Archive of 2013 Honors Theatre Ensemble's One-Acts

This is the Lawrence Academy Honors Theatre Ensemble....
as you can see, they mean business. 
Each year, the Lawrence Academy Honors
Theatre Ensemble culminates their year-long course by directing full productions of one-act plays. Some directors have chosen to write original scripts, others have chosen to adapt pieces of fiction into dramatic form and others have found play scripts that they want to direct.
This year, there are ten directors and so it will be a  marathon evening of plays. Here is the lineup:






Sarah Carlson directing her own script Two Guns. 
Joe Casper directing How to Survive in Corporate America by Ian August
Connor Gowland directing his own script Five Little Soldier Boys
Haley Gowland directing her own adaptation of The Catbird Seat by James Thurber
Kacey Hartner directing her own adaptation of The Long Walk to Forever by Kurt Vonnegut
Jimmy Lawrence directing his adaptation of The Egg by Andy Weir
Emily Perrault directing Misadventure by Donald Margulies
James Plummer directing Naomi in the Living Room by Christopher Durang
Jillian Thero directing her own original piece based on the recent Steubenville, Ohio rape case
Philip Titcomb directing his adaptation of the play Ferris Wheel by Mary Miller

You can follow the rehearsal progress of the 2013 One-Acts below, in the words of the directors:

Steubenville 5/7

Hello loyal readers,

On Tuesday we had a splendid rehearsal for a couple of hours. We started off with warming up on the stage with Philip, James and Joe's casts. We started with enemy protector and enjoyed running around the space and getting some energy and excitement in the room. Then we played the number game where everyone is in a line and they have to count on the beat. This is personally my favorite game, even though I am terrible at it.. I LOVE IT. Shout out to my cast member Nick for his three way tie win!

We then went outside and rehearsed because Tuesday night is hopping for one act rehearsals and there wasn't room anywhere else. We incorporated a lot of changes during this time and the new specific moments and places on stage will really improve the performance.

CBS Wednesday

On Wednesday we worked for a solid two hours and the work paid off! I made them go through every second of every scene and plan it out, which can be torturous, but is completely necessary work. We warmed up with a very effective warm up. I had them pair up and say "I love you," or "I don't care" on a one to ten scale of intensity and involvement in what they were saying. On the spot I decided t have Aaron say "I have a bomb" and Jess to respond with one of her lines. It was so helpful for them to have the repetition of those lines and for them to try saying them out loud in different ways. I really enforced that to be intense, you on't have to yell. I love you whispered can be more impactful and more importantly, truthful, then exploding with love. "I hate you" "I don' care" was also played.
Next time I might warm up with Yes and on a scale of intensity.
We did another run through which was much sharper and clearer than the first. Next rehearsal will proceed tech, and we will work on getting some more volume, staying on those diagonals, and sharpening that last scene. Here we gooooooo

"Ferris Wheel" Rehearsals #10 & #11 - 5/8 & 5/9

Rehearsal #10

            Today, we started with the alphabet game. After a couple of fruitless rounds of the two proving that they don’t know the alphabet, we played Joe’s one-upmanship game, where we would stand around a chair, and someone would have to stand on the chair and one-up the other people. First, we talked about how great our jobs were, which went off on tangents about free donuts to us paying them to work for them. Our second round consisted of us talking about how awful our lives were, which started with our DVRs not correctly recording episodes of Degrassi to not actually existing. The next warm up we did was a repeat of the improv with a stick. This game involved the two having to use the bar as a differing thing until I yelled “change,” which would then require them to change what they were doing. My favorite one they did was when they were sorority sisters, and Maddie was newly inducted. I liked this scene because it was playful, funny, and high-energy. I’ll try to attach a small clip below.

            During the rehearsal itself, we worked primarily on the transitions between the different moments. The biggest problem still was lines. However, it has gotten much better. I had tried to work with Gib to help her find a more truthful Harper, which she is improving on quite a bit. We also worked to make the kisses less awkward, and I decided that I want the last kiss to be more passionate and therefore more than just a peck, like all the other kisses are. I also gave them both all of Joel’s notes, which proved to be very helpful to the process. We’re also working to make the entire play quicker, faster-paced and more energetic. Near the end of rehearsal, when some other students decided to watch, Gib and Maddie both improved immensely. They just need to be less awkward about kissing one another.

Rehearsal #11

            For rehearsal today, we went to Gibbet Hill Grill, across the street from Lawrence Academy. At the restaurant, Maddie and Gib had to be in character and incorporate many elements from their lines in order to make their back-stories seem more authentic and believable. Also, by getting to know more about their characters, Maddie and Gib are able to play a more truthful version of their characters during the show itself.

            They established that it was their sixth date and that they were in an open relationship. They also talked about specific moments from the script that they mentioned within the actual play, which was good. We also ran though our lines, which they seem to know better. If they don’t have their lines down by Sunday, Tech Rehearsal, I’m going to have a conniption.

CBS Monday

On Monday we had a short time slot but made the most of it. After I ran through some notes, I had them warm up for their run through.We did floating disc, which transformed into mirring each other on the disc, which moved to just jess and aaron mirroring each other, which turned into the last scene where Jess mirrors Aaron who hides behind Lisa. After that I had them recite a long tongue twister for me while I sat in the backof the theatre and they stood at the podium. I wanted a choice, articulation, and volume. Finally, we went over anything they were shaky on and went for the run through. We're still working on little  moments, but the piece is getting sharper.

Corporate America: Caterpillars to Butterflies

This week's run of rehearsals is over and tech week awaits us. I didn't think I would ever say this, but my cast might actually be ready for tech week. For as long as I can remember, tech week has always been a rush. A rush to memorize lines, codify blocking and staging, and run through the show as much as possible. However the cast's lines are memorized, the staging and blocking are close to finished, and we've already run through the show more than I thought we would. Though they have come very far in this process, they will need to make even bigger choices and have even bigger energy if they hope to survive tech week.

"Ferris Wheel" Rehearsal #9 - 5/7

Today we began with a large group warm up. We warmed up with Jillian’s, Joe’s and James’ casts. The first game we played was enemy protector, which is always a favorite among large groups because it allows them to run around with their peers in a scene of simulated chaos. Everyone did well. We then played the number game, where everyone is sitting in a line and assigned a number. Once someone else says someone’s number, the person whose number was said has to then say another number that correlates to someone else in rhythm. We made it a competition between casts. Unfortunately, mine didn’t win…but it also didn’t come in last (#joe).

            We then parted ways and began to work. We started with running through the entire piece on the sign that reads “Richardson-Mees Performing Arts Center” outside of the Conant Gallery and tried to address all trouble spots. We then went into the theatre and did a run-through of the piece for Joel. During the run-through, they both made many grave errors regarding memorization for the script. I hope that they will be completely memorized by our next rehearsal. I hope that they act with a greater sense of urgency next time as well, since that lacked.

            Gib made many strong choices…some of which were too strong. Maddie, on the other hand, didn’t make enough choices…which is somewhat respective of their characters, but too much so.

            We spent the rest of rehearsal walking around campus working on memorization while holding the bar. We also worked on having Maddie convince people that she was legitimately smoking a cigarette. The best moment happened when we walked across the quad while Maddie was pretending to smoke. Everyone who was outside became silent and just stared at the faux cigarette in Maddie’s hands. One person was dribbling a basketball, and the basketball fell to ground in shock as he watched Maddie pretend to smoke. Overall, it was a productive rehearsal, but we still have a long way to go!

FLSB first off book run through!

Last night we rehearsed from 6:00 to 7:15. I first had them say tongue twiters becasue they each have lots of long and complex lines that they need to say clearly.  I also had my cast walk around the room and I would call on one of them to say a line, and eveyone would stop and look at them.Isaiah and Garrick both have some great moments, but they both talk way too fast becasue they have gotten used to their lines.  They need to speak slowly and clearly so that the audience understands this complex piece.  We had a very slow run through in which I gave the actors many notes on how to play out scenes.  I stopped Garrick numerous times in his first speach to give him specific movements.  When he understands his character's words, he acts very realisticly. I rewroked a few sc enes to make sure that the actors are taking advantage of the three qyuarter stage, and then once we finshed the slow going run through, we did a full run through off book.  I took pictures during the run through and took note of a few moments that needed re working.

Corporate America: Group Warmups, Stubbed Toes, and More...

Today was a very generous day in terms of running through the show and getting closer to a polished product. We started the rehearsal with a massive group warmup with 3 other casts. This may have been the biggest warmup we have ever done.

The first warmup was enemy/protector, a game where you pick an enemy and a protector to save you from people in the group. You have to keep your protector in between you and your enemy at all times. What ends up happening is everyone starts frantically running around, trying to save themselves from their villainous enemy. The point of this warmup is to present the idea of high stakes. To make the game work you need to believe that your enemy is about to kill you and the only thing you can do is save yourself by hiding behind your protector.

The next warmup was the counting game. Everyone stands in a line, receives a number, and each person calls a number. When your number is called, it is your responsibility to say another number. If you fail, you move to the back of the line, and the people behind you fill in your spot. This is a fun game just to get people's minds focused, which is unfortunate because my cast was especially bad at this game.

Once we started running through, my cast was on target. And boy did they impress me. They called themselves out on things like pacing, enunciation, and diagonal staging without me even saying anything. They've taken these responsibilities on themselves so I can focus on helping them make big choices and come up with big ideas. So far, everyone has done a great job of making awesome choices. Conrad is really understanding the three dimensional staging and plays to all parts of the audience with great ease. Sabina is doing a really good job of staying detached from Conrad at the beginning, but slowly empathizing with him as the show goes on. Sheighla is doing a magnificent job of making a character choice and sticking with it. I have no doubt that they will continue to make great choices and make each new run through the best they've ever done.

FLSB full run through and filling in!

My last two rehearsals consisted of running throgh the entire show (almost all off book) and before that having me step into Isaiah's role becasue he was not there.  When I had my whole cast, I first had them say the long word phrase "What a to do to die today..." The one thing that they all need to work on a lot is there announciation and how they say their lines.  They speak very quickly and sometimes I have trouble hearing what they are saying.  They need to emphasize certain words and phrases.  I then have them play "I love you, I dont care," while I counted to ten (1 being most quiet and ten being over the top huge!) I have them do this to help build up their energy and get into going over the top, and also to speak in response to their partners.  They did a run through, but I stopped them numerous times to give them notes.  During our official run through, I took a page of notes and then after the run I gave the notes to the actors.  In one scene, I told Isaiah to run and tag the back door of the theater between each of his lines.  The actors continue to suprise me with their choices and I have loads of notes to give them tonight at rehearsal.

Corporate America: 6 Days til Tech

With tech week quickly approaching, I've made the mission this week to run through as much as possible and codify everything that we have. That's not to say we're not still creating. The actors are still bringing big energy and big choices to the rehearsals, which is something that the show really needs.

We started today's rehearsal with some impromptu warm ups with the goal of waking people up after a long day of school and having them think creatively with improv. The first warm up was follow the leader. Jason, one of the actors from another one act who decided to drop by, was marching around the stage with a very specific gait. I thought it looked interesting, so I told everyone to follow Jason. This turned into a big game of follow the leader where everyone followed and copied the leader's movements and any noises they made. This was great mostly because it came out of nowhere and  because it got people on their feet, moving about the space. Next we did a "one-up" improv game where the goal is to one-up the person who just spoke. To give the actors something physical to do I gave them a block and told them that if they wanted to speak and one-up each other, they would have to get up on the block. I was worried it would turn into a chaotic brawl, but in the end we all had a lot of fun pulling each other off the block and making each other laugh with big choices.

When we ran through, I wanted my cast to really utilize the space and play 3D. To do this I told Sabina and Sheighla to use the downstage corners at least 10 times by the end of the run through. I also told them I'd snap at them if I saw them not using the diagonals. Luckily I didn't have to snap at any of the actors. They're understanding the dynamic of the stage and the staging. I'm really proud of my cast. I can't wait to see what we make of this week and I think we'll be more than ready for tech week when it finally arrives.

Misadventure: Rehearsal Six

We were all super tired today, so rehearsal started a little slow. We improved a couple of brother/sister scenes, and I'm always amazed at how into it they both get. Then we played "speaking of", a game they both hate. I tried to get them to think about letting the ideas really come to them and take over their whole body. I had them think about how the idea shows physically: eyes, face, body, breath... they were both tired, so this was tough for them, but eventually they caught on.
Then we moved on to script work, which went very, very well, in my opinion. They've really taken off with the script and made the characters their own. They know their lines and they know the blocking and both of them, but especially Eli, are really starting to justify the movements and really connect them to what they're saying. Something I really appreciate about both my actors is how well they take criticism. I tell them something, they take a second, think about it, and then really apply it to whatever they're doing. If they have a question, they don't hesitate to ask and if they are confused about anything at all, they tell me and I try my best to fix the problem. They're both so much fun to work with at all times during rehearsals and I'm excited to see where they take it from here.

~ Sixth Rehearsal : NAOMI IN THE LIVING ROOM ~

Sixth Rehearsal.

Theatre Classroom.

6:00pm.

Possibly the BEST REHEARSAL YET... I notice myself starting to say it more and more. We started out with some improv intensive activities.

Activity 1: Improvised Dinner. Phoebe made turkey as usual, but Johnna is allergic to turkey. Thus, John is torn between siding with his mother or siding with his wife. Johnna is apparently not allowed to go into the kitchen... or the bathroom... or anywhere other than the dining room. The toilet seat is made of gold... This activity as a whole was very humorous and I found myself laughing and crying along with the cast.

Activity 2: Improvised Arrival. Mike and Franchesca got to the door and knocked on the door. Phoebe remained seated for quite a while, but finally arose. During this activity, I noticed they used a lot of adapted versions of lines from Naomi in the Living Room. I appreciated this and none seemed to be stretched or forced. I liked this and a lot of it seemed usable in the actual performance.

Practice: We then hearsed and rehearsed the last few pages which are really looking really really good... really! We worked a lot with Mike because in order to play John, he needs to be invested and willing to push beyond uncomfortable for the things he needs to do.  We worked a lot on blocking and making solidified choices. This will be great.

Misadventure: Rehearsal Five

Because everyone was rehearsing at the same time last night, I ended up holding my rehearsal in the Black Box. At first, I was hesitant about working in such a vastly open space, but it ended up being great for us. Both of my actors, more-so Eli than Shae, have a tendency to start a line strong and then let the end fizzle off into space. The Black Box, in all it's enormously empty glory, was great for working through that. I stood up at the top of the bleachers and had them working all the way in the back by curtains, which made them more aware of when they aren't projecting or articulating enough. Eli still has a tendency to slur his words together so that a whole sentence sounds like one very long word, but he catches himself doing that now, and he's getting much better at it.
We started with "speaking of", which I know they both hate, but I think it's useful, so I love watching them play. Then we moved onto "I want you to have this/ I don't want it" and "I love you/ I don't care". I had trouble explaining that with that game, as with the script, I don't want them to show me how they're feeling, I want them to think about what they're trying to accomplish and whether or not they're getting their points across. After that, we improved a family dinner, which was so much fun because I stepped in and played Mom. Eli and Shae both expressed to me how much they love improving things like that.
Then we moved on to the script. I adore the fact that both my actors are memorized, even though Eli doesn't think he's completely memorized. They're really starting to take off with the script and find moments that they can have fun with. We worked on the stage for a little while today, and they both seemed to fit into the space very well; they seemed comfortable there.
I can't wait for tomorrow.

"Ferris Wheel" Rehearsal #8 - 5/1

            Today, we began practice by playing the alphabet game outside. We ended up being in a situation causing ourselves to chase Maddie through the parking lot, weaving between the rows of cars. Gib and Maddie did a great job, but at times they did have trouble staying committed. We then played “Yes! And…” where they had to find a way to market a tree outside of the Conant Gallery. They had very specific ideas and could easily build off of one another, so I had them do it for a while. They were very creative and could make the game continue with ease. We then proceeded to roll down the hill.

            We then dove right into the script. I had the two run through the show while they were sitting on the stone sign that reads “Richardson-Mees Performing Arts Center” next to the Conant Gallery’s parking lot. I had them sit there in order to run through the show because it’s similar to an actual Ferris wheel in the sense that they are somewhat high up and that they can see for a far distance and feel wind running across their faces and pushing their hair back so that they could feel how being on an actual Ferris wheel would feel. We also justified all of the unjustifiable moments.

            We then moved inside and worked more on the kissing scenes. Maddie’s problem is that she’s too awkward…which is understandable, but she still needs to be a little more fluid and passionate. We also decided that we would need to have one bench on top of a platform off of the ground so that they don’t lose their balance easily. Overall, it was a very productive rehearsal. GO TEAM!

Wednesday CBS

We finished blocking on thursday and got through the end of the play on Wednesday! We started with Joe's cast again by playing Ba-da Ba-da, which is an improv based game. Everyone picked it up quickly and got into it. We asked people not to plan the words they say, and just let them come to you. Joe and I loaded a bunch of tactics and tricks on them about making a choice and running with it in an improv scene, and about not saying no. After your partner gives a line, it is usually best to build off it. Saying no just closes a door. If you say yes, you're giving your partener a break and moving forward with an idea, no matter what that idea is.
We started working in the theatre on the last part of the piece. I'm working more and more on having them cotify sharp movements. Repitition of little moments is extremely important. When Mrs. Barrows enters, Martin and Paige give her a sharp look, and when Lisa enters from the other side, they give the same suprised reaction. As they specify their choices, I need to specify my directions. For example, I need to talk to Jess about the difference between being Indignent and Angry. I may need to give Martin metaphors to help him raise the stakes in scenes. I want Lisa to be more physical with Aaron, and Emma to create even more of a difference in her two ways of speaking. I could go on forever, and that's why I kept them an hour and a half! They're doing a great job, but this work never ends.
I'm still tweaking the diagonals and I need to return to work on articulation. I also need to get some volume so we might go outside next week. I'm planning on bringing candy on Monday and taking a field trip to the costume closet. I have a ton of games to play on Monday too, including floating disc or Angel and Guardian to raise the stakes, toungue twisters, and a game where they practice mirroring each other. When Aaron hides behind Lisa, he starts trying to avoid her and they started mirroring eahc other with Lisa in the middle. That's a perfect example of them trying something new and it working wonderfully. I have trouble saying no to ideas because I want to encourage the spontaneous ideas.

Corporate America: Anxiety

Tech week is approaching a lot more quickly than I first thought, it's a little more than a week away. I've been focused lately more on fixing staging, projecting, and other basic theatre mechanics, rather than character choices and intention, which I found out last night is starting to worry the actors. They have found, as have I, that while working on these mechanics, the energy and productivity in rehearsal has been low. They much preferred making big choices and coming up with new ideas for the show rather than tediously refining the staging.They are worried that if we focus too much on the mechanics, and not as much on the ideas of the show, then the show won't be ready for tech. Upon hearing this, I gave them an ultimatum. I told them that I will gladly focus on ideas, characters, and intentions in rehearsal if it will get their energy and productivity up. That means that it will have to be their job to keep staging, projecting, and other mechanics in the back of their heads, so that I don't have to remind them. They agreed and told me that they would work on some ideas and big choices before rehearsal so they can come prepared for a run through. To make sure they are able to get through a run through, I plan on giving directions from the sidelines instead of stopping and starting the show. This way they'll be able to make conscious choices in the moment and they won't lose focus or energy while rehearsing.

CBS Monday

On Monday we warmed up with Joe's cast by playing jump rope. This got everyone's energy up. Then, I had everyone look through their script as a reminder. I said look through and write in all your cues that you're missing, which might include "stand left of Martin," "sharp look," or "speak to her like a sister." I took questions and we eased into the work mentally before physically. Afterwords, we ran through the piece several times. We've been doing so much up-close, chopped up work during the past week, I thought it would be effective to work through the whole thing and mash everything together. I needed to be reminded of the peice as a whole just as much as the cast. We ran through and gave notes a few times, working on blocking in the theatre. I'm letting them run with choices whether it be changing their dialect or making faces behind Mrs. Barrows back. Mostly because each choice seem to get bigger and more pronounced each time we run the scene. I really get to see everyone come alive this way and its great!
I'm still working on the diagonals, where the blocks will be and how to have everyone manuever around them. One obstacle our cast faces is the juxtaposition of four different settings in under ten minutes. I have a nuetral set in mind for this. I need to jump into run throughs more often, and kill most of the wandering. But I am very excited that this play is getting on its feet, and getting bigger!
Haley

"Ferris Wheel" Rehearsal #7 - 4/29

4/29

            Today was our first practice on the stage. We began with the alphabet game walking around the space. At first, they weren’t so good with their letters. But as time progressed, they got the hang of it. They were really truthful and committed, since they played a couple that was going through a divorce in the local general store. After playing that, we played “yes, and…” which was good. We then played “no, but…” and the two had to convince me to choose one of them over the other to work for my law firm.

            We then began the actual rehearsal. We then ran the ending sections and solved all justification problems with the lines. We also blocked the ending and solved all of the issues regarding the ambiguity at the end. Maddie and Gib also did a better job discovering their true characters. It was a short rehearsal, but they should have their lines down by the next rehearsal.

Two Guns Rehearsal on Sunday, 4/2

Today started off rocky, but ended up being quite successful. We started off with something called Colombian Hypnosis, which is when Person B must stare at and follow Person A’s hand as Person A moves around. This is effective in terms of concentration and building a connection between actors. It’s also just really fun. Then, I had them do the exercise as Person B, but with an invisible Person A. If someone had walked into the room just then, it would definitely looked like they were crazy- because they weren’t trying to be. The hand is so real to them, butt he audience doesn’t see it. That’s how we should have played ‘crazy’ in Sweeney Todd.

Next was the ‘Question Game’, which I adopted from Whose Line is it Anyway? (great show). All they do is have a conversation, but only using question. It started off pretty horrible, but they really got the hang of it after a while. Several times they got stuck or started laughing, but they really pulled through it.

We established all the official turning points of the show- as in the literal points in the text where they must walk around the table. It’s looking a lot better. I’m having them really play to everyone (it helps that they’re shifting in a circle). One critique that, oddly enough, works for Mariah is ‘Be happy’. It’s not as if her character actually needs to be happy per se, because it isn’t actually happier that I want Megan to come across as. It’s more of an energy type of thing. Whenever I tell her to be happy, I get exactly the PERFECT result from her character. Same thing with Steve when I tell him to think about what he’s saying more, and say things differently.

We finally worked the banana scene! It looks fantastic. Poor Steve went through FOUR bananas, but he’s got the whole effect down. I honestly thought it would be harder, but he knows what I’m looking for and certainly can deliver.

I can see that they’ve both put a lot of effort into studying the script and memorizing the lines. The meaning as well. It’s really working out, I’m impressed. I’m getting them munchkins for next rehearsal for all their solid work.

FLSB and PROM!

We had a prom asking during our rehearsal today! In the middle of a scene Garrick asked Danielle to Prom. I started rehearsal wiht playing "I Love You"  "I Dont Care" and I had them increase their energy as I counted form one to ten.  This game helped the actors wake up and get into the necessary over dramatic mood.  We worked the scene right after the first muder occurs.  We messed around woth blocking some of this scene, but I had a very specific plan for the next part.  The characters needed to read a poem aloud, and I assigned each of them two lines and gave them specific directions for how to show their line.  This scene required the actors to be in sync with eachother, while also having a certain playfulness while almot telling a story.  WE finally starting adding more to the script today.  We would run a scene and someone would say "what if we added this here!" We added some small lines based on the characters. The actors are really getting into their characters.  I see them in the halls now and I see the characters in them more than themselves.  I told them how much I apppreciate the fact that they are all going so all out in this show, I really am excited to see a full runthrough f this show now that the entire piece has been blocked!

~ Fifth Rehearsal : NAOMI IN THE LIVING ROOM ~

Fifth Rehearsal.

Stage & Theater Lobby.

April 23 @ 6:00pm.

Our rehearsals have a tendency to start rather dully, which is not good and is something I need to fix. Maybe it's my generally relaxed demeanor or maybe it's just that everyone is tired at the end of the day, but in either case, I need to redesign my rehearsal plan so something changes.

We started today with another Philip's and Jillian's casts. Boppity Boppity Bop or whatever it's called.

THE GAME:

One individual stands in the middle (director) while everyone else stands in a relatively large circle around this individual. The individual will point to someone and will either say Boppity Boppity Bop (to which you must say Bop before the individual finishes saying Boppity Boppity Bop), Bop (to which you must stay silent), Elephant (to which you put your arms in an elephant trunk formation and the people on either side of the pointee must make the ears), and many other actions of this nature. This game is high energy, fast, and forces everyone to be alert and ready. (A great help in fixing my issue).

We proceeded to work on a particularly high energy scene in the latter portion of the performance. The intensity is good, but I think next time we'll work even harder on building up a lot more and really developing a greater feel for the kind of fire within that I'd like them to magnify.

~ Fourth Rehearsal : NAOMI IN THE LIVING ROOM ~

Fourth Rehearsal.

Theatre Classroom.

April 18 @ 6:00pm.

This meeting was for Mike and Franchesca only. Phoebe was absent. When we started, I wanted to work on their behavior during scenes in which Phoebe would have her monologues. I also wanted to work on a specific scene between Mike and Franchesca in which Mike repeatedly copies Franchesca.

We also worked on a scene from the piece. In the scene John copies Johnna... that's all I'll say, otherwise it would spoil it. We ran through the scene a few times, making little adjustments as we went. Trying and retrying. It'll be great, don't worry.

We also did an exercise in which John and Johnna navigate the living room together in silence. This was beautiful. It was useful. It was interesting. They worked extremely well together; they were pointing to non-existent objects that were in the living room and giving them life, they were responding to each other, and they were utilizing the space. The best part was that it was real. It was true. It was interesting. It was even funny at times. Just in the beauty of the realism, John and Johnna worked to make the scene alive and genuinely entertaining regardless of the activity's simplicity. I think the key was not trying to act, but rather to just be and live in the moment. It was also fun as they finished the activity with smiles: always a good way to end a rehearsal.

Corporate America: Off Book

I never thought this day would come, but it finally has. Today marks the first off book rehearsal for my cast. I could see the difference in the way the actors spoke their lines, the way they moved in the space, and they way they focused on the audience. Getting the scripts out of their faces freed them up to do so much more than before. No longer focused on their scripts, the actors were able to move more freely through the space. The only downside to taking their scripts away was they were much less confident when speaking the words. I had told them not to worry if they did not know the lines exactly and just to power through the dialogue. However they dropped whatever they were doing whenever they missed a line. I eventually told them that on the nights of the show, they won't know 100% of their lines and they can't stop the show when they mess up. It's up to them to keep the show going, even if they don't know exactly what they're doing. It's important for them to continue the scene, when they need to say line. That way the ball is never dropped, I can feed them their line, and they can continue the scene as if nothing had happened.

To further cater to the thrust staging of the one acts, I made some small changes that made a huge impact. First, the focal point of the show is a wooden box that Conrad uses as his "cubicle/work station". Before, this box would face the front part of the audience, leaving Conrad fully exposed to them, while only giving the side audience his profile. To add in some sorely needed diagonals, I turned the box a little bit to create a diamond. Now, Conrad can still use the sides of the box, but this way he's always at a diagonal, which exposes him to more of the audience. Conrad will still need to practice using the box this way, because I noticed in rehearsal that he still liked to face the front audience. I'm thinking wooden spikes on the corners of the boxes.

I also gave the direction to always move with a point A and a point B. For example, when Sheighla enters as Cecil, she should move in one straight direction across the stage. That way, movement is less random and the actors can give themselves a reason why they're moving a certain way. Along with this, I told the actors to always think in diagonals. Their point A & B should always be a diagonal across the stage. After focussing on diagonals, I'm noticing that the actors are really starting to think 3 dimensional, which is going to be extremely beneficial leading up to tech.

Next rehearsal I would like to start taking these staging ideas and codify them in a way that the actors can repeat. Hopefully by the end of this week, we'll be able to run through with out stopping and starting.

FLSB 4/28

Tonight I only had my whole cast for a half hour.  We had a quick warm up with Bada Bada, then performing an improv scene in character.  This game helps the actors get into their characters and go over the top with their charcters.  I enjoyed watching them really get into the scene, Calli talking nonstop, Isaiah trying to calm everyone down and take a logical approach the the problem, Summer finding the dark side behind everything, and Danielle doing whatever it takes to brong the attention back to her.  Garrick couldnt come until later.  I also had them walk in the space, and one at a time say a line of theirs.  When someone speaks, everyone has to stop and look at them.  I wanted them to play this so that they could get more used to saying their lines clearly without holding a script.  For the rest of the rehearsal we ran through the script and rre blocked with the new set.  Everyone was discovering new movements and blocking, and that made the rehearsal feel very productive even though it was very short.

Two Guns Rehearsal 4/23

Today I first had Steve and Mariah show me the monologues that I had them write for the other character. They were supposed to learnt hem twice- once as their character and once as the other. There seemed to be some confusion as to the purpose of this, so we discussed that- how, as an actor, you are supposed to know who your character is as a person and, therefore, would know and how he/she would react to certain situations (even if they are not in the script).

            We went through the entire script and blocked it all. I worried less about the acting itself as I did about what they were doing and where they were going. The table will be the focal point of the entire piece- it’s almost as if they are playing the flying disc game while they are acting. They balance each other out on opposite sides of the table. So, we played a sort of game while they did the play. I would be walking around, and their job was to make sure that I could see as much of both of them as possible while still looking natural. Since we have ¾ staging, they need to play around to everyone. Also, whenever I told them ‘turn’, they would have to walk around 90 degrees then say their line on that next diagonal. Whenever I said ‘turn while walking’ they’d have to make that 90 degree transition while saying their next line, but still stopping at that diagonal.

            I told them to work on memorization, and they reluctantly agreed (it’s not fun, I know). We also chatted a bit about costumes, but not anything major.

"Ferris Wheel" - Rehearsal #6

           Today, we started with some activities to work on our articulation and annunciation. We played “I am a mother pheasant plucker,” and “I slit a sheet.” Gib had much more experience doing these activities than Maddie, but Maddie’s articulation was still superb. We then played “…to die today at a minute or two to two…” which required Maddie and Gib to speak in sync, since they had to work together, and they also had to be very articulate. They both did lovely.

            The next game we played was an improv game, which I had them play for ten minutes. They had to use the bar that we use as safety bar on the Ferris wheel as a different object every time I told them to. I told them to change what it was whenever I was getting bored with the scene that was going on. One of my favorites included when they were trying to capture a snake in the Australian Outback. I also especially liked when they were playing limbo with the bar, with Gib being an incredibly energetic and bubbly fun character, while Maddie was a more stoic, more straight to the point type of character. I liked it because these characters were extremely similar to the characters they should play as Harper and Cameron. I also liked when they were playing croquet when Gib said the line when giving Maddie advice, “I’m your sister, I would know,” since this small yet typical line gives the audience a great sense of relationship. I also liked when Maddie used the stick as a walking stick and liked the straight to the point character she portrayed because it resembled Cameron. Harper is essentially a mix of Gib’s limbo character and her nature walk character while Cameron is basically a blend of Maddie’s limbo character and her old woman with the walking stick character.

            We then went through the script, which I divided into specific moments that we could work more individually and perfect individually and then put them together. There are ten moments in all, with the longest one being just over two pages and the shortest being just a couple lines. I also made sure to remind Maddie and Gib to be more physical with what they’re doing, but since they’re obviously still hindered by their scripts, I decided I’m going to wait until next week, when they’re off book to work more on that. One problem I have is that I’m still having trouble having the characters find truthful intention behind some of the lines, and I also feel like I’m having trouble keeping them energized throughout the performance, since most of it is fast-paced. Overall, it was probably the best rehearsal that we’ve had yet.

FLSB 4/25

Tonight we started rehearsal playing BADA BADA, which is a word association game in which the participants make four word phrases. I would then have them act out a scene, using the four wrod phrase as the first line.  Then I had them act out the scenes in their characters.  This really helped the actors become their character, and not be too influenced by their lines.  They had to adapt to a situation that was not a part of the one act and then be their characters and find out for themselves how they react and what they say.  We ran through the second half of the show.  I designed a new set for the show and had them run their lines in it.  It was much esier than I thought it would be to adapt them to the new set.  Most of the show has them all standing up, so I changed a few sitting positions and changed some scenes so that they are not always facing "forward" to the center audience.  Much of the show was directed for persenium, and I am very happy with how it changed.  I had them run this part of the show three times, aftetr my notes.  Summer consistantly discovers new ways to show her emotions and character and little movements and inlections to interact with the other characters.  Danielle keeps coming up with funny additions to scenes which I am excited about, but I want everyone to be memorized before we add more to the script.  Isaiah consistantly suprises me in how real he can perform.  He sometimes does not go BIG enough, he could be more dramatic.  Although, he takes directions very well, whenever I ask him to do anything he does it without question.  They are learning that no matter my question, I have a clear picture in my head of what I want, but I am letting them get their on their own.

Today we rehearsed during a 35 minute block at 11. It was hard to get in the right mind set because we were in the middle of our academic day. On the brighter side, we were able to run through the whole show for the first time. On a less good note, we were only able to run it once because of time restraints. I have the cast their notes but we did not have time before class to act out the notes I gave them.  I need the cast to make strong choices throughout the entire show, even in rehearsal. I have been in their positions before ad know how easy it can be to become too every day, too natural. I need them to be in every moment and not let parts become weak. Certain scenes still do not have specific blocking and they need to make strong choices in these scenes to make it run smoothly. I have been planning a lot if blocking for my next rehearsals because I found that my one act is not three dimensional the whole time. I need to re block certain moments and scene in order to take advantage if the scene. I have a lot to plan out and my cast has work to do but I am very exited to see the show beginning g to take shape!

Tonight I only had Isaiah and Summer.  I wanted to work the final scene witht the two of them since most of it is standing up. I started with playing "I love you" "I don't care" to help them work off of each other.  They had to listen to each other and speak with motivation and for a reason.   We were very productive.  They were able towork off one each other and  create some very interesting synchronized movements.  We mostly worked on when they stand, when they cicle each other, why they speak to each other and what they are trying to say. Lots of stillness, and lots of dynamic between loud and quiet speaking and knowing the difference between the two.

"Ferris Wheel" - Rehearsals #4 & #5

Rehearsal #4 4/23

            Today, we had a joint warm-up with both Jillian and James’ casts. We played enemy-protector in order to energize the casts. However, it eventually devolved into chaos, so we stopped the game and moved on into playing “Bop,” which is the game where someone in the middle will point at people around them in a circle and the people in the circle have to make an animal or another situation. This game tested their readiness and required them to pay very close attention to one another.

            We then split up, and I began rehearsal with interviewing each character about themselves, which I videoed so I could watch it after the rehearsal. First was Gib, who plays Harper. She did well, but sometimes had trouble connecting her improvisation to the plot of the play itself and what the audience learns about Harper throughout the piece. Then was Maddie, playing Cameron. This was somewhat difficult for Maddie. It appeared that she had trouble committing to one idea and rolling with it; she thought too much about what she was going to say instead of just doing it.

            After the interviews, Joel brought us a bar and told us to try using the bar as a prop to hold in order to recreate a Ferris wheel. The bar worked very well. We then spent the rest of the time discussing intention and finding justifications to leaning out of the sides of the car in order for the sides of the audience to be much more engaged.

Rehearsal #5 4/24

            Today, we had a shorter rehearsal than usual. We warmed up playing the floating disc game in order to work more on their physical awareness. We then played “Speaking of…”, “Yes, and…”, and “No, but…” in order to work on our playfulness and the ability to work together. The two found that “Yes, and…” was a much easier game to play than “No, but…” because they could build off of what the other person said rather than come up with their own ideas completely; it was easier and smoother to accept.

            We then worked on justification and engagement of the sides. We spent a lot of the time finding ways to make the bar work for the entire piece, which it did, except we need to find something to do with the bar at both the beginning and the end of the entire piece. The end.

Misadventure: Rehearsals Two, Three, and Four

Thursday, April 18th
After an extremely chaotic week, we were only able to rehearse once last week. Initially, that stressed me out beyond belief, because all I could think was, "Wow, we only have like a month left!"... but then I thought about it, and I realized that not only do I have faith in my cast, but a month is a pretty long time.
It was a very productive rehearsal blocking wise. Shae and Eli are starting to get the hang on working on the diagonals of the stage. The thrust stage (Or three-quarter stage, I'm not sure what the correct term is) can be hard to get used to, but again, I have faith in them to figure things out.
It was an extremely chaotic week, so I couldn't blame them when we hit a bump in our rehearsal. Things just weren't working, so I decided to stop, have them put their scripts down, and we did some improv work for a while. It got their energy back up and really helped to move the rehearsal along.

Tuesday, April 23rd
Unfortunately, with a two person cast, we miss out on getting to play some of the fun warm-up games. Speaking of, in large groups, can be so much fun and energizing. So, yesterday, we warmed up with Connor's cast, so that we could get to experience that. It was a lot of fun and ended up being extremely helpful, because it was the most energized, fun rehearsal we've had yet. Shae is officially memorized, (And officially my favorite), so she was able to start really playing with the physical aspect.
Both of them are starting to become familiar enough with the script that they want to experiment with their lines. Every once and a while, I would stop them and tell them to have more fun with what they're saying, but usually I don't even have to stop them. Either they do it without me trying, or they stop themselves. We had an awesome moment when we found a cluster of lines that we added our own personal touches to. All in all, it was the best rehearsal we've had. I found myself laughing the whole time, and enjoying watching them have more fun then I've ever seen before.

Wednesday, April 24th
Today we warmed up with some more sibling improv. I'm always pleasantly surprised at how easily Eli and Shae work together. There isn't any sort of awkwardness between them, they both are just willing to go for it, whatever "it" may be. Then, we played the game that I still don't know the name of... where one person makes an observation about the other, and they repeat it back at them. (For example: "You're wearing shorts" "I'm wearing shorts?") The point of that game is to make sure your partner is really listening to you. It's all about communicating. Then, we worked on articulation with my favorite tongue-twister of all time, "I am a mother pheasant plucker..."
After that, we continued through the rest of the show, finalizing blocking and tweaking what didn't work. I think we're in a good place. We've gone through the whole show, stopping and starting, twice now, and it seemed like they remembered where they were supposed to be when. Shae is already memorized, Eli is very close to being memorized, I just think he's not giving himself enough credit. I can't wait until he puts the script down. Hopefully as we move forward, things continue to go smoothly.

Corporate America: Unconventional Methods

Today I tried something new in terms of warm ups. I kept the goal from Monday's rehearsal to get everyone energized and ready to have fun. To do this, I thought it would be cool to do something a little bit different and on the athletic side. Today, my cast played stage ball, a game played on the One Act stage with a ball made out of duct tape. It's a hybrid of ski ball and soccer. The goal is to get points by kicking the ball through holes in between the audience platforms. The point of this craziness was 1. to get people's hearts pumping, 2. to get them to play around in the performance space, and 3. to bond as a cast and have fun. In the end, it only tired the cast out. I don't really think they learned anything about the space and I'm not even 100% sure they had fun. I probably won't be playing stage ball in any future rehearsals, but it was definitely interesting trying something new.

Aside from stage ball, we warmed up with a mix of improv games including "yes and," "speaking of," and "one up". These were interesting to see how the actors interpret a situation and come up with ideas on the fly. It also got them topping in on each other, which is incredibly important.

Once we started reading, I noticed that something was off. Actors were speeding through and slurring the dialogue, and weren't really in it. I tried to get them to focus and take time with their words, but that didn't really help. However, after coming up with an idea for one of the characters, I could see that enthusiasm and life was coming back into the rehearsal. Though we ran out of time and couldn't get through the entire show, I made sure to take the time to sit down and talk with the actors about their feelings, questions about the show, and the next couple of weeks ahead of us. I've decided to cancel tomorrow's rehearsal because the actors need to take the rest of this week and finish up their mid terms strong, as well as get off book. I hope next week we can get the energy as high as it was on Monday, then we can get some real work done.

steubenville 4/23

what up everyone!

i just had a fabulous rehearsal in my mind and i am very, very, very excited to have the next one.

we started off working with James and Philip's group. We played a game of enemy protector because we had such a large group and it would get everyone moving. Basically everyone picks one person to be their enemy and one person to be their protector and must always keep their protector between them and the enemy at all times. This game is fun and got everyone moving around to keep up the energy.

then as a group we played boppity boppity bop which is my favorite game EVER. (because of country) and it would take a long time to explain, but it helps with listening and quick reactions because as the caller I would point to a person and say elephant and the person and the people to the left and right would make the elephant.

then the other groups left and we started rehearsing and blocking the show. there was a little confusion at first and we had to stop and make sure everyone was writing things down to keep track. i feel as though i keep changing my mind and i feel bad changing things or adding more movements.. i just dont want the piece to be boring and unimaginative. towards the end we started running through larger chunks and eventually went through everything we have blocked so far and i am really happy with the outcome so far! obviously many things need work still, but we made a lot of progress today as a group. next rehearsal is thursday! off book!

Things to continue working on:
1) more blocking
2) ENUNCIATION
3) playing out to everyone
4) speaking to the audience clearly

Ferris Wheel - Rehearsal #3 & #4

Gib and Maddie on the
Ferris Wheel

4/ 17 Today’s rehearsal was great! It was the first rehearsal with the newly updated cast, having Maddie Groves play Cameron and Gabriella DiVinchenzo play Harper. Maddie Groves was chosen to play Cameron because of her playablity and her ability to have what I like to call “controlled playfulness;” she is able to utilize her skills without getting too carried away.

The first thing we did was Colombian Hypnosis. I had them play this game in order to get the new cast used to working together. They seemed to catch on very quickly. Maddie had superb commitment. Gib had good commitment too, but she tended to break at times. We then played the spaceship game, which was a great game that they both committed to, except at times they both seemed distant. We then played the alley game, where the two would face each other and walk back and forth and respond physically to the other person. Gib was very committed in this game—she seemed somewhat reluctant compared to what happened the last time she played ;)

            We then read the script, and Maddie and Gib finally kissed just to clear the air and address the elephant in the room (the other elephant; not me). We then talked about intention and justification. One thing that they came up with was the line, “do ya park ya cah in Hahvahd Yahd?” in order to better justify Harper finding out where Cameron was from, which has now been inserted in the script. We then went over specific elements and lines, and then ended a successful and inspiring rehearsal.

4/18     

Philip in protective headgear to direct
his new cast

   Today was the next rehearsal with Maddie. We had rehearsal on the roof because of the nice day that we had been having. We started with the spaceship game, but this time, the centerpiece was me, which meant that it was a moving spaceship—that way, they had to both balance and move simultaneously. After that, we played “Yes! And…” so that the two could practice bouncing ideas off of one another and the ability to think quickly. We then played the alley game again, and the two were able to identify more concrete themes and were more cognizant of what they were doing.

            I then had the two improv being on a Ferris Wheel, where they successfully ended up rehearsing with one another the first two pages of their scripts. I then had them to legitimate improv, where they would improvise and I would tell them to change something. For example, they would start with being a couple that has dated for years, to awkward first date, to old couple that’s been married for fifty years, etc. We then ended rehearsal with running through the script and practicing what it would feel like to legitimately be on a Ferris Wheel.

Corporate America: Play Time

Today's rehearsal goes down in my books as the best rehearsal thus far. I went into it with the goal of getting energy and spirits as high as possible. To do so, I started with a warmup from class earlier in the day; the "dolphin clapping game". The game is played by sending someone out of the room, creating actions for them to perform, bringing them back into the room, and having them guess what to do. It's then up to the rest of the group to guide that person by clapping when they do something right. It's a fun game, but it's very useful for two reasons: 1. It gets the actor to listen to the audience and 2. It makes the actor try EVERYTHING until they get it right.

At this point in the process I want my actors to have fun and make choices, and that's exactly what they did. They took their roles seriously, but at the same time they made plenty of choices and had fun within the context of the work. I have never seen the actors so committed to the craziness that is this show. Before I could tell they were hesitant about how they were supposed to play their parts, but by getting them to raise the energy bar and play around, they indirectly found the essence of the show.

For example, Conrad made a choice on how to do the subliminal message part of the show where he tries to show his boss how to work the fax machine. Before he would basically just scream DIE at the top of his lungs, which was ok, but not that great in terms of him keeping his voice intact. Instead, today he made a choice to make the subliminal DIE's a lot more subtle vocally while emphasizing them physically instead. This worked way better in terms of comedy and practicality. Another great example was when Sheighla, as Mr. Sessle decided to get up from the ground in the least conventional way possible. We played around with this idea for a little, and I think the choice she made in the end works the best. Lastly, Sabina made great choices even when she wasn't a part of the scene. She stayed committed and connected to each moment and reacted to whatever Conrad was experiencing.

It's this kind of receptiveness and creativity the cast bring that makes me love my job. When I give a direction they instantly know what I want them to do and they do it. More than that, they end up doing the things that I would never have anticipated, and they're absolutely brilliant. My hope is that they continue to bring this kind of creativity and energy to the rehearsals, and that they continue to have fun with the work.

Moving on with the Catbird Seat

Last week we kept working through the script!
On Tuesday, Emma, Aaron, Jess and I met up on the Terrace to rehearse. We warmed up with movement with the chairs. I asked them to respond to each other and to think about why they might change seats or stay put. I asked them to speed up and slow down as well, for example, by telling them that they were in a very expensive shop and everything was fine glass. Dont. Break. Anything. I asked them to notice each other and respond also, which is important to the piece as a whole. When Emma's character becomes narrator, part of her needs to be aware that Aaron is still behind her. We worked on blocking whch is difficult without the boundaries of the theatre. We also almost saw someone get asked to prom, but we weren't that lucky. Maybe next rehearsal!

On Thursday we warmed up with one of my favorites. "Dolphin" is a game where one actor leaves the room, and the rest determine a task he or she needs to accomplish when they come back. In honors theatre, this task has been anything from "mime eating a cheeseburger," to "climb to the top of the shelves, grab the silver pin, and hang it on the side of the round table so it balances." Props to Jimmy for figuring that one out! All the audience can do to help the actor is clap or boo (but I took away their booing rights). This excersize is great to get everyone trying EVERYTHING. While Jess walked around the room, we could tell she was looking for a task like "write on the white board," or " pick up the glass jar." We wanted her to wave her arms and make an elephant sound. Aaron had to do some exploration too before finding his goal, but its a good excesize for listening and looking at your options as an actor.
Then, I had everyone sit down with a pen and paper. I did this instead of improv because I didn't want to put them on the spot and have them focus on their presence, motivation, or anything that would get in the head. Because, I wanted to ask them about their characters. Who are you? Where did you grow up? Who was your idol? What's your least favorite food? I think it would be helpful to start figuring out these details  consciously. Get a feel for your well rounded character and don't end up leaning towards stereotypes. Even if they forget everything they wrote down, the process of writing it down should help them start to get to know Martin, or Ms. Fitweiler, or whoever they are. I probably won't remember you're favorite food, but our conversation in general would help me get to know you better. You know? I also asked them the difference between what their character thinks of themselves and what they think of their character. another thing to think about.
We brushed up/ran through the first part of the peice just to keep choices and blocking fresh. I gave them quick notes before they had to leave: "turn earlier and farther around," "let the idea stand you up," or "remember, that's a threat." I 100% need to work on stages for three sides of audience and not have them face out all the time. I need to wrok on articulation too. But there are some strong choices happening and I can't wait until we can finish the script! We're under a month away now. It's gonna go by fast!

Two Guns Rehearsal 4/18/13

Instead of working on the script, we did several acting exercises and theater games. We started off with ‘circle time’, which is basically just us talking to each other. Nothing theater related (necessarily), but just casual chat. It’s important to know the people I’m working with, especially because I’ve never really talked to them before. We chatted about colleges and such.

Then, Steve and Mariah showed me their monologues I had them do as homework last time. They were told to write 6-10 sentences to the other character at any point in the script. They won’t actually be used, but it helps with character development, and I want them to use what they learned through this process and apply it to their characters. Steve wrote about how he’s grown to actually like Megan, while Mariah took it a whole new way. Ironically, she wrote about how she secretly knew Ace and hated him for something he did in the past, but he doesn’t remember it. Interesting, huh? I’m having them switch monologues now and do it for we twice- once as their own character (saying the other character’s words- how can you justify your own character saying these words) and another time as the other person’s character (why do you think the other character would say this?).

Then, we played a game where I would point out one of their lines in the actual text and give them a specific direction and they would have to say the line. This exercise helped with creativity, taking direction, figuring out intention behind words, and how their character thinks/moves/acts.

I’ve decided how the stage is going to be set up! The table will be in the middle and they will circle around the table, so the entire audience can see. I will either have them sit down and then find a justification for their standing up, or I will have them stand the entire time and put in some hand switches so they don’t pass out on stage of arm soreness. We’ll work on all the blocking next time.

Until then…

Peaches, cream, and light purple sunflowers,

Sarah