July 2006 Archives

Working with Deborah, employing Patsy Rodenburg's approach to breath, voice, and text, and benefiting from Deborah's extensive performance and audition experience -- this is just start of a new way of working . . .

Audition: 13th Street Theater
Location: 50 West 13th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues, New York City.
Director: The directors group, Edith O'Hara artistic director
Monologue: Gabe, Dinner Wish Friends

Positives:

     I did it, finally! Took the stage, positioned the chair as I introduced myself and the piece.

Negatives:

First, the audition was in a theatre, so the performance space was large, and I wanted to be intimate with Tom and I was sitting in the chair, but I needed to fill the space because the directors and company interns were sitting all over the place. Because the space was large, filled with people, and I was sitting rather than standing, I was pushing my voice -- not too badly, but still pushing.

      Solution: work with Deborah on projection and how to be "intimate" to the back row . . . this is physical-vocal technique/work.

Second -- it was hard not to "act" at some points, i.e., being theatrical with my voice & body. Why?

     Solution: I was not clear, not specific enough with each part: the middle did not flow from the beginning and the ending did not build out of the middle. I'm afraid people did not know exactly what I was talking about as the monologue is Gabe's answer to Tom's venting about marriage and getting older. The monologue was moment-to-moment, but it lacked forward motion.
                   One thing that I tried in class was to simply start with the end in mind, however, while that definitely gives the piece forward motion, i.e., I know where I'm going to end up, Gabe's monologue is more about "finding" the end. It's clear he feels this way (some people blow up their homes), he "works it out" as he's taking is the best way I can describe it. I need clear impetus and reasons to move from the beginning to the middle to the end . . . and maybe there, before each section, having an idea about where I'm going with that section might work: each "chunk" is a thought or a point, and those are what's in Gabe's mind before he speaks. Rehearse like this and try the monologue again in class.

Third. I need a clear routine to go through on the day of any audition: physical and vocal warm up to be sure, but then -- how to prepare while waiting?

      Solution: Ask Deborah about what she does, and write down a routine.