be all the pretentious people that he met and ran to Mexico to get away from? Is he making a statement that all those people are insane and should be put in a mental institution? Or is he saying that all others should run from these people in order to maintain their sanity? Is Stanley’s character a voice in his own head that allowed him to be rescued from his own success? I guess I will never know for sure. This play is definitely a warning to all those who are “putting on the airs” trying to forget who they really are.
Heather Doria
Acting II
Feb 29, 00
Play Report #4
Sweet Bird of Youth
by Tennessee Williams
Classification:
Structure: Thematic
Genre: Tragedy
Style: Presentational, Modified Realism
Theme: “It goes tick-tick, it’s quieter than your heart-beat, but it’s slow dynamite, a gradual explosion, blasting the world we lived in to burnt-out pieces… Time- who could beat it, who could defeat it ever? Maybe some saints and heroes, but not Chance Wayne. I lived on something, that-time? ….Gnaws away, like a rat gnaws off its own foot caught in a trap, and then, with its foot gnawed off the rat is set free, couldn’t run, couldn’t go, bled and died…” ---Chance to Princess
Story of the Play
Sentence 1-Chance (a young hustler longing to go back to his only true love Heavenly) and Princess (a successful washed up actress wanting to be back in the lime light, and young again) are together in St Cloud, Chances home town and where Heavenly is about to marry Scudder (a upper class doctor that her father wants her to marry)
Sentence 2- After hearing about Scudder and Heavenly’s plans for marriage, Chance bribes Princess in to giving him money and a car so he could go to get Heavenly back away from Scudder and Boss (Heavenly’s Father who is a power hungry politician in St Cloud with a vendetta against Chance )
Sentence 3- Princess’s heart is softened by Chance and she really wants to help him, while Chance, not losing focus on getting Heavenly back, plans to create the illusion that he is a big Hollywood actor traveling with Princes looking for young talent (Heavenly) to go with them.
Sentence 4. Princess making the call to Sally Powers ( a big time Hollywood columnist) attempting to make her aware of the new young talent (Chance and Heavenly) but giving in to her own selfishness discovers that she is not washed up, and turns on Chance.
.
Sentence 5. Princess puts her selfish face back on and leaves the hotel alone to go back to Hollywood to soak in what little time she has left in the limelight, as Chance, approached by Tom Jr. (Heavenly’s angry brother intending to kill Chance), realized his failures in life.
Protagonist: Chance and Princess
Antagonist: Time
Evaluation: I was really shocked by the topics brought up in this play, not because I have virgin ears but because of the time. In those times these topics were not talked about nor presented in play form. As I read this play I wanted so badly for Chance to be with Heavenly. I guess that is why it is a tragedy to me. I could really see how each character held back their feelings. Chance is attempting to settle in my opinion. It seems that with the death of his first passion ( Acting), because of his age, he focuses after his second passion, Heavenly. This is another , Wow, for me. I never thought I could enjoy fiction like this.
LETTER TO MR WESTLAKE
Feb. 24, 2000
Dear Mr. Westlake,
I am really beginning to enjoy working with my classmates. It seems this group doing Romeo and Juliet is much more focused about the whole thing. We work well together. In you last letter you mentioned a book that you think might help me increase my vocabulary. What is the name of that book so I can get it. I have been reading so much more since I went out and bought some book shelves. Having my books accessible is the key. I have found that I really enjoy reading plays. I never was exposed to this kind of thing in the past. I went out last weekend and purchased plays. I have one book shelf set aside for a collection. It seems the more I read the more I learn. I know that sounds like a basic thought but I feel that reading is underrated in the public schools. We are taught to read the minimum so that we can pass. I think there should be a class that teaches kids to explore reading for pleasure. Even in English classes this is not accomplished. That is one of the reasons I plan to home school when I have kids. Another reason would be the fact that this six year old just shot another six year old in school. I can’t believe it has gotten so bad these days. Do you feel that media and movies have anything to do with it?
In Acting two and three the class seems to be tired. I don’t know quite why, however for some it is the fact that they just don’t show up. That is a bummer. How is Compulsion coming along? I look forward to seeing it. Oh and thank you for the invite to your home after Compulsion closes, John and I would love to come. So how is your son doing at school. Does he do any acting?
Acting seems to me to be a skill that is best achieved when one can shut up long enough to really observe people, understanding what the sensitive person inside us all is really saying. I love to observe. I always have. I go to malls and sit on benches, attracting minimal attention to myself, just to watch people. It is something I have always done. I read Chapter 8 in the Acting book and it gave all the guidelines about continuing to pursue acting as a career. I desire the depth that acting can take me too, I love how it brings me closer to people, and I feel I have always done it, even if only for myself in the mirror. But I have no need to pursue it as a career. Money attached to it may take away my pleasure, or feeling like I have to do something I don’t want to. I never wanted the limelight. I don’t like to compete with others, I measure myself by my own stick. The beauty of acting, to me, is sharing. Really sharing. Well, listen to me ramble on. I know you have many more letters to read, so I will let you move on. The way you teach is awesome!
Thank you!
Your Friend,
Heather Doria
PS I will check out the movie Magnolia. Thanks for referring it.
Heather Doria
Critical Review
April 13, 2000
Compulsion
by Meyer Levin
After seeing Compulsion on Saturday March 25 at the Lee County Alliance for the Arts , in Ft Myers Florida, I was very disappointed. Under the direction of Richard Westlake this production seemed to bore the audience. It was so climactic throughout, with an intense performance from Brian Enzeta as Artie Straus and Josh Chapman as Judd Steiner. These two characters carried the show, when they met eye to eye. I could feel the passion that Judd expressed to Artie. However, at intermission and at the end very few in the audience were connected to the script enough to clap. I, personally took my cue from the adjudicator, whom I saw dose off sporadically.
I felt the use of video projection displaying actual footage of the 1942 photos taken in Chicago where the crime took place was a brilliant touch. From these photos we could see the real Artie and Judd, two wealthy boys turned murders, as they faced their trial. During the trial in that background there were many other cast members seated. At first I thought they were there for effect, however they seemed more to be gazing out in to the audience or simply counting heads. This only seemed to detract from what Judd or Artie were doing. I think all the actors did very well when they spoke, yet I believe more was conveyed when they were silent. They seemed to be bored or disorganized, waiting for lines. Somehow watching an invisible clock that hovered above the audience.
A few of the actors that made this show worth watching were: Randy Thompson as Horn. He was very powerful. Samantha Rhodes portraying Billy Straus was convincing. Also, Tim Hannahan as James Straus displayed wonderful body language. Was the psychologist played by Virginia E. Harper reading her dialogue? Her speech at times contained no awareness. I don’t know if this was my hearing or understanding, but the tempo was rushed like the actors were bored or not understanding what they were saying. Yet again Josh Chapman as Judd and Brian Enzeta as Artie carried the piece. Brian’s movements were right on. I was captivated when he spoke. He was clear and slow but not too slow. Bob Ben as Dr. Macnarry, had a voice that reminded me of the old Vlasic pickle commercial. He seemed more interested in tugging on his clothes than speaking on the stand during the trial scene. I missed some of his words because I was drawn to what he had on. Also there was no reaction from the people seated in the back of the courtroom. Why? Even when April Burke, portraying Artie’s girlfriend Myra burst into tears, everyone ignored it. The audience seemed to go along with this. Angela Wolz playing Artie’s mother Mrs. Straus didn’t even react to the trial. I spent more time wondering why those people were seated in the back than I did to what was being said in the court room. Even down to the wire when Ruth played by Lisa Marie Owens made her court room confessions about the secrets Judd told her, I felt nothing. I thought she should have paused more, at least that would have given me the impression that she was sad and that she cared about Judd. There again could have been some line recall problems.
The set was simple consisting of two tables and chairs for the jurors. The Program designed by Ehrin Epps was hard to see. The color contrast of red on gray seemed to make the words fade. However the cover displaying the glasses of Judd hanging from a noose was very creative and appropriate The lighting design done by Erin Epps and James Carmichael was clear. I felt the mood was set with the lighting. Sound run by Leonie Maciag and Tiffany J. Allen seemed to have technical problems when the Judge announced his verdict, everyone jumped including Darran Tates, portraying Wilk. There were times when I felt that Darran had lost his focus, forgotten his lines and was ready to throw in the towel just to end the show. This was later confirmed when I met this actor for the first time after the show. His unprofessional attitude and use of vulgar language made me take two steps back. This show left me yawning. I was glad to see it end and would not recommend it to my friends.
Heather Doria
Acting III
Paraphrases
1-12-00
Princes
Listen here you hellions, did you not hear me. You are disturbing the peace in this community and you are shedding your own blood to do it. Now you will have to deal with me. You have been warned before and you did not listen. It has taken us three civil wars to attain this peace and You Capulets and Montagues have found a way to disturb it. You have made the honorable men of war roll over in their graves. In the name of all the men who fought for this peace, If you ever disturb our community again, I will be forced to have you both exterminated. I have said enough for now. However, Capulet, you come with me and I will see Montague this afternoon. We will try to work out an agreement so that we can solve this dispute once and for all. Again I will reiterate, if it happens again your deaths will be the price. Dismissed.
Heather Doria
Acting III
Paraphrases
4-16-00
As You Like It
Rosalind
There is a man haunts the forest, abuses our young plants by carving Rosalind on their barks; all, in truth praising the name Rosalind. If I could meet that poetic man, I would help him. He seems to be love stricken.
My uncle taught me how to know when a man is in love: He has a lean cheek, which you do not have, a doubtless spirit, which you do not have. A beard, which you do not have. But I can forgive you for that because I don’t have a beard either. If you were in love your appearance would be ruined. I desire to know are4 you the man carving poetry on the trees?
Love will make you crazy and Ill tell you. If deserves the same treatment, padded cells and straight jacket just as lunatics do. The only reason that the love sick are not punished and healed in this way is because this craziness is so ordinary that the white coats are in love too.
Yet, I declare I can cure it. By guidance. I did it before this way.
He would picture me his lover and he had to come everyday to court me. At which times I would act like a starry eyed youth. I would feel sorrow, just like a woman, moody, desiring, friendly, acting proud, strange, I even imitate, on the surface, I laughed I cried, for every passion something, and for no passion truly anything, as boys and women are, for the most part,
Chapter 6 Scene Study
Discovering Character Through Script
I. Seven Steps to Scene Study
A. Scene Selection
-
What is the best material for my partner and me? What excerpt is worth several weeks of our lives
-
Always pick a scene that is within 5 to 10 years of age., with neither actor cast against typel
-
Make sure dialogue is divided evenly
-
Select a scene no less then 5 and no more then 10 minutes long
-
By a contemporary American realist (no accents necessary)
B. Script Analysis
1. What is the play about, and how does our scene fit into the whole?
2. Understanding text as a whole will help you. Here are 7 categories
a. Classification:-What kind of play is this
b. Style: naturalism, romanticism, satire, farce. Ask yourself how probable the behavior of the characters is, and , if it is at all improbable. How do the people in the play compare with the people in the offstage world.
c. Structure-one act or full length
d. Theme- What does this play say about life?
e. Cultural Binding: Does the date it was written effect the play?
f. Production History- What can you find out about this play in performance. Has any well known actors played your part?
g. World of the play- How does your character fit into the play.
1. Topics to consider: theme, space, place, values, structure, beauty, sex, recreation, sight, sound.
C. Cutting “The Scene”
1.How can we edit the scene to serve time and to favor both actors?
2.. What can be cut
a. Anything connecting your scene with other pans of the play, but not directly related to the scene. The scene can have a life of its own.
b. Start closer to the climax than you originally intended, or consider ending with more of a cliff-hanger than full closure. Find the portion of the scene that gives you the best acting workout.
c. Any passages you have found that you can imply, or communicate physically, without stating them specifically. Some speeches may be overwritten. Others, you'll find, can be edited once your subtext is clarified.
d. If one character has been given lengthy monologues, cut for balance, so that the scene becomes more of a duet. This experience should serve both partners.
e. Lines you have trouble with-trouble pronouncing, motivating, clarifying. Not until you've tried to make them work, but eventually to relieve yourself from unnecessary pressure. There's no point in
approaching a word or phrase with dread because you've rarely been able to say it right.
f. Dated or obscure references which the audience is unlikely to grasp.
g. Bleed the scene instead of looking for giant amputations. Sometimes
you do need the entire body of the scene but can ease out a word here, a phrase there, so you have a cleaner script but a complete one.
D. Character Analysis
1. How can I get to know this character well enough to deserve to play her?
2. The Three I’s
a. Investigation: This is just facts from script not outside influences
b. Inference: assumed fact that can be read from the play. Example the character is a nonassertive hesitant person by pauses written
c. Invention: imagination and detail are key when it comes to this part.
3. Abstracting. Helps you discover some images to snap you into character and focus example your feel like milk and a bus shelter and your think of dry sherry and the Taj Mahal, and there by shift your sense of yourself.
E. Staging
1. How can we use the stage to tell the story? How can our characters’ relationship become clear through space?
2.Make a map of your scene and props Balance the stage.
F. Script Awareness Improves
1. How can we use improvisation to help us own our roles.—
2. Any trait written in the Character analysis can be used in any improv scene.
3. Key- Process of using a single technical element to unlock an emotional awareness. Using detail to find out how your character would respond to simple acts.
G. Shaking up the scene
1. How do we keep from getting complacent, bored, or predictable? How do we keep it fresh
2.Become conscious of subtexts while reading lines. begin to read them both out loud.
Heather Doria
Acting II
Outline Chapter 7
1-15-00
Chapter 7 Performance Process
Recognizing Standard Procedure and Appropriate Behavior from first audition through closing night.
I.Acting Etiquette
A. Taking time
1. Audition Notices
Posters and ads describing when, where, and how try-outs are to be conducted.
2. Auditions
Basic try-outs, often spread over more than one day, usually held in the evenings.
3. Call-backs
Smaller group narrowed down by director for another look, possibly a different set of audition activities. Often no one is actually “called” on the phone, but rather a list is posted. Know where and when it will appear.
4. Cast List Posted
Notice of casting may involve initialing next to your name by way of acceptance.
5. First Company Meeting
Introductions of participants to each other, and sharing of director's
production concept with the company.
6. Show and Tell
Costume and set designers (plus other possible specialty designers)
demonstrate their renderings and explain visual concepts.
7. Read-throughs
Exploratory sessions, with players often sitting in a circle, just reading
aloud, focusing on script, possibly stopping to cut some passages and discuss relationships.
8. Blocking
Physical staging, slow and laborious, may range all the way from
director meticulously preplanning and simply instructing actors to
director planning none of it, and weeks of exploration.
9. Fittings
Costume pieces tried on you and adjusted at various points in
construction process.
10. Character/Ensemble Development
Rehearsals geared toward getting individuals into character and feeling like a group.
11. Coaching
Sessions devoted to individual acting problems, seldom involving
more than director and one or two actors at a time.
12. Intensives
An "anything goes" period, usually working on very small portions
of script over and over, in great detail, out of sequence.
13. Polishing
Work on flow while building for whole show; more and more running through an entire act or whole script without stopping.
14. Promotion
Taping media ads, doing interviews, taking scenes to special events, posing for publicity photos, selling the show.
15. Tech-ins
Adding lights, props, sound, set pieces, all technical elements;
lengthy sessions requiring infinite patience from everyone.
16. Dresses
Rehearsals just before opening, done as close as possible to time of
17. Opening
Official first night
18. Run
Scheduled performances
19. Brush-up
rehearsals in the middle of run time.
20. Closing and Striking
Final performances followed by taking down the set, storing props and costumes, cleaning make-up and dressing rooms, taking down lights and so on; process involves both actors and technicians.
I
-
What is the best material for my partner and me? What excerpt is worth several weeks of our lives
-
Always pick a scene that is within 5 to 10 years of age., with neither actor cast against typel
-
Make sure dialogue is divided evenly
-
Select a scene no less then 5 and no more then 10 minutes long
-
By a contemporary American realist (no accents necessary)
B. Script Analysis
1. What is the play about, and how does our scene fit into the whole?
2. Understanding text as a whole will help you. Here are 7 categories
a. Classification:-What kind of play is this
b. Style: naturalism, romanticism, satire, farce. Ask yourself how probable the behavior of the characters is, and , if it is at all improbable. How do the people in the play compare with the people in the offstage world.
c. Structure-one act or full length
d. Theme- What does this play say about life?
e. Cultural Binding: Does the date it was written effect the play?
f. Production History- What can you find out about this play in performance. Has any well known actors played your part?
g. World of the play- How does your character fit into the play.
1. Topics to consider: theme, space, place, values, structure, beauty, sex, recreation, sight, sound.
C. Cutting “The Scene”
1.How can we edit the scene to serve time and to favor both actors?
2.. What can be cut
a. Anything connecting your scene with other pans of the play, but not directly related to the scene. The scene can have a life of its own.
b. Start closer to the climax than you originally intended, or consider ending with more of a cliff-hanger than full closure. Find the portion of the scene that gives you the best acting workout.
c. Any passages you have found that you can imply, or communicate physically, without stating them specifically. Some speeches may be overwritten. Others, you'll find, can be edited once your subtext is clarified.
d. If one character has been given lengthy monologues, cut for balance, so that the scene becomes more of a duet. This experience should serve both partners.
e. Lines you have trouble with-trouble pronouncing, motivating, clarifying. Not until you've tried to make them work, but eventually to relieve yourself from unnecessary pressure. There's no point in
approaching a word or phrase with dread because you've rarely been able to say it right.
f. Dated or obscure references which the audience is unlikely to grasp.
g. Bleed the scene instead of looking for giant amputations. Sometimes
you do need the entire body of the scene but can ease out a word here, a phrase there, so you have a cleaner script but a complete one.
D. Character Analysis
1. How can I get to know this character well enough to deserve to play her?
2. The Three I’s
a. Investigation: This is just facts from script not outside influences
b. Inference: assumed fact that can be read from the play. Example the character is a nonassertive hesitant person by pauses written
c. Invention: imagination and detail are key when it comes to this part.
3. Abstracting. Helps you discover some images to snap you into character and focus example your feel like milk and a bus shelter and your think of dry sherry and the Taj Mahal, and there by shift your sense of yourself.
E. Staging
1. How can we use the stage to tell the story? How can our characters’ relationship become clear through space?
2.Make a map of your scene and props Balance the stage.
F. Script Awareness Improves
1. How can we use improvisation to help us own our roles.—
2. Any trait written in the Character analysis can be used in any improv scene.
3. Key- Process of using a single technical element to unlock an emotional awareness. Using detail to find out how your character would respond to simple acts.
G. Shaking up the scene
1. How do we keep from getting complacent, bored, or predictable? How do we keep it fresh
2.Become conscious of subtexts while reading lines. begin to read them both out loud.
Heather Doria
Acting II
Outline Chapter 8
2-01-00
Chapter 8 Acting Anticipated
Setting Goals for the future which allow both artistic growth and personal satisfaction.
I. Looking to the future
A. By taking a beginning acting class one wants
1. An increased level of self-awarness and confidence: the capacity to take and actors’ poise, command, and concentration into your own life, even if you never go near the theater again.
2. Understanding of what you need to know to perform in the theater: a sense of how one can make acting part of their life..
3. Is the Art for you? Are you for It?
Are the bursts, explosions, and the groups what you love?
A: Two reasons for leaving
1. Your a irresponsible flake
2. Realize how vulnerable you are
4. TRAINING OWECTIVES
A. If you decide to stay, take the self-awareness you've recently developed and translate it into goals, including the following possible training routes:
1. Pursue a theatre degree where you are now, assuming that each course in the sequence will address your areas of concern.
2. Transfer to a school that is larger, smaller, more or less professionally focused, closer to an academy or to a scholarly university, to match your needs.
3. Take courses in dance, movement, singing, and voice to release and express your physical and vocal instruments.
4. Study privately, with a coach, on areas in which you particularly want to move quickly ahead.
5. Set up sessions with a specialist, counselor, or therapist trained to address tension or inhibition which is standing in the way of your exploration.
6. Pursue a tangential therapy which addresses your own special concern and also appeals to you: bioenergetics, functional integration, Gestalt therapy, yoga, Zen sports, reflexology, Rolfing, relaxation response, biofeedback, meditation, aikido, t'ai chi ch'uan, psychodrama, or
visualization.
7. Turn acting into an avocation or serious hobby, with no more formal training but some involvement in your theatre community.
8. Spend some time as a newly aware audience member, studying the work of actors from a distance, determining how much you miss the activity itself.
9. Postpone any decision until you've had a chance to take another course or two and determine whether your infatuation survives a test of time and familiarity.
10. Learn everything you can about auditions.
B. Production Proof Actors
1. Aspire to be one. Learn to communicate effectively with every member of the design team
2. Post - Audition_ is the next step
a. Never talk to a director until after the show is cast
b. Wait: to spout off at the mouth if you must at least until 3 to 4 days after final cast are made. Let it sink in and be objective.
c. List-reason during the waiting period of why you may not be picked. Concrete reasons not “Not Talented” examples: Culturally bound, wrong appearance, company balance, movement limitations, voice limitations, Inexperienced.
d. Extend - the list of examples about and make a list of the things that you can list to set some training objectives.
e. Approach: If you haven’t answered your own question then approach the director Open up the question so that you don’t look a fault and insecure.
C. Auditions
1.You must sell your self to the public.
2..You set out of the center of the universe. You decide to enjoy being there, You personalize and adapt warm-ups to serve you in a multiple circumstances. You get used to it or you get out.
3. Guidelines
1. You are given less than five minutes to present two memorized monologues, and time limits are enforced.
2. Strong contrast between the two pieces is encouraged so that your range can be examined.
3. One monologue should be quite close to you and your evident type, while the other has some surprise. Fairly often, one of them is requested to be classical and/or verse, to show technical mastery and a sense of style.
4. All choices should involve material for which you are well cast now. The versatility should not come by playing radically out of your age or from shock value.
5. Introductory and transitional material is to be kept at an absolute clean minimum.
Why should this concern you if you are still in Acting I? Because the
search for the right material is endless. It is almost impossible to start the
search too early.
4. Guideline exception--There are two main exceptions to the format above:
1. Auditions for teachers and coaches sometimes will involve only one monologue. You may be worried about demonstrating your range, but trust the perceptions of the observer. Do the monologue that is closest to you. The feeling, shared by many teachers, is that if the person comes across as interesting, truthful, and focused, versatility and virtuosity can come later.
2. The Irene Ryan competition of the American College Theatre Festival requires that one of your two pieces be done with a partner. This is a rare opportunity and one to be relished. You normally spend so much of your effort trying to play to your imaginary partner in an audition that having a real partner there to support you can be wonderful.
5. Watch Auditions a. Appearance / attire
b. Selection of Material
c. Use of voice
d. use of body and space
e. Dynamics stage presence, energy, imagination, poise
f. Flow set up introduction transitions ending.
Heather Doria
Theatre Class
October 7, 1999
Play Report #2
Marvin’s Room
by Scott McPherson
Classification:
Structure: Story
Genre: Dramatic Comedy
Style: Representational, Modified Realism
Theme: “Nothing happens that God doesn’t have a reason for. He tries to teach us things, he tries to reach down and shake us out of our ignorance”.—Ruth
Story of the Play
Sentence 1- Bessie calls Lee , her sister that she hasn’t spoken to in years, after being diagnosed with cancer to see if her and her kids are a match for a bone marrow transplant and to take care of their ill father and aunt when she gets sick.
Sentence 2- Bessie realizes that the cancer is winning and she wants to try to get closer to Lee and her kids before she passes.
Sentence 3- Bessie provokes new thoughts in Hank and Lee when she decides to talk honestly about the past and her feelings about the future.
Sentence 4. After Hank runs away the doctor calls Bessie and confirms that there was no bone marrow match
Sentence 5. Hank returns to the house on his own and for the first time Lee welcomes him, while Bessie enjoys what time she has left with her Father.
Protagonist: Bessie
Antagonist: Cancer
Evaluation: I was fascinated how that characters came alive. I really found myself getting caught up in the scenes. It leaves you thinking about what really matters.
MONOLOGUE PERFORMED
Charlotte. I’ve forced myself through school and I’m about to get my degree. I’m very picky now about the kind of man I’ll go with. I keep---- I used to keep a very clean house.
Hank makes fun of my degree in cosmetology. He terrorizes any man I’m Interested in. This last on, Lawrence, Hank made fun of his being on parole, made fun of the way he held his liquor, made fun of his Pinto. The point is, Hank cost me a potentially good relationship. And as for my house…… Hank is not something I can control so what is the point of my visiting?
Chapter 4 Stanislavski’s System
Understanding the only complete process by which Actors build characters
I. Myth and Reality
A. Stanislavski (1863-1938 Russian actor director, and teacher. Moscow Art Theatre
-
He was the only person to create a widely used system for putting together a character.
-
The Method, developed by Americans, is attempts to duplicate the Russian Stanislavski. It is where you walk around in character all the time.
-
Wrote 4 books A Actor Prepares, Building a Character, Creating a Role, and My Life in Art.
a. Not a natural actor. He had to learn and his books were about his learning process.
b. He was the first to take what he learned and organize it in a systematic way
B. Basic Ingredients
1. Example refer to Chapter 1 outline, the 10 ingredients
2. Stanislavski determined that in any life situation (or theatrical encounter) the person ( or character) always determine her choices based on her feelings about others around her.
a. Three sections of any human encounter between humans
1. a shift in topic
2. a method of persuasion
3. Someone arriving or leaving,, uncovering of new information
C. The Legacy
1. If the actor is focusing on the 3 sections of the human encounter they will not have fear and tension when performing. It has helped actors develop this
2. The actors can be conscience but the sub conscience needs to be involved also. So there are three layers in the in the sub consciences that are called propositions
a. Proposition 1 the actor needs to achieve a state like that of a normal person in life. To do so he must be
1. Physically free and controlled: His instrument needs to be available to him and under his control.
2. Alert and attentive: Combined with freedom, this amounts to the state of relaxed readiness.
3. Listening and observing: He must be in genuine contact with the actors opposite him.
4. Believing: He must accept and live inside the reality of the character.
b. Proposition 2. If the actor puts himself in the place of the character, he will then be able to achieve honest action onstage by combing.:
1. Psychological action: Strong motives drive the character forward toward his objectives. An involved, feeling actor automatically executes organic physical actions.
2. Physical action: Feelings are powerfully sustained and expressed through movement. Physical actions support psychological states.
c. Proposition 3: The organic action that results from the combination above will give rise to sincere, believable feelings on the part of the actor, but only if he has thoroughly researched and analyzed the role.
D. Most Misunderstood Disciples Myths
1. Since truth is what it all about, you don’t need to bother with the technical work.
a. Stanislavski was so convinced to the need of technical that he often didn’t write about it.
2. You should be yourself, instead of bothering to develop a characterization.
b. What Stanislavski meant was that you should ask yourself what would you do if you had lived this characters life.
3. you should use all you own memories and feelings onstage and think about you own past
c. True meaning: you should explore you life to see what you have experienced and to use it in rehearsal not in performance.
4. you should forget the audience altogether.
c. He suggested that you keep yourself busy and focused enough that the audience can’t inhabit you. Stop being concerned with that audience.
5. you should wait until you really feel it before you do it or say it.
d. No what he meant was doing your homework will offer triggers so that with action the feelings will come.
E. Empathy—Summary of Stanislavski’s approach
1. In acting an empathic response is essential.
2. “Prejudice block up the soul like a cork in the neck of a bottle.”-Stanislavski
II. Ten System Steps- to discover a Character
1. Learn all the relevant facts that influence this person’s behavior (given circumstance)
a. the who what when where why and how
2. Use these facts to place yourself inside this life perspective (Magic If)
3. From his point of view, determine what he wants most in life (super objective) and his range of lesser but still important goals, both conscious and unconscious (objective hierarchy).
4. Experience his particular way of dealing with a variety of obstacles and setbacks. Find the connection between all the moments when a psychological motive prompts a physical impulse, through rehearsal experimentation, until a patter emerges (through-line of actions) “ Proceed, bit by bit, helping yourself along by small truths.” -Stanis
5. Write down the results in manuscript form and mark the scrip into workable units (score).
a. Note the dramatic changes and the rhythm
6. Project onto people and objects, real and imagined, qualities from your imagination and experience that bring them to life. (endowment). Internal and external images
7. Use your five senses to awaken memories of both physical sensations and emotions that can be filtered into the character’s feelings (recall).
8. Add to your constantly playing interior monologue a film of the mind, then speak not to the ears of your partner but to her eyes, trying to get he to see what you see (images).
9. Alter your own tendencies (physical and vocal) to suit those of the character, particularly your sense of time and intensity of experience (tempo and rhythm) so that none of your inappropriate mannerisms are imposed on the role (external adjustments).
10. Allow yourself to use all the previous research to free your entry into the heightened reality that allow you both to discover and control simultaneously (creative mood). “ Plan your role consciously at first, then play it truthfully. “ If the internal and external work are both ‘based on truth’, they will inevitably merge and create a living image.”
III. Open Scenes
A. Called open because the lines of dialogue are nothing waiting to be filled
1. pay attention to subtext and never fail to recognize the bits leading to open
2. Rules for the open scene work
a. Use subtext only the text should not be changed
b. Actors have complete freedom of line delivery, use pauses, change a declarative statement to a question, change the intent of a line right in the middle, add numerous nonverbal meanings, those are all actor tools, but do not change words like “yes” to “yeah”
B. Closing scenes- There is not dialogues completely closed there is always room for the performer to play with.
C. Open Scene Presentations
1. In the open never give more than the title or a headline.
2. The system is all preparation.. “You cannot act the system; you can work on it at home, but when you step out onto the stage, cast it aside, there only nature is you guide.”
IV. Stanislavski Extended—His way of thinking.
A. Private Audience—The voices in your head that represent judgement upon yourself.
1. It identifies the what if.
2. It clarifies where you stop and the character begins,
3. Which influence you share
4. Which influences you need to take on to perceive the world as the character would.
B. Grouping-looking in terms of general terms
1. Helps you use other people on stage in the Character world “What if”
2. Imagine someone whose views are the polar opposite of your own. What terms would he or she use to cluster you and those who feel as you do into a single group.
C. Substitution
1. use triggers if you have never experienced something you must act example the cold shower when expecting warm feeling in place of a bullet in the chest.
D. Conditioning Forces
1. That which influences the character’s general behavior throughout the play.
2. They are immediate, physical and sensual.
a. Examples are: Temperature or weather, light, Comfort, Time, Space familiarity, Distractions.
3. The more detail you add to your character the more will be conveyed.
E. Rehearsed Futures- Three Kinds
1. Best possible, Worst possible, and wildest dreams come true.
F. Suppression
1. For Actors to cry. Focus on the movements that happen when you are about to cry such as throat movement in back of throat and then directly oppose them.
2. What is hidden under the surface, what is not shown is what is most interesting.
G. Working with a partner- One need a trusting, respectful comfortable relationship with their acting partner.
1. General Rules
a. Never direct your partner. This is a collaboration. Neither of you is in charge.
b. Ask for help from your partner instead. Remember the problem is always your. If you need a response, state it as exactly that, something you need and she can give you.
c. Endow your partner shamelessly and allow yourself to fantasize about him, but keep this information to yourself. A lot of your ideas ca be rendered ineffective by sharing them when there is no real point and only potential embarrassment in doing so.
d. Try to bring a contagious, supportive energy into the rehearsal.
e. Your relationship is like a small, short-term marriage, with all the give and take and need for mutual support which that implies.
Chapter outlines
Part 1 Foundations
Chapter One
-
The Nature of Theatre
A. Theatre goes back as far as we can trace history. Supernatural forces
B. Theatrical terminology (play, show, acting) suggested that it was just grownup who prolonged their childhood who participated. Detractor and advocates
C. accused of exerting dangerous influence on the young. Its existence has been questioned.
-
The Basic Elements of Theatre (essential)
A. What is Performed (script, scenario, or plan)
B. The Performance (all processes in creation and presentation of a production)
C. The audience ( the perceivers).
D. The most basic definition (A performs B for C) Someone performs something for someone else.
-
Theatre as a form of Art
A. Theater is to entertain. Not all people are entertained by the same things.
B. Two Groups during the 18th century
1. Useful- medicine art that can have rules and procedure and be learned
2. Fine- painting sculpture, theater, drama music.
C. Two Categories made by cultural historians
1. Popular culture- tastes of general public (low brow)
2. Elitist culture- taste of a smaller group with demanding standards (high brow)
3. Conventions in theater the stage as a place where fictional events occur. The used of scenery to suggest locales, the use in some periods of masks, or of male to play female roles. The singing rather then speaking of lines in opera.
-
Special qualities of Theatre
A. Lifelikeness Theater the art that is closest to life.
B. Ephemeral the moment is over when the scene is done unlike film
C. Objectivity presents both outer and inner experience through speech and action. Although it is objective in presentation it demands subjective response
D. Theater is complexity because of all the arts that are drawn into it through movement and scene and language.
E. Immediacy- because it must be recreated each time it is viewed and it is not filmed.
-
Art and Value
A. Theater has greatest potential as a humanizing force. It makes us enter imaginatively into the lives of others and understand them.
B. Theater as a cultural expression. ( Greek comedies, Rome chariot races)
C. Types of intelligence- linguistic-verbal and logical- mathematical (added by Howard Gardner, a professor at Harvard University) musical-sensitivity to melody, rhythm, pitch, and tone, Bodily-kinesthetic- the ability to use the body and handle objects. Spatial- the ability to envision and manipulate spatial relationships, interpersonal- the ability to understand others and human relationships, and intrapersonal- the ability to used one’s own emotions as a key to understanding oneself and others.
Chapter Two
-
Watching a Performance
A. Prime requisite- willingness to give ones full attention moment by moment
B. They need imagination.
C. Concentration is also required. They need to focus on the main points so they don’t miss anything. (unlike film)
-
The Audience and Critical Perspective
A. Ineffective performance may cause spectator to prejudge.
B. In order to be articulate in judgment we must look at the set script directing acting scenery costumes lighting and so forth
C. The critic needs to understand the potentials and limitations of the various theatre arts. So that they can assess the contributions of each element of a production.
D. The Critic needs to know what audience they are writing a review for.
-
The basic problems of criticism (The critic is concerned with three basic problems)
A. understanding- What were the playwright , director, and other artist trying to do?
B. effectiveness- How well did they do it?
C. ultimate worth- Was it worth doing?
-
Qualities Needed by the Critic
A. Years of theater going to be a good critic
B. firm study and reading about the theatre and it processes and its cultural context.
C. A critic should strive to: be sensitive to feelings, images, and ideals . explore plays and production processes, be tolerant of innovation, aware of his prejudices and values, articulate and clear in expressing judgments and their bases.
D. Most important Avoid becoming dogmatic or unwilling to consider alternative views.
Chapter Three The Play script
-
On reading a Play
A. No Rules on how to read a script.
B. one should be able to read imaginatively and perceptively
C. Be sensitive to subtext.
D. ultimately be able to see and hear the script.
-
Dramatic Action
A. dramatic action- the actions of the individual characters relate to some questions, problems, or theme that forms a central focus. Why the character is acting. Example would be Sophocles’ Oedipus the king as “to find and expel the murderer of Laius in order to cleanse the city.”
B. Three steps a dramatic action will build through as written by Francis Fergusson, twentieth century critic.
1. Purpose- awareness of desire or goal
2. passion- strength of desire that makes characters act to fulfil goal, along with emotional turmoil they undergo while doing so.
3. perception- The understanding that comes from the struggle.
C. Aristotle said that a dramatic action should have a beginning, middle, and end. Which summarizes a fundamental principle of what a dramatic action should be:
1. complete and self contained (everything in the play to understand it)
2. deliberately shaped or organized to reveal its purpose and goal and to evoke the audience specific responses.
3. Must have variety in story, characterization, idea, mood, spectacle to avoid monotony.
4. Engages and maintains interest.
5. internally consistent they should be consistent with the rules of the game established in the opening section of the play. Example clock 17 x’s Eugene Ionesco’s The bald Soprano
-
Methods of Organizing Dramatic Action
A. Sources of unity - directed attention to relationship that create meaningful and unified patterns. These are incidents organized to accomplish a purpose.
1. cause-to-effect arrangement of events- where actions within the play create an effect at the end of the play. Character goal can come into conflict.
2. character- all events focus on one person.
3. thought-a theme scene linked with central ideas.
B. Other Sources of unity – although it has one source of unity it does use secondary sources.
1. dominant mood
2. visual style
3. distinctive use of language.
-
Plot- The overall structure of the play and a summary of the incidents.
A. The Beginning
1. the place, the occasion, the characters, the mood, the theme, and the internal logic. (the rules to the game)
2.. Exposition- the setting forth of information about earlier events, the identity of relationship of the characters, and the present situation.
B. The Middle--Complication is any new element that changes the direction of the action- the discovery of new information for examples or the arrival of a new character.
1 Climax the highest point
2.Discovery New information of sufficient importance
3. Crisis—the event that determines the outcome.
4. Units—beginnings and endings of which are indicated by shifts in motivation, topic, or the introduction of some new elements on an ongoing pattern of tension and relaxation.
D. The End.
1. Resolution – answers question that may be left extends from crisis to final curtain
2. Subplots, in which the events or actions of secondary interest are developed.
-
Character and Characterization
A. Characterization is anything that delineates a person or differentiates that person from others. It operates on four levels.
1. Physical or biological—gender age size coloration and general appearance.
2. Societal- includes a persons economics status, profession or trade, religion, family relationships
3. Psychological- desires, motivations, likes, dislikes the inner workings of the mind
4. Moral what characters are willing to do to get what they want.
-
Thought
The Third basic element of a play is thought. - themes, arguments, and overall meaning of the action.
-
Diction
The playwrights primary tool to communicate to audience
1. Purposes of diction. It is used to impart information, to characterize to direct attention to impart and plot elements, to reveal the themes and ideas of a play to establish tone or mood and internal logic and to establish tempo and rhythm
-
Music
Serves many functions It establishes a mood characterizes it may surface ideas it may compress characterization or exposition it may lend variety and of course it is pleasurable
-
Spectacle
Encompasses all visual elements of a production – lights settings costumes appropriateness and distinctiveness.
-
Analyzing Scripts
A. What are circumstances , how is dramatic action unified what is conflict climax rhythm
-
Form in Drama-Tragedy comedy tragic comedy melodrama, farce
A. form is the shape given to something for a particular purpose—tragedy comedy 2 forms
1. tragedy the protagonist has some disaster happen when going toward goal
2. Comedy – all in fun no serious threat.
3. melodrama—a world where good and evil are sharply differentiated. No question where the audience sympathy should lie.
-
Style in Drama
Style a distinctive mode of expression or method of presentation
Chapter 11 Playwriting and Dramaturgy
-
The Playwright- The writes seeks to make sure that the dramatic action is clear, the revelations create the intended effect, the tension mounts, relaxes, and builds to a climax. It must be effective in performance and not just on paper.
-
The Dramaturg – With assistance on a staff to help write plays
-
Dramaturgy and Literary Management
2 groups
1. Literary management- find scripts developing or shaping scripts
2. production dramaturgy working with directors on specific production of plays
-
Production and Dramaturgy
1. Work closest to the director but also with designers and other member s of the team as well al those concerned with publicity programs and out reach. – helps the director make decisions.
Chapter 12 Directing and Producing
-
The Producer—financial managerial tasks of making productions available to the public fall to producers who, thought they may not make artistic decisions directly never the less influence artistic decisions through their willingness or unwillingness to meet the requests of the playwright, director and other artist.
-
The Director
1. Responsible for all artistic aspects
a. decides up n the interpretation to be given the script and the procution concept that will shape the staging.
b. cast actors
c. works with designers
d. rehearses the actors
e. integrates all the elements in to a finished production.
-
Analyzing and Studying the script
The director needs to understand the play a thoroughly as possible. If a new script may work directly with the playwright.
-
Approaches to directing
1.directional (most common) concept that will give shape to the production.
2. The director serves the playwright by transferring the script as faithfully as possible from page to stage.
3. Less emphasis on the script start with script and move freely.
-
The Director and the designers
1. They work together to get a visual of what they want. The director rarely the designer too.
-
Casting
1. open all interested apply
2. Actors are asked to prepare two contrasting scenes.
3. final casting.
4. closed. Invitational auditions
-
Working with the Actors
Actors bring their own acting into the picture. Directors are not dictators
Directors create a free environment to let actors feel free.
-
The Director’s Means
A. This means include: Script voice speech physical appearance movement and psychological and mental capacities of the actor, the stage space scenery and properties costumes and makeup electronic equipment lighting and sound.
-
The Stage Picture
a. a director must view each scene as an emotion. It must be conveyed. Visual pictures
b. means of controlling the emphasis
1. The most important controls over emphasis and subordination is that regarding the bodily positions of the actors because the actor facing the audience most fully will be the most emphatic.
2. height of actor for emphasis.
3. Stage areas
4. spatial relationships among the characters as for example when an single character on one side of the stage is given emphasis by massing a group of actors on the other side.
5. contrast- visual focus when everyone on stage looks at action
6. costume
7. lighting
8. scenery
-
Movement, Gesture , and Business
a. dominant impression is one of movement flow change and development. Consequently movement is among the directors most powerful means of expression
b. Three categories
1. from place to place,
2. gesture
3. business
C. Functions of movement.
Gives emphasis characterizes clarifies situation build scenes to a climax for contrast and tempo
-
Voice and Speech
A. In using voice and speech the director must make sure the dialogue is both audible and understandable that there is variety and most important that voice and speech enhance characterization situation and meaning. Voice may be used to build scene to climax
-
Rehearsing the play
A. phases
1. reading and discussing the script
2. devoted to blocking
3. lines
4. integrating all of the elements of the productions
b. By opening night a production promptbook has bee compiled, it records the blocking stage business lighting cues sound cues and everything that is required to run the show as the director intended.
-
The Director’s Assistants
A. Rehearsal secretary takes notes from he director during rehearsal about points to discuss with the actors, designers, or technicians
B. Assistant director performs whatever tasks are assigned by the director anything
C. Stage manager is responsible for running the show at each performance and during the rehearsal period for compiling the promptbook. The blueprints for the performances
Heather Doria
Theatre Class
October 14, 1999
Play Report #3
Crimes of the Heart
by Beth Henley
Classification:
Structure: Story
Genre: Dramatic Comedy
Style: Representational, Modified Realism
Theme: “It , uh, seems to me you shouldn’t always let your life be ruled by such things as, uh, personal vendettas. Other things can be important”.----Barnnette
Story of the Play
Sentence 1- Three sisters, Babe, Lenny, and Meg, all on different roads in life, are each longing to deal with the fact that mother, who was just having a “real bad day” hung herself along with her cat, years before, while their ill Granddaddy and others in the small town have kept them feeling shame and responsibility for what happened.
Sentence 2- Meg, a failing Hollywood singer and the seemingly strong one, returns to town, after receiving a telegram that her sister Babe was in trouble, and tells Babe and Lenny, against their will, to face the facts that Granddaddy always tried to make them all feel bad.
Sentence 3- When Granddaddy goes into a coma and is not expected to make it, each of the sisters allow themselves to react honestly instead of covering up their emotions with fake reaction.
Sentence 4.When Babe, feeling like she is “having a real bad day”, fails twice after attempting suicide, realizes that her mother killed the cat because she didn’t want to be alone, which helps babe and the other sisters understand that they are not alone.
Sentence 5. The Three sisters, sitting together happily around the kitchen table, celebrate Lenny’s 30th birthday, each feeling a sort of rebirth.
Protagonist: Meg, Babe, and Lenny
Antagonist: Granddaddies warped views and the gossiping townspeople.
Evaluation: I enjoyed reading this play, however this report was a challenge for me. I am not sure about whether all three sisters are the Protagonist. I see that they all share a common goals and that they were really the same underneath their various masks. I think this play is a prime example of how unexpressed feelings can come back to haunt someone. I saw each one of the sister’s growth stunted by their grandfathers need to save face and not deal with what really happened. Typical example would be how he took them out for ice cream to make them stop crying about their mothers suicide. This theme represents how each of sisters were abusing themselves because of a personal vendetta that they had against someone or something. This play was definitely a pleasure to read.
Heather Doria
Theatre Class
October 26, 1999
Play Report #4
The Gin Game
by D.L. Coburn
Starring Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn
Classification:
Structure: Thematic
Genre: Dramatic Comedy
Style: Representational, Modified Realism
Theme: “It has to be bad luck because if it wasn’t, then that would mean it has to be you.”—Weller
Story of the Play
Sentence 1- Two senior citizens Weller and Fonzia antagonize each other since the day they met in the same rundown nursing home, while each of them deal with various emotions that come with getting old..
Sentence 2- When Weller realizes that innocent frail Fonzia continues to win every hand of gin (a game he swears he always wins), he becomes infuriated, feeling his masculinity challenged, and emotionally attacks Fonzia with rage.
Sentence 3- Continuing to win every hand, Fonzia reacts to Weller’s cussing and anger, showing Weller that she can get nasty too.
Sentence 4. Against her morals, but unable to resist, Fonzia plays and wins a final round of gin to prove to Weller that “it is not just luck”, driving Weller to his emotional breaking point cussing and crying.
.
Sentence 5. Fonzia and Weller emotionally switch roles, forcing each of them to look within themselves. He leaves after breaking into tears and she is left feeling rotten and guilty.
Protagonist: Fonzia and Weller
Antagonist: Aging and other emotions that come with the feeling that life as they knew it had been taken away.
Evaluation: What a treat to see this play. I love Jessica Tandy. Her and Hume Cronyn are magic. I enjoyed watching the exchange of attitudes between the two. This play depicts how older people still have the need to express their emotions when they are just “brushed under the rug” and placed in these welfare nursing homes. It dealt with many topics such as pride, loneliness, respect, and family. I like how that Characters found an antagonizing way to become closer as friends. I know a lot of older people who live that way. This play makes me just want to go give grandma a hug.
Heather Doria
Acting
Performance 4
October 14, 1999
My Monologue Critique
I performed a monologue portraying Lee from Marvin’s Room, by Scott McPherson.
This one really felt much better for me. I tried the method discussed in Chapter 4. I really felt Lee. I liked the feeling. It made me really try to take a closer look at the characters in ALICE. Like maybe I should try to identify them more. I have a hard time seeing the way the characters look but I can feel them formed inside of me. In this performance I felt more comfortable using props. I enjoyed preparing the characters. I enjoyed finding who Lee was between the lines of the script. I would have liked to have been physically more Lee but I had a hard time seeing her physically. I had more focus in this performance then the last time because I had a strong goal to show the audience just what Lee was all about. I wanted everyone else to like her or not which ever the case may be. I think that really helped to control my nervousness. Also I noticed that the Stanislavski method is something we all do anyway and it works everyday of our lives, so using it to define character is a necessity. It also help one to memorize lines.
In the future I hope to better my performances by trying to see the character more physically. Also I agree with your comment about crossing my legs. I see how from that perspective it could convey a relaxed perception
Heather Doria
Acting
Performance 4
October 14, 1999
Critique of Two Fellow Classmates
Jim Timmons
Again, I am extremely pleased with Jim’s performance. He was very believable. I enjoyed his use of props. It was hot outside or perhaps on a porch was his location. I really thought he used his voice very well. Jim is very comfortable on stage.
Mr. Westlake’s Comments: Very believable.
Bruce Stanton
Bruce has a very developed character in his performance. His voice was very entertaining and real. I saw him as a bum on the subway. He was very funny when describing his vomit. His body language was very believable and made one feel they were standing next to his character.
Mr. Westlake’s Comments: Missed some words. Work on diction. Good use of a prop.
Oh John why do you want to put me in that awful place? Oh I know it is because you just don’t want me happy, isn’t that right? Or is it because you don’t like me spending my money on things when they don’t include you? Well you know I should have to explain myself as to what I do with my money. And how I spend it makes me happy so if you don’t like it, you and those greedy kids of yours should just mind your own business and leave me alone! I am so frustrated with you right now. I want you to know this is a big disappointment to me. You putting me in a mental institution, I mean come on I’m not crazy, your kids are the only ones who should be called crazy, not me John………
(knock at door. Lily bell and the judge arrive ready to take her to the institution)
If we must go fine lets just go now, before I go and do something completely insane with my money, hu Lily Belle
(Phone rings)
Hello, this is she, Oh yea we were just leaving. Ah (smirk) okay, next week. Thanks for calling.. That was Dr. Emmett he said that the had to close down the institution till next week because there is a severe blizzard about to hit them. Hooo hurray isn’t that just wonderful now I have more time to spend my money. Oh John what should I do? What oh yes John. I’m going to by a college in New York and put it in your memory. (to Lily Belle) You know how he loved education. I could also do something like pay for about 20 or so students to attend the full four years there. (smiling as Lily belle paces about the room increasingly becoming upset.) You know John I think these kids would like me even more then.
Heather Doria
Acting Exercise 8
October 23, 1999
Character Analysis
Heather Doria
I. Physical
Sex: Female
Ages:
Chronological: 23
Intellectual: 42 She enjoys talking to older people because they make for more “real” conversation.
Physical: 25 Has always appeared older. Round features. .
Social: She is an observationist. She enjoys being alone, but understands her need for family and relationships. Although she only has few friends, she attempts to explore each level in everyone she meets. Always looking for their depth.
Emotional: Has a strong spiritual self esteem. Not a very good physical self esteem. She most values what people tend to hold inside.
Height: 5 feet 10 inches
Weight: 150lbs
Hair color: Ash brown. She has thin wavy hair
Eye Color: Blue green, sometimes gray with yellow rings around the pupil.
Posture: Slouchy, but she tries to sit up straight. Her height and her stance (usually when she is around shorter people) reveals how she feels bigger then she is.
General Appearance: She isn’t represented by her clothes. She wears jeans and tea shirts. A skirt on occasion. Dresses don’t fit because of her bust size 38DD. Most days she is seen dressed very casual. She wears makeup daily and does her hair most days. She knows to have proper dress she would have to have all her clothes tailored and she doesn’t choose to spend her money on things like that.
Defects: Glasses (near sighted) and a scar in corner of right eye from a childhood dog bite.
Heredity: Her mother is Northern Italian, her father “Hines 57”
II. Social
Class: Middle to lower. She has lived middle all her life but resided in an Arkansas lowlife town during her formative years. She has the ability to be in the presence of any social class and get by with good conversation.
Occupation: Computer Consultant Professionally, she enjoys working with the older people. She feels older people are the ones who have “been there done that” and are ready to talk about it. She hates repetition so she doesn’t work well with “Corporate America” type people. She is not money motivated.
Education: High School Diplomas. AA in Electronics and Computer Science. 3.7 g.p.a Spiritually balanced and continues to learn form life’s lessons around her.
Home Life: Has a socially quiet husband, that is her total opposite. They have been together 9 years. She is independent, firing energy in many different directions. He enjoys repetition and maintains stability. For fun they both enjoy going out to eat and talking. They are life long partners. No children yet.
Religion: Christian but not a “Born Again” “Praise the lord” type. She has experience many different religions but finds that communication with God directly works best for her.
Race: Caucasian in appearance but very ethnic inside
Place in community: A computer tutor. She volunteers for social events and fund raisers. She can be outgoing but chooses to mostly work one on one with people. Friends know that to have fun with her they have to be ready to share some of their “real” self.
Political views: She is not really interested in politics. She feels that politicians bring “stress” to most situations, being that most of them come across with a “make believe” attitude.
Amusements: She enjoys cool nights outside talking to her husband. Family and Holidays. Observing children and analyzing them and their parents. Helping people and learning.
Hobbies: Painting (she’s definitely a novice), stretching and exercise, reading, working on the computer, Talking, On some Sundays she goes to the mall and sits on a bench to just watch people and see what their intentions are.
III. Psychological
Moral Standards: Her mother was raised a devout Catholic Libra so she taught her daughter to morally balance the good with the bad. Heather has observed, from seeing her mother, how guilt about who we are or what we choose to do in this life can only eat at one from the inside out. This allows her to be free and open morally to all of life’s choices, without guilt or regret. Her father is a sensitive, bull headed Taurus, who gets through life by being aggressive and using common sense. Heather’s parents have given her exposure to both sides of the coin, and the opportunity to grow from what she saw.
Personal Ambition: To never stop learning and teaching
Frustrations: Repetition frustrates her. People who live in the ego world frustrates her. Fear frustrates her.
Chief disappointment: Her lack of discipline. She is a good planner so she keeps focus on goals to achieve them. She is disappointed when she fails to listen to her spirit. She must always be moving somewhere.
Temperament: Short fuse, but witty. She is aggressive but peaceful.
Attitude toward life: She feels that there is a reason why everything happens. However if she could just believe it everyday, she would eliminate fear and negativity altogether. She still has days when there is a battle taking place inside her but she’s positive enough to not give in completely. Mentally she feels drained some days but that just means that she has to build herself up. She is happy to have received the gift of perception in this life.
Complexes: Her posture. She feels her complexes are all physical and not worth dwelling on.. She describes them as “what models and marketing have created.” Each day she works on identifying her complexes and getting rid of them.
Personality: She is a confident well speaking woman. Concerned with others feelings a people person. She can come across as too aggressive sometimes. Values the fact that she speaks true about her feelings on everything.
Abilities: Proud of the fact that she understands and uses the method of making her dreams become reality. She is able to set a goal, focus, make a plan, and achieve it.
Qualities: She can be blunt and “as a matter of fact” about things that can make some people blush. She is driven in life and able to “stand alone.” She is ready to be friend everyone and refuses to be insulted by anyone. She believes everything has to do with perception. The more we understand what we are seeing, the more we will realizes that there are no real insults from anyone.
Astrological Sign: Aries
MONOLOGUE PERFORMED
Love
How is it that at first light of every day,
There is none other in my mind but her.
I can hear her voice and
Smell her scent
And feel her touch of love.
A necessity of my life is she,
And now that she is here my life is complete.
Tears fall like raindrops down my face,
But they are not tears of sadness or woe,
But tears of joy … and love.
To have finally found the one person that
compliments me so well, My search is over.
Heather Doria
Critical Review
November 9, 1999
A….My Name is Alice
A Musical Review
by Joan Micklin and Julianne Boyd
“Alice is doing alright”, was one of the opening lines in the musical review A……My name is Alice. Directed by Richard Westlake this colorful production allows the audience to look inside of women and feel their emotions while still requiring use of imagination. This thematic comedy takes the name Alice and uses it as a symbol for all the women that society would label as “alright.” Then, using defenseless comedy these women are dissected piece by piece exposing the truth that lies in between what they say and what they mean.
The scenes flowed smoothly bringing the audience up and down while continuing to entertain with childlike essence. There was definite interaction between audience and cast. The stage was an “open curtain” type stage which welcomed the audience. The set designed by Jamie Carmichael consisted of a clothes line with various sized, brightly colored women’s clothing, including their under garments, which symbolized some personal topics are about to be reviewed. The title beginning with A…. reveals a northern city slang. The audience could immediately feel the presents of “closet girl talk” lingering in the air of the city indicated on the program cover designed by Ehin Epps. As in the opening scene “All Girl Band “ five women, fed up with life, present how they discovered running from life’s problems and joining a band was their solution.
With each scene the audience is drawn deeper into the women’s closet revealing a new attempted solution each time. As in the scene “Trash” ,directed by Jamie Carmichael, the character “Mindy” as played by Lebrina Fairbanks is a stagnate, 9 to 5 , woman longing for a life right out of a romance novel. What is the attempted solution? To make her boring, nerdy boyfriend “Howard” as played by Josh Gonzalez read a romance novels in hopes some of it would rub off on him. Sure to get a laugh, Lebrina Fairbanks has a comfortable comedic way on stage, being able to reveal her characters deepest emotions.
This show is fast moving and action packed. The lighting, by Erin Epps and Jamie Carmichael, helped the audience identify the subtext as each characters emotions were descriptively exposed. As in the “Demigod”, a monologue scene in Act two written by Richard LaGravense and performed by Heather Doria reveals a modern day, a bit psychotic, in need of Prozac type women trying to understand a recent break up with her boyfriend “Frank”. Her solution? Trying to talk it over. This of course fails when she recalls her angar toward “Frank” for cheating on her.
The script was presented on stage with depth and comedy under the clever direction of Richard Westlake, Jamie Carmichael, and Chad Lusk. They never failed to expose the truth that hid in between what the women said and what they meant. “Ms. Mae”, a monologue written by Cassandra Medley, performed by Lebrina Fairbanks, is a gossipy old christen women attempting to share her wisdom with her stylist in a beauty parlor. This scene comes to head when she slides out of her chair onto the floor while still telling her story. Later realizing that no one is listening to her. Somewhere between the fall and her story the audience could still see the truth of “Ms. Mae” It was perfectly balanced within the theme.
Throughout the play in the scenes “For woman only poem”, directed by Chad Lusk the Poetess played by Jessi Hughey progressively becomes emotionally unglued while reading a collection of poems that she wrote. Writing and sharing what she wrote represents her solution to dealing with a broken heart. “He did it!” she cries out repeatedly in each scene, “He did ir!”.
This show is a show that everyone can recognize themselves in, yet it is light hearted enough not to offend anyone. It was performed at the Lee County Alliance of the Arts on October 28, 29, 30, 31 and November 4, 5, 6, 7. Ticket were $5.00, however it wasn’t a $5.00 performance. Smiling faces were seen leaving the performance each night. The last scene with the whole cast on stage, sort of closing the closet door, by reminding everyone with an “All girl band” reprise that “Alice is doing Alright” It ended the way it began revealing that understanding these women doesn’t mean changing them. I feel that this musical contained something that everyone in the audience could relate to at some point or another.
November 18, 1999
Alice is over. I really enjoyed it. I think that you and your wife are wonderful people. It seems to John and I that you both compliment each other so well. We enjoyed having supper at your home. The soup was great. The snap game still has me puzzled, but I have never been good at games. I try to make them harder then what they are.
I have decided to take Acting 2 and 3 next semester. You are a wonderful professor. I like the way you allow everyone to explore and not conform. I think about how much fun your job must be. To be able to read everyone’s journals and help them develop must be very rewarding. I can understand why you signed on for another five years.
Oh I watched the Serpent I thought it was wonderful. It reminds me of something I did as a kid. I called it floor dancing. I made up moves and expressive motion for various music. It was a way of conveying the emotions that the music make me feel. Dancing is great when it contains emotion but my instructor in the past wanted us to just learn the steps and perform them with the others. Boring…… I quit and started dancing at home by myself for myself. Anyhow, the Serpent excited me in that same way. I felt their emotions through movement. Wow, I realized I’m not a lunatic for being the way I am. I showed it to John and my mom. They both appreciated it, but for me, I identified with it. Thank you for showing that to us and allowing me to borrow the tape.
Well, I could go on and on thanking you for allowing me to feed off of everything you share, but I know you have to read other letters and I suppose you manage to balance a life somewhere between everything you do, so I will go for now.
Your Friend,
Heather Doria
MONOLOGUE PERFORMED
Ellie
Because I can't. I had an experience I can't prove, I can't even explain it, but everything that I know as a human being, everything that I am tells me that it was real. I was part of something wonderful, something that changed me forever; a vision of the Universe that tells us undeniably how tiny, and insignificant, and how rare and precious we all are. A vision that tells us we belong to something that is greater than ourselves. That we are not, that none of us are alone. I wish I could share that. I wish that everyone, if even for one moment, could feel that awe, and humility, and the hope, but... that continues to be my wish.
Ellie Asserts her Power for her Cause
written by Michael Goldenberg, from story by Ann Druyan & novel by Carl Sagan is over.
Heather Doria
November 15, 1999
Play Report #4
Dark Of The Moon
by Howard Richardson & William Berney
Classification:
Structure: Story
Genre: Dramatic
Style: Representational, Modified Realism
Theme: “Witch boy, listen to me talkin’. Witches can’t be changed completely. Thar’s allus somethin’ ’bout the witch they wunst was that’s left inside ‘em. That thar somethin’ can’t be changed.”.—Conjur Man
Story of the Play
Sentence 1- John, a witch in love with Barbara (a human pregnant with his child), makes a deal with the Conjur woman to be changed into human. He is forewarned that he is going against the laws of nature in doing so.
Sentence 2- As part of the deal Barbara must remain faithful to John for a year or else he will never be completely human.
Sentence 3- Barbara’s baby is born half witch so the superstitious towns people burn the child in the front yard believing fully that Barbara was cursed by her witch husband John Human (his newly acquired last name).
Sentence 4. During a church confession the night of the one year anniversary of John and Barbara’s marriage, preacher Haggler convinces Barbara that Marvin was sent form god to help her be cleansed in the blood of the lamb, in turn Barbara is unfaithful to John as the church members chant in the background.
Sentence 5. John tries to convince the Conjur woman to give him another chance to be human, which goes against another stipulation in the deal, if John tries to reverse what happened then the life of Barbara must be taken also. Barbara gives John her emerald ring making him promise to remember her forever. Barbara dies and John gives the emerald ring to Fair Witch forgetting all about Barbara.
Protagonist: John
Antagonist: The Laws of Nature
Evaluation: This play was interesting. It touched on how warped thinking and superstition can pervert people. I enjoyed the backwoods talk. It really help set the scene.
Essay Written By: Heather Doria
Date: December 7, 1999
Professor: Mr. Richard Westlake
Course: Theater
Pippin, a musical set in the 19th century, stared one of my favorite dancers, Ben Vereen. Opening with mysterious hands hanging in mid air, the Maude graw circus like set as designed Tony Walton indicated to me that I was going to be entertained. The energy of this show cannot be fully appreciated via television. I must go see this musical theater comedy performance live.
“…Gotta find my corner of the sky,” lyrics from the musical number Corner of the Sky, sang by Pippin played by, William Katt exposes the goal and central focus of the protagonist Pippin, a boy shifting into manhood looking to find his place in the world. His costumes throughout the show was a silver “caged like” muscle shirt with black tights. This gave me a perspective of the war that went on inside of him. Katt’s, naive angelic face added to his characters intentions. During the scene where Pippin stabs his father King Charles, played by Benjamin Rayson, in the back then declares himself “King Pippin,” I sat with disbelief. Ever since William Katt, starred as “The Greatest American Hero” in the self titled early 80’s sitcom his face always seemed to be typecast in my mind as being too nice to kill his father. The director, Bob Fosse must have thought the same of William Katt. His intent came through when King Charles was brought back to life.
Pippin continued onward revealing his immature prince charming expectations along the way with each new attempt to “…be where my spirits can run free” (lyrics from the song Corner of the sky) When the Leading Player played by Ben Vereen announces with a Presentational style “Join us….journey to a spot exciting, mystic, and exotic” I recognized, that the audience is about to be coach, just like at the circus. The director even went so far as putting a lighted sign on stage giving an audience “Applause” cue. This was a universal clever way to link the audience to the performers. A clear cut equation of A(performer) + B(script) = C (audience). Now that the scenario was set the journey began The music, very upbeat, transitioned well from piece to piece. There were some places in the beginning where I had a hard time understanding the words, but that may have been because of the sound capabilities of the television. All movement on the stage was very smooth. There was no unnecessary time wasted between scenes. Lighting, designed by Jules Fisher , was used to black out and highlight where the director wanted the audience to look. The lights reveal the whole stage entering Fastrada, Berthe, Charlemagne, and Lewis, as played by Chita Rivera, Martha Raye, Benjamin Rayson, and Christopher Chadman. These characters symbolized humor, illusion, intrigue, battle, and romance all things that Pippin would have to confront. Exposition about Pippins life is narrated. We learn that Pippin is the son of the very wealthy King Charles. He has a conceded stepmother and a spoiled brat mama’s boy half brother named Lewis. We see that Pippin feels he doesn’t fit in. Charles sees Pippin as the educated son. However there is a struggle between father’s experience and “wisdom” versus son’s book knowledge “know it all” optimism. Right before Charles is stabbed he forewarns Pippin when he states “From the heights all things are very clear.” To me this statement is the theme for this musical. Those words describe exactly how Pippin was using a closed minded immature judgement approach to his life as displayed in each scene. He had high expectations and drive but was naïve to his influences He had a world but was blind to the elements. As he got closer to everything he thought he wanted he became more confused, having to learn the hard way each time. When Pippin would conform or develop, which ever view one wishes to take, his face hardened. Each attempt, each new direction from war to sex, drugs, or politics we begin to see the man step out of the boy. Pippin, after wishing his father back to life, explains how “Nothing ever turns out the way he thought it would.” This is sort of a cue for Pippin to change his perception on life and not look “from the heights”. However this doesn’t phase him. We build on to a new level. The Leading Player just assure him that he is “On the right track” and suggests he try a more spiritual approach, religion and art. Both to no avail Pippin still left feeling lost.
Bob Fosse used all his means to create a very colorful active performance. Definitely movement was his most impressive form of expression. Ben Vereen’s dancing was astounding. Not once did my eyes get bored watching. There was always something to look at on stage. I enjoyed the Sheet Music display as Berthe, played by Martha Raye, sang her words of wisdom to Pippin “what good is a field on a fine summer night if you sit all alone with the weeds”, from the song No time at all. Having the audience sing along was a nice touch. Pippin heeds Berthe’s advice and decides to settle down. That is when he meets new love Catherine played by Leslie Dennison..
With some fear of commitment and newly found strength Pippin takes a stands against the Leading Player in The Finale. The Leading Payer wants Pippin to stand in a box of fire and burn up. He tells Pippin that this will be the way he will get his goal. Pippin rejects the Leading Players idea and stands in truth with Catherine and her son Theo played by Carmine Rizzo. Pippin begins to believe what he and Catherine sang in the Love Song “Well if it’s true of anything it’s true of love” He rejects going into the box of fire when his new common sense/experienced perception strikes him to respond to Leading Player by saying “Look, it's just that if this isn't it... I'm going to have a tough time trying something else...” The Leading Player is angered at his lack of control over Pippin. The show ends when Pippin describes himself as feeling trapped. It is as if he has come full circle, he has advanced but is trapped on a new level. The resolution seemed to suggest a continuing as if to prove that life is like a spiral spring, we bounce around as we move in circles exploring new levels.
ACTING III
Heather Doria
Acting III
Paraphrases
1-12-00
Princes
Listen here you hellions, did you not hear me. You are disturbing the peace in this community and you are shedding your own blood to do it. Now you will have to deal with me. You have been warned before and you did not listen. It has taken us three civil wars to attain this peace and You Capulets and Montagues have found a way to disturb it. You have made the honorable men of war roll over in their graves. In the name of all the men who fought for this peace, If you ever disturb our community again, I will be forced to have you both exterminated. I have said enough for now. However, Capulet, you come with me and I will see Montague this afternoon. We will try to work out an agreement so that we can solve this dispute once and for all. Again I will reiterate, if it happens again your deaths will be the price. Dismissed.
Heather Doria
Acting III
Paraphrases
1-12-00
Benvolio
It was almost morning and I couldn’t sleep so I was up wondering. Your son was underneath the sycamore trees. He see me and hides. We saw each other but neither felt the need to say a word so I walked on about my business.
Heather Doria
Material Performed
Acting 111
January 12, 2000
On A Clear Day
On a Clear day rise and look around you and you’ll see who you are. On a clear day how it will astound you that the glow of your being outshines every star. You feel part of every mountain, sea and shore. You can hear from far and near, a world you’ve never heard before. And on a clear day, on that clear day, you can see forever and ever more!
Heather Doria
Material Performed
Acting 111
January 25, 2000
Moon River
Moon river, wilder than a mile: I’m crossing you in style some day. Old dream-maker, your heart-breaker. Wherever you’re goin’, I’m going your way: Two drifters off to see the world. There’s such a lot of world to see. We’re after the same rainbow’s end, waiting ‘round the bend, My Huckleberry friend, Moon River and me.
CAESAR MONOLOGUE
Caesar, I have never believed in omens,
But now they frighten me. There is a man inside,
Who tells of horrible sights seen by the watch,
Besides the things that we have heard and seen.
A lioness has given birth in the streets,
And graves have opened and given up their dead.
Fierce fiery warriors fought in the clouds
In ranks and squadrons and proper military formation,
Which rained blood on the Capitol.
The noise of battle hurtled in the air,
Horses neighed, and dying men groaned,
And ghosts shrieked and squeaked through the streets.
O Caesar, these things are not like anything we are used to,
nvbmAnd I am afraid of them!
