On Uneven Ground

So, after a week of rehearsals, I am in a new place. This has been a completely new experience for me. The past 5 days we have not had a complete cast and we've done a lot of playing and when we read the script we rarely read our own parts. The reading part I've done before, but all of the warm ups and physical exercises were nothing I'd ever done in the rehearsal room.

For example, for homework we had to go through the script and write down all of our physical actions. Mine are:

2 scans the bookshelves
looks through papers on the desk
takes letter
17 stands in the rain
reads
confesses to the Chaplain
26 kisses Jacob suddenly and hard
31 studies Susanna
36 addresses the ladies group
50 prays by her bed
53 repeats the chain of events
59 lies in bed reciting poetry

We then had to announce our actions and walk them (or mime them) while the rest of the group copied our actions. It was a little bizarre, but it forced me to be specific with my actions, so that others could copy them. The problem is that I went first and I was not able to look at my list before I started. I have not started learning my lines because the playwright is in town making changes and I don't want to keep relearning. So, I not only had a hard time remembering, but she also wanted us to fill in the gaps. What are we doing IN BETWEEN our time on stage. Including the entrances and exits from rooms and being specific about where we stand in the rain. Later the stage manager commented that the exercise was difficult to watch. Just as I did Rinde, I have to get into the brain of Irina Brown. She does not give clear directions so my brain needs to do a little analyzing before it sets my body in motion.

By yesterday, I was comfortable. I read the lines without affectation as we sat in a circle and did the exercise of finding our center and changing its weight with gusto. I do feel more experienced that all of my other cast mates. I mean I am the only grad student and they are just younger with less training. They swallow their lines and trail off ends of sentences or words. They don't have the strongest breath support. They are however super smart and well read. That's when I keep quiet.

However, at the end of rehearsal, Irina asked to see me. We walked to the other side of the room and she said "remember in the auditions that I asked you to lose the character? and talk from a real place?" I nodded "well, I just want to make sure you continue to do that." With a questioning look on my face, I asked if I had done that since the audition and she said no. I wanted to ask, THEN WHY THE HELL ARE YOU MENTIONING IT AGAIN??!!! but I stayed quiet and let her continue. She basically kept repeating her comment over again in different ways and then started back peddling and said that she's sure I will be brilliant. By this time I was completely confused.

I went to sleep last night in a state of uneasiness. And I just question why. Did she just want to keep me aware of something that I did once and immediately stopped upon comment? Or did she want to shift me off my center and get me into a place of unsuredness -- and more importantly a place where I can be vulnerable?

This morning, I am trying not to think about it. Or at least over think it. Today, I am going to get my free bagel and coffee from the Grad Studies Association, finish choreographing the opening number for Measure for Measure, clean up my apartment and cook some Chicken Rollatini for the pre-concert dinner at my house. How the heck am I going to fit 8 people in my apartment?

There's the email bell. Gotta run.

but i like being lazy

my thursdays and fridays are pretty light so i need to be better about sharing the wealth - making sure i stay productive on my easier days to keep the really heavy days from being completely hellish. yesterday i did plan to catch up on my reading and finish one of the dance numbers for Measure for Measure. However, I woke early to finish some reading for Barbara and got an email from Christine inviting me to a Shakespeare for teachers workshop at the mondavi center. so, i decided to go. it was a small group of local elementary teachers and some UCD students. an actress/practitioner from Shakespeare's Globe Theatre lead the workshop and we learned some great warm up games and exercises to get students interested in shakespeare. i think i will use some of the exercises in my DRA 10 class on monday.

After the workshop, i stopped by the department to make a copy of the Nest script and was wrangled into a short presentation on how to use the A/V equipment in one of the classrooms. I bowed out early and headed home. while i had so much to do, i couldn't think of anything better (and more needed) than a nap! on my bike ride home, i craved my super soft couch by the open window. a little slumber with a kitty on my belly as the breeze blew. however, when i arrived home, animal control was there and my next door neighbor, gian was freaking out. apparently the girls in one of the front apartments called animal control. i believe he was slightly intoxicated so his freaking out bordered on beligerent. he asked me if i would vouch for him. gosh, i was a little torn. his dog is flea ridden and he continuously loses one of his cats. he loves his animals, he's just not a good owner. anyway, the officer eventually made her way back to talk to him and the conversation took place right in front of my apartment. you know the one with the open window? with the little breeze? so i wound up getting back into bed and slept for about 3 hours. before getting up and heading to the wyatt to see the student production of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.

this morning, i just want to stay in bed. we have our first Nest rehearsal today and it's from (catch this!) noon to 10PM. we have an hour break in there, but for the love of pearl. it's going to be intense. better yet, i found out from my friend kristin, who's stage managing that the playwright will be with us for the first week. let's just RAISE the stakes a bit.

now when the heck am i going to get to Measure for Measure rehearsals?!!?

This Monday/Wednesday thing is knocking me down!

So, I have a sack of clean laundry by the front door and another in my bedroom and there are a TON of papers scattered around my apartment. It must be Wednesday!

I am trying to catch up, but think I will just take a shower, watch some TV on my laptop in bed and get an early start tomorrow. This morning I had a choice to carry my tea or ride my bicycle with both hands. The practical won out and I left my full travel mug by my back door as I hopped on my bike.

Today's DRA 10 was good. Lots of discussion about inner and external action as well as what's believable acting. Then we did a bunch of fun trust exercises. From there in Barbara's class we each had to bring in a piece of music that best shows our movement quality. I knew I needed something rhythmic and upbeat, but it was hard to find something without lyrics as the assignment required. I wound up choosing the theme from The Triplets of Belleville. It was high energy and I found myself dancing in ways I normally do not. We each had to stand in the center of the circle as our song played. The "leader" started moving and the rest of the class joined in using the leaders movement as an inspiration to create his/her own. It was fascinating to move as others do. My body began to explore shapes and flexion in different ways. Most of the class picked high energy songs, so we had quite a workout.

In Melanie's class we are working on a James Joyce poem. An excerpt from Molly Bloom from Ulysses. It's a very descriptive, sensual piece. I find myself letting go and allowing my voice to work for me. It's very interesting. This class has a certain edge to it. I wonder if it's because Melanie is leaving us. She's trying to impart a ton of knowledge on us.

I biked home and made a really good ravioli lunch with fresh broccoli and garlic. Our Film Acting class was back at the edit lab and we made some decisions about our scenes. I will be directing one with Christine and Rebecca and acting with Tim as Randy directs. If anyone has a good suggestion for 2 women scenes from a modern film, please let me know.

After our TA meeting I ran to callbacks for Nest. I had a good audition yesterday, but since I am not excited about the show, I really didn't care and left all my tensions at the door. She worked with all of the actors before me for about 15-20 minutes EACH. I went in did my monologue and song and was out in 4. She called me back on the spot.

There's something about this being a big fish in a small pond that I really like right now. I just can't get used to it -- or I'll go into major depression every time I audition outside the university.

Callbacks tonight were pretty fun. We sang a folk song as a group and then in pairs, played Assassin and Volleyball (a game similar to Zip, Zap, Zop) and then did scenes. I did feel a little old reading with the actor that would be my husband. He was good, very attractive, but gave me absolutely nothing. There was a kiss at the end of the scene. So, at least there was something. I do have to say that Irina Brown did call my out on my shit. That is a nice change of pace.