By the beginning of the third week of training, nearly the entire play was blocked. Tom moved at lightning speed to give the play an onstage shape. While Tom was out of New York, fight director Steve White choreographed the (many!) fights in the play. After some deliberation and consultation with Steve, Tom decided that the fights should be fist fights and not sword fights which require more advanced skill and practice. Steve White taught the cast the foundation of fisticuffs. He reviewed the physical movements that are most commonly used and talked about justifying the movements to make them believable. Then he worked through the scenes that required fighting and gave the actors minutely detailed choreography. Carlos worked with the cast on language comprehension, continuing to break down the details of the story and the objectives of the characters.
The length of this program requires student actors to adapt to and adopt new skills immediately. In physical acting there is a focus on 1) finding a neutral place in the body and 2) using the body to tell the story. In Voice and Speech students are encouraged to 1) produce sound that is supported by breath, 2) speak with clarity and 3) find a relationship between thought, word and speech. Scene Study class incororates lessons from all other classes while helping students to 1) understand the story, 2) portray character development through the pursuit of an objective, 3) block the scenes and 4) make the Shakespearean text vivid and immediate. Improvisation supports this work with a focus on 1) finding freedom and relaxation and 2) finding size through games and exercises.
One word that summarizes the third week of training is DETAILS. The student actors are learning that, while memorizing lines is an essential part of their work, it is only the very beginning of their work. A well-crafted performance is deeply detailed - physically, emotionally, imaginatively, spiritually, intellectually detailed. In the coming weeks even more specific character work will be done. The cast will continue to find specificity in thought, speech and action.
Details is Exactly the perfect word to describe this Week. I loved working with Steve White, learning to fight on stage was Awesome and I Don't even fight ;). The process is going very fast but we have wonderful people at the program and we're all staying on top of things. Now its time to add some acting in these Scenes!
ReplyDeletethe third week went bi so fast man i dont wanna it to end. man i love being around these people. man i need 2 step mi game up. these people are great actors and people.
ReplyDeleteThe thrid week was all about blocking and the fights and the Juliets learned how to kill themselves, it was fun. But this is all going by so fast am so sad I dont want it to end, I love this prgram so much.
ReplyDeleteThe third week was a little challenging for me, I had a difficulty trying to find the type of personality my character had. But I do love a challenge, the harder it gets the better I can be.
ReplyDeleteI am having a great experience in the program. Our group has become really close and we are all rehersing our lines together after class. I am in the process of memorizing my lines and am enjoying the challenge of shakesperian text.
ReplyDeleteThe third week was challenging as we've blocked the play and are working on making our characters real. The hardest thing for me is staying still and being ... princely. This program is really fun. I'm sad that it's almost over.
ReplyDeleteoh man... i came to this play not knowing anything about anything reguarding acting, now every other minute im in the mirror rehearsing different lines :) i hope i do good in the play
ReplyDeleteThird week we where giving details in the blocked, helping us to get more involve in to our characters and understand better the play. This program is interesting because you learn, interact and have fun at the same time.
ReplyDeletethis becomes a greater experience by the day. i am twice the knowledgeable actor that i was before the program. as i evolve as an actor i evolve as a person. i am also makinggreat new freinds!
ReplyDeletethe program is amazing. there is so many to learn, and you have to want it. Its free to every teens. there are so many great thing you will learn about being a goos actor.
ReplyDeletehow to see the world in you character point of view.
i hope the program stay open, so teens could get the chance to feel like i am feeling right now. :-)
Being here has enhanced my skills as an inspiring actress. Everything and one from my fellow acting mates,teachers, and skills taught have increased my confidence and comfortability. Thank you !!!!
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ReplyDeleteMy name is Lee and i'm a character in the play romeo and juliet in the stella adler summer outreach program and i have to say, i'm having fun and learning a lot. Being in the program has been a great experience. everyday has been pertinent to the developement of one's self, one's character, one's experience and the sheer implication of these developing in you as an actor or actress. the program shows us the basic of being known, being rigormotis on stage to make a point.the program gives your the opportunity to make a statement in your performance. i love the direction from out director tom. everyday i'm laughing in class because of how tom can in pursue of a point, scream at his top of his lungs to examplify the obidient anger kept in a man for his disobidient child, run in haste as shock as a 1000 volts to diveliver new of impossible odds and though it's funny everytime he direct in his method it always make a point of letting go to fully experiene every nook and cranny of this character which is teaching more and more to develope characters in my own mehtod. the great program being offered hear for free will only make people believe in what they do which an actor or actress must be able to do if they wish to act as i one day hope to achieve such details in characters and myselft. so great thanks to tom, carlos, nina, mike and all others hand in this free offering of such a great program. the learning experience leave me with hedonic stains on the being of myself as i habitually find that i'm seeing things never did i saw before. therfore, the stella adler outreach is a great resource to push you foward only as hard of a push you want. you too have to want to learn and be hear because of it's accredibility. the reason for this is that is smaller and more concerntrated for people who are serious because being in other plays the sheer commitment would lack solidity because of the abundance amount of casting which will inevitibly spew out the lack of dedication and show the immaturity of the people and work being done but stella adler makes sure to keep classes in good numbers to show the integrated focus on each person and this definitely gives people opportunity to grow as fast and as great as they want to be. so once again, thanks stella adler outreach program coordinators
ReplyDeleteTime has has been going by so fast, but so has my development as an actor. Now that the play is blocked, the director has been showing us how to make the characters come alive. The most memorable part of this week was doing the stage combat. Had a lot of fun with that.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Lee and i'm a character in the play romeo and juliet in the stella adler summer outreach program and i have to say, i'm having fun and learning a lot. Being in the program has been a great experience. Everyday has been pertinent to the development of one's self, one's character, one's experience and the sheer implication of solidifying these developments in you as an actor or actress. The program shows us the basic of being known and being rigormotis on stage to make a point. The program gives your the opportunity to make a statement in your performance. I love the direction from our director tom. Everyday i'm laughing in class because of how tom can, in pursue of a point, scream at his top of his lungs to examplify the obidient anger kept in a man for his disobidient child, run in haste as shocked as a 1000 volts to diveliver news of impossible odd and though it's funny everytime he directs in his method, it always make a point of letting us know to completely let go of one's self in pursue of serving the our craft as actors and actresses, to fully experiene every nook and cranny of our characters which is teaching us more and more to develop characters in my our mehtods. The great program being offered hear for free will only make people believe in what they do which an actor or actress must be able to do if they wish to act. This is what i one day hope to achieve in my craft with vivid details in characters i play and myself, so great thanks to tom, carlos, nina, mike and all others hand in this free offering of such a great program. The learning experience has left me with hedonic stains on the being of myself as i habitually find that i'm seeing things in ways never did i saw before. Therefore, the stella adler outreach is a great resource to push you foward only as hard of a push you want. you too have to want to learn and be here because of it's credibility. The reason for this is that it's smaller and more concerntrated for people who are serious because being in other plays, the sheer commitment would lack solidity because of the abundance amount of casting which will inevitably reveal the lack of dedication and show the immaturity of the people and work being done but stella adler makes sure to keep classes in good numbers to show the integrated focus on each person. This definitely gives people opportunity to grow as fast and as great as they want to be, so once again, thanks stella adler outreach program coordinators.
ReplyDeleteThere was a couple of typos in the first comment i posted so i had to rewrite it.