Tuesday, January 12

MOVEMENT
Due to some scheduling rearrangement to help the Rep season, we had Movement first today, which we really haven't done since 1st-year. It was ROUGH. Ballet is not a good "first thing in the morning" activity for us.

We lifted weights. I've been using 3-pound weights. Last year, I got up to 8-pound weights at one point, so I kind of feel pathetic about it. And every day that we lift, I start off thinking, "This is way too easy. I need heavier weights." But by the end of lifting, they feel like fifty pound weights, and my arms are about to fall off. So I guess I'll be sticking to my pathetic 3-pounders for the time being.




VOICE
We met in the small theatre to work on our vocal extremes. Just basic screaming and shouting stuff. We have a pratical exam later in the week.

Voice Professor asked us to review our text from last year from Cowboy Mouth. I don't remember much of it, except wanting an electric dishwasher and a black baby lamb with a bell in its tail... I hope I can find it.



ACTING
We've been working on our Shakespeare monologues, and it was my day to work.

I'm doing a spliced-together Constance monologue from King John , of which I'm very fond. The first time through, it felt off. I think I was nervous, which I hate. I get nervous sometimes the first time I do something. Not even just in theatre, but in life. My 1st-year Acting Professor said that if you're nervous, it's usually a sign that your tools aren't sharp enough, and you're not doing enough work on your own. He's a genius, so I'm going to go ahead and trust that he's right... I know he is. But honestly, even when my tools are at their sharpest, I still get nervous sometimes. Dirty little secret.

We worked on it, and it got better each go through, as it always does. Acting Professoressa says that my biggest thing to overcome as an actor is a tendency to play my emotions instead of my need. I don't know when I'm doing it and when I'm not, as I feel very connected to the character and the situation throughout... Hopefully I'll get a feel for it soon.

A great note from the day was in regards to playing "evil" characters. You don't play evil; you try to get away with it. I liked that.