Presentation Review - Blog Post

This week, we learned about a lot of different acting methods that will be helpful in the future. Out of these I definitely had a few favorites, I will have to say that one of them was my own. This was specifically due to the fact that Meisner’s acting method I think is very useful to get into portraying emotion and responding to situations rather than acting to situations. With his method you can make a scene feel more genuine rather than one that is specifically for the screen or stage. This is helpful to me, because it allows for much more time to get into character. The other one that I was really fond of was Grace’s presentation about Viola Spolin. This presentation was a good one because it was very engaging but the techniques that viola used were good for getting to know your stage partner(s). This is helpful because when you play games that force you to think about how people portray different emotions and what they do under certain circumstances. We practiced this in the game where we had one person go out of the room and came in to ask us questions, while trying to figure out who they were, and also when we talked on the phone and had to pick an emotion to show in our ‘phone call.’ Following that one, I thought the presentation about Lee Strasberg was really interesting. To me, this one was helpful in learning more about method acting. I had heard of method acting several times before, but now learning more information about it and where it came from was helpful in order for me to understand it and feel more confident on how to really become a character. Stella Adler was also another person which I learned quite a bit from. We only got to watch a video about her method but it was interesting to me that she studied under Stanislavski and turned his method into one that's different and her own. I slo loved how in the video when she was talking about pants and how you don't completely stop what you're doing in a scene, but it also doesn't take up more of your focus than the actual acting and listening to what your partner is saying. All of these were amazing to listen to and learn about how different people came up with better ways so that you can have a better technique for when you put on your performance and getting into character so that you can fulfill what you need to do as an actor on the stage. These presentations were very beneficial especially without Glass Menagerie scene coming up because we are working in groups so using some of the games to be more comfortable around each other will help alot and using some of the other techniques will prove helpful when we are doing smaller things in our scene so it is clear that we are not just standing there rigid and doing something that improves the quality of the scene.

Scene Proposal

Scene proposals due by midnight. Discuss the scene, why it interests you, what character you'll play & why (& how it will challenge you as an actor), the importance of this scene in play & what literary analysis you hope to explore

My group (Aaron, and myself) chose the final scene with Amanda and Tom going through into the ending monologue. I will be playing Amanda, while Aaron will be Tom. This scene will be difficult because of the relationship that Tom and Amanda have, trying to get the feeling of this relationship and us having been a ‘family’ for a long time and it being realistic. I think this scene will also be difficult because of the fact that there is a lot of lines to learn and I particularly haven’t done something that has a lot of lines and emotion with another actor on the stage with me so it will be hard to have a good amount of emotion and reaction with another actor on the stage. I think that sharing the stage while keeping the emotion will be a good challenge that will help me grow. This scene is very interesting because it is a turning point in the story and the fight that ‘drives’ Tom to leave his family. This particular scene also interests me because of the intensity of the emotions, it also holds a lot of meaning and imagery with the items in it. For instance when Laura walks over past the father's picture to turn on the record in the back while Amanda and Tom fight, adds something that I think a lot of people don't visually notice but with it bringing in the father it has some symbolism with leaving and Tom ending the scene with his departure too. Also playing the music kind of drowns out the fighting of them which explore the idea of fear and intimidation along with escape. The literary devices that I want to focus on areas said above symbolism with the music, pictures and the candle flame that Laura blows out in the ending Monologue. I also want to explore imagery and allusion. I want to explore these because there is a lot of allusion with the theme of escape, leaving, giving up and intimidation.

TGM Acting Theorist

Toms Closing Monologue - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mghHR9fGla0
Toms Opening Monologue - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAsFTfHF9jw
Tom and Amanda on the balcony - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SumagAF4nU8
Tom and Jim Talking about Tom LEaving - COULD NOT FIND CLIP FOR
Laura Telling Amanda about Jim - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuhaWIqPxTA
Laura and Jim talking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADBfErmioyg
Tom and Amanda GO TO THE MOON (For LAura maybe) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPVanqtDWgM

Written Coursework

1. Tom open monologue and closing monologue - last bit of hope leaving (Laura blowing out candle 
2. Laura giving up or in to herself - talking about Jim to Amanda, Jim telling her about his soon to be wife, Laura blowing out the candle signaling her leaving parts of her soul and happiness 
3. Tom closing monologue- regret loneliness (more about the journey than the destination, realizing he didn't want to go around if it meant leaving everyone he loved.)
4. Toms drunk conversation with Laura - show his love for Laura, display what losing hope and the feeling of love and family does to him, what happens when he's all alone.