January 26, 2009

The first day of class was fun. I can't wait to go deeper into the world of acting and expand my knowledge. Queen Margaret from Richard III is one of my favorite Shakespeare characters because she insults Richard and doesn't get into trouble for it. I like how she uses her curses and her temper to get her message across. 

January 28, 2009

I did an okay job for my first run through of my monologue on Tuesday. I was happy with it. My monologue is meant to address someone, so I'll work on that the next time I rehearse and perform it. I'll also work on applying the 5 w's as well. I thought everyone else in my class did an okay job on their first run through as well.

February 2, 2009

Today I read chapter two of the text book. I like the oil painting analogy because I understand how the layer effect works. Since I was young, I took an art class every Saturday and I liked to paint in oils. My teacher would tell me, "Paint the under layers first, then each week keep adding on new layers." I can see how that applies to acting. At the first rehearsal, the actor learns the basics. Then everytime they go to another rehearsal, they learn new information and movement. This way they're slowly building their character layer by layer. 

Obstacles was a major theme of the chapter. I understand that it's important for actors and characters to have obstacles that they have to over come. The obstacles could be environment, other characters, or the situation that their in. Either way, it's important for an actor to know how to handle these situations. 

Sally did a good job on Thursday with her monologue. The more she went over it, the more I believed her character. Each time Anatoly made her do the part over again, she became stronger and she was also adding more layers to her character. 

February 4, 2009

While reading Chapter 3, I was amazed at how different the American and Russian versions of An Actor Prepares was. There's like a three hundred page difference between the two versions. I think it has to do with the translation process. 

Eric did a good job with his monologue on Tuesday. He did a good job to begin with, but it was getting better as he improved on it. I think he chose a good monologue to perform. It fit him. He still needed to work on his 5 w's. 

Pedro did a really good job as well. He really worked on trying to find the resolution of his monologue. He improved alot from the first time he performed it.

February 9, 2009

My next monologue is going to be Puck's ending monologue from A Midsummer's Night Dream. I like this monologue because it ends the pay really nicely, and it contrasts my monologue from Richard III. Shelly did a really good job on Thursday with her monologue. Using a prop and having Pedro and Eric to interact with really helped her express what she wanted to say. With an episode, someone is acting a story or a chain of events instead of acting out a plot. 

February 10, 2009

Here's my monologue:

Puck:

If we shadows have offended,

Think but this, and all is mended,

That you have but a slumber’d here

While these visions did appear.

And this weak and idle theme,

No more yielding but a dream,

Gentles, do not apprehend:

If you pardon, we will mend.

And, as I am an honest Puck,

IF we have unearned luck

Now to ‘scape the serpent’s tongue

We will make amends ere long.

Else the Puck a liar call,

We will make amends ere long.

Give me your hands if we be friends,

And Robin shall restore amends.

February 18, 2009

Tuesday's class was fun. I never knew there was a difference between film acting and theater acting. I thought it was all the same type of acting. Now I know that theater acting is the real type of acting. I also understand the differences between episodes and scenes. 

February 23, 2009

I read chapter five and I liked the scene the author chose. This is one of my favorite scenes in Richard III because I like how the tension builds up between the two characters. I like the tabloids because they're an easy way to break the scene up to make it more understandable. 

I like the new monologue Eric chose, but I think he needs to do some more work with it. If he finds the exposition, climax, and resolution of the monologue, it'll be easier for the audience to understand and believe what his character is saying. 

February 26, 2009

I liked we workshopped our second monologues on Tuesday. Shelly did a really good job with incorporating our ideas and making it completely her own for her monologue. I enjoyed seeing everyone else's ideas for the beginning of the monologue. Claire and Sarah need to work on theirs, but I thought they did a good job for the first showing. I liked the idea of Puck creeping around slyly everywhere. 

March 2, 2009

On Saturday and Sunday, Sarah met and we read through our scene a couple of times. This has helped me become more familiar with the language and I'm not stumbling over lines as much. I though Claire and Eric did an okay job with their first open scene. I could see Claire build confidence as her character through out the scene. Eric did a good job as well. 

In chapter 6, I agree with Lillian Gish's first lesson. The actor needs to project their voice and speak clearly so everyone can understand them. it's interesting how many countries Brecht was able to teach his ideas to. 

March 4, 2009

Shelly and Pedro did a good job with their monologue on Tuesday. After thinking about it, I agree with everyone else about pushing the stool over without Pedro sitting on it. In my opinion, I think Shelly should be more aggressive toward Pedro when they're fighting. Other than that, I thought it was pretty good for the first draft.

March 24, 2009

The chapter about masks was interesting. What I learned from the chapter was that actors create their own mask for their characters. Some of them change their voice, facial features, walk, and body movement.  It's interesting how the characters in The Maids switch roles with each other. Sometimes Claire is acually playing the murder, while at other times it is the older sister playing Claire's part. I see some acting within acting in this play.

March 26, 2009

1. Epic theater is the act of acknowledging the audience openly and will also include the public in an emotionally charged response.

2. Stanislavsky was the father of theater. His concern was the spiritual life of an actor, as well as being creative and an interpretive artist.