Basic Acting, Fourth Period, Tuesday

[actingreaper]

Daisy's classroom was set up with several couches arranged in a semi-circle facing a podium and a cleared area for staging any scenes. A comfortable looking leather chair was placed to one side of the cleared area -- this was Daisy's director's chair. Those folding things were for weenies. She sat here as the students entered, sipping a glass of carrot juice.

When everyone had gathered, she got started. "Hi. I'm Daisy Adair and this is Basic Acting. If you're in the wrong room, out with it now, or just decide to be an actor, already. First thing's first, role call. Please state your full name, including any middle name or nickname, then tell us your favorite actor or actress, and why you chose this class."

She went on to pass out the syllabus. "As you can see, we'll have a full period's worth of activity every week, so please try to be on time. If you can't make it to class, it's up to you to contact me or another student and find out what you missed. If you miss more than one class, you'd better have a really good reason. For the monologue and scene requirements, I'll be bringing texts in to each class and have them available in my office, which will be open on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. You're welcome to look around on your own for material, as well, as long as you let me know where you're getting it. Hell, even write it yourself. Again, just let me know."

"We'll start off easy for our first class. What is acting? Why do we act? Is it just on stage, or do we do it elsewhere? And I don't mean just movies. Thoughts? Questions? Concerns?"

[ooc: the links provided in Daisy's first office hours will be posted in her profile at my first opportunity. They're weblinks of monologues and scenes, but like Daisy said, feel free to write or find your own, or handwave it if you need to. I'd love to see what you can find, though.]

Comments

Sign In and introduce yourself

[actingreaper]

Full name, including middle, and any nickname, favorite actor or actress, why you're in the class.

I promise, after this the sign in thread will be basic.

Re: Sign In and introduce yourself

[singasoloduet.livejournal.com]

Agnes Nitt, aka Perdita X Dream aka Perdita X Nitt

No favorite.

Because sometimes, you need to be able to lie and look completely convincing.

Re: Sign In and introduce yourself

[greenmagebriar.livejournal.com]

Briar Moss. No favorite. Because acting can help you lie better.

Re: Sign In and introduce yourself

[swerval_zero]

Skank Zero Hopeless-Savage. Nicknames include Skankabelle, Zee, Zed, Wee Skanky Zero, Lavender.

Favorite actor: Johnny Depp

I'm planning a career in film.

Class discussion

[actingreaper]

To be or--wait, that isn't the question. . . .

What is acting? Why do we act? Why do we ask why do we act?

Mysteries abound.

Re: Class discussion

[singasoloduet.livejournal.com]

"We definitely do it more places than on the stage," Agnes said. "We're always acting, putting up appearances and pretending we're other people or feeling differently than we really are."

She might have been remembering an old woman and a cup of something that only pretended to be tea.

Re: Class discussion

[actingreaper]

"That's good, Agnes. But why do we do that?"

Re: Class discussion

[singasoloduet.livejournal.com]

"To get what we want."

Re: Class discussion

[greenmagebriar.livejournal.com]

"Acting is pretending to be someone we're not so basically it's something everyone does on a daily basis."

Re: Class discussion

[actingreaper]

"My, aren't we a cynical bunch. But why do we have plays? If we're all going around acting all the time, anyway?"

Re: Class discussion

[swerval_zero]

"Acting is pretending to be something you're not. You can do it in the real world to get something you want or fool someone, or you can do it in a fake world--plays and film and stuff--and that's entertainment. Or it's s'poseta teach you about the human condition or sumfin," Zero added as an afterthought.

Re: Class discussion

[actingreaper]

"Why is it entertaining to watch someone pretend to be someone else? Or, for that matter, how does doing so teach us about the human condition?"

Re: Class discussion

[chasingangela]

"Acting is pretending to be something we aren't," Angela said. "Some people do it more than others. I'm kind of bad at hiding how I feel, so..."

Re: Class discussion

[actingreaper]

"But why do people do it? What makes people want, or need, to act?"

Re: Class discussion

[2-twin-devils-2.livejournal.com]

"Acting is what people do everyday to cover up what they're really feeling inside. It's all about appearance and presentation." Kaoru answers first.

Re: Class discussion

[actingreaper]

"Why do people act, then?"

Re: Class discussion

[ihatedenmark.livejournal.com]

Hamlet finds the first part of that to be oddly familiar.

"Acting is both a well of telling stories to others, and of exploring inner truths in ourselves and others through those tales."

Re: Class discussion

[actingreaper]

"Interesting observation, Hamlet. But how does it reveal those inner truths?"

Re: Class discussion

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

"Acting is getting to be someone you're not in real life," John says. "And we act because it's fun to be someone else for a short while. It's fun to be a pirate or an astronaut or a cowboy. Broadens horizons in a way."

Re: Class discussion

[actingreaper]

"Why is that fun?"

Re: Class discussion

[sakuracchyan.livejournal.com]

After listening to what everyone else had to say, Sakura decides she should probably toss in her two sents. "...I think I agree with the twins and mister..." she trailed off, gesturing politely to Briar, though she couldn't remember his name. "Acting is, on a daily basis, something people to do please others, or perhaps to please themselves. On a stage, I see acting as an enjoyable past-time that allows one's imagination to run wild."

Talk to Daisy

[actingreaper]

Any questions for your teacher? Any offers of TA-ing so we can have it all set up ICly as well as OOCly? Concerns?

Re: Talk to Daisy

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

After class, John hangs around to ask one specific question. "Can I bother you for a minute?"

Re: Talk to Daisy

[actingreaper]

"You already are, kid. What's on your mind?"

OOC

[actingreaper]

Yar!