Friday, October 31

Happy Halloween!


Movement
We spent nearly the entire class period just discussing what we learned from our Viewpoints group projects, and I enjoyed it. The three groups had very different processes, and it was interesting to get a feel for how everything was created.

One of the biggest things that I learned from my group was that we could create tons, and then not have to worry about remembering anything. If we created something great, then we'd remember it simply because we'd WANT to do it again. And I think it helped us to create a piece that was dynamic throughout. I loved it.

In the final minutes of class, we got in two straight lines and began an exercise involving throwing handballs in zigzags across the lines in two directions simultaneously. I was dead in the middle, so I often had more than one ball coming at me at the same time. I think we're going to work on it more on Wednesday (our Movement professor canceled class for Tuesday so that we can all go vote... although I voted today, so for me it'll just be an excuse to sleep in.)


Voice
My Voice Professor told a really great story about how she's been coaching an Episcopalian priest who is trying to improve his sermons. At the heart of the story was the idea that as actors, we don't realize how different our perceptions of the world are from everyone else. We live in such a bizarre environment, but we're so accustomed to it that we don't notice. We speak loudly. We have no problem touching our professors bodies if it'll help to inform us of how our own should be operating. We're basically a bunch of freaks. (In a good way, I hope.)

But they did find common ground. Actors try to connect with audiences on a level of humanity in quite the same way that a priest does with a congregation. We're not so different after all.

We went through our consonant practice sentences individually so that our professor could explain what we need to work on before our exams. I've worked a lot this week, and I think it's paying off (as my professor says, "this is a skill-set, not a talent"). I think I've nailed the "sts" combinations that were plaguing me. The only things she said to work on today were the "k" and "l" in the word "difficult", and the "v" in the word "have". And I've got three whole days to do it. :) I can do this!


Acting
I showed up to class about 10 minutes late today (because I had to take my car into the shop and there were problems getting a loaner), which was so weird. I think that's the first time I've been late since I've gotten here (if Ashleigh is reading this, I know she's in disbelief). I felt horribly about it. And really awkward to walk in while all my classmates were in the middle of a membrane exercise. I feel like I let them down.

I did some text etudes with Killer today. My professor called me out on a lot of stuff, which is great. He says that I've gotten the hang of STARTING the etudes, but that I lose that sense of life once I'm in them. He said I've done well with following my impulses in the silent etudes, but that there's something in the text that's screwing me up. I need to stop saying the lines because I feel like I have to, and only say the lines when they say themselves.

He also said that I make a weird face where my forehead looks "like an accordion" when I'm thinking in etudes, and he thinks it's something that will go away on its own when I'm truly living in them. He also said that in one of my exercises I put a pause awkwardly into the middle of the line, which is a television convention that actors use to make it look like they're living when they're not. So I guess those are a couple of crutches that I need to let go of.


TECH
I have call in 10 minutes for a tech run. See ya!