Log #3

Day 8:

These last few days have been mainly centered around blocking and staging with Nadya. The lines are memorized and focusing on how and where to move has been most important thus far. The staging of both deaths have proved to be challenging. How to fall without making it awkward or unbelievable has been an obstacle. Running it with Nadya on the stage will help with this. We were complimented on our levels and purpose in our movements, this will be important to sustain.

Day 9:

Day nine Nadya and I ran lines together to work on finding intent and patterns. Finding the rhyme and and rhythm in our lines has given insight into what our characters are trying to say. The patterns show Romeo's feelings and with each beat I have been able to 'chunk out' each thought.  Finding where the lines end allows me to understand when Romeo must pause or begin a thought again. It pieces together each different emotion and gives me the chance to show change and development in my acting.

Day 10:

In my notes after a run through I was told to analyze the emotion deeper so that I could add layers and change. Rather than being the same type of sad the whole scene, I need to find contrast. I did this by again going through the lines and finding movement and different thoughts. By doing so I have seen parts where Romeo is somewhat happy in this scene or nostalgic, pieces I would not have found if I just read the lines once. I also noticed Romeo's desperation and grief which has played a strong role in my portrayal. This text analysis shows me how vital literature and script is in understanding characters. Acting is not only centered around the words, but understanding where the words derive from within the author and character, then the actor.

Day 11:

This was another day for finding minor details with Nadya. As scene partners we have looked for little things we can add and take out to make our scene the best it can be. We have gone through the lines and movements and feel confident in our choices. Having the lines memorized has been intricate in our success as now the scene move freely and we can be present on stage rather than staring at the paper. This has been immensely liberating as an actor to be able to focus on my presence on stage rather than my words.

Day 12:

Finally most of the work left is solidifying our staging. Now that our acting is ready for performance, we must bring our bodies, props and stage to the same level. Nadya and I have ran the scene several times focusing on our arms, faces and steps all to ensure a smooth visual portrayal of the characters. We also have discussed the differences between our two character's movements, such as the way they walk and speak. We did this by analyzing the content of their lines and the change they have both undergone as characters.