TPP4221

Wednesday/Thursday:

Okay folks...we're finishing up a great first week! You are an excellent group and I'm looking forward to the rest of the class.

Now my INTENTION is not to intimidate you, but to encourage you to embrace the stuff we've been working on. The TACTIC I'm using is to let you know that the assessments will be a little more direct and the expectations will increase.

In other words, since we've been using the breath to get ourselves to relax, be more open and communicate more clearly, I expect to see this as you work with your scenes next week.

Have a very fun and reasonably safe holiday!

(And don't forget to read Chapter Two)

Chris

Wednesday, July 6:

Remember, everyone...this is a participatory class. This means that attendance (and promptness) is very important. It also means we must participate 100%. Some of the physical exercises (Laban, breath) are starting to become self-conscious and unfocused. It has started to affect your daily grades.

As a whole, your work has been good. As we work with these scenes, the mor eyou commit to rehearsing outside of class, the better the projects will be.

Remember the assignment for Monday July 11th. A "stream of consciousness" monologue using one of Laban's Effort-shapes. They are as follows:

TimeWeightEnergyEFFORT/SHAPE

_____________________________________________

Quick ---------------------- Strong ------------------------ Direct ------------------ Punch

Sustained----------------- Strong ------------------------ Direct ------------------ Press

Quick----------------------- Light --------------------------- Direct ------------------ Dab

Sustained----------------- Light --------------------------- Direct ------------------ Glide

Quick -------------------- Strong -------------------------- Indirect ---------------- Slash

Sustained---------------- Strong -------------------------- Indirect ---------------- Wring

Quick ---------------------- Light ---------------------------- Indirect ---------------- Flick

Sustained ---------------- Light ---------------------------- Indirect ---------------- Float

Monday, July 11:

Another reminder -- this is a participatory class. Absence and lateness strongly and adversely affect your grade .

You should continue to rehearse your scenes with your partner outside of class. You will perform them again on WEDNESDAY, JULY 13TH, with the idea that you have worked on the elements discussed in class.

By now, you all should have read through Chapter 4 in the text, be able to work on and be prepared to discuss:

GIVEN CIRCUMASTANCES, INTENTION, OBSTACLE, TACTICS, RELATIONSHIP and EMOTION, THE MAGIC "IF", STAKES, STATUS, and BEAT (in the analysis of a scene).

if you feel uncertain about any of these terms, refer back to your text.

Chris

Tuesday, July 19:

Today's class -- Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about! Of course your scenes will all develop into different levels of energy and emotion, but all will still need at least this amount of focus, commitment and sense of relationship in order to be successful. This work was much more productive than the previous day's chaos.

One more word about that -- a great deal has been written about acting exercises and the spirit with which participation is most helpful. A great term for productive participation is "serious fun". It is necessary to have a sense of play and fun while you rehearse / participate in class, but also to maintain a sense of the goal -- to improve the scene work or classroom exercise.

I'm looking forward to the next showing of scenes on Wednesday.

Chris

Thursday, August 4:

Thank you all for your hard work. I am very much looking forward to seeing the scenes tomorrow.

The grade books are posted with the grades up until the final exam, final scene, and review.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this class, and am excited about the progress everyone has made. Best of luck to you all!

Chris