Drama, Monday, Period 2 [6/8]

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

"First of all, congratulations to those of you who auditioned for and were cast in the play," Sophie said, smiling at them over her coffee. "I expect all of you to work hard, and I look forward to acting with you, since I was cast as well. Secondly! A few no-no's I truly hope none you inflict on this production, or on any acting you do in the future. Because acting is a team sport as much as anything that takes place on a ball field."

"Upstaging. There are two ways to hog the limelight and ruin a play. One is to literally move upstage-- counter to whatever the director told you," Sophie did this on the stage, and pointed downstage toward the class. "While another actor is speaking, so that they have to face you and not the audience. Utterly unfair. If I catch anyone doing this, I will make you do the acting equivalent of sit-ups here in class."

Sophie gave the class an amused look. "Another form of upstaging is to distract the audience with extra movement or mugging while it's another actor's turn to be the center of attention. Cleaning, furniture-grabbing, fluffing one's hair at a dramatic moment for someone else; all unacceptable. Stepping on another's lines, interrupting them before they're done? Also unprofessional. You can be the greatest actor in the world and that kind of behavior will mean you are never cast a second time, or that you can very justifiably be fired. The best actors can make the act of listening into another part of the greater performance."

"Today, you get to be directors of scenes, as well as actors. Please break into the groups I've assigned."

[ooc on its way! up!]

Comments

Sign In

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

Low-key.

Re: Sign In

[chic-harper.livejournal.com]

Harper Finkle, who doesn't really do low-key

Re: Sign In

[ancientbschamp.livejournal.com]

Gabrielle, who could be low-key if she could learn to shut up sometimes

Re: Sign In

[likethestore.livejournal.com]

K-Mart

Listen during the lecture/chat/pass notes

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

Consider whether Sophie is working for Geoffrey. Or whether she'll grade you on your performance in the play.

Re: Listen during the lecture/chat/pass notes

[ancientbschamp.livejournal.com]

Was Sophie working for Geoffrey? Gabrielle had to wonder. She tended to wonder these things a lot.

She was chewing on a fingernail, expression intent, as she pondered this . . .

Re: Listen during the lecture/chat/pass notes

[17andinfected.livejournal.com]

Shilo was just happy that everyone's hormones seemed to be back in check, so she was taking careful notes.

Okay, she might have also been re-reading her monologue.

Emotion Option - WLIIA? Improv

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

Emotion Option (http://www.whoseline.net/show/trans/games.html#emotion)

The Scenes:
Improvise either:
Two people discussing laundry in a laundromat
Two people on a date
Two people trying to get waited on in a restaurant
Two people discussing their cars they just crashed together
Two people hiding from the cops.

The third person (you pick who) will call out the 'mood change' every couple lines, jumping in at random. (see above example)

The Groups: [Based on RNG]

Gabrielle
Harper
Emma

Sam
Shilo
Parker

Rachel
Savannah
Robin

Serena
Eric
Jill
K-Mart

Re: Emotion Option - WLIIA? Improv

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah was going over the options as this exercise seemed pretty cool.

Re: Emotion Option - WLIIA? Improv

[trigons_child]

Raven was relieved that the spell of lust that had gripped the school had subsided. Doors no longer had to be on their guard against molestation.

"Hello," she said to Savannah. "I am Rachel."

Re: Emotion Option - WLIIA? Improv

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah smiled at her. "I'm Savannah, nice to meet you."

Re: Emotion Option - WLIIA? Improv

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"So, who wants to shout the emotions out?"

Re: Emotion Option - WLIIA? Improv

[17andinfected.livejournal.com]

Shilo looked around for Sam, who she knew, and hoped that Parker would know who she was, while looking over the options.

Re: Emotion Option - WLIIA? Improv

[likethegun]

"Hey," Sam said belatedly, giving her a smile. "You look like you're doing a lot better this week."

Re: Emotion Option - WLIIA? Improv

[17andinfected.livejournal.com]

"Well, I wasn't a half hour late for starters," Shilo replied. "So yes, already... what's the term? Batting one thousand?"

Re: Emotion Option - WLIIA? Improv

[ancientbschamp.livejournal.com]

Oooh, improv. Gabrielle could do improv -- in a manner of speaking she did it all the time, though usually it was in a situation where someone could end up hurt or dead (or she'd end up with a knife to her throat again) if she messed up at the wrong moment.

She couldn't help wondering how well she'd do when she wasn't under that kind of pressure.

Strange.

Re: Emotion Option - WLIIA? Improv

[icecoldfrost]

Emma really was not in the mood for this, after this weekend, but she sat down with her group obligingly.

"I don't think I understand the assignment," she said slowly. "Aren't improvisation and direction fundamentally opposite ideas?"

Re: Emotion Option - WLIIA? Improv

[ancientbschamp.livejournal.com]

"Not necessarily," Gabrielle decided; if she thought about it, most of her life with Xena was improvisation, in a sense. "Think of it as taking the scenic route instead of the main road. You know there's somewhere you need to end up, but how you get there is up to you."

Talk to the TA

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

When she gets in!

Re: Talk to the TA

[abetterthief.livejournal.com]

Parker was there. Had to earn her pay after all.

Talk to Sophie

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

About the play, about the exercises, about anything.

Re: Talk to Sophie

[17andinfected.livejournal.com]

Shilo went over, holding a piece of paper (http://www.actorpoint.com/free_monologues/t3.html).

"The transcript of my monologue," she explained, moving to hand it to Sophie. "I can do it right now."

Re: Talk to Sophie

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

"Thank you, Shilo," Sophie said, pleased. "Begin whenever you feel ready."

Re: Talk to Sophie

[17andinfected.livejournal.com]

Shilo began reciting, obviously having put some thought and time into the characterization and the meaning of the piece she'd picked. Her voice shook a little from nerves, and she had to pause a few times to remember where she was, but other than that it was a fairly well-done piece that seemed to resonate with her.

OOC

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

Around today!

Asking her how her weekend went won't get you Detention, but it won't get you answers, either. Unless you choose to *really* push it.