Day TwelveLeaving The Trailhead Behind

CLASSES:
Movement: We did our dactyl presentation, and got some feedback. We had an intentional clutter and a turn taking bit. The clutter needs to be more specific so it makes sense, and the turns being harassed by the other players should not go through all five of us, as that gets way too predictable. We were just creating something, hadn't really thought about it as a presentation piece, more as an etude. Duh, acting intensive... (Not that we were ragged on or didn't do the same thing everyone else did.)

Speech: We started out with a quiz on points of articulation and articulators (100%). Then we did gibberish, which in this class means using English sounds for a make believe language. Exploring all the different combinations we could think of. Then on to Omnish, which uses all useful (used in a language) sounds available. I do much better at this than several years ago in an improv workshop, but it still needs work. The idea is to get our articulators moving and accustomed to uses which we aren't familiar for American English speakers. It won't hurt if I get more into improv at some point either.

Voice: We warmed up and paired off with partners to create a movement piece, with three parts, each showing an image from the text in some way. We were given image rich Shakespeare pieces to work with. Then we read the text. We presented, and we'll be refining the pieces and reading for next Sunday.

Acting: More coolness. We all did table work in order, so we got to work the whole of The Dumb Waiter. (God, I'd love to do this piece sometime, either role.) The script analysis and work from the other classes seems to be coming together in some mysterious way. From what I could see everybody started in a great place, then John took us a lot farther, often in different directions. Amazing. Working with a group like this is amazing. Pinter's piece is hysterical, with a sudden brutal end. I'm in love with the text and characters. It's like starting rehearsal with a good professional production. Everyone brings great stuff to the table, making the work so rewarding quickly.

Next class we need props and costume.

OBSERVATIONS/CLICKS:
Myself and the classmates I already knew have made some notable strides already. I've blogged about it already. The class, like yesterday's first read and working of the text starts at a place well beyond what I'm accustomed to, and a bit beyond the professional productions I've had the opportunity to work in or on. Of course in the professional productions there were people fully prepared, but not the entire cast.

When a certain amount of training/experience and preparation can be assumed a production can start at a completely different place and be shaped in an entirely different manner. Not only are you further down the path for preparation, there is more room for art. With an equally qualified director an amazing partnership results. My God, this is an amazing thought for me. How do I put it down on paper, so to speak? I'm getting a feeling for what is meant by exploration and it makes me giddy with anticipation and fright. Oh God, bring it on! Scare me so good!