Always Off Book

Personal Link

2008-05-13T15:03:00.002-04:00

I have always said that this blog was about acting, but because I own it and run it, i reserved the right to mention a few of topic things now and then. Here is another.

I recently formalized a side income that I have partaken in for years. I do some ghostwriting on the side sometimes, and finally decided to set up a simple, pre-school level website to advertise those services.

You can find it at www.invisaquills.webs.com. Take a look, and feel free to send anybody my way that may have need for such services. (Though I don't take credit cards, I do take money orders.)

I am also adding the link to my link section over to the left.

Cinema Mode, and 300th Post!

2008-05-10T15:28:00.003-04:00

An interesting topic to address with this, my 300th post on Always Off Book. My latest audition. For a movie!

I mentioned this a few weeks ago. Some local indy filmmakers will be shooting a science fiction movie in October, and were holding a casting call today at a local community college. It was at 9:00AM, and I opted to go today, because I thought there would be fewer people competing for attention that early in the morning.

I seem to have been correct, as I was the only one there. (Though I have no idea how heavy turn out was for their previous three audition dates, and I didn't ask.)

By their own admission, they did not have many sides for people to read for an audition. But what they did have was interesting to say the least.

The plot is still hazy, but I did gather it involved an elite fight force of some kind, who are framed for a crime they did not commit. It also involves interplanetary intrigue, and a recently installed evil dictator.

I read for one of the members of said fighting force, and for the evil leader. I had fun with this read. I read him pretty straight at first, which they liked, but they then had another suggestion for a way to read him. They told me they were thinking of having him be quasi-inept in his role as leader. An almost comical role for the film. The one director pointed towards Mel Brooks' President Screwb from Spaceballs as a reference. While I of course didn't impersonate Brooks, that did give me a great sense of what they were thinking about. So I read it again comically.

They seemed to enjoy my read, and said they would call me in the future. (I am not sure when, they do not start filming until October.)

I have to say, I have never read any script quite like it before. The notion of playing the (perhaps) over the top sci-fi villain is quite intriguing. Particularly if there is a chance for some light comedy. It was, at any rate, fun to read for the part, and I told them so when I left.

And the whole experience was genuinely fun. They seemed quite pleased to have me show up this morning.

A few hours after I got home, I had an email from one of the directors. Last night I had sent them an email with my head shot, as I had no way to print one in so little time. (I tried.) The acknowledged receipt of same, and mentioned that they "enjoyed" my reading this morning. So, perhaps that is a good sign.

It depends of course on how many other people tried out, what they offered, and what they are looking for, as with any project. But, there are 10 speaking roles for males, as well as a crowd scene at some point, requiring walk ons. While I assume nothing, I feel cautiously optimistic that with those odds, and with them having enjoyed my read, I would be able to secure at least one of the walk on parts. No guarantees of course, and I am aware of that. Still, some good signs, I feel.

If I do get into this thing, it will no doubt be a very different acting experience from the norm for me, for a number of reasons. One big reason I tried out for it...the potential for variety.

As soon as I hear anything, I will of course report it here on the blog.

I am also pondering trying out for this year's "New Voice Play Festival" in a couple of weeks at the Old Opera House. I have been in the last 4, and always enjoy myself. I feel they may not have as much room for young men roles this year, but we will cross that bridge when we get to it.

Happy Debut Day

2008-04-22T00:31:00.002-04:00

Ok so in general I do not make a huge fuss about this, but I have though tin the future I might make it sort of a small party day. Like a minor feast day for me and any friends that wanted to come. It is debut day. In other words, 8 years ago this very night, I opened in my very first show, ever. "Sorry, Wrong Number". I student directed one act at Marietta College. I have spoken about that experience previously on the blog. You can find a more detailed description of it here.

I do like to think about it now and again though, as April rolls around each year. I haven't opened a show on April 21st ever since, but I would like to. What a symbolic party that would be.

In other news I also learned that the movie I am trying out for in May is to be sci-fi. Yes, i thought about it, and I am going to try out anyway. =)

Something New?

2008-04-18T14:49:00.003-04:00

Perhaps.

I was walking downtown the other day and saw a poster for an open casting call. A local independent film, to be filmed in the fall of this year. I have done some film before. A little bit. I decided to get more information.

I did that an hour or so ago. No pay. Student picture. Didn't really ask what it was about. Looking for extras, but also about 9 men my age. Production meetings throughout the summer.

It's not theatre, but it is acting, if I were to get a part. Even a small one. And it will be a network building thing, plus it would in theory expose me to other actor types.

Even being an extra would be something interesting to do.

Casting call is on May 9th and May 10th.

They said to "bring whatever you want", so that would include a resume. I doubt I will be able to pay for professional headshots by then, but I might make some of my own. Maybe. Or have a friend help me out with them. Any advice, loyal blog readers?

I will keep you all posted on this endeavor.

I am also slowly investigated community theatres that are further away from home than what I am used to. (And the ones I am used to are sometimes an hour long commute!) But I think it is time to try to infuse my acting with new talent, new faces, different scripts and different locations. Not that some crossover is impossible, but the theatres in which I do alot of my work are getting a tad stale and clicky lately. Hoping to still keep in touch with those places, but having more than one theatre front is a good thing.

If anyone knows of good theatres to look into near Frederick, Maryland, let me know. (But please, do not even bother with those jackasses at the Way Off Broadway Dinner Theater in Frederick. If you read this blog you know why they are not worth my time.)

Book

2008-03-29T22:47:00.002-04:00

As a belated birthday gift, my mother purchased for me The Actor's Book of Contemporary Stage Monologues.

I have not had a chance to look through it much, but from what I can tell, there is all kinds of material there.

It will hopefully encourage me to add a few more monologues to my repertoire. Granted, most of the theatres I have auditioned for locally have not required prepared pieces. But if I ever go anywhere else, or decide to give the semi-pro thing a try, it's really a good idea to have a few on the top of one's head, when needed.

Plus, working on some of them will be good memorization practice, as well as brief characterization work. Both are beneficial to the actor without a play at any given moment.

My old acting professor used to say he preferred that students read the whole play from which a monologue they were performing came from. That it is the best way to understand the motivations or a particular speech. I suppose it is the BEST way, and nothing is stopping me from reading all 150 plays from which this collection is culled. But, I think there is still benefit to be gleaned from working with monologues even from shows I have not read completely.

I look forward to delving into this one.

Ghosts

2008-03-23T01:22:00.002-04:00

For no particular reason, I just went to my alma mater's theatre website site. I have not been to it EVER until today, but in the FAQ section, what do I chance to find?

Why, a picture of none other than yours truly, on stage as Doc O'Connor in "The Laramie Project". This would place the picture in November of 2002.

For all I know, there is a different picture on each page of the site every day. Or it could have been there for years. (I am not complaining, I was always aware publicity shots were being taken when I was on stage.) It was just highly humorous to find myself there, on the first visit I ever made to the site.

If you are interested to see if it is still there by the time you read this, it can be found here.

I cannot help but wonder about the irony...not just of me happening on the site after all these years tonight. But of me being the picture that graces the "frequently asked questions" page. Intentionally or not, I am probably one of the students who asked the most during my acting experiences there.Not all of them were of the highest caliber I am sure, but I smile at the notion of it today.

The Rules Are Mine

2008-03-22T22:35:00.002-04:00

When you keep a blog, you are going to, without fail, get nasty words from someone. I have, and of course I have no desire to publish them. I will not. The only thing I will say is that short of breaking the law, or calling for the breaking of the law, I have EVERY right to say, write, and express whatever it is that I desire to express on the topic of theatre.

I will also point out that those of you not satisfied with my opinions need not read.

Finally, my comments, as harsh as they are to accept, (probably because they hit very close to home for some), have my name attached directly to them, in direct contrast to the nasty commentary and accusations I received from "Anonymous".

So, "Anonymous", if you think I have no reason to conclude what I conclude in any of my posts, and would chalk it all up to my personal biases, as you say, I encourage you to put your name to your baseless complaints. Otherwise, go back to whatever two bit performance day dream you crawled out of when you insulted me.

More on Kissing...

2008-03-15T12:12:00.002-04:00

Once again, someone was kind enough to leave comments on my "Kiss is Just a Kiss" post.

I want to say to "anonymous", that I understand that concerns that you are having. I was somewhat lucky in "Baby" back then, because I was on friendly terms with the actress whom i would have to kiss.

Your comments actually bring up another interesting point that I had not considered all this time...I think it is somewhat more difficult for the actor who must engage the kiss, than it is for the person being kissed. My first stage kiss, and indeed, 90% of the kisses in that first kissing play I was in, were initiated by the female character. I was merely the recipient. Ice has to br broken for both parties of course, but in your case, I can see how the person who has to b the more assertive character might have a more awkward first stage kiss experience.

I myself, if you want my view, "anonymous", would not worry much about whether he finds your kiss so unpleasant as to want the play to be over quickly. As silly as this sounds, if he is trying to assess how "good" or pleasant the kiss is from his own personal perspective, than he is not exactly on target with where he ought to be in the play. His job should be on making things look convincing, bring his character to life, and moving the scene forward.; The kiss being another part of that. I know this will not allay your discomfort totally, but try to think of it as another bit of blocking...and if he cannot, than it is not your fault that things are awkward as you rehearse.

Thanks for stopping by the blog, and I hope you come again!

"We've Reached the End of It...."

2008-03-02T23:16:00.004-05:00

A quotation from my former character, Geoffrey, and as good a title as any for this last entry about the last day of "The Lion in Winter".

The first thing I have to say is that I was most comfortable and proud of my performance tonight, out of all the rehearsals and performances. On a closing matinée to turn in your best performance. Go figure.

But then again, the whole show was arguably at it's best today. Great energy, snappy line deliveries. The crowd was decent sized, and responsive. Not sure if they were as responsive as last night, but, as is often the case, with matinee crowds, they laughed less, but some of the things they laughed at were different than what other crowds laughed at. So it is almost worth the trade off.

For example, I could finally hear laughter for my favorite line, and the best line in the whole play, which I had the pleasure of delivering....

"I know. You know I know. I know you know I know. We know Henry knows, and Henry knows we know it. We a knowledgeable family."

I am told other crowds laughed, but other than my mother, tonight was the only time I actually heard anyone do so. There was a discussion as to what may have been different, other than the crowd tonight. I delivered somewhat faster, with a slightly different rhythm, for one. And, as often is the case in a final show, when one feels a bit freer, I added a bit of something...I slapped Richard on the shoulder as I walked passed delivering the last part of the line.

Whether for these reasons, or others, they laughed. Bulls eye.

Not that this was be any means the only time there was some last day add-libbing. Not of lines, but of motions, expressions, pitch, movements, etc. Even from backstage I could tell my cast mates were playing around a bit more with someone of their lines...with an improvement just about everytime. (Why oh why do shows always peak when they are over??? Is it the extra freedom of the closing day? Or the exact amount of practice to performing tends to hit a ratio than peaks the show at that time, for a community theatre? A mystery I have never solved...how I have longed for a third weekend sometimes!)

Not all improvisations were intended to improve things. Sometimes, things had to be done to correct something. To give myself some credit, I think I pulled off one of the smoothest, most naturally motivated corrections of my career.

One day a few weeks ago, "John" improvised a moment, wherein he stood up on a chair, a delivered a line..(I'm king again!). Everyone loved it and we kept it.

But in performances, somehow the chair always got pushed under the table, making the move impossible. People wracked their brain to figure out what went on.

So as I was going out today for that scene...I was warned not to push the chair in too far, when I walked passed it. I made sure..but moments later, our "Eleanor" walked right passed it and pushed it in. The mystery was solved! But still no chair to stand on.

Then it hit me. In the previous part of the scene, Henry had left documents on the table. Glances over, I simply walked behind all the action, picked up the documents to peruse them, while ever so slowly pulling the chair out from under the table. (Henry and Richard and tearing each other up, meanwhile, center stage.) When it was out far enough, I put the papers down, and returned to my place...most people none the wiser. John did his move, and the scene ended. I was met with exuberant techies, who applauded my ingenuity.

I am proud, myself. You always want things to go perfect...but sometimes it is when things go wrong, and one must correct them, that one can truly test one's skills as an actor. It was by no means a huge deal...but to see a problem, solve it, and go back to the status quo, while creating believable motivation to do so..in front of a live audience...it's exciting, and rewarding, when it works. Praise the theatre god, today it worked.

In other avenues, I found my minimalist accent was more pronounced and natural tonight. I never really worked on one in any great detail. A few words, suggesting something other than America was all I was really going for. But today it seemed to flow into more words, and come easier.

And so The Lion in Winter has given it's final roar. At least in this form. I shall miss it, more than most shows, as of course this was a dream role for me. I would do it again for another company next week if I was asked. I cannot say that for all shows I am in. Sometimes, once is enough. But this show, I could do again, and probably again. It's one of those shows for me.

I will especially miss my "vulnerable" scene with Eleanor. I have talked about it here before. Short, but rewarding part of the play for me. I will also miss the final scene, when the boys try to escape, and speak of killing Henry. Playing with the knives, telling "Mummy" to go to hell, after finally having enough of her antics. Having Henry toss me a knife from across the stage, daring me to attack him. (A knife, which I would like to point out for the record, I never dropped from day one in rehearsal or performance.) Such an intense scene, in a role where I was not usually that outwardly intense. Always winded and exhilarated at the end of it. "Gorgeous".

I will mis many other things as well. Those just stand out most.

I will not miss standing behind a curtain, unable to move for a half an hour. I will not miss the taste of tepid Shepherdstown tap water out of a silver goblet. I will not mis having no bathrooms backstage. But when you get down to it, that is not a lot to complain about for the chance to be in one of one's favorite shows.

I rose to the challenge that is Geoff, and the satisfaction of performing a dream role well is one I will not spoil with endless discussion. Suffice to say, in the end, though short, this run was very rewarding for me as an actor.

So my thanks to my director, the cast, and the crew of Full Circle Theater Company's "The Lion in Winter"...for making a dream role real, and letting me help to build even more onto this brand new company.

Now, that there is no chance of influence on me, I am going to go watch my favorite movie..."

"My barge is leaving, and I don't want to miss the tide...."

About Last Night....

2008-03-02T10:25:00.004-05:00

It was, hands down, our best overall performance of the show! Tiny snags, of course, but for me, and for several others in the cast, it was a very memorable evening.

The audience played a large part. They were slightly larger than our last two audiences, and were without doubt, more responsive. (Though "Eleanor" and I were commenting afterwards how funny it is that a responsive audiences can sometimes laugh at things you never expect, while at the same time giving you nothing at moments you think are going to kill such an audience.) Unlike most of the people in the first two audience, this one continues to find things to laugh at right up until the end. The other two, as a unit, sort of petered out halfway through act 2, by and large. This one was still getting some of the jokes, and was willing to laugh at them, in the final ten minutes.

It seems to be a more biting crowd. Perhaps I should say, they were more willing to laugh at some of the biting, nasty moments in the play. Those razor sharp, quick moments of invective really hit this audience. The result not always being uproarious laughter, but sustained, muffled sneering guffaws of some sort. No doubt at all a reaction...just one I do not commonly hear, though this is the sort of play that gives opportunity for such "evil laughter", for lack of a better term.

As always, this sort of energy from the audience led to more energy on stage, which in turn led to new things showing up in the performances. While I was in a scene with John that was going well, I suddenly realized that at some point in the play, just about every other "family" member slaps him on the cheek when saying something to him. I did not have a moment in the play where I had done that before. So, at my first chance, I threw it in. It worked well, I sensed the crowd enjoyed it, and "John" later told me it was a good decision.

Not that I was the only one to do things a bit different in the John/Geoffrey interactions. John, at one point, is upset at Geoffrey. The actor usually pokes me during that speech, but this time sort of planted his fist rather firmly into my stomach. Not enough to wind me or anything, though I did have to swallow hard for a moment, and my stomach stung a bit afterwards. "John" must have sense it was too hard, because he apologized after the scene was over.

Then in the very next scene, as my stomach is still recovering, "John" pokes his finger, you guessed it, right into the center of my stomach. Not as bad that time, but still tender. More amusing than painful, we both laughed about it later. My stomach has always been a sensitive organ...

But moments like those, for better or worse, (almost always better) showed up in spades last night, I thought. In line deliveries if nothing else. Just the extra something that all stage actors know about. That extra character I am always referring to here on the blog. It was, for the most part, present last night.

Everyone gets better each night, and last night was the moment I think we really hit the tempo and rhythm of the piece. (Of course, on our second to last run of the show, as "Henry" pointed out afterwards.) I think, despite the struggle involved in such a schedule, those community theatres that do more than two weekends, (Or in the case of Muzak Box, do shows throughout a week) do have a better chance of having more spot on performances like we had last night, because of the sheer repetition of the thing. No doubt it's a different way of doing things that has it's own flaws. But I would be interested to try it at some point. Too many of my shows peak at the last minute.

But better to have one great night show up late, then to never have it show up. Plus we have one more show today. Matinee, yes, but I get the feeling lots of the people who wanted to come but could not so far might try to show up today, which will give us a large crowd, numbers wise. How responsive they will be...who knows?

Pondering...

2008-03-01T13:14:00.002-05:00

At the deepest part of me...or at least at the part of me that does this...I am convinced you cannot act in a vacuum. More accurately, I am convinced nobody wants to act in a vacuum. And it is no sort of treason to say that true excellence in this endeavor of theatre cannot be achieved in a vacuum.

And if professional actors say otherwise, I feel emboldened enough to say I think they are full of sh*t.

Acting is not meant for a vacuum. I stand by that.

The Final Rehearsal

2008-02-29T13:17:00.003-05:00

When you think about it, that's what a pick up rehearsal is. At least when you are just doing a two weekend show. Believe it or not, I never really thought of a pick-up in that light before. I guess usually it is just a rest stop between weekends...often times a sort of exciting time, as I head into the second weekend of a show after a break.

This time, it just seemed like a final rehearsal.

But then again the pick-up rehearsal is always a bit of a strange creature to me. Some plays have them. Some do not. I think all should, on the community level. One show I was in had half of one, skipping all of my action, and I did in fact feel cheated. That was because the rest of the cast did was is often the temptation to do...turned the rehearsal into a farce.

I am not certain when this tradition came about, or why it did. I can see, perhaps, the thought behind it. "We have already successfully performed the show one whole weekend, so we have it. There is no need to be tense now. We can kick back a bit, and enjoy ourselves for a change at a rehearsal."

This is not without merit. And I do think that a pick-up should be more light hearted, in most cases than a tech week rehearsal, it should not be out of control either.

The fact remain, however, that most directors I have worked for have insisted on a totally straight up pick-up rehearsal. That is what happened last night, though, like most "serious" pick-ups, there were moments of levity during the performances. Probably about as much as could be handled. Maybe a little more was possible.

All that aside, it is still a strange feeling. Having gotten over tech week, and the concerns of an opening night and weekend. Then having had nothing to do with the show for several days. Then, to return, and do the show again. Sometimes it feels like a half-asleep/half-awake dream; the goal of the rehearsal is still there, but the anticipation, pressure, stress and calculation is not. As though we were all putting on a play about a bunch of people rehearsing. (This touch of surrealism is what I think contributes to the goof off versions of pick ups.)

Ours was made extra weird by the fact we had none of our props or furniture. In most cases, you use the same set and props. But due to logistics, we could not. Which is fine, we did not really need them at this point. But, being totally off book, with block and lines, and having performed the show twice, it was weird to be that far along, and using just folding chairs in the chapel to represent all of the furniture. As though we had all gone back in time 6 weeks, and replaced our "early production" selves, but forgot to bring our stuff.

The pick-up rehearsal...

As for the actual work done, it was productive, weirdness aside. Each character, said the director, had "new moments" they brought to the rehearsal. Extra glances, different line deliveries. Keener insights into speeches. I myself felt a few places, (maybe two or three) where I felt open to something different. The pressure being off, I suppose, and the 5 days break allowed more muses to come into play, I would gather. One of the upsides to the oddness of the pick-up.

"Alais" came to me afterwards. She decided, for her own sake, to add a bit of back story between my character (Geoff) and her own. To give her something to work on, or play around with mentally when she has less to do up front.

I agreed to this.

Indeed, Alais does have some intense scenes center stage, which are often followed by long periods of saying nothing. I can understand why the actress would want something to play with. I am lucky, in that regard. Geoff is often in the background, but I know why he is; Geoff is always processing the data that is coming in. Always gathering information, processing in, making use of what he can, and discarding the rest. Planning. Configuring. As Henry describes him he's not flesh but "A device, with wheels, and gears". When I spend so much time in the background with nothing to say, I have the benefit of spinning those gears, inwardly. Hopefully that shows, outwardly, should someone choose to watch me during one of those scenes.

Exactly what kind of history "Alais" has in mind, I know not. I will ask her on Saturday. Perhaps. Maybe it would be more organic if I did not. I will ponder the notion.

Two more performances. Then I am without a show again, and I must begin looking for the next theatrical adventure. Nothing jumps out at me. The Old Opera House not only has set some policy changes that I find uncomfortable, but the next show is "Bye,Bye, Birdie"...something I have no interest in. I have no idea what other area theatres are doing.

But first things first. Another reminder for any loyal blog readers that are nearby to come see me in "The Lion in Winter". The link for the Full Circle Theater Company is in my links section. Go there for info.

The Second Go

2008-02-24T19:22:00.002-05:00

In some ways opening, as well as it went, felt like a final dress rehearsal. I am very proud of what we did, and the audience enjoyed it. But there was still that feeling of "not quite".

Today was in some ways like our first rehearsal. At least the first one for which we felt totally prepared, I dare say. For this reason, there were fewer missed lines, smoother tech transitions, and by and large, good performances. I would say overall the energy was marginally higher than last night's, in some places.

From a production and performing stand point, we did quite well. Perhaps our best run though of the show. For this I am proud, as are the others, I would imagine.

Sadly, the audience, though of comparable size to last night, was not as responsive. They laughed, but not as much. So the whole package was not as satisfying as it might have been.

I know. A job well done should be it's own reward for an actor. And it is. We all should, strictly speaking, feel just as good about a show in front of an empty room as we do with a full house. Such is the way of professionals, right?

Let's get real.

Yes, an actor should always give his best, regardless of the audience. But practically speaking, even Broadway actors are just people. Even those who do this for a living like to be acknowledged. To that end, being human, we all want a happy, responsive crowd. We want tears for our dramas, and laughs for our comedies, and enthusiastic applause at the end of anything. It's not a crime, I say, even if, in the end, we want to be as good regardless of the audience, we know that a little part of us improves every time someone laughs or claps. And I feel know shame in saying that the audience is the extra character...without which, a show is never 100%. No matter what the Equity people may say.

So, we are in fact proud of our performance tonight. I felt good, and the director said she was pleased. Mission accomplished, but I hope for a more responsive crowd next week.

Does not have to be huge, though that is its own reward. But better a responsive group of 30, than a silent group of 200. I have felt that throughout my whole career and still do.

We have some word of mouth going for us, so we shall see.

Pick up rehearsal on Thursday. Until then, a break of several days.

Opening Night

2008-02-24T01:57:00.002-05:00

Well, there you have it! We have opened the show, and I have nary a complaint about it!

I think the crowd was 25-30 people. Not bad for a new company still finding its way. I have been advertising it to everyone i know, and a few people I do not. Including here. The reviews are in, and we did great, so tell your friends, and come see this show!

There were some rusty patches. But very small ones. Some line drops that were covered instantly. A few lines flubs, including my own. Nothing that the audience would have noticed, I think, but I still felt silly having messed it up.

Despite the smallness of the crowd, there clearly were laughing in several parts. Not all the ones I would have expected, but as a counter, they laughed at some thinks rather heartily that I did not think they would.

Also, the show got better as the night wore on. Later scenes having more energy than earlier ones, until the final scene, in my view, was dead on where we wanted it to be. "Eleanor" mentioned that she felt the energy ebbed and flowed throughout the night, but did concur that the final scene was very high on energy and drama.

I suppose if you get one scene to stand out, it is nice to have it be the final, and climactic scene in the play.

I like it for other reasons. For me, I play Geoff as cold, calculating, and usually in complete control for 95% of the play. But in the final scene, based on a choice I made, I get the opportunity to have what I call a "Richard" moment. In other words, to be quite passionate, and loud. It is the only time in the play I really do this, and I think it is made all the more powerful by how it contrasts to the quietness I bring to the rest of the play.

It was intense to me as well. It always is, but I felt that she and I, along with some of the others, were playing off of each other so well that I could...in my own parlance..."fell it in my face". Sometimes when a certain moment or part is of a high enough level of intensity, my face gets washed in a sort of almost tingling, partially burning sensation. Physiologically I imagine it is because there is more blood going to my face at that moment. But it is brought about by those moments of intensity you hope for in drama. Moment that never quite show up just from yelling alone...but from yelling mixed with the correct atmosphere.

Tonight was such an atmosphere. And the best part is, coming down from that sensation is also a useful sensation in many contexts. As it was tonight in the final scene.

It is a little weird, the venue. We have no access to bathroom the whole time, and back stage space is minimal. And we have to be extra quiet as we walk and communicate. But much more room to be private and spread out than we had in the chapel for the last show we did. ("We" meaning this company.) So you take the good with the bad, as usual.

More good than bad tonight, and I hope it continues to be so.

The Lion in Winter Opening

2008-02-23T10:55:00.002-05:00

Today is it. We open "The Lion in Winter" at 8pm tonight.

But there is still much work to be done...as I need to be over to the venue as early as 3pm or so, to help movie props and furniture from the practice hall, to the actual theatre. After that we are doing a complete rehearsal of the show before we perform it. I have never done that before, so it should be interesting. Hopefully it will not sap our energy.

Not much to add to that...so I suppose I will be blogging about the day's events this evening when I get home. I will say I personally feel ready to do my part tonight. However it all goes, in regards to quality, attendance and impact, is in the hands of the Divine by and large now.

So Much to Say, Part 3

2008-02-22T12:10:00.002-05:00

This third and final installment today is in response to a question asked of me by this fellow blogger.

He had a question about a very old post of mine, involving stage kissing. (In under a month, two people have left comments on posts from way back at the beginning of the blog. I love it.) The post he is referring to is this one.

In that post, I gave some tips on how to perform a stage kiss. D'Balz asked me how a director might interfere with a successful stage kiss. An interesting question indeed.

In my opinion, a director can be detrimental to a stage kiss when they try to over orchestrate the thing. Yes, in certain circumstances, a script may require a kiss to be choreographed step by step down tot he last minute detail. It happens. But overall, i think directions should be as broad and general as possible when directing an actual kiss, (as in lips actually contacting one another, as opposed to masking tricks which only LOOK like kisses.) It must evolve naturally. Though a director sometimes thinks they can and should micro-manage every last aspect of a performance, frequent readers of this blog know that I do not subscribe to that notion. Ergo, a kiss can look worse if a director forces it to go in a way he wants, as opposed to the way the two performers are comfortable. If the script calls for a kiss at a certain moment, than of course, it should occur at that moment. But a good director, who really wants things to look natural, will take his cues from the two performers in regards to the moments leading up to the kiss. Otherwise, it invites the worst kind of awkwardness.

That's my most detailed answer, I would say.

I think that a director can also indirectly be detrimental to a stage kiss, if they do not make certain to silence of of the hooting and snickering that is likely to take place among a cast on the community level, the first few times a kiss is rehearsed. Regardless of how seasoned performers may be, nobody likes to be ogled or taunted during such moments on stage. It is the director's responsibility to make sure the performers are comfortable, in order to get a good kiss out of them. A large part of that is to make sure everyone else in the cast is behaving themselves.

Sometimes this is done be rehearsing the kiss in private with just the involved actors and nobody else. But this can be overdone, as it puts off the need to get used to people watching it happen. So when the rest of the gang is there during a kissing rehearsal, it is vital that the director maintain an atmosphere of respect and civility.

I hope that answered your question, D'Balz. Thank you for asking it, and for visiting Always Off Book. Check back often for more acting thoughts!

So Much to Say, Part 2

2008-02-22T12:05:00.002-05:00

This entry does not have anything to do with acting per se, but it does have to do with me, and since I own the blog...

I wanted to point out some new links in my link section, over to the left of your screen. I have added a link to the Full Circle Theatre Company, who is producing "The Lion in Winter" that I am in right now.

I have also included a link to my new LIVE internet radio talk show, "Almost Radio, with Ty Unglebower". It normally goes out live on Wednesdays at 11PM, Eastern Standard Time. So if you follow that link at that time, you can hear me live, and call in if you want. The best part is, however, that the show is automatically archived into a streaming feed. So anytime after the live show, if you follow the exact same link, a recording of my most recent show will appear, and play automatically for you to listen to. You cannot beat that. Please stop by and give a listen!

Finally, I added a link to my friend's travel site. Tally is a friend of mine from college, and her site, Tallyhotravels.com is part blog, part informative site, part photo display sight. She offers tips on traveling, fun facts, and makes accounts of her travels to various places. Currently she is in Germany. So please swing by her sight...and tell her Ty sent you.

And now, one final entry in this trifecta...

So Much To Say..Part 1

2008-02-22T11:39:00.002-05:00

I have been unusually derelict in my blogging duties this week. And it is tech week, for shame! But, as amazing as this may sound, i have lately had several other things going on that have taken up some of my free time other than theatre. I know, sac religious, isn't? Yet true.

I have so much to update you on, that I have broken it down into several entries. First and fore most, let me talk about the last three rehearsals for tech week.

They were all in the chapel. All three were roughly the same in regards to productivity and accomplishment. Sort of an even keel type of thing. I cannot really say each one has gotten better than the last, but all three for the most part maintained the status quo we established earlier in the week. A few things here and there, spread throughout the 3 days are noteworthy, as opposed to an separate account of each night's rehearsals.

The other day, i forgot to put on my ring for the first scene. Though we are not doing costumes this week, I confess to feel somewhat off in my performance without it. So strange how things like that can through off an actor's equilibrium.

Well, perhaps that is overstating the sensation. I still did the scene just fine. But the ring not being there was in fact a rather glaring problem. So I retrieved it for the rest of the play, and all was well.

I have developed, what I think, are better line readings in several cases with some of my lines. Geoff has a several lines that just sort of pop in there at some points in a conversation. I have, throughout the last three nights, found better motivations for them, and they have gone easier than they had been going.

So has one scene I have with John. It had never really gone poorly, but it was just one of those scenes, on in this case, scene sections, that just did not flow smoothly out of my mouth. John and I ran the lines several times in a row before rehearsal one night, and i finally started to nail it into my head. Knock on wood, the scene now feels much smoother from my end than it previously did. So that is taken care of, by and large.

I also thought of something rather obvious this week. During a very tense, climactic scene, I have started to breath heavier intentionally. It sounds obvious, but panting like that it actual counter intuitive when your body does not literally require the oxygen in those levels. And indeed, one cannot go overboard, or fainting is likely, but trust me, i am not doing it THAT much. I just thought giving the impression of a bit of labored breathing might ad to the scene. Simple enough.

My ring flew off during a struggling in the last scene one night. I picked it up in character as best as I could. Not so much out of a need for him to have it on at that exact minute, but out of fear it would be stepped on and crushed, being the cheap piece of metal it is. (I got it in a toy store. It's called "Super-Bling". It's as durable as something by that name sounds like it would be.)

I do not even show up in Act 2 for about a half an hour. (one long scene, and one shorter one before I come on stage.) So I needed something to keep the time moving. I am proud to report I finished an entire Sudoku puzzle during the performance of act 2 up until my entrance. Yes, it was on easy level, but try working those things when you have Henry and Eleanor yelling at each other about pork in the tree tops, 3 feet away from you. I impressed myself.

Last night we obtained to very handsome, antique wine barrels. They are needed for a scene in the wine cellar. We had previously used a painting of them, but once the director got her hands on these, we opted for the real thing. Very nice indeed. One is so cumbersome that it will stay on stage the whole show, disguised as a table until it is needed as a barrel.

Then last night, tempers flared. Mine included. I will not document the occurrence in detail, as those that were there know to what i am, referring. But this blog is meant to be an account of what happens in a show, and so I include it here. Suffice to say that in my opinion, under the right (o in this case, wrong) conditions, people who volunteer their free time in a community theatre can reach the boiling point faster than Equity people who are being paid to stay quiet, and tolerant. While we all want to do the best we can, i think that sometimes everyone in community theatre, (myself also) needs to always remember the nature of community theatre...that it is made up of volunteers and not professionals. That is all I wish to say on that ugliness.

As for tonight, the rehearsal is to be at the home of the director. It is to be a line rehearsal only, no props, no blocking. I may not be able to make it, as an ice and snow storm is blanketing the north east, my area included, as well as the area where the director's house is. I am committed, but the highway I take to that town is treacherous enough any day. Fridays are worse, and added ice to it would complicate matters even further. I am going to stay on top of things and make a decision as the day wears on.

Such was the nature of the last three nights of rehearsal. Tomorrow we open. (After rehearsing the show once over before hand, on the stage.) And now, other entries for other things.

Those Glorious Moments of Clicking...

2008-02-18T23:14:00.003-05:00

Score! Despite tonight's rehearsal being in the director's home, (which causes cramping issues) this was, as far as I am concerned, our best rehearsal yet! We were not without our flubs, BUT, they were very easily swallowed up by all the things that went right.

To begin with, we were in costume, which always helps. (Though my pants were temporarily missing. Thankfully for my cast, I had my street clothes with me.) Once located, however, all was well with costumes.

"Eleanor" added some trim to my tunic. It looks good. Sort of Romesque, to coin a word. I do like the way it looks, and it suits Geoffrey, somehow, if a color can suit a character. It seems the trim is slightly off center and will be redone soon. Had she not told me I might not have noticed, but she is the costume lady, and that is what she is there for. (That and of course, playing Eleanor...both jobs done marvelously.)

As is the case with 98% of all things theatrical, energy is key, and we all had it in spades tonight. On a Monday evening, who knew? Maybe it was because lots of people were off for President's Day. Maybe everyone last night had a notion to kick it into overdrive at the exact same time. Or maybe there is no explanation for why and when the magic comes when it does. The point is, it came tonight.

I could feel it from the moment I started my first lines. At the same time, or perhaps because of it, I found a whole new perspective for the first scene...bemusement. Geoff is actually not quite plotting yet. At least when I played my first scene of the show tonight, I felt, all of the sudden, that he did not have to be plotting anything just yet. He could just be observing the tornadop around him for a while before jumping in himself. This gave me a sense of freedom as the show opened which I did not feel before. A sense of allowing the plot to come to Geoff, instead of having him run out in the middle of a field to meet it. The moment I began to think about it that way, the first scene took on new life. And perhaps that is what contributed to my overall ehanced experience tonight. But certainly not the only thing.

There is a concept in theatre for me, that I experience from the inside, words for which I have not quite come up with yet. The best I have come up with is "beams of light", but that is still not quite it. That is not fluid enough. But when a play is going right, and actors are hitting their marks, as well as interacting perfectly with one another, thereby causing the whole cast to interact with the audiences, energy flows in and out of individual souls at rapid speeds. It happens when an actor shoots another actor a look. Or when a speech reaches every last hearts in the room, and not just every set of ears. When lines you have never laughed at get laughed at, and things you normally trip over right themselves on the spot. This energy darts in and out of each actor, but also fills the room. And, when the time comes, fills the audience. And the best part is, the more is passes through people, the stronger it gets, as opposed to weaker.

The beginnings of that flight of the so called "light beams" began today. It was that which I started to feel. And if it increases as each night of this week goes by...by the time we open, it will be quite the intricate and wonderful dance between the individual performances, and the moods the light illicit.

One such moment, totally organic, that sprung forth naturally from the scene, without any pre-planning on anyone's part, came in a scene with myself and "John".

"John" is a great actor, who I am only getting to work with for the first time in this play, despite knowing him for years. The character of course, is a spoiled little brat, and quite obnoxious. This was being played up in most excellent fashion during the scene in question. So much so, that when "John" delivered one of his lines in a new, but effective sing-songy mocking whine of a way, my own Geoffrey instantly delivered his next line in the exact same tone, much to the laughter of everyone around us.

The great luck of it is...his line, and my own, have the exact same number of syllables. This would not have to be true for it to work, but it certainly works 10 times better given the equal syllables. Plus, it allows me a chance to contrast Geoff's normally cool and collected persona with a moment of obvious irritation, bordering on anger, with Johnny. If that was not enough, it breaks the scene up a little bit. A scene that otherwise can seem a bit "one note".

The director liked it, and it is now part of the show. I am pleased.

I am also pleased with the final exchange I have with Eleanor. Her and I worked out a way in which Geoffrey has to hand her something in the final scene. We had not been sure how to play it, and several versions have been tried. But last night, and tonight, I think we have perfected what we want. At the risk of sounded arrogant, I will say I am very proud of how I handle that part. Almost as proud as the John response I mentioned a moment ago.

Actually, there was a lot to be proud of tonight. For everyone, in fact. Which I will not spoil with too much more technical analysis...except to say that for unknown reasons, our electric candles were burning blue and purple light tonight. The castle was suddenly, in the words of "Henry", Studio 54. (This he mentioned in character during a scene, to give an idea of how things started to proceed near the end.)

The point is, however, we have taken off. Things "clicked" in more moments than one. Many more. And, if we want it to, i feel they will go right on clicking through to opening night.

The Lion in Winter has been unleashed. Are you ready for it?

Lion in Winter's Second Tech Day

2008-02-18T13:00:00.002-05:00

First off, my thanks to "Anonymous" for your well wishes. They are appreciated.

I would have written yesterday, but again I was rather tired. Here is how things went down at the theatre on Sunday.

It was not quite as long as the previous night, to start with. And despite the absence of a cast member, and few potholes, (myself included), I will say the show went better than the night before.

The first thing about yesterday were costumes. I wore mine for the first time in an actual practice. There are some frills and such to be added later, but overall it seems appropriate, and feels totally comfortable. I can move in it, sit in it, and do all the actions required of me. I believe tunic is the technical term for what it is called, though I am not sure. And extra long short...down to about my knees, under which I wear black sweatpants. Mine is dark brown in color. A black belt word around my waste on the outside. My standard "theatre shoes" will be covered in such a way as to suggest time appropriate footwear.

And of course my "super-bling" 50 cent ring I purchased a few eeks ago, and have been wearing. The director also said something about some of us wearing something around our necks, a necklace perhaps? Before I had a chance to clarify, she had moved on to an other topic, and forgot all about it until I was writing this entry.

All and all, a very simple, medieval costume.

Something else that was new yesterday was the tapestry "booth" in which John and I will hide during the final scene in act 1. The set up had never been used before, and I was inside of it during the actual scene before I realized I did not know exactly which curtains to come out of, or which to pull to the side in order to reveal John later on. So unfortunately, I had to leave the stage during the scene and ask the stage manager what to do, before returning to my hidden space.

It really is like a booth. The curtains are quite thick, and the rear is backed up against the upstage wall of the performance space itself. A unusual sensation being "on stage" and yet so totally removed from the action. I could pass out, and nobody in the audience or on stage would even know it had happened, if I feel a certain way. If I feel forward though, I would come through the curtain and they certainly would know. But the point is, it is quite shut off from the performance space.

"John" and I have not tried it out together yet as he was not there. But there should be room for two of us. Though even if there is not room for the booth of us behind the curtains, I truly have no clue what can be done about it now.

And the stage is still cut in half by banners and tapestries and such, in some scenes, limited the workable room to almost zero. I would say 80% of my blocking that I have practiced the last few weeks has had to be altered on the spot as I perform, given the shrinkage of the stage. I am constantly running into furniture. Plus the shrinkage has been made even worse by the fact that apparently the lights do not reach to the sides of the stage, meaning every has to be even CLOSER to everything else. That is one of the must frustrating aspects of this venue. You can't move on it.

As for the actual acting yesterday, I suppose it is "getting there". There are still some lines I get tripped up on, and indeed I dropped a minor one in a rehearsal of a scene where I was talking to the ether that was John yesterday. But beyond that, regretful but necessary changing of venues very few days has made getting into character, to the level I am accustomed, a but more laborsome than in other shows in a standard theatre space. I am not concluding that it is impossible. Some moments the last two days have indeed felt quite real. But it is hard to work on nuance when every time you run the scene, the table you need to cross in front of, or the chair you need to sit in is in a different place. (This has happened even within the real stage venue over the last two days, let alone at different venues.) Yet I will find my focus, I am sure. I prefer to find it before opening night, but rare is the time I do not find some degree of grounding by the time the show opens. Even if it is an hour before.

Perhaps I will find it an hour or so before opening while actually rehearsing...the director has called an extra rehearsal to take place right before the actual opening of the show. I have never rehearsed a show, at regular speed, right before performing it. Particularly on opening night. And I may not be able to make it, due to the last minute calling of said rehearsal, but I told the director that I will make every effort to be there.

I am no stranger to performing a show twice in a day. The Old Opera House used to have a policy of performing musicals twice on the first Saturday. (Before switching this two having musicals run on Thursdays as well.) In college, we had several shows that, for whatever reason, were performed twice in one day. Though in those cases there was an audience present both times, and this will merely be a rehearsal before the performance.

In conclusion, unless I am able to get to the last minute rehearsal this Saturday, I have had my second, and final rehearsal of the whole show in the actual venue. Though this week is our final wek of rehearsals, it can really only be called "tech week" in name only, because tonight we will be in the director's home, the following three days in the famous chapel I have mentioned here before, and Friday back in the director's home. no real way to practice technical aspects. Despite the difficulty this presents to actors, I feel sorry for the technical crew quite a bit more. The scene changes were quite rough on the stage yesterday, and they will not have much of a chance to perfect those moments. I have faith in them, though. I just wish they had more time.

But, venue or not, I shall be running the show every night for the next week. This is a plus because it will allow us that repetition that is so vital to perfecting a show. Repetition which was hard to come by until this week. I am sure much will look better on Thursday night, as compared to tonight and last night.

Rehearsal and Rebuttal

2008-02-17T00:52:00.003-05:00

I hate to have to do this, but I am going to have to mention some unpleasentness.

Someone left a comment on a previous blog entry, presumably someone connected with the show I am in. I mentioned in passing that the director had forgotten the props at her house, and I was eaten alive for it.

Whoever may have written that, I would appreciate being approached directly with any problems you have with what I say. To accuse me of not helping my director is a tad out of line, and not backed up by my history in ANY show I have ever been in. Had my director asked me to go back to her house and help her with props, that is exactly what I would have done. I was not asked to do so.

Secondly, I mentioned the props were forgotten, because my understanding of the director's own words were that she had forgotten them. Whatever the case, it was not said with the malice that your comments were said with, and if you read this, I would like to think as a fellow team member, you could come to me directly, and in private about something. Particularly when it involves my work ethic.

The comments are not being published, but they have been read.

All of that being said...

The marathon rehearsal was a little bit harry at times. Some scenes just sort of dissolved into chaos. And we have even less room to work with than we thought, so there was a lot of actor impromptu blocking going on as we went. Awkward crosses abounded. But it could not be avoided tonight.

One problem is a large banner that is dissecting our performance space. We had about a third less than we thought we did, (which wasn't much to begin with.) That made thing more difficult. But it is to be moved back further tomorrow, if I am not mistaken. That is a relief, as we really could use the extra feet.

The cramped quarters extended back stage too. It is going to be a tight squeeze back there with all of our props, and set pieces. Doable, but certainly a challenge. I am up to it, but I do notice it, for sure.

And of course, this was the first chance the tech crew of three had to move the set around between scenes. Ergo, that required some extra time.

I also tried on my costume. It is a robe, or is it a gown? Either way, I tried it on today. It is to be, as I understood it, hemmed tonight or tomorrow sometime, to be approximately knee length. More word on shoes and pants tomorrow.

We then went through a speed through of some scenes...without emotions, just to get the words and the blocking nailed down. Some of the funnier moment actually came to life more during the speed through than in previous rehearsals. I think because in a play this dialog rich, speed counts. The rapid fire nature of some of the lines gives them more life than a more methodical delivery would be. Though we were not acting per se, the speed with which we were delivering the lines at that point created a substitute repartee...one that we did not have before, but can add to now that we have seen it.

And I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich during our break.

I know that for such a long rehearsal I have not said much. But when you have that much rought work to do, there is no a whole lot of detailed accounting that can be made. I will say despite the length, I had fun at rehearsal for most of tonight. We will not get many of these nights, in fact only one more. So I am trying to get as much of that "tech week giddiness" as I can during these two days. We are one actor short tomorrow, but without a doubt, I will still find enjoyment in the process.

Lion in Winter:Marathon

2008-02-16T10:44:00.003-05:00

In a few hours I will leave for our only true tech rehearsal. With a short costume parade type of thing before hand. We have the venue until 11. We start rehearsal at 6. We are to arrive there "as close to 5 as possible."

What a long night this promises to be.

Last Pre-"Tech" Rehearsal

2008-02-15T00:28:00.003-05:00

I did not particularly enjoy tonight's rehearsal. Not because it was unproductive. In fact we did smooth out some things. But sometimes you just do not feel a given night of rehearsal is clicking. That it just feels sluggish and unrewarding from the beginning. Not everyone experiences such nights at the same time, but tonight I did.

It wasn't any help that traffic was horrible on the way to rehearsal. After that, the bathroom at the rehearsal building was locked. (Though I jimmied it open with old old ID card I had in my wallet. Sue me.)

Then most of the people were late for rehearsal. And we did not have any props to work with, because the director forgot them.

When we finally did start, we ran the final scene, so the guy who is making the set dressings for it could get a better idea of what to look for. Specially, he is making some dummy wine barrels. Turns out, we will not be able to keep the win barbells in the section of the stage that we have been. So we had to move the chairs representing them, the designer told us, and had to rework some of the blocking. This isn't a huge deal, but it was a bit of a distraction.

As was the fact that we were not running the whole show. Though nobody told me specifically that we would be tonight, I assumed that since we had done so on Sunday, all remaining rehearsals would see us running the whole show. So I was caught a little off guard by that.

When we did run the scene, it was rough. It has always been one of our weaker scenes, but today, at least during the first run through of it, it was particularly slipshod in places.

To add to tonight's lack of enjoyment, we ran my least favorite of all scenes tonight..twice in a row.

I have talked about this scene before.

During that scene, I was told I should probably not relax during rehearsal, and should stand up, and not move, behind the tapestry, so I could "get used to" standing still, as during the play I will not have anywhere to sit. I politely pointed out that I think I could manage to wing it, in regards to standing behind a curtain come opening night, given as how I have been standing for 25 years or so. I wasn't trying to be rude, but in this little tiny room of a rehearsal hall, I am not sure it makes alot of sense for me to practice something that requires no practice..especially when everyone else who is not in the scene is sitting and observing as well. Nothing to brun a barn over, but it has given me some pause.

Speaking of the actual venue, adding to the overall "offness" of this evening for me, we learned that "John" will not be able to come to practice on Sunday. Sunday is one of the two (and only two) four hour days in which we will be able to rehearse on the actual stage before opening. For those keeping track, this means that the whole cast will be together, running the whole show, on the actual stage exactly ONCE before we open. I am all for spontaneity, but I confess a marked increase in apprehension about this. I am sure we will survive, but it is not the kind of thing a cast ideally should be dealing with as they open a show. Especially when an entire week will separate the one and only stage rehearsal, from the opening night. Nothing against "John" of course, but instead of a tech week, we will be having literally, a "tech day"...and that is somewhat troublesome.

At least I myself will have two separate rehearsal days on the actual stage. But without John, against whom I play so much in this show, it will be far from ideal. I can handle it, but sometimes you just want to do more than "handle" something.

We did run the scene with Geoff and Eleanor in her bedroom today. "Eleanor" added an extension of her hand to the scene, which I opted to kiss as I did my usual kneeling down. I will have to do it a few more times to see if it feels right, but it will probably work.

I also made use, in each of the scenes, of the new motivations and inner thought processes I came up with last night and this afternoon before rehearsal, as mentioned in the previous entry. But today was so haphazard that I really did not get a chance to see if they sank in. I am confident most of them will...but it will certainly be a longer seeding process, what with so little time to rehearse on the stage.

But next week we will, in some place or another, at least rehearse the whole shoe each night. (I again assume...) So that will, I hope, go a long way in smoothing out the reaming rough edges. Even if it is in the director's living room.

Delving Into Geoffrey's Soul

2008-02-14T15:23:00.002-05:00

Or at least his particular motivations. That is what I have spent the last hour or so doing. I did some last night, and more this afternoon.

Now that I am off book, I can afford to look deeper into what makes this character what he is. The Lion in Winter is a cerebral play, about cerebral people. (Except, perhaps for the John character.) Geoffrey is the most cerebral of them all. It even says so in Goldman's script...

"The most cerebral in a cerebral family."

This is the reason I have been spending some extra time on thinking of Geoffrey's goals, scene by scene. Now, in theory, this is done by every actor in every show they are in. And indeed, I do it, to some extent in every show. But it is an uncommon script that offers so many different possible goals, all legitimate, for any given character at any given moment. So many twists and turns. So many loyalty shifts. So much wit and so much deception. It can be played cold, I imagine, with the actor relying solely on the lines to carry them through. I prefer however to know exactly what Geoff is doing every step of the way...even if what he is doing is the act of trying to figure out what he wants to do. (This occurs a lot for him during the play.)

Of course before now I had an overview of what Geoff was about. I feel better now, though, having gone scene by scene, sometimes line by line, to determine what sort of clever things he may be up to. Not all characters would require that detailed of a study. But as I have said many times in this blog, each show, each character is different, and no one method for performing is going to work under every circumstance. A simple approach to a complex character probably is going to be lacking for a show like this. I have probably not examine the inner workings of a character to this depth since I was in The Laramie Project.

And I welcome it. I love to stretch the thinking muscles of my acting as much as the performance muscles. I consider it a treat most times to have a role which requires intellectual exploration. I feel the character has been rejuvenated in my mind in the last hour or so, and I look forward to putting some of my new conclusions and analysis to work tonight at rehearsal. It has added confidence to my portrayal, and hence will make the scenes stronger.

Here is not the place to mention every single decision and conclusion about Geoff that I have made so far. But I do have some general, broad concepts I will share. These, of course, were always there in the background of my portrayal from the very beginning. YetI have sanded of the edges today, and will continue to do so this week.

1) Geoff NEVER says anything by accident. Whether he is jockeying for position, cutting someone down with his wit, or merely making an observation, it is always done with absolute intent. Words and thoughts are his weapons. Richard would probably never draw his sword unless he felt he had to. Geoff doesn't speak, for the same reasons.

2) Geoff is almost never resigned to defeat. John is used to getting what he wants, and doesn't know how to act when he does not. Eleanor has "suffered more defeats than you have teeth." Richard fights his way through life. But Geoffrey...he is always thinking. Henry calls him "a device, with wheels and gears". A simplistic, but somewhat accurate assessment of the man, I feel. The gears are in fact always turning in Geoff's mind. So when one part of a plan does not pan out, he is instantly concocting something else. Less likely to be distracted by rage, like Richard, or by emotion like his mother, Geoffrey can always take that step back, and reevaluate everything around him, and at given moment he needs or wants to. Knock down Geoffrey's house, and the first thing he will do will be to look at the debris, and determine what can be made from it.

One exception may be in the final scene of the play. For those of you who might come see it but do not know how it ends, I will not spoil it here. But suffice to say, he may briefly be at a loss.

3) He is not simply a device. But he wants to be, and usually is. He succeeds in convincing people that he is such. There is enough flesh there, however, to occasionally slow down the wheels and gears in his head. Not often. Probably only twice in the play. But the moments it happens are among my favorites in the play, because of their contrast to what Geoff normally is.

Again, there are other things I have, upon further study, come to conclude about Geoffrey. But they are either more minor, or more scene specific and complex to go into here. These three characteristics, however, give you the sense of framework around which I am building this character.

First Full Run-Through for Lion in Winter

2008-02-10T23:39:00.000-05:00

I am quite tired, as it was quite a long process. But i did not want to skip days agin, so here is the overview.

To begin with, I neglected to mention the other day that I started with, and decided on the simple ring. The black coloring has worn off, but it is probably just as well. A simple band will be just enough to give me something to do, without being big enough to distract actors or the audience. So I am going with that.

As for tonight...rehearsal was at the director's home. Obviously not an ideal space for a play practice, but it is what we have for now, and we make do damn well. Though I do not envy the director and her family for having all their real furniture shoved to the side in favor of our set, in the middle of their living room. Yet such is the dedication level they have to the show. (Her husband, who plays Henry, directed me in the last show I was in with the same company, back in November.)

In fact, there was an article in a newspaper today about the show, complete with pictures and a link to an online video the news people took. Naturally this was the day I could not make it to practice. But I doubt I would have been in the video anyway, though they might have talked to me for the article. My name is in it, though, and spelled correctly.

I would be happy to provide the link to the video, but for whatever reason, the email containing it never reached me. So if I get it in the future, I will certainly post it.

As for the actual rehearsal, it was our longest one so far, because as the title suggests, we ran the whole show tonight for the first time. So, with line callings, and notes being taken about scene changes and such, (for the techie people that were there tonight), it took just under four hours. Tiring, but I did not mind it that much. We needed to do it eventually. And it being an actual home, I was comfortable enough in the time between my scenes. Plus, "Alais" brought some of her real life birthday cake with her, so I had some of that, and it was good.

Also worked out a far more comfortable "candlestick stunt" with John. Not only does it feel safer, but I think it is slightly more comical. Insomuch as John looks more pathetic, and far less threatening than he did previously. I sort of end up twisting his arm, as he whimpers to the ground, upon attacking me. No sucker punches or anything like that. We have to work it a few more times to get the timing down, but I am satisfied.

As before, I am happy with the progress of the show, despite the rough spots. Others may not be noticing, but I think the rough spots are getting smaller and less frequent. We have trouble spots, of course, but they are becoming more focused. More importantly, entire segments of the play are emerging which we run flawlessly. Which allows for greater depth of performance, and intricate interaction among performers. This is not an easy script to digest in a short amount of time, and given that, the progress we have all made is pleasing to the soul. We do not have a lot of time, but I feel we have enough. I say this because I sense everyone starting to have more fun now. Not that we were void of fun before, but in the last few rehearsals, everyone seems looser, despite the pressure to perfect our jobs. That sort of looseness always leads to a better theatre experience.

We ran some music tonight too. Not with the exact timing of the show of course, but we got the notion of the mood that will be set in the theatre for the show.

It's happening. It really is. We just need to build the energy between rehearsals, and hold onto it for the next one.