Venezuelan Girl and I are definitely doing the Proposal scene in the final presentation on the 9th. It should be different from what everyone else is doing and I think that with a bit more work could be as good as it was in class yesterday. I'd love to have another crack at the Trofimov-Anya scene, which didn't get worked enough due to my partner having to leave class for awhile due to some personal stuff. Or, I wouldn't mind squeezing in a 3rd scene - maybe the Vanya scene I had wanted to do with Glasses Girl - but I don't know if there's time.
We're at the stage in the program where people are thinking about it being over, and the cameras are coming out. I'm working my way through my second one of those film-already-inside cameras, and today I got a few shots of what the Studio looks like inside. I need to remember to get a shot of the big photo of Stella Adler and Harold Clurman hanging right inside the door.
At lunch today our Egyptian classmate (who has been making movies for 10 years in Egypt and has her own IMDB page) was telling us about the fact that in her country she is too well known to go out in public and has to stay at home with her husband and child. I asked her if she felt it was refreshing to be not only in America but to just be able to work on craft without any pressure. She said it was, and it got me thinking about how despite all I've learned in these classes how there isn't really any way to "solve" acting (even for people who've attained recognition and success), to get to the end of all that can be gained from study and from practical experience. It's a daunting thought, but also an inspiring one. I've been in kind of a unique fishbowl the past 3 1/2 weeks, and it's been helpful to be able to record my thoughts here. As all the teachers have been saying though, we've got to take what we learn in class and bring it to productions and auditions no matter where or how big. Just think, I'll always be working at this and maybe, just maybe, if I'm lucky I'll feel like I got it absolutely right once or twice. Some people might not like those odds - but what else am I going to do right?
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Things I Learned Today
I am not the worst dancer in our class.
But more on that later. The highlight of the day was doing the second run-through of The Proposal scene with Venezuelan Girl. For those who don't know, The Proposal is a short Chekhov play - he called it a "vaudeville" - the bulk of which concerns a man (Lomov) and his desire to propose marriage to his neighbor's daughter Natasha. Lomov arrives at Natasha's house to propose but inadvertently begins an argument about the ownership of some land which makes things go awry and sets off Lomov's hypochondria in the bargain. Just think of wanting to tell someone something but accidentally saying something stupid and not being able to get out of it and you'll have it.
As I mentioned we rehearsed over the weekend so we felt comfortable and prepared going in. The first run through was good, although I stumbled over a speech that I hadn't had any trouble with in our run throughs. If you know anything about the shows I've done in the past and the types of characters I've often played, you'll understand when I say that it felt great to get some laughs. Sam liked the scene and especially praised Venezuelan Girl for being louder; that had been a problem in another scene she'd done.
Then things got interesting. As we prepared to do the scene again, Sam noticed that I went back to the same place onstage to start the scene. He pointed out that I actually had full use of the space and encouraged me not to be so rigid in my thinking. It happened pretty quickly, and I wish I could give you the exact exchange of words but the next thing that happened was I was doing an improv of Lomov's marriage proposal - "the moment before" the scene that Sam often talks about. That got me going because it kick started the character's (and my) natural awkwardness. So, as we began the scene proper I was "exploring the space." I drank water, pondered smoking a cigarette, etc. Natasha entered just as I was in mid sit-down, legitimately surprising me and starting the scene at the exact place I needed to be. You know where I'm going: this run fed off what Sam had put me through and was even better (although I still screwed up the same f-ing speech!). Sam was pleased with the progress both of us had made in overcoming our respective trouble spots and told me we should consider doing the scene for the last day of class presentation on the 9th of August, which she and I had already talked about doing.
Now the dancing: in our Composition class today Steve declared his desire to do "something stupid" and so spent the whole class teaching us an old fashioned dance, the kind you'd do in a WW2-set movie. Given that I've felt I haven't shown that much in the acting department and how clumsy I feel dancing most of the time, I was surprised that the steps came easier and more confidently to me than two or three of the others. But I definitely know how they feel. Half the class "led" while the other half rotated among the different leaders, so in practice that means that guys got to dance with almost every one of the girls. This had the added effect of giving me a chance to get comfortable with a couple of classmates I really hadn't talked to that much yet. And all the dancing we've been doing has played into the Adlerian goal of making me more relaxed and comfortable physically as an actor, which was definitely a spot where I needed work. I'll probably regret writing this, but I definitely don't feel shy about dancing anymore.
So all in all a fun and positive day....I knew the time here would go fast, but it's hard to believe we only have 7 class days left.
But more on that later. The highlight of the day was doing the second run-through of The Proposal scene with Venezuelan Girl. For those who don't know, The Proposal is a short Chekhov play - he called it a "vaudeville" - the bulk of which concerns a man (Lomov) and his desire to propose marriage to his neighbor's daughter Natasha. Lomov arrives at Natasha's house to propose but inadvertently begins an argument about the ownership of some land which makes things go awry and sets off Lomov's hypochondria in the bargain. Just think of wanting to tell someone something but accidentally saying something stupid and not being able to get out of it and you'll have it.
As I mentioned we rehearsed over the weekend so we felt comfortable and prepared going in. The first run through was good, although I stumbled over a speech that I hadn't had any trouble with in our run throughs. If you know anything about the shows I've done in the past and the types of characters I've often played, you'll understand when I say that it felt great to get some laughs. Sam liked the scene and especially praised Venezuelan Girl for being louder; that had been a problem in another scene she'd done.
Then things got interesting. As we prepared to do the scene again, Sam noticed that I went back to the same place onstage to start the scene. He pointed out that I actually had full use of the space and encouraged me not to be so rigid in my thinking. It happened pretty quickly, and I wish I could give you the exact exchange of words but the next thing that happened was I was doing an improv of Lomov's marriage proposal - "the moment before" the scene that Sam often talks about. That got me going because it kick started the character's (and my) natural awkwardness. So, as we began the scene proper I was "exploring the space." I drank water, pondered smoking a cigarette, etc. Natasha entered just as I was in mid sit-down, legitimately surprising me and starting the scene at the exact place I needed to be. You know where I'm going: this run fed off what Sam had put me through and was even better (although I still screwed up the same f-ing speech!). Sam was pleased with the progress both of us had made in overcoming our respective trouble spots and told me we should consider doing the scene for the last day of class presentation on the 9th of August, which she and I had already talked about doing.
Now the dancing: in our Composition class today Steve declared his desire to do "something stupid" and so spent the whole class teaching us an old fashioned dance, the kind you'd do in a WW2-set movie. Given that I've felt I haven't shown that much in the acting department and how clumsy I feel dancing most of the time, I was surprised that the steps came easier and more confidently to me than two or three of the others. But I definitely know how they feel. Half the class "led" while the other half rotated among the different leaders, so in practice that means that guys got to dance with almost every one of the girls. This had the added effect of giving me a chance to get comfortable with a couple of classmates I really hadn't talked to that much yet. And all the dancing we've been doing has played into the Adlerian goal of making me more relaxed and comfortable physically as an actor, which was definitely a spot where I needed work. I'll probably regret writing this, but I definitely don't feel shy about dancing anymore.
So all in all a fun and positive day....I knew the time here would go fast, but it's hard to believe we only have 7 class days left.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
The studio...
....is open on Saturdays and Sundays for people to come in and rehearse in the various small rooms (reservation required), so Venezuelan Girl and I met both yesterday and today to work on our piece from The Proposal. Everyone works in different ways, and for me I just look to get as comfortable as I can with my lines and other onstage business so that its all second nature to me and I can just act. In a way I think I often instinctively try to do what Sam has been telling me I should for the past few weeks - let the lines and the external stuff come last - but I don't think I've always done it here. I didn't have much rehearsal time on my first scene, so the two days here feel like a luxury.
Anyway, we work well together and I'm feeling good about the scene. She's concerned with sounding credible on the more modern expressions that she doesn't know. This translation has Natasha saying things like "Well I Never," which are new to her; I'm giving her coaching on how to sound appropriate (she's actually doing fine). We're going to do the scene in class on Monday, so cross your fingers....
Anyway, we work well together and I'm feeling good about the scene. She's concerned with sounding credible on the more modern expressions that she doesn't know. This translation has Natasha saying things like "Well I Never," which are new to her; I'm giving her coaching on how to sound appropriate (she's actually doing fine). We're going to do the scene in class on Monday, so cross your fingers....
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Maybe it was the elevator
Anyone who's an actor aspires to be as "free" in their work as possible at any given moment. That is to say, to play one's actions as purely as possible without being hindered by any mental or physical encumbrance. We all have our "good" and "bad" days, but I'd say any thoughtful actor would tell you that a feeling of pure freedom might be (at best) a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Today in Joanne's movement class we had a moment that really crystallized what the Adler program is all about (in my humble blah blah...). I've written before about my apprehensions about this class, my awareness of my own shortcomings in the areas of flexibility and physical fluidity. Well today the class just clicked, not just for me but the whole group. Focus was strong, the mood was positive and there was just a great relaxed feeling in the class. Joanne asked us to sit back to back with our scene partners and, while "feeling our text," enact our scene through abstract movement. This turned into a dance (picture a man who has wandered onto the stage of a very good modern dance company and you'll know what I felt like dancing with Venezuelan Girl), and eventually into a dance that each couple performed before the group.
I think our piece got the essence of The Proposal (a steadily escalating comic confrontation) even if it may not have been the prettiest, but everyone in the class really committed to what they were doing and the results were great. Because of an odd number in the class there was even a three-way dance which combined two scenes. THEN Joanne raised the stakes by repeating the exercise except substituting song for dance. So, that's what we did; everyone performed a (thankfully short) version of their scene in song, sometimes saying the words and sometimes paraphrasing. Again here, the group was very into the spirit of the work.
I describe this exercise in such detail because of the challenge Joanne threw to us at the end. We should make all our scenes, monologues, whatever as free as the dance and singing we had just done. We should integrate the physical into our work and stay out of our heads. It should always feel this good. And of course, that's a lofty goal but 100% right. It's usually difficult to have time to do a dance before an audition or rehearsal, but in a way we should - metaphorically if not literally.
Notes from Sam's class: Venezuelan Girl and I did the first rough run-through of our scene from The Proposal today, and Sam had us do it shouting in order to "loosen us up" and get us in the spirit of the the thing. I think I said yesterday that this scene has possibilities to me, we're working on it this weekend.
The Bravery Award for the day is shared by Class Secretary and Glasses Girl. Class Secretary was missing a scene partner so Sam had her do an in-character improv (Yelena from Vanya) imagining "the moment before" her scene with Vanya. She wasn't expecting it when she came to class today but pulled it off with authority. Glasses Girl is doing a gender switch version of the Anya-Trofimov scene I tried earlier with one of the guys in class. Today was the first work-through and I'm interested to see where it goes.
(Explanation for post title: As I was walking down W. 27th towards the studio this morning, I met Joanne and a couple of classmates coming the other way. The stairs were closed due to construction in the building - the elevators are off limits to Adler students - and so we had to go down the block to a freight elevator that took us to a different entrance to the studio. I'm not superstitious but the change in routine set a good tone for the day.)
Today in Joanne's movement class we had a moment that really crystallized what the Adler program is all about (in my humble blah blah...). I've written before about my apprehensions about this class, my awareness of my own shortcomings in the areas of flexibility and physical fluidity. Well today the class just clicked, not just for me but the whole group. Focus was strong, the mood was positive and there was just a great relaxed feeling in the class. Joanne asked us to sit back to back with our scene partners and, while "feeling our text," enact our scene through abstract movement. This turned into a dance (picture a man who has wandered onto the stage of a very good modern dance company and you'll know what I felt like dancing with Venezuelan Girl), and eventually into a dance that each couple performed before the group.
I think our piece got the essence of The Proposal (a steadily escalating comic confrontation) even if it may not have been the prettiest, but everyone in the class really committed to what they were doing and the results were great. Because of an odd number in the class there was even a three-way dance which combined two scenes. THEN Joanne raised the stakes by repeating the exercise except substituting song for dance. So, that's what we did; everyone performed a (thankfully short) version of their scene in song, sometimes saying the words and sometimes paraphrasing. Again here, the group was very into the spirit of the work.
I describe this exercise in such detail because of the challenge Joanne threw to us at the end. We should make all our scenes, monologues, whatever as free as the dance and singing we had just done. We should integrate the physical into our work and stay out of our heads. It should always feel this good. And of course, that's a lofty goal but 100% right. It's usually difficult to have time to do a dance before an audition or rehearsal, but in a way we should - metaphorically if not literally.
Notes from Sam's class: Venezuelan Girl and I did the first rough run-through of our scene from The Proposal today, and Sam had us do it shouting in order to "loosen us up" and get us in the spirit of the the thing. I think I said yesterday that this scene has possibilities to me, we're working on it this weekend.
The Bravery Award for the day is shared by Class Secretary and Glasses Girl. Class Secretary was missing a scene partner so Sam had her do an in-character improv (Yelena from Vanya) imagining "the moment before" her scene with Vanya. She wasn't expecting it when she came to class today but pulled it off with authority. Glasses Girl is doing a gender switch version of the Anya-Trofimov scene I tried earlier with one of the guys in class. Today was the first work-through and I'm interested to see where it goes.
(Explanation for post title: As I was walking down W. 27th towards the studio this morning, I met Joanne and a couple of classmates coming the other way. The stairs were closed due to construction in the building - the elevators are off limits to Adler students - and so we had to go down the block to a freight elevator that took us to a different entrance to the studio. I'm not superstitious but the change in routine set a good tone for the day.)
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Today was...
...a bit ragged, as we are transitioning between scenes in Sam's class. So some people don't have their scene ready and some just have the bare bones. Contrary to what I wrote earlier, I'm going to be working with the Venezuelan Girl on something. The reasons for the change are too boring to explain, but I'm happy to say that we are going to be looking at Chekhov's one-act THE PROPOSAL, which I worked on in college in a student-directed production. There's the potential for some fun here, and the character of the hypochondriac who proposes marriage to his neighbor and ends up arguing about a dog is right up my alley. (I know I said I wanted to be challenged, but everybody wants to feel good about themselves, right?)
Tuesday is our "light" day, we get out at 4 instead of 6.30. So I sat in the park and worked on memorization and then went to HARRY POTTER. Tomorrow's post should be more substantial....
Tuesday is our "light" day, we get out at 4 instead of 6.30. So I sat in the park and worked on memorization and then went to HARRY POTTER. Tomorrow's post should be more substantial....
Monday, July 23, 2007
"Stuck in Words"
Week 3 begins....More rain but this time I have an umbrella so the damage is limited, my jeans are actually dry by the time it's time to go home. The big event of the day is the second run through of the Trofimov-Anya scene. I honestly feel there was an improvement from the other day, as I reigned in my instincts to play to the audience and tried to make a connection with my scene partner. But apparently I didn't make that connection strongly enough, because Sam felt that I was still too much about lines and not enough about action. He worked with us for a good while, and even gave us a ball to play catch with as we played the scene - to emphasize the idea of connection. The important thing is to take what Sam gives us and build the scene with it, and I think we can do that. Sam actually said he wanted to see the scene again before the end of the workshop, so we will have another chance to get it right.
I'd love to do a scene or a monologue in class that wows everybody, but if I don't I want to get as much as I can out of the mistakes so that whatever I do in acting in the future will be stronger. When we were talking in class today, Sam asked me if the technique of playing actions he talks about was new to me (it isn't) and if I understood the philosophy he was trying to get across (I do). He seemed to want to get some emotional reaction out of me (not just my character) and the one thing I wish I'd asked him (and I still might) is what good that would have done. I could have yelled or thrown a chair, but our time together is limited and that really would have accomplished very little and been pretty out of character for me besides. Yes, I need to discern the difference between an "idea and a feeling" (Sam's words) as an actor, but me getting mad at him would just have been self-indulgence.
The most enjoyable part of the day was doing a group dance to a song in Steve's Composition class. I think Steve said the song was Algerian; it went on for about six minutes and we were all just following our impulses and having a good time. If you're reading this and you know me you know I'm not a dancer, but in that class and among the group I'm totally comfortable dancing or doing any of the other exercises. You'd think I'd be more comfortable doing a scene since that's where my experience lies, but no.
I'd love to do a scene or a monologue in class that wows everybody, but if I don't I want to get as much as I can out of the mistakes so that whatever I do in acting in the future will be stronger. When we were talking in class today, Sam asked me if the technique of playing actions he talks about was new to me (it isn't) and if I understood the philosophy he was trying to get across (I do). He seemed to want to get some emotional reaction out of me (not just my character) and the one thing I wish I'd asked him (and I still might) is what good that would have done. I could have yelled or thrown a chair, but our time together is limited and that really would have accomplished very little and been pretty out of character for me besides. Yes, I need to discern the difference between an "idea and a feeling" (Sam's words) as an actor, but me getting mad at him would just have been self-indulgence.
The most enjoyable part of the day was doing a group dance to a song in Steve's Composition class. I think Steve said the song was Algerian; it went on for about six minutes and we were all just following our impulses and having a good time. If you're reading this and you know me you know I'm not a dancer, but in that class and among the group I'm totally comfortable dancing or doing any of the other exercises. You'd think I'd be more comfortable doing a scene since that's where my experience lies, but no.
Friday, July 20, 2007
A New York Moment
(not from the class, but something to get you through the weekend - sorry about the language):
Man 1 (black, late 20s, holding 2 hot dogs): Fuck yeah!
Man 2 (white, about 50, he doesn't know Man 1): That's right!
Man 1: Fuck yeah!
Man 2: That's right!
Man 1: You can't just say it regular, you've got to say fuck yeah!
Man 2: Especially when you've got a good hot dog.
Man 1: Fuck yeah!
--overhead on the corner of W. 72nd and Amsterdam Ave. 7/20/07
Man 1 (black, late 20s, holding 2 hot dogs): Fuck yeah!
Man 2 (white, about 50, he doesn't know Man 1): That's right!
Man 1: Fuck yeah!
Man 2: That's right!
Man 1: You can't just say it regular, you've got to say fuck yeah!
Man 2: Especially when you've got a good hot dog.
Man 1: Fuck yeah!
--overhead on the corner of W. 72nd and Amsterdam Ave. 7/20/07
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Taking stock
My scene partner didn't come to class today, which means that once I find out what's going on with her I'm going to have to rehearse with her over the weekend so we can do the scene Monday. At the same time we're beginning our second scene, and I'm happy to say that I'm going to be working with someone I haven't mentioned yet - let's call her Glasses Girl because of her unusual choices in eyewear (lensless glasses that look like something your Mom wore in the '70s). She's probably my favorite person in the class just on a friend level. We're looking at a Vanya-Yelena scene.
Since we had some extra time in Sam's class we went around the room and took stock of why people had come to the class and what they thought they were getting out of it. The consensus seemed to be that everyone was liking the class and maybe wished that Sam was a little rougher on them. I talked about wanting to work on realism and wanting to get rid of some habits ("staginess" that I wrote about earlier this week) that I thought were keeping me from doing that. As for Sam's style, I like his honesty and bluntness. The fact that his criticism is delivered in a positive way helps of course, it's not as if I've ever left feeling I didn't want to come back to the class. I know that just in these two weeks my voice, body, and mind have become more integrated and my connection to emotion is getting stronger - whether it's through imagination or substitution. These feelings are a result of all the classes complementing each other.
Tonight I went with three of my classmates to a production of Three Sisters put on by an Argentinian company at the Lincoln Center Festival. The play was staged in modern clothes, lasted 90 minutes, and had all the gender roles reversed (men playing the sisters, but as men with no drag) - but it still worked. Oh yeah, and it was in Spanish. The play seemed to want to question our received ideas about gender, and although I wondered at first why that was necessary in this play, I think it worked. Chekhov is all around me.....
Since we had some extra time in Sam's class we went around the room and took stock of why people had come to the class and what they thought they were getting out of it. The consensus seemed to be that everyone was liking the class and maybe wished that Sam was a little rougher on them. I talked about wanting to work on realism and wanting to get rid of some habits ("staginess" that I wrote about earlier this week) that I thought were keeping me from doing that. As for Sam's style, I like his honesty and bluntness. The fact that his criticism is delivered in a positive way helps of course, it's not as if I've ever left feeling I didn't want to come back to the class. I know that just in these two weeks my voice, body, and mind have become more integrated and my connection to emotion is getting stronger - whether it's through imagination or substitution. These feelings are a result of all the classes complementing each other.
Tonight I went with three of my classmates to a production of Three Sisters put on by an Argentinian company at the Lincoln Center Festival. The play was staged in modern clothes, lasted 90 minutes, and had all the gender roles reversed (men playing the sisters, but as men with no drag) - but it still worked. Oh yeah, and it was in Spanish. The play seemed to want to question our received ideas about gender, and although I wondered at first why that was necessary in this play, I think it worked. Chekhov is all around me.....
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Note to self: buy umbrella
The day started badly as I arrived at the Studio amid a drenching rainstorm. The cheap T-shirt I was wearing was so wet I just threw it in the garbage since I had some others with me, and at lunch I ran out and bought some more shirts, an extra pair of jeans, and an umbrella.
First class of the day: Movement Techniques with Joanne Edelmann. Strangely this is the class I feel the most trepidation about; what does it say that I'm more self-conscious about my lack of flexibility than my acting? We start with an intensive movement session that while it may not be yoga seems yoga-like to my inexperienced muscles. There's a kind of a free-form movement exercise that incorporates some of our Chekhov lines and includes a solo spot for everyone. Since I'm playing Trofimov in my scene that's the character I have in mind, but of course how does one portray such an intellectual character through movement? (Irish Guy follows me with the same character and does it brilliantly...)
The second part of the class is an exercise in the Alexander Technique and Ideokinesis. We partner up and take turns going through the exercises Joanne leads, which involves pulling stretching, and massaging various points to reduce tension. I'm partnered with a young woman from Nigeria who has some experience with the exercise, so there's not any awkwardness or messing up. When it's my turn to work on her I probably err on the side of being tentative, since when you're pulling someone's head up from their body you become very aware of your own strength. Joanne is our most "serious" teacher in terms of demeanor, and rides the ladies in the class about their hair falling into their eyes.
In our Voice & Speech class with Jason we read and discuss a poem by e.e. cummings, (see below) as a way of beginning to think about language and what actors can do with it. It's a change from lying on the floor breathing; not that that isn't valuable but I think everyone was happy to have a piece of text to work with. Jason told us in our first class that he studied literature, and he definitely seems to be interested in more than the technical side of acting.
My second crack at the Trofimov-Anya scene tomorrow...I feel ready....
First class of the day: Movement Techniques with Joanne Edelmann. Strangely this is the class I feel the most trepidation about; what does it say that I'm more self-conscious about my lack of flexibility than my acting? We start with an intensive movement session that while it may not be yoga seems yoga-like to my inexperienced muscles. There's a kind of a free-form movement exercise that incorporates some of our Chekhov lines and includes a solo spot for everyone. Since I'm playing Trofimov in my scene that's the character I have in mind, but of course how does one portray such an intellectual character through movement? (Irish Guy follows me with the same character and does it brilliantly...)
The second part of the class is an exercise in the Alexander Technique and Ideokinesis. We partner up and take turns going through the exercises Joanne leads, which involves pulling stretching, and massaging various points to reduce tension. I'm partnered with a young woman from Nigeria who has some experience with the exercise, so there's not any awkwardness or messing up. When it's my turn to work on her I probably err on the side of being tentative, since when you're pulling someone's head up from their body you become very aware of your own strength. Joanne is our most "serious" teacher in terms of demeanor, and rides the ladies in the class about their hair falling into their eyes.
In our Voice & Speech class with Jason we read and discuss a poem by e.e. cummings, (see below) as a way of beginning to think about language and what actors can do with it. It's a change from lying on the floor breathing; not that that isn't valuable but I think everyone was happy to have a piece of text to work with. Jason told us in our first class that he studied literature, and he definitely seems to be interested in more than the technical side of acting.
My second crack at the Trofimov-Anya scene tomorrow...I feel ready....
i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifted from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
- e e cummings
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Another country heard from
I've mentioned that we have a strong international group in the class but I don't think I've taken time to call the roll of nations. In addition to the aforementioned women from Egypt (Language Girl) and Holland (Soap Girl), we have the Frenchman, the Venezuelan (female), Irish Guy, a woman from Nigeria, and a bilingual woman from Montreal (the Canadian).
I'll say a word about the Frenchman - he's a very talented actor from Paris who has come to the States to study at least in part because Stanislavsky isn't revered in his home country. His English is O.K., sometimes it's obviously a struggle for him and I've wondered if he is fluent enough to get as much as he can out of the classes.
All this by way of saying that his scene (Uncle Vanya, Astrov-Yelena) with the Canadian today was perhaps the strongest yet, and the only one that got applauded after the first run-through. It had a strange non-Russian quality to it, which at least in part came from the language issues. The Canadian speaks fluent French and at times has served as a translator between the faculty and the Frenchman. At times I thought they were both going to put on berets, smoke cigarettes, and debate
philosophy. I mean that as a compliment, because even though the scene lacked some of the Russian attitude Sam's been talking about it undeniably worked. Sam liked it too, but gave the Frenchman notes to be a little less rococo (his words) and more Russian. The second run-through was more "conventional" in a way, but still very strong.
I mention all this because while I certainly think an understanding of Russian history and national character is valuable here, I was so impressed that two actors could handle not only a language barrier but their own national characteristics and still produce great work. What does that tell you about the power of Chekhov's writing?
We met our "official" Voice & Speech teacher Jason Little yesterday and had our first real class with him today. His style is a little more frenetic than Dusty's (our techer last week), but we're still talking about breath & relaxation. I'm much more conscious of my breath (where it comes from, how to control it) after a week of lying on the floor.
I'm getting plenty of sleep tonight because tomorrow is our ultra-physical movement class. I've got another crack at my Trofimov scene on Thursday.....
I'll say a word about the Frenchman - he's a very talented actor from Paris who has come to the States to study at least in part because Stanislavsky isn't revered in his home country. His English is O.K., sometimes it's obviously a struggle for him and I've wondered if he is fluent enough to get as much as he can out of the classes.
All this by way of saying that his scene (Uncle Vanya, Astrov-Yelena) with the Canadian today was perhaps the strongest yet, and the only one that got applauded after the first run-through. It had a strange non-Russian quality to it, which at least in part came from the language issues. The Canadian speaks fluent French and at times has served as a translator between the faculty and the Frenchman. At times I thought they were both going to put on berets, smoke cigarettes, and debate
philosophy. I mean that as a compliment, because even though the scene lacked some of the Russian attitude Sam's been talking about it undeniably worked. Sam liked it too, but gave the Frenchman notes to be a little less rococo (his words) and more Russian. The second run-through was more "conventional" in a way, but still very strong.
I mention all this because while I certainly think an understanding of Russian history and national character is valuable here, I was so impressed that two actors could handle not only a language barrier but their own national characteristics and still produce great work. What does that tell you about the power of Chekhov's writing?
We met our "official" Voice & Speech teacher Jason Little yesterday and had our first real class with him today. His style is a little more frenetic than Dusty's (our techer last week), but we're still talking about breath & relaxation. I'm much more conscious of my breath (where it comes from, how to control it) after a week of lying on the floor.
I'm getting plenty of sleep tonight because tomorrow is our ultra-physical movement class. I've got another crack at my Trofimov scene on Thursday.....
Monday, July 16, 2007
"Community Theater"
So today was the first day of week 2...we've added yet another new student and the international side of the class is well represented. Our newbie is from the Netherlands and told us that she works on a soap opera there, so we'll call her Soap Girl.
The big to-do for me today was doing the scene in Sam's class with the Tall One. This was, in Sam's words, a "rehearsal." We still had scripts in hands and were doing a good deal of stop-and-go stuff. The scene in The Cherry Orchard we're doing is between the "perpetual student" Trofimov and the young Anya, who is infatuated with Trofimov's high political talk. My initial impulse was to give the scene a bit of awkwardness...Trofimov does believe what he's saying but is also attracted to Anya. Sam stopped us though, he felt Trofimov should be caught up in his political ideas and not really aware of Anya as a woman.
So that's a different interpretation, but I can make the adjustment. As we worked on the scene, Sam kept reminding both of us not to give a performance but to just talk. The scene was better that way....but at one point during Trofimov's impassioned monologue I (on an impulse) crossed away from her downstage. Sam interrupted at that point and said that he didn't mean for what he was about to say to sound cruel, but he thought that move was a little "community theater." I laughed out loud from surprise at his bluntness, and I guess that defused the moment a bit because everyone else laughed too.
I knew what he meant and I didn't mind. I had told Sam a little about my background, so he knew where he was coming from with the comment. This is a class in realistic acting, and I know have a tendency to go into a mode that could be called "stagey." It's a habit I've fallen into over the years, and I'm aware of it. But I need to get over that and stay with playing actions and looking for the truth of the scene, especially while I've got the chance to be in an exploratory situation like this. Whether this trait is "community theater" or not I don't know, but what Sam was talking about was a sort of an awareness of the audience that isn't necessary and not even really appropriate for this material.
After class one of the young women I haven't mentioned yet (we'll call her Big Voice because she can hold her "hah"'s longer than anybody) gave me a complement, so I'd like to think that the changes we made as we worked registered and that the scene is going somewhere. As I've said, I do feel like there is a good ensemble feeling in the group since we are after all in this together. It's too bad there isn't time for us to all do a show together, but the camaraderie we're developing in the "Composition" class will influence the scenes for the better. I've got memorization to do.....
The big to-do for me today was doing the scene in Sam's class with the Tall One. This was, in Sam's words, a "rehearsal." We still had scripts in hands and were doing a good deal of stop-and-go stuff. The scene in The Cherry Orchard we're doing is between the "perpetual student" Trofimov and the young Anya, who is infatuated with Trofimov's high political talk. My initial impulse was to give the scene a bit of awkwardness...Trofimov does believe what he's saying but is also attracted to Anya. Sam stopped us though, he felt Trofimov should be caught up in his political ideas and not really aware of Anya as a woman.
So that's a different interpretation, but I can make the adjustment. As we worked on the scene, Sam kept reminding both of us not to give a performance but to just talk. The scene was better that way....but at one point during Trofimov's impassioned monologue I (on an impulse) crossed away from her downstage. Sam interrupted at that point and said that he didn't mean for what he was about to say to sound cruel, but he thought that move was a little "community theater." I laughed out loud from surprise at his bluntness, and I guess that defused the moment a bit because everyone else laughed too.
I knew what he meant and I didn't mind. I had told Sam a little about my background, so he knew where he was coming from with the comment. This is a class in realistic acting, and I know have a tendency to go into a mode that could be called "stagey." It's a habit I've fallen into over the years, and I'm aware of it. But I need to get over that and stay with playing actions and looking for the truth of the scene, especially while I've got the chance to be in an exploratory situation like this. Whether this trait is "community theater" or not I don't know, but what Sam was talking about was a sort of an awareness of the audience that isn't necessary and not even really appropriate for this material.
After class one of the young women I haven't mentioned yet (we'll call her Big Voice because she can hold her "hah"'s longer than anybody) gave me a complement, so I'd like to think that the changes we made as we worked registered and that the scene is going somewhere. As I've said, I do feel like there is a good ensemble feeling in the group since we are after all in this together. It's too bad there isn't time for us to all do a show together, but the camaraderie we're developing in the "Composition" class will influence the scenes for the better. I've got memorization to do.....
Friday, July 13, 2007
The first week
Sorry about no post yesterday, but I needed some time to digest the first week of classes. The upshot of it all is that I think I have some tools to be a more confident, more self-aware actor after just a few days with these teachers and this group. I don't think I've ever quite been in such an intensive situation where voice, body, and mind were put together before, and I think it's going to help me going forward. The trick is of course to take what I learn here and apply it back home or wherever I may find myself acting in the future. Even though I think I've made strides in the past few years to being a less "heady" actor, I can see now how much I've got to get out of my head and into my imagination, be it through "Adlerian" imagination techniques or substitutions.
In our Voice class yesterday we were working on getting out and controlling our "hah" sounds, with the idea of urgently trying to reach our imaginary partners on the ceiling. Our teacher Dusty McKeelan was talking about how the urgency we put forth in this exercise this might relate to say, doing an audition piece. He said, "Do it for the other person." That is, your real or imaginary scene partner. What a simple way to say it, and yet how true. That is to say, my acting usually gets pretty fussy and mannered when I'm doing a monologue. But of course what's important is the simple actions underneath. I'm only being a little over the top when I say that was an epiphany for me.
I haven't written much about the "Composition" class yet, but I'm enjoying it. Yesterday there was quite a physical part that left me dripping sweat on the floor. It began with an imitative, running-around-the-room part but then went into kind of a slow-motion performance of a fall - also very tiring since we weren't allowed to lie on the floor, but had to stay active even in slow motion. I've wondered if a better name for the class might be "Connection," since that's what a lot of it seems to be about. Like on Monday, a lot of the class was spent in a circle throwing a ball or balls around and saying each others names. The idea is that the names are the text and the connections we make in throwing parallel the connections we'd make onstage. Try it as a prerehearsal exercise or in a class where people don't know each other. We did the same exercise with an Arabic greeting taught to us by our new student ("Language Girl"), who joined the class Thursday. The word, which I don't think I can reproduce here, was a bit hard to say. It was interesting how that changed the exercise into being about getting it right rather than letting it happen.
What a great week, but I'm glad not to go back until Monday.....so much to chew on.
In our Voice class yesterday we were working on getting out and controlling our "hah" sounds, with the idea of urgently trying to reach our imaginary partners on the ceiling. Our teacher Dusty McKeelan was talking about how the urgency we put forth in this exercise this might relate to say, doing an audition piece. He said, "Do it for the other person." That is, your real or imaginary scene partner. What a simple way to say it, and yet how true. That is to say, my acting usually gets pretty fussy and mannered when I'm doing a monologue. But of course what's important is the simple actions underneath. I'm only being a little over the top when I say that was an epiphany for me.
I haven't written much about the "Composition" class yet, but I'm enjoying it. Yesterday there was quite a physical part that left me dripping sweat on the floor. It began with an imitative, running-around-the-room part but then went into kind of a slow-motion performance of a fall - also very tiring since we weren't allowed to lie on the floor, but had to stay active even in slow motion. I've wondered if a better name for the class might be "Connection," since that's what a lot of it seems to be about. Like on Monday, a lot of the class was spent in a circle throwing a ball or balls around and saying each others names. The idea is that the names are the text and the connections we make in throwing parallel the connections we'd make onstage. Try it as a prerehearsal exercise or in a class where people don't know each other. We did the same exercise with an Arabic greeting taught to us by our new student ("Language Girl"), who joined the class Thursday. The word, which I don't think I can reproduce here, was a bit hard to say. It was interesting how that changed the exercise into being about getting it right rather than letting it happen.
What a great week, but I'm glad not to go back until Monday.....so much to chew on.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The suspense isn't killing me as much as the monlogue....
First a correction...yesterday I described a classmate's monologue and referred to him as Late Guy because he hadn't been there the first day. That was unfair, since he'd had an audition and a callback that evening...we'll change Late Guy to "Big Break?".
Now, I'm sure you're all wondering how my monologue for Sam went. As I'd planned I jumped up first today and we were off and running. I think I overcompensated because i didn't want to get the note that there was no emotion behind my words, so I came off very angry...which was a defensible choice but not entirely right for the piece. (Astrov's monologue about forests) As I do in these situations, I tended to rush - though not as badly as I have on other occasions. Sam gave me scene partners for another go-round (Big Break?, Class Secretary, and one other whose nickname is pending)...and that helped as it usually does.
The larger note that I got - which was absolutely dead on - was that I was thinking of the monologue as a speech to be recited rather than something to act. I rarely feel self-conscious or uncomfortable onstage anymore, but the artificiality of standing up in an empty room and doing a monologue for someone (or in this case a whole class) doesn't do anything for my game if you know what I mean. As Sam pointed out, even if a set was built for me and costumes provided it wouldn't matter if I didn't internalize.
So obviously I didn't feel entirely good about that, but it's something to work from. All the other monologues today were good and quite different, and everyone over the three days has benefited from the coaching. The biggest surprise to me was Throaty-Voiced Girl, a very quiet young woman who did a dynamite job with Nina's Seagull speech.
I'll be doing a scene from Cherry Orchard with the Tall One (these nicknames aren't easy), a tall blonde woman who is one of the people who hasn't done her monologue yet. It's from the end of Act 2 - Anya and Trofimov.
Today we had our first "Movement Techniques" class w/ Joanne Edelmann. This is by far the most physically demanding of our classes - so demanding we only have it once a week. The highlight was an exercise where we each perform a movement solo and then the group performs as one and becomes as ensemble, working together and finding a way to end the piece cleanly....A good way to build a connection with one's classmates...Tomorrow is another work-til-6.30 day...then a break..
Now, I'm sure you're all wondering how my monologue for Sam went. As I'd planned I jumped up first today and we were off and running. I think I overcompensated because i didn't want to get the note that there was no emotion behind my words, so I came off very angry...which was a defensible choice but not entirely right for the piece. (Astrov's monologue about forests) As I do in these situations, I tended to rush - though not as badly as I have on other occasions. Sam gave me scene partners for another go-round (Big Break?, Class Secretary, and one other whose nickname is pending)...and that helped as it usually does.
The larger note that I got - which was absolutely dead on - was that I was thinking of the monologue as a speech to be recited rather than something to act. I rarely feel self-conscious or uncomfortable onstage anymore, but the artificiality of standing up in an empty room and doing a monologue for someone (or in this case a whole class) doesn't do anything for my game if you know what I mean. As Sam pointed out, even if a set was built for me and costumes provided it wouldn't matter if I didn't internalize.
So obviously I didn't feel entirely good about that, but it's something to work from. All the other monologues today were good and quite different, and everyone over the three days has benefited from the coaching. The biggest surprise to me was Throaty-Voiced Girl, a very quiet young woman who did a dynamite job with Nina's Seagull speech.
I'll be doing a scene from Cherry Orchard with the Tall One (these nicknames aren't easy), a tall blonde woman who is one of the people who hasn't done her monologue yet. It's from the end of Act 2 - Anya and Trofimov.
Today we had our first "Movement Techniques" class w/ Joanne Edelmann. This is by far the most physically demanding of our classes - so demanding we only have it once a week. The highlight was an exercise where we each perform a movement solo and then the group performs as one and becomes as ensemble, working together and finding a way to end the piece cleanly....A good way to build a connection with one's classmates...Tomorrow is another work-til-6.30 day...then a break..
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Blow it out your...
Try lying on the floor and letting your belly be empty of air. We'll call this your "natural empty." Get rid of all your tension and stay engaged with the outside world - visualizing something on the ceiling helps. Now let the air flow into you, think of it traveling down your spine and into your extremities. If it helps, put one hand on your upper chest and one just below your waistline; this will tell you where the air is going. (You shouldn't feel it in your upper chest or shoulders)
Think of the sound "hah" living somewhere in your toes. Let it rise up and come out of you as a vocalization. The minute that "hah" loses intensity, volume, energy, whatever - stop. Don't let it fade out and DON'T let your breath run out and gasp for that last bit of air.
This what we worked on in "Voice, Speech, and Text" today, and I learned that while I'm blessed with a good deal of air to work with if I learn to control where the air comes and goes there's even more. (Good to know) Also, my tongue gets in the way of my throat being open. That's another way sound gets limited and I've got to work on keeping my tongue lower in my mouth - hard to do.....
Think of the sound "hah" living somewhere in your toes. Let it rise up and come out of you as a vocalization. The minute that "hah" loses intensity, volume, energy, whatever - stop. Don't let it fade out and DON'T let your breath run out and gasp for that last bit of air.
This what we worked on in "Voice, Speech, and Text" today, and I learned that while I'm blessed with a good deal of air to work with if I learn to control where the air comes and goes there's even more. (Good to know) Also, my tongue gets in the way of my throat being open. That's another way sound gets limited and I've got to work on keeping my tongue lower in my mouth - hard to do.....
Not out of the fire yet....
So I was all prepared to do my monologue today, and Sam started picking people instead of taking volunteers. There's still that bit of edginess about getting up in front of the group for the first time. Yesterday I talked about Sam's unassuming style and how it impressed me. Today I felt a positive energy in the whole group. We had a guy get up (another one of the Adler vets) to do his piece. Since he wasn't here yesterday I'll call him Late Guy. It was a Konstantin piece from The Seagull, where's the would-be writer is talking about how he doesn't feel his mother appreciates him. The first go-round was dry and a bit busy, filled with business like the piece I wrote about yesterday. I don't even think he got all the way through it before Sam stopped him. (I could tell Late Guy had had a good bit of training, it was obvious)
First Sam put another class member in a chair to give Late Guy something to focus on. That helped a little. Then he talked about Konstantin's circumstances in the play (character, circumstance, and action are of course our trinity) and asked Late Guy if he had any regrets or doubts about his career. Another attempt. Better. Then Sam asked some personal questions of Late Guy and got some personal revelations which gave the actor something to use as a substitution for his piece. The last attempt was of course the best, and Sam deservedly commended Late Guy on his bravery. We've been applauding each other after our pieces; the environment feels very encouraging and positive. Even though I'd hoped to have my monologue over by now I'm not as nervous as I was a couple of days ago.
First Sam put another class member in a chair to give Late Guy something to focus on. That helped a little. Then he talked about Konstantin's circumstances in the play (character, circumstance, and action are of course our trinity) and asked Late Guy if he had any regrets or doubts about his career. Another attempt. Better. Then Sam asked some personal questions of Late Guy and got some personal revelations which gave the actor something to use as a substitution for his piece. The last attempt was of course the best, and Sam deservedly commended Late Guy on his bravery. We've been applauding each other after our pieces; the environment feels very encouraging and positive. Even though I'd hoped to have my monologue over by now I'm not as nervous as I was a couple of days ago.
Monday, July 9, 2007
The first day
Whew.
I don't know what good blogging etiquette is in this situation, so I'm not going use the names of any other students in my Chekhov classes. The teachers are being paid, so I think they can take the hit; but the names of the other students are immaterial. But I have to talk about them somehow, so that means pseudonyms!
The highlight of the day, and indeed the centerpiece of the whole shebang is the afternoon scene study class with Sam Schacht. We've been hearing about what a great teacher he is and told not to "blow it," so even the most experienced students are a little on their guard. (There are 2 or 3 Stella Adler vets in the group) I'm immediately impressed by his unassuming style. He's for real, but doesn't seem to think he has all the answers. Indeed, the notion of there not necessarily being one "right" technique is a central theme in our work today. Sam talks for quite awhile about Adler and Stanislavski, and the rift between Adler and Strasberg. It's unusual that he's teaching here because apparently he has a background in Strasberg but sees a way to use elements of both techniques; try thinking of a Communist party official under Breznhev thinking there are some interesting ideas about democracy and you'll have an idea of how unusual this is.
Only a couple of people got to do their first monologues today, because Sam does a good bit of analysis and explication after each one. (I plan to jump up 1st or 2nd tomorrow) I want to mention one monologue that was performed by a classmate; since she's one of the vets I'll call her Conservatory Girl. (I know I should say "woman" instead, but that has more letters and makes her sound like a superhero...no sexism intended).
Conservatory Girl did Nina's final monologue from The Seagull, in which she declares her intention to overcome losing both a child and the man she loved. The first go-round of the piece was filled with a good deal of carefully worked out business about taking off and putting on gloves and other staging. Sam told her that on one level the piece was good, but lacked feeling. On the second go-round he had her walk around and gaze at the imaginary surroundings (Nina is coming back to a place she hasn't been in two years). He told her when to start talking and then gave little bits of direction ("fix your hair," etc.) as she gave the lines. At a certain point he told her to think of a old boyfriend. It was much better, and noteworthy because it mixed Adlerian (imagination) and Strasbergian (the old boyfriend) methods. Her emotions were quite obviously welling up, and so he had her do it AGAIN and this time got an even better performance - the sense of a woman really struggling to hold on came through. The difference was remarkable.
Sam also did something that's unusual in my acting class experience. He repeatedly said it was OK to disagree and stressed "heart not head" and finding what works over dogma. He's pratical, serious, and about teaching more than ego and I like it.
Oh, we also had two other classes - I'll talk more about those when I have a clearer sense of where they're going. "Composition," with Steve Cook seems to be about ensemble building and movement. Our teacher for "Voice, Language, and Text" was away and I've forgotten our stand-ins name. We did a lie-on-the-floor-and-release-tension exercise not dissimilar to things I've done before, but the mandate to keep one's eyes and throat open really kept me engaged and left me feeling tension-free and focused.
I can't promise a post this long every day, but tomorrow I should be reporting on my monologue....stay tuned....
I don't know what good blogging etiquette is in this situation, so I'm not going use the names of any other students in my Chekhov classes. The teachers are being paid, so I think they can take the hit; but the names of the other students are immaterial. But I have to talk about them somehow, so that means pseudonyms!
The highlight of the day, and indeed the centerpiece of the whole shebang is the afternoon scene study class with Sam Schacht. We've been hearing about what a great teacher he is and told not to "blow it," so even the most experienced students are a little on their guard. (There are 2 or 3 Stella Adler vets in the group) I'm immediately impressed by his unassuming style. He's for real, but doesn't seem to think he has all the answers. Indeed, the notion of there not necessarily being one "right" technique is a central theme in our work today. Sam talks for quite awhile about Adler and Stanislavski, and the rift between Adler and Strasberg. It's unusual that he's teaching here because apparently he has a background in Strasberg but sees a way to use elements of both techniques; try thinking of a Communist party official under Breznhev thinking there are some interesting ideas about democracy and you'll have an idea of how unusual this is.
Only a couple of people got to do their first monologues today, because Sam does a good bit of analysis and explication after each one. (I plan to jump up 1st or 2nd tomorrow) I want to mention one monologue that was performed by a classmate; since she's one of the vets I'll call her Conservatory Girl. (I know I should say "woman" instead, but that has more letters and makes her sound like a superhero...no sexism intended).
Conservatory Girl did Nina's final monologue from The Seagull, in which she declares her intention to overcome losing both a child and the man she loved. The first go-round of the piece was filled with a good deal of carefully worked out business about taking off and putting on gloves and other staging. Sam told her that on one level the piece was good, but lacked feeling. On the second go-round he had her walk around and gaze at the imaginary surroundings (Nina is coming back to a place she hasn't been in two years). He told her when to start talking and then gave little bits of direction ("fix your hair," etc.) as she gave the lines. At a certain point he told her to think of a old boyfriend. It was much better, and noteworthy because it mixed Adlerian (imagination) and Strasbergian (the old boyfriend) methods. Her emotions were quite obviously welling up, and so he had her do it AGAIN and this time got an even better performance - the sense of a woman really struggling to hold on came through. The difference was remarkable.
Sam also did something that's unusual in my acting class experience. He repeatedly said it was OK to disagree and stressed "heart not head" and finding what works over dogma. He's pratical, serious, and about teaching more than ego and I like it.
Oh, we also had two other classes - I'll talk more about those when I have a clearer sense of where they're going. "Composition," with Steve Cook seems to be about ensemble building and movement. Our teacher for "Voice, Language, and Text" was away and I've forgotten our stand-ins name. We did a lie-on-the-floor-and-release-tension exercise not dissimilar to things I've done before, but the mandate to keep one's eyes and throat open really kept me engaged and left me feeling tension-free and focused.
I can't promise a post this long every day, but tomorrow I should be reporting on my monologue....stay tuned....
Sunday, July 8, 2007
I'm excited...
...about the beginning of class tomorrow. I've decided to try to let go of any preconceptions or expectations I have about the class and about my own abilities and just experience it. My inside source (thanks Brianne!) tells me to expect a tough but generous group of teachers who will be very honest. So as I told my Dad when he was driving me to the airport Friday, this will either be a great experience or a very expensive reality check. Probably a bit of both.....
Saturday, July 7, 2007
I'm here
The trip went pretty smoothly and I'm now settled into a CCNY dorm suite with three other guys, only one of whom I've met. I had a bad moment when I thought I might not be able to connect to the Internet with my antiquated equipment, but the purchase of a cable and the discovery of a port I didn't know existed on my computer set me straight.
I've said before that I think everyone in Manhattan looks like a great character actor, and when I was walking around yesterday I had the same impression. It's no wonder that Law & Order has been on so long, because the entire city looks like the supporting cast.
Just to set the scene - I'm on W. 135th St. As I say it's in a CCNY residence hall that abuts campus. The neighborhood is lots of apartment buildings, a couple of playgrounds, some basketball courts. There seem to be a great many families; there are kids all over the place as I walk the couple of blocks to the subway. Not a well-off neighborhood by any stretch, but I got the feeling of a strong community as I walked home last night. The trip to the Stella Adler Studio is one direct but long subway ride on the 1 train to 28th Street and then a short walk.
I'm still memorizing that monologue for Monday, it's coming. I'm going to carry it with me as I walk around today. Thank goodness for my fast memorization skills! More to come....
I've said before that I think everyone in Manhattan looks like a great character actor, and when I was walking around yesterday I had the same impression. It's no wonder that Law & Order has been on so long, because the entire city looks like the supporting cast.
Just to set the scene - I'm on W. 135th St. As I say it's in a CCNY residence hall that abuts campus. The neighborhood is lots of apartment buildings, a couple of playgrounds, some basketball courts. There seem to be a great many families; there are kids all over the place as I walk the couple of blocks to the subway. Not a well-off neighborhood by any stretch, but I got the feeling of a strong community as I walked home last night. The trip to the Stella Adler Studio is one direct but long subway ride on the 1 train to 28th Street and then a short walk.
I'm still memorizing that monologue for Monday, it's coming. I'm going to carry it with me as I walk around today. Thank goodness for my fast memorization skills! More to come....
Friday, July 6, 2007
I'm flying....
On my way to NYC! Will I measure up? Will people think my accent is funny? Can I figure out the subways? (yes).....Stay tuned!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Opening salvo
I fly to New York on Friday! For the first day of class (Monday the 9th) we're to prepare a Chekhov monologue for our scene study teacher Sam Schacht. I'll be doing a Astrov piece from Act 1 of Uncle Vanya, since that's the Chekhov play I know the best (and like the best, thanks to Louis Malle's film). If all goes well posting should pick up considerably here, though I plan to focus heavily on what goes on in the classes.
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