Rehearsing scenes on Tuesday went well, finally got ours cut down properly. Excited about the mirror monologue... it's a pretty cool, and entirely creepy, concept.
Today... well, it was highly amusing to be imitated. Nerve-wracking to imitate. No one wanted to offend. Michelle's me was eerily accurate. Cheers to that. Congratulations everyone on quite a good job... everyone's character was immediately apparent, invested, and fun to watch. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Week+, 11-19 April
I've been a naughty negligent boy again...
I honestly cannot remember what happened this past weekend except that I was with Eva. Oh, oh, there it is!--my parents hosted us for Easter dinner, which was quite lovely. We got solid milk chocolate rabbits. BOOM-SHAKA-LAKA!
Didn't go to class Tuesday. Showed up late Thursday, although I did enjoy going through the scenes and getting jacked up by Kashi.
As for this past weekend... total whirlwind. Presented my thesis, which was a big weight off, but left me largely aimless and drifting... did enjoy getting to finally do Prufrock for an audience (thanks Kashi for the notes)... somehow my self-indulgence actually played out five minutes shorter than booked when I expected it to run fifteen over... I'd call that an accomplishment. Additionally I learned from the whole thing, which was the goal all along.
Improv festival went very very well, congratulations to Hilary and we totally embarrassed her with a standing O before the Jam on Saturday. Quaint Little Coffee Shop was insanely impressive with three guys and absolutely no end of momentum, totally hilarious scenes and very deft characterizations, I was honestly nervous to follow them. Luckily we got to distract people with short form for a while and make them forget QLCS before we did our own long form, which also went well. I was quite pleased, as a whole. Saturday night, both teams were good, although the first one was a little flighty... still really fun to watch, especially the genie scene, man, how wonderful. Taking a mistake and turning it into a brilliant set-up... loved it. Activity Book was good again, a little disappointed without "Frank and Dave" from the Shubin show, but what are you gonna do. Still fun to watch, although the call center didn't work as well this time, which is a shame. I told Tim I thought it was because the girl wasn't as successful in creating a through-line character that could hold the audience's attention between callers.
I didn't do the Jam myself because I was in absolutely the wrong kind of mood. In a way it only made the mood worse because I really *did* want to participate with a bunch of professionals and good improvisers, but I could tell I'd actually be less than helpful, so I sat and watched. That cheered me up, because the Jam was wonderful. Well-done everyone.
Oh, and yesterday I walked to North Side with Eric and Matt and sat outside Johnny's Bagels, taking in the sun and doodling and jotting down a few phrases. It was pretty fanfunderful.
And here's a chimpanzee riding on a Segway.
I honestly cannot remember what happened this past weekend except that I was with Eva. Oh, oh, there it is!--my parents hosted us for Easter dinner, which was quite lovely. We got solid milk chocolate rabbits. BOOM-SHAKA-LAKA!
Didn't go to class Tuesday. Showed up late Thursday, although I did enjoy going through the scenes and getting jacked up by Kashi.
As for this past weekend... total whirlwind. Presented my thesis, which was a big weight off, but left me largely aimless and drifting... did enjoy getting to finally do Prufrock for an audience (thanks Kashi for the notes)... somehow my self-indulgence actually played out five minutes shorter than booked when I expected it to run fifteen over... I'd call that an accomplishment. Additionally I learned from the whole thing, which was the goal all along.
Improv festival went very very well, congratulations to Hilary and we totally embarrassed her with a standing O before the Jam on Saturday. Quaint Little Coffee Shop was insanely impressive with three guys and absolutely no end of momentum, totally hilarious scenes and very deft characterizations, I was honestly nervous to follow them. Luckily we got to distract people with short form for a while and make them forget QLCS before we did our own long form, which also went well. I was quite pleased, as a whole. Saturday night, both teams were good, although the first one was a little flighty... still really fun to watch, especially the genie scene, man, how wonderful. Taking a mistake and turning it into a brilliant set-up... loved it. Activity Book was good again, a little disappointed without "Frank and Dave" from the Shubin show, but what are you gonna do. Still fun to watch, although the call center didn't work as well this time, which is a shame. I told Tim I thought it was because the girl wasn't as successful in creating a through-line character that could hold the audience's attention between callers.
I didn't do the Jam myself because I was in absolutely the wrong kind of mood. In a way it only made the mood worse because I really *did* want to participate with a bunch of professionals and good improvisers, but I could tell I'd actually be less than helpful, so I sat and watched. That cheered me up, because the Jam was wonderful. Well-done everyone.
Oh, and yesterday I walked to North Side with Eric and Matt and sat outside Johnny's Bagels, taking in the sun and doodling and jotting down a few phrases. It was pretty fanfunderful.
And here's a chimpanzee riding on a Segway.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Tuesday/Thursday, 7/9 April
We played Hunter and Hunted and I totally murdered Katherine. Hooray for me!
I really enjoyed all the prancing about, learning fan language and posing. I'm totally into this self-absorption... long-trained master of it, really. Works with my personality rather grandly.
How's that for Justin Lite?!
I really enjoyed all the prancing about, learning fan language and posing. I'm totally into this self-absorption... long-trained master of it, really. Works with my personality rather grandly.
How's that for Justin Lite?!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Weekend, 4/5 April
Right, well, R&G ended... we got drunk... (according to Chris) I made an award-winning face at Tim's on Saturday after strike... and I've nearly completed my thesis book. Hooray hooray hooray. I forgot to email the English Department coordinator for permission to register for Intro to Writing Poetry, so hopefully that shit ain't full or I'll kick some bitches. Right in they faces. Ka-POW!!
To confirm in my brain... I have:
1) Meet with Erica tomorrow to finish book
2) Eckardt dinner tomorrow at 5.00pm in UC303
3) TRAC interview Wednesday at 11.00am in the TRLC room in the Media Center of FM library (complicated...!)
4) Philly improv show Thursday evening (leaving at 4.00pm)
5) LOTS OF FUCKING LINES TO LEARN FOR ADVANCED ACTING CLASS
Cool. I think that's about it.
To confirm in my brain... I have:
1) Meet with Erica tomorrow to finish book
2) Eckardt dinner tomorrow at 5.00pm in UC303
3) TRAC interview Wednesday at 11.00am in the TRLC room in the Media Center of FM library (complicated...!)
4) Philly improv show Thursday evening (leaving at 4.00pm)
5) LOTS OF FUCKING LINES TO LEARN FOR ADVANCED ACTING CLASS
Cool. I think that's about it.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Thursday, 2 April
Picked Moliere scenes. Could have gone smoother. (Coulda, shoulda, woulda... woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?) We've all given ourselves rather challenging loads. Hey ho.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tuesday, 31 March
March is over and so is Shakespeare. I was quite happy to finish up with the piece, the class was nice and everyone was impressive, it was all quite lovely and I didn't find myself bored at any point. It flew by. Thanks for fun times, kids!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Catch-up!!
Hm, it seems I haven't posted in a while. Oops...
Well, let's see.
Tech week flew by, Eva arrived, the show opened (and is going quite well so far), we had a raging opening night party, we had the M&C semi-formal...
Things are happening like crazy. I'm almost done my book, I have to get my TRAC application in by 4:00 Wednesday, we're presenting Shakespeare tomorrow...
Yep, life is pretty wild and pretty great. I'm loving my days off from R&G. Will dwell in tomorrow as well... mhm...
Oh, and class registration is Wednesday. How about that!
P.S. Here is David Byrne interviewing himself as a promotional for "Stop Making Sense."
Well, let's see.
Tech week flew by, Eva arrived, the show opened (and is going quite well so far), we had a raging opening night party, we had the M&C semi-formal...
Things are happening like crazy. I'm almost done my book, I have to get my TRAC application in by 4:00 Wednesday, we're presenting Shakespeare tomorrow...
Yep, life is pretty wild and pretty great. I'm loving my days off from R&G. Will dwell in tomorrow as well... mhm...
Oh, and class registration is Wednesday. How about that!
P.S. Here is David Byrne interviewing himself as a promotional for "Stop Making Sense."
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Weekend, 14/15 March
Oops, I forgot the weekend! I often forget the weekend, but this one I didn't drink enough to forget. Let's see, let's see...
Run-through Friday night, then Joe's for St. Patty's, and Tim never showed up, although his "entire crew" (that's us) was there without him. That was a good time, drank hot chocolate and ate green jello and finally moved to a little beer at the end.
Some thesis work Saturday (I think...?) followed by Nibroc (very nice, so impressed by Adam who I haven't seen before except in R&G rehearsals as I missed House of Yes). Hung out at Amy's with the lot of them I hadn't seen in about a week, watched Louis CK a lot after a game of Settlers finished, then moseyed homeward... ended up having a drink at Katie's and doing dramatic readings from Cosmo.
Sunday, I think I did more thesis work, but I truly can't recall... I think I went to the Bistro with Megan and Eric, because I hadn't seen them in a long while... did that on Saturday too maybe, this past week was very Megan/Eric-less... Asher came in at some point, either Sunday or Monday... damn, the whole weekend is a blur, I really can't recall it. Ah well, I think what happened Sunday was I ended up at the studio late at night. But I'm not sure about that. Shrug.
Run-through Friday night, then Joe's for St. Patty's, and Tim never showed up, although his "entire crew" (that's us) was there without him. That was a good time, drank hot chocolate and ate green jello and finally moved to a little beer at the end.
Some thesis work Saturday (I think...?) followed by Nibroc (very nice, so impressed by Adam who I haven't seen before except in R&G rehearsals as I missed House of Yes). Hung out at Amy's with the lot of them I hadn't seen in about a week, watched Louis CK a lot after a game of Settlers finished, then moseyed homeward... ended up having a drink at Katie's and doing dramatic readings from Cosmo.
Sunday, I think I did more thesis work, but I truly can't recall... I think I went to the Bistro with Megan and Eric, because I hadn't seen them in a long while... did that on Saturday too maybe, this past week was very Megan/Eric-less... Asher came in at some point, either Sunday or Monday... damn, the whole weekend is a blur, I really can't recall it. Ah well, I think what happened Sunday was I ended up at the studio late at night. But I'm not sure about that. Shrug.
Tuesday, 17 March
No class. Instead went with Erica to Dick Blick for thesis supplies. On the way back, noticed a sign for a barber shop offering free beer and quick service. A difficult offer to pass up, but Erica had to get back to Zoellner for a fitting. When we returned, we ran into Chris, and I told him about this wonderful dream-like barber shop... and he said, "That's it, let's go." So we did. So we got hair cuts and free Yuengling and a good conversation with a pretty cool guy. The barber shop is on Emaus Avenue, down past 145, on the right. Look for the "free beer/quick service" sign. I heartily support it for any hair-cutting needs! Support your local business and free-beer distributor! ...Also, the suspended mirror-walls the owner designed are fucking sweet.
Here's a link from two weeks ago or so, I thought I'd post it now:
ThruYOU
Here's a link from two weeks ago or so, I thought I'd post it now:
ThruYOU
Friday, March 13, 2009
Thursday, 12 February
Excited to work with Hilary and present the (in)famous "All the world's a stage." Also, I think I'm a pretty fine bower, if I do say so myself. Which I do. Say so. So there.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Tuesday, 10 March
Damn shit hell, is it the tenth of March already? Color me bamboozled (which is a fine blend of orange-red, delicate, with touches of umbers and rusts... there's no doubt a Crayola crayon that could indicate to you its exact nuances).
Late to class today, and unprepared. Aaah! Spring break took a lot out of me, which is opposite of what it is supposed to do, but I'm not so much in support of these long breaks anyways, I don't see why we can't just keep classing it up, my momentum was going and everything and then just, stop.
...
See how that interrupted the whole flow of what I was doing? And it was uncomfortable? Yup, that's pretty much what spring break was like.
Liked warm-ups though, got me awake, yaaay, and the packet was good, although I felt a bit annoyed by the "voice"... it just seemed so stilted, a tremendously failed attempt at "Elizabethan conversational" which was just overwrought and laborious. The information contained therein, however, if you could crack that ugly shell, was delicious like the meat of a nut. Yum yum. I'd say something about creamy protein, but following so fast after meat and nut, you'd all get ideas in your head, and I wouldn't want to spoil your dinners.
Sooooo... excited about my old friend Bill Shakes, I think this project will be lots o' fun, and I look forward to it with kid-in-a-candy-shop eyes. Those bulging ones with the slight tear-drop of joy ringing down to the bottom and glistening, and then the bottom lid twitching a little in the intimations of juvenile ecstasy. Let's get at it! Hi-ho Shakespeare, away!!
Late to class today, and unprepared. Aaah! Spring break took a lot out of me, which is opposite of what it is supposed to do, but I'm not so much in support of these long breaks anyways, I don't see why we can't just keep classing it up, my momentum was going and everything and then just, stop.
...
See how that interrupted the whole flow of what I was doing? And it was uncomfortable? Yup, that's pretty much what spring break was like.
Liked warm-ups though, got me awake, yaaay, and the packet was good, although I felt a bit annoyed by the "voice"... it just seemed so stilted, a tremendously failed attempt at "Elizabethan conversational" which was just overwrought and laborious. The information contained therein, however, if you could crack that ugly shell, was delicious like the meat of a nut. Yum yum. I'd say something about creamy protein, but following so fast after meat and nut, you'd all get ideas in your head, and I wouldn't want to spoil your dinners.
Sooooo... excited about my old friend Bill Shakes, I think this project will be lots o' fun, and I look forward to it with kid-in-a-candy-shop eyes. Those bulging ones with the slight tear-drop of joy ringing down to the bottom and glistening, and then the bottom lid twitching a little in the intimations of juvenile ecstasy. Let's get at it! Hi-ho Shakespeare, away!!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Spring Break
Went home for a few days. Saw UCB Harold night in NYC with a bunch of people. Watched a shitload of Scrubs with K. Perry.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Thursday, 26 February
Both sad and relieved to be done with Electra. Everyone was very impressive. Great class, and on into spring break. Had a nice lunch with Katherine to make it semi-official. Pub club on Thursday, had my fair share... also two pitchers with Hilary on Friday following rehearsal. Yeehaw... and now it's snowy (Monday the 2nd). I suppose I'll update again near the end of spring break. Going to watch the Futurama movies at some point, do lots of bookwork, breathing work + personal monologue work, read Albee's Seascape, read As You Like It, and get offbook for R&G. Also going to improv show tomorrow. It's shaping up to be a fun spring break, self-motivated accomplishment and the loneliness of the long-distance runner... yaaay!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Tuesday, 24 February
Did good work today. Got very helpful notes and some specific coaching. Really pumped to do my final presentation. No script, ready body, all out. Yeehaw!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Weekend, 21/22 February
Trying to piece together the shards of last night. Failing. Started at Eric's playing Settlers of Catan, expanded board... six players now instead of four... plus Barefoot Pinot Grigio. Monochrome party for which I was accidentally dressed... Eric told me I'm always in monochrome. This makes my slightly brown-green soul slightly greyer. But it's all within reasonable shade range. Drank Keystone Light from a keg, danced like a lunatic, and got into a long discussion about gender with Eric and Megan. Megan informs me she's rather embarrassed as of this morning because she got worked up... Eric and I were just sort of stringing her along, which is perhaps a cruel practice for relatively sober people in the presence of the relatively drunk. Boogied around one or one thirty for home. Wintertime people showed up, not many, but BART(!!!) was a prominent feature of this there "social gathering." Allison made sure to rub it in my face that he showed up because I was a big ol' nay-sayer. I was glad to be wrong about it. We drank and drank and drank (not Bart), and Bart and I had a few cigarettes. At about that point... well... nope, it's gone. Chris says he left around 5. I have absolutely no memory of such events. I think I remember Bart going. That's about it.
Working back to Friday... Friday... what happened Friday? Ah yes! Hilary's birthday party! Quite a good time. Intoxicated Hilary is A+ on all counts... fun, funny, and fally. I hear tell she faceplanted her couch, which is much better than, say, faceplanting a tile floor or a concrete sidewalk. Bag-o' and tequila were the order of the night--that vile taskmaster Tim brought the Jose Cuervo, and the debauchery set in full-swing. Luckily, I have a true distaste for tequila, so I refused to wrap my lips around even a drop. I stuck to the cheap blush (alcoholic fruit juice, as it is perhaps better known). Also had a few beers. A few cigarettes. A few pouts. --Billie Jean informs me that I am not a very happy person when I drink. She is, of course, rather correct. Except sometimes. Like last night. But let that be an aside.-- I was just in a particularly bad mood all of Friday, woke up sad and went to sleep mad, and drinking certainly wasn't going to help it at all. Which it didn't. So there you have it. Don't drink on a bad mood. (I think this is already common wisdom.)
I am ashamed to say that I haven't gotten any work done, BUT!... today and tomorrow I am going to do some serious work. Hi-ho Silver, away!!!
Working back to Friday... Friday... what happened Friday? Ah yes! Hilary's birthday party! Quite a good time. Intoxicated Hilary is A+ on all counts... fun, funny, and fally. I hear tell she faceplanted her couch, which is much better than, say, faceplanting a tile floor or a concrete sidewalk. Bag-o' and tequila were the order of the night--that vile taskmaster Tim brought the Jose Cuervo, and the debauchery set in full-swing. Luckily, I have a true distaste for tequila, so I refused to wrap my lips around even a drop. I stuck to the cheap blush (alcoholic fruit juice, as it is perhaps better known). Also had a few beers. A few cigarettes. A few pouts. --Billie Jean informs me that I am not a very happy person when I drink. She is, of course, rather correct. Except sometimes. Like last night. But let that be an aside.-- I was just in a particularly bad mood all of Friday, woke up sad and went to sleep mad, and drinking certainly wasn't going to help it at all. Which it didn't. So there you have it. Don't drink on a bad mood. (I think this is already common wisdom.)
I am ashamed to say that I haven't gotten any work done, BUT!... today and tomorrow I am going to do some serious work. Hi-ho Silver, away!!!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Thursday, 19 February
Good class. Loud and expressive. Quite enjoyed doing my piece in Baker (love Baker), and the notes were incredibly helpful. Excited to work toward a more varied, finished piece. And then Shakespeare! Yowza!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Tuesday, 17 February
Bad class today. My body wanted to fall apart into several pieces, goaded by the aches and pains of variously wise (rock-climbing) and poor (drinking) decisions yesterday. Tally 1 in the "responsibility" and "irresponsibility" columns, respectively. My voice also didn't want to keep step or strength, which was a problem considering the work we did. (Though I suppose I made some progress, realized how many O's this guy has, which makes sense.) I was incredibly appreciative of the warm-up, I'll say that... I wish it could have lasted longer. I admit to being secretly happy (not-so-secretly, now) that I was left until Thursday. I suppose that means I should be even better, given the extra two days as well as the chance to recuperate. Curses, curses! We shall see...
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Weekend, 14/15 February
Wintertime cast party Friday night. Numerous confusions over inane sign. Talked to Kashi. Ducked out early for homebrew party further down East Morton. Classy and genial, delicious beer.
Sat at Bistro for a while on Saturday. Played a game of Catan later at Eric's. Went to Eric's biological father's wedding reception. Bunch of cool ex-hippies, lots of singing, a trained Brazilian opera singer, yummy food, free booze. Didn't get very drunk, either Friday or Saturday. I consider this a step in the right direction.
This morning, quick breakfast at Bistro. Saw Wintertime. Quite fun, spectacle play is something we don't get much of here, enjoyed myself. Light afternoon. Returned home for shower, then went to Blackbox to do some monologue work. Started with breathing exercises, which ended up lasting an hour... think I laid on the floor for about a half hour, but I lost all track of time... when I came to my senses, I was able to feel my breath scraping my throat and my chest and release all that sneaky tension... and suddenly air was just tearing down into my abdomen with utter freedom. It felt rather incredible, and the best part was that it was effortless. That's the idea, I suppose. Conscious effort just gets in the way, impedes the path of the breathing... this was rather incredible. So I got up and decided to read through the monologue and found a deeper, stranger voice than I've ever known or suspected could come out of me... I focused on the feeling instead of the sound, trying not to fear this big booming presence inside me, and I realized that I didn't feel much of anything... it felt so natural and easy, and it wasn't getting caught up anywhere. So I went read through the monologue, took a momentary drink break, and then decided to give it my all. It was powerful, it made my body shake, and when I finished I was completely fucking exhausted. But that voice... I wish Kashi could have heard it. I will have to do an extra, individual warm-up before Tuesday to see if I can get back to it. I suspect it requires deep and total relaxation of the breathing apparatus to allow clear passage. Otherwise things get unwittingly caught up in my chest and throat. Ah well, progress is progress... and I call that quite good progress. I was too tired to continue, but I consider such fatigue to be a worthwhile investment.
Sat at Bistro for a while on Saturday. Played a game of Catan later at Eric's. Went to Eric's biological father's wedding reception. Bunch of cool ex-hippies, lots of singing, a trained Brazilian opera singer, yummy food, free booze. Didn't get very drunk, either Friday or Saturday. I consider this a step in the right direction.
This morning, quick breakfast at Bistro. Saw Wintertime. Quite fun, spectacle play is something we don't get much of here, enjoyed myself. Light afternoon. Returned home for shower, then went to Blackbox to do some monologue work. Started with breathing exercises, which ended up lasting an hour... think I laid on the floor for about a half hour, but I lost all track of time... when I came to my senses, I was able to feel my breath scraping my throat and my chest and release all that sneaky tension... and suddenly air was just tearing down into my abdomen with utter freedom. It felt rather incredible, and the best part was that it was effortless. That's the idea, I suppose. Conscious effort just gets in the way, impedes the path of the breathing... this was rather incredible. So I got up and decided to read through the monologue and found a deeper, stranger voice than I've ever known or suspected could come out of me... I focused on the feeling instead of the sound, trying not to fear this big booming presence inside me, and I realized that I didn't feel much of anything... it felt so natural and easy, and it wasn't getting caught up anywhere. So I went read through the monologue, took a momentary drink break, and then decided to give it my all. It was powerful, it made my body shake, and when I finished I was completely fucking exhausted. But that voice... I wish Kashi could have heard it. I will have to do an extra, individual warm-up before Tuesday to see if I can get back to it. I suspect it requires deep and total relaxation of the breathing apparatus to allow clear passage. Otherwise things get unwittingly caught up in my chest and throat. Ah well, progress is progress... and I call that quite good progress. I was too tired to continue, but I consider such fatigue to be a worthwhile investment.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, 12 February
Forgot to post. Posting now.
Quite impressed by everybody's work. I judge art (especially theater) by its chill factor... how many chills do I get?... I got lots yesterday.
Fun doing a messenger speech. I have this vague sense that the messengers in Greek theater are a bit under-appreciated. I love this middle-aged dude! He's what I would technically term "way sweet." The speech itself is brilliant, it's fun painting a picture and reliving the glory and joy and terror and sadness of the event. Sophocles and the translator have done a wonderful job of presenting a very simple and clear image, one that can touch the heart. Often flowery language from the mouth impedes emotion because it is so outrageous, bombastic... in expressing something immense, we often resort to the simplest words we know, the words of our childhoods... childhood is where the great vistas of dreams live, and when we have to get at something that makes us feel small, we revert to our small selves. Pure description, with a vivid tangibility and an open-eyed accuracy, devoid of prejudgments or the blind spots they present. Momentary reflections of honest emotion. Near speechlessness. It's all quite lovely.
Quite impressed by everybody's work. I judge art (especially theater) by its chill factor... how many chills do I get?... I got lots yesterday.
Fun doing a messenger speech. I have this vague sense that the messengers in Greek theater are a bit under-appreciated. I love this middle-aged dude! He's what I would technically term "way sweet." The speech itself is brilliant, it's fun painting a picture and reliving the glory and joy and terror and sadness of the event. Sophocles and the translator have done a wonderful job of presenting a very simple and clear image, one that can touch the heart. Often flowery language from the mouth impedes emotion because it is so outrageous, bombastic... in expressing something immense, we often resort to the simplest words we know, the words of our childhoods... childhood is where the great vistas of dreams live, and when we have to get at something that makes us feel small, we revert to our small selves. Pure description, with a vivid tangibility and an open-eyed accuracy, devoid of prejudgments or the blind spots they present. Momentary reflections of honest emotion. Near speechlessness. It's all quite lovely.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Tuesday, 10 February
Good class today. Warmup helped get me in the right place. My breathing was centered and strong, calm. My upper body felt buoyant and easy to hold, my legs were not burdened. Skeleton working as it should be. Didn't quite articulate facial relaxation, but that learned me for later. Found a better way to convey ideas later in the day, so now I can keep them in my catalog or my arsenal or what-have-you. Posture is improving. Hooray hooray.
Things got a bit bizarre when left to our own devices. Some infighting, or more appropriately inbickering. Ah well. I suppose that's the way seven minds might work together, even when they trust each other. Nothing to worry one's soul over. The stage came together in the end, and then we had an impromptu gathering-of-the-energies. When Kashi returned, I think we were quite ready.
The rest of the class was fun. This translation is nice, poetic but still touchable, tangible, meaningful. Makes the Sophocles a lot better than JD Robb or whatever his stupid name is. Budd maybe? Can you trust someone named Budd to handle delicate material? My bias says no. Movement and speaking both enjoyable, freeing, enlightening. I like being a booming presence trapped in a mortal body. Looking forward to more work. Haven't checked email yet, so still don't know my partner(s). Will leave that for another day.
Things got a bit bizarre when left to our own devices. Some infighting, or more appropriately inbickering. Ah well. I suppose that's the way seven minds might work together, even when they trust each other. Nothing to worry one's soul over. The stage came together in the end, and then we had an impromptu gathering-of-the-energies. When Kashi returned, I think we were quite ready.
The rest of the class was fun. This translation is nice, poetic but still touchable, tangible, meaningful. Makes the Sophocles a lot better than JD Robb or whatever his stupid name is. Budd maybe? Can you trust someone named Budd to handle delicate material? My bias says no. Movement and speaking both enjoyable, freeing, enlightening. I like being a booming presence trapped in a mortal body. Looking forward to more work. Haven't checked email yet, so still don't know my partner(s). Will leave that for another day.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Weekend, 7/8 February
Hanging out at the computing center. Have been made a mess of two nights running at Tim's. Playreading went well on Thursday. Then bar. Also made a mess of there. Friend bought Settlers of Catan yesterday and we proceeded to play three games in a row. Wonderful wonderful fun. I won the second.
Other than that, relatively uneventful. Kept Jean company for a while today at the Bistro. Studying lines a bit. Will commit some hours to that later tonight, hope to finish at least the first act for the two-person scenes, perhaps finish what we've so far rehearsed. Need to go to scenography tomorrow and do some thesis work, then spend some time at the DMS processing raw footage. Boooring. Well, sacrifices for art.
Getting a bit behind on senior study with Kashi. Must play catch-up sometime soon. Tuesday night, perhaps. Also considering a master cleanse to help me with my substance problems... kicking coffee, cigarettes, and alcohol concurrently would be rather a relief. Alcohol is a bad bad drug and I kind of wish it was illegal so it would be harder to get. Ah well. Will-power first, self-improvement after. Something New Agey like that...
This is an infinite improvement on the original.
Other than that, relatively uneventful. Kept Jean company for a while today at the Bistro. Studying lines a bit. Will commit some hours to that later tonight, hope to finish at least the first act for the two-person scenes, perhaps finish what we've so far rehearsed. Need to go to scenography tomorrow and do some thesis work, then spend some time at the DMS processing raw footage. Boooring. Well, sacrifices for art.
Getting a bit behind on senior study with Kashi. Must play catch-up sometime soon. Tuesday night, perhaps. Also considering a master cleanse to help me with my substance problems... kicking coffee, cigarettes, and alcohol concurrently would be rather a relief. Alcohol is a bad bad drug and I kind of wish it was illegal so it would be harder to get. Ah well. Will-power first, self-improvement after. Something New Agey like that...
This is an infinite improvement on the original.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Thursday, 2/5
A bit out of it today. Came in somewhat unparticipatory... was glad we did table work, because that's not so hard to get into. I wanted to talk and talk and talk about Dionysus because I know lots about him and totally dig him... I'm especially fascinated by the influence his cult had on the Jesus figure. The roots of Christianity represent a deep and largely secret passion for me. If I could wish myself into anything without all of the training involved, I would be a scholar of ancient (mostly gnostic) Christianity, especially as it relates to Greek and ancient near-Eastern myth. I'd ruin my eyes at it, no doubt... and have no reward except in my heart and my mind... and I'd probably be totally fulfilled. I'd write overwrought poetry and long poetic essays about contemporary spirituality and myth as it relates to the development of Christianity and the millenarian mass-psyche... God, it'd be so fantastic. But for pipe dreams, where would I be?
Mostly just enjoyed walking around trying to get all Greeky. The goddess/god roleplaying wasn't bad, but didn't last long enough. Can't wait for next week and starting the text. Want to make my voice soar. I'm so fascinated by the idea of chanting and floating the voice over the tree-tops like a mythic mask, not so much a person. I really grabbed onto the short note in the packet about... "simplified and magnified." This, to me, is almost the essence of theater (and perhaps art in general). I'm getting pretty sick of psychological realism, I've gotta put it out there. I believe characters are masks which are worn by actors... no matter how "realistic" the characters, they are still artistic constructs (Hamlet, perhaps, the exception...). Ultimately, only the actor is onstage... the character is a filter through which the actor's energy reaches the audience. If the actor embodies the mask, then the mask itself will project across the space and into the audience. But again, no character has come to life. A mask has been worn and treated as an object of power, fear, veneration, and holiness. Theater is and as ritual. The Greeks understood this. Their characters were mythological in size and prowess. They were not humans but legends, huge and booming, representing and enacting the great epic arcs and sweeps of masses and generations, cities and worlds. In Oedipus is all the humankind that struggles for nobility, struggles to fulfill purpose and duty, struggles for answers beyond, struggles on in the face of blinding adversity... I'm excited to take on that kind of burden and understand through it what theater can really be... huge, strident, earth-shattering...
Mostly just enjoyed walking around trying to get all Greeky. The goddess/god roleplaying wasn't bad, but didn't last long enough. Can't wait for next week and starting the text. Want to make my voice soar. I'm so fascinated by the idea of chanting and floating the voice over the tree-tops like a mythic mask, not so much a person. I really grabbed onto the short note in the packet about... "simplified and magnified." This, to me, is almost the essence of theater (and perhaps art in general). I'm getting pretty sick of psychological realism, I've gotta put it out there. I believe characters are masks which are worn by actors... no matter how "realistic" the characters, they are still artistic constructs (Hamlet, perhaps, the exception...). Ultimately, only the actor is onstage... the character is a filter through which the actor's energy reaches the audience. If the actor embodies the mask, then the mask itself will project across the space and into the audience. But again, no character has come to life. A mask has been worn and treated as an object of power, fear, veneration, and holiness. Theater is and as ritual. The Greeks understood this. Their characters were mythological in size and prowess. They were not humans but legends, huge and booming, representing and enacting the great epic arcs and sweeps of masses and generations, cities and worlds. In Oedipus is all the humankind that struggles for nobility, struggles to fulfill purpose and duty, struggles for answers beyond, struggles on in the face of blinding adversity... I'm excited to take on that kind of burden and understand through it what theater can really be... huge, strident, earth-shattering...
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Tuesday, 2/3
No class today. KPerr made sure to remind me in her (very kind) voicemail that I am "not like normal people" because I don't keep my phone on when I sleep. Went to the Bistro and skimmed the Vladimir/Estragon portions of Godot to brush up for R&G class today. Napped on the table. Jean took a mildly embarrassing but entirely candid photo of my face smooshed against my arm. C'est la vie.
Anticipating Electra on Thursday. Will we get scenes? Who can say? (Kashi can.) Guess we'll find out. Kinda wish it was Euripides instead of Sophocles, Euripides is less enamoured of Electra and Orestes and their act--not so clear cut, with more possibility of heart-wrenching psychological scenes--but I am not the teacher, so I don't presume to preempt the curriculum.
New idea for thesis filming. Going to go document it on other blog. Click, click, and away!
P.S. Here is a fantastic video. The other 13 episodes are pretty great too. Gogo Patrick Stewart!
Anticipating Electra on Thursday. Will we get scenes? Who can say? (Kashi can.) Guess we'll find out. Kinda wish it was Euripides instead of Sophocles, Euripides is less enamoured of Electra and Orestes and their act--not so clear cut, with more possibility of heart-wrenching psychological scenes--but I am not the teacher, so I don't presume to preempt the curriculum.
New idea for thesis filming. Going to go document it on other blog. Click, click, and away!
P.S. Here is a fantastic video. The other 13 episodes are pretty great too. Gogo Patrick Stewart!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Saturday + Sunday, 1/31 + 2/1
Well, the title is a lie. I'll start with Friday night. Went to Joe's with Tim, got drunk on bad beer and jello shots and hot cocoa with Peppermint Schnapps. Relatively uneventful.
Woke up late Saturday and went to the Bistro. Ate and chatted with Jeanie, read Electra (by Euripides... it turns out I am *very* bad at reading the syllabus, and also that I didn't have it when I was at the library printing). Ended up at Amy's with she and Geoff drinking beer and eating pizza and wings. Went to a party around 11, got drunk on punch and beer. Went home around 3.
Woke up late today and wasted time for a few hours before Katie picked me up for our Starter's Superbowl. Watched an episode of NCIS in the meantime and finished Stoppard's "Rock 'n' Roll." Not bad, not bad--thought it dragged a bit toward the end. Realistic political theater is not his strong suit. Superbowl at Starter's was fun. Drank a few pitchers between the lot of us, Chris and I ordered the Very Manly American Dream 4-BBQ platter... an overwhelming amount of saucy smoked meat... all Very Manly, if I didn't mention that before. Arizona came excitingly close to winning--since I wasn't rooting for anyone, that was a nice turn in the game. It was pretty boring before that. No post-game partying, I guess because we're a bunch of old people--kinda sad really, here it is, 10.51 on a Sunday and I'm sitting around writing this instead of getting trashy at a bar! ...But I'm supposed to go to a 9 o'clock class tomorrow, so perhaps for the best. I'm sorta sleepy.
Anyhoos, I suppose I'll read the right version of Electra tomorrow. Also, I start rehearsal tomorrow. I'm very excited. And excited to start Electra. All sorts of acty stuff going on. Wooh!
Woke up late Saturday and went to the Bistro. Ate and chatted with Jeanie, read Electra (by Euripides... it turns out I am *very* bad at reading the syllabus, and also that I didn't have it when I was at the library printing). Ended up at Amy's with she and Geoff drinking beer and eating pizza and wings. Went to a party around 11, got drunk on punch and beer. Went home around 3.
Woke up late today and wasted time for a few hours before Katie picked me up for our Starter's Superbowl. Watched an episode of NCIS in the meantime and finished Stoppard's "Rock 'n' Roll." Not bad, not bad--thought it dragged a bit toward the end. Realistic political theater is not his strong suit. Superbowl at Starter's was fun. Drank a few pitchers between the lot of us, Chris and I ordered the Very Manly American Dream 4-BBQ platter... an overwhelming amount of saucy smoked meat... all Very Manly, if I didn't mention that before. Arizona came excitingly close to winning--since I wasn't rooting for anyone, that was a nice turn in the game. It was pretty boring before that. No post-game partying, I guess because we're a bunch of old people--kinda sad really, here it is, 10.51 on a Sunday and I'm sitting around writing this instead of getting trashy at a bar! ...But I'm supposed to go to a 9 o'clock class tomorrow, so perhaps for the best. I'm sorta sleepy.
Anyhoos, I suppose I'll read the right version of Electra tomorrow. Also, I start rehearsal tomorrow. I'm very excited. And excited to start Electra. All sorts of acty stuff going on. Wooh!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Saturdays + Sundays, 1/17 + 1/18 + 1/24 + 1/25
Turns out I didn't listen very well, and didn't really read the syllabus I guess, so I didn't realize we had to write weekend updates (oh oh oh for SNL jokes). Suppose that makes me a waste-of-time student. Already let down my part of the bargain! I'm making up for it now, in grandly poor fashion.
Don't remember first weekend. Probably got drunk. Seems fairly likely. May or may not have done a meaningful amount of work. The case is in favor of me having jotted one or two scribbles during the passage of the time. All in all, not particularly memorable.
Went to parents' last weekend. Got mattress and box-springs from there and switched out the mattress here. That thing was a truly hellish piece of crap. Twisted and malicious, attacking spinal and muscular integrity like a virus. Terrible sleep-depriving machine of Satan and Satan's army of insomniac accountants! Curse you fiddlers and your exquisite tortures! May you never meet a wink!
Also went out to lunch for younger brother's birthday. Cheeburger, Cheeburger. Throw-back Fifties-style place (I guess there's a few of them scattered about the area). Will make you a wild burger or chicken sandwich from a list of bizarre and enticing items. Had a chicken sandwich with provolone, chopped garlic, salsa, and pineapple. It was a curious creation. The onion rings and French fries are good. They had Grey Poupon! Hooray! Made my day! Grey Poupon on French fries is rather a delicious prospect. They also make wild shakes from a list of bizarre and enticing flavors. Had a Coffee + Mocha shake. Not very adventurous, I admit, but I hadn't decided on that by the time the waitress took our orders. Blurted something out I knew I'd like. It was yum. Old family friend came to lunch with us. Confusing and amusing conversations with the family... growing into something lovingly dysfunctional instead of just dysfunctional... read Trivial Pursuit cards that they keep at the tables. Surreal afternoon.
Don't remember first weekend. Probably got drunk. Seems fairly likely. May or may not have done a meaningful amount of work. The case is in favor of me having jotted one or two scribbles during the passage of the time. All in all, not particularly memorable.
Went to parents' last weekend. Got mattress and box-springs from there and switched out the mattress here. That thing was a truly hellish piece of crap. Twisted and malicious, attacking spinal and muscular integrity like a virus. Terrible sleep-depriving machine of Satan and Satan's army of insomniac accountants! Curse you fiddlers and your exquisite tortures! May you never meet a wink!
Also went out to lunch for younger brother's birthday. Cheeburger, Cheeburger. Throw-back Fifties-style place (I guess there's a few of them scattered about the area). Will make you a wild burger or chicken sandwich from a list of bizarre and enticing items. Had a chicken sandwich with provolone, chopped garlic, salsa, and pineapple. It was a curious creation. The onion rings and French fries are good. They had Grey Poupon! Hooray! Made my day! Grey Poupon on French fries is rather a delicious prospect. They also make wild shakes from a list of bizarre and enticing flavors. Had a Coffee + Mocha shake. Not very adventurous, I admit, but I hadn't decided on that by the time the waitress took our orders. Blurted something out I knew I'd like. It was yum. Old family friend came to lunch with us. Confusing and amusing conversations with the family... growing into something lovingly dysfunctional instead of just dysfunctional... read Trivial Pursuit cards that they keep at the tables. Surreal afternoon.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Thursday, 1/29
Really liked the gentle Alexander warmup. Was tired before class, but it got my head in the right place (down into my core, I suppose...?) and wasn't overexerting. Just invigorating.
The genre game was fantabulous. I wonder if we can try it in short-form...
Super-pumped for Electra. (What a name!) Greeks are Great. Rah rah rah.
Obligatory link.
The genre game was fantabulous. I wonder if we can try it in short-form...
Super-pumped for Electra. (What a name!) Greeks are Great. Rah rah rah.
Obligatory link.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tuesday, 1/27
Fun today. Began with a relaxation exercise. Was sorry I came in a little late and missed a minute-or-so of laying on my back. Each moment helps. I like being guided through them, because it's less work I have to do and more focus I can give to relaxation and release. Muscles between my shoulderblades still grueling and painful. Will probably take years to reform them.
As I say, cavemanning was invigorating. Felt very free, very natural--unaffected, just cleaning because it's time to do that. I suppose I have a bit of romanticism for the distant past and the distant future--I imagine them stoic and lonely but answered bravely by their generations. Today we waste and pine. Or so it seems. The lens is largely fixed as my perspective goes. I can imagine it into rotations and telescopings, kaleidoscopies, but those pictures are limited to and by my imagination. Where fact and imagination differ I am at a loss to say, suffice it that my dreamscapes rarely resemble my waking, walking life--so it's hard to imagine that my imaginations approach the realities of the distant past or the distant future. I suppose it's a nonsense point. Singularity of reason. Tendrils still want to and do stretch beyond it. I will continue to romanticize epic distances. Traveling beyond the ends of the earth will remain an Odyssean task.
So speaking of the distant future, I imagined our group improv to be there. Well, not perhaps distant distant, but some centuries into the Space Age. New Agey Self-Realization Self-Help Guru Crap has blossomed into a fully formed societal mode, and this is the terrifying and self-parodying result. This improv felt different from some of the last ones--it was funny to the outsiders, but for me at least, it was fully engrossing. At no point did I ever feel self-conscious as The Almighty Wrench. I was simply a man living in my time and surroundings and enacting the rituals and obligations that had been passed to me. It felt very... unexplained, faithful. It wasn't a society of questioning, but of embracing. I could tell, however, that there was a seedy undercurrent to it--a repressed energy of dark consistency and character--it was waiting to bubble up, and it almost did with the murder of the immigrants. It didn't surprise me that it was a self-sacrificing, "kamikaze" society--it had that sort of feel about it, the mindless drone-hum of complacent agreement. "Going along" seemed the primary mode of living. Once I was elected leader, it was fairly easy to point the others in a certain direction--certainly this was helped by the "saying yes" part of improv, but it seemed the society was built on "saying yes." "No" was probably a foreign word, or perhaps only an occasional formality, an honor question.
Was really aware of my voice and how it was vibrating early on in the class, just after the relaxation. This was exciting--feeling my voice instead of hearing it. I admit I was aware of the aural difference as well, but it wasn't as startling or as immediately apparent--instead, my voice felt like a great eruption of resonance from some chamber deep inside me that I'd never really accessed before. And it wasn't forced like my "stage voice" has often been in the past. Just relaxed speaking was emanating from me with force and authority, a confidence and clarity that was relieving and stimulating. It made me feel good, happy in a simple way, reassured, carefree, and communicative. For as much as I talk and as much as I write, I rarely feel able to communicate--probably why I do so much talking and writing--but with such a self-obvious and well-founded voice which was producing itself without particular exertion, I felt able to communicate. Lots of little victories, a sum beyond the parts...
Oh, and here's a video a friend of mine made with a Text-to-Video thingy, using some lines from a poem I wrote a few weeks ago--it was a little embarassing, but mostly amusing... for me at least. I can't imagine it will entertain you too much, so follow at your own risk.
http://www.xtranormal.com/xtranormal/episode.php?aid=72031&mid=20090126180237272
As I say, cavemanning was invigorating. Felt very free, very natural--unaffected, just cleaning because it's time to do that. I suppose I have a bit of romanticism for the distant past and the distant future--I imagine them stoic and lonely but answered bravely by their generations. Today we waste and pine. Or so it seems. The lens is largely fixed as my perspective goes. I can imagine it into rotations and telescopings, kaleidoscopies, but those pictures are limited to and by my imagination. Where fact and imagination differ I am at a loss to say, suffice it that my dreamscapes rarely resemble my waking, walking life--so it's hard to imagine that my imaginations approach the realities of the distant past or the distant future. I suppose it's a nonsense point. Singularity of reason. Tendrils still want to and do stretch beyond it. I will continue to romanticize epic distances. Traveling beyond the ends of the earth will remain an Odyssean task.
So speaking of the distant future, I imagined our group improv to be there. Well, not perhaps distant distant, but some centuries into the Space Age. New Agey Self-Realization Self-Help Guru Crap has blossomed into a fully formed societal mode, and this is the terrifying and self-parodying result. This improv felt different from some of the last ones--it was funny to the outsiders, but for me at least, it was fully engrossing. At no point did I ever feel self-conscious as The Almighty Wrench. I was simply a man living in my time and surroundings and enacting the rituals and obligations that had been passed to me. It felt very... unexplained, faithful. It wasn't a society of questioning, but of embracing. I could tell, however, that there was a seedy undercurrent to it--a repressed energy of dark consistency and character--it was waiting to bubble up, and it almost did with the murder of the immigrants. It didn't surprise me that it was a self-sacrificing, "kamikaze" society--it had that sort of feel about it, the mindless drone-hum of complacent agreement. "Going along" seemed the primary mode of living. Once I was elected leader, it was fairly easy to point the others in a certain direction--certainly this was helped by the "saying yes" part of improv, but it seemed the society was built on "saying yes." "No" was probably a foreign word, or perhaps only an occasional formality, an honor question.
Was really aware of my voice and how it was vibrating early on in the class, just after the relaxation. This was exciting--feeling my voice instead of hearing it. I admit I was aware of the aural difference as well, but it wasn't as startling or as immediately apparent--instead, my voice felt like a great eruption of resonance from some chamber deep inside me that I'd never really accessed before. And it wasn't forced like my "stage voice" has often been in the past. Just relaxed speaking was emanating from me with force and authority, a confidence and clarity that was relieving and stimulating. It made me feel good, happy in a simple way, reassured, carefree, and communicative. For as much as I talk and as much as I write, I rarely feel able to communicate--probably why I do so much talking and writing--but with such a self-obvious and well-founded voice which was producing itself without particular exertion, I felt able to communicate. Lots of little victories, a sum beyond the parts...
Oh, and here's a video a friend of mine made with a Text-to-Video thingy, using some lines from a poem I wrote a few weeks ago--it was a little embarassing, but mostly amusing... for me at least. I can't imagine it will entertain you too much, so follow at your own risk.
http://www.xtranormal.com/xtranormal/episode.php?aid=72031&mid=20090126180237272
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Thursday, 1/22
Fun class today. Unsure what I'm going to do with my book. Various options included burning it, enshrining it, and merely throwing it away. All of these potentialities are amusing--the idea of simply "keeping it" is a little boring.
Excited but a bit apprehensive about our semester-long assignment. Going to have to start stalking soon. What fun. Good practice for the future, when I become a full-fledged creeper/super-spy. Easy to confuse the two. I like to blur lines.
Shortest post yet--I suppose few reflections on a class that was pretty focused is sensible. One reflection per activity means... two reflections. Unless I'm tremendously forgetting the first part of class (NB: I truly despise that physical vocabulary game--the only ones I can usually remember are one and four).
Anyhoos, here's the most important part of my post:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORSzfw8FE-o
Notice how, in the grip of her intensity, the song's "spell" becomes very literal voodoo magic. You can totally imagine her calling up otherworldly spirits and sending them after her lover, locking him into a supernatural embrace. Gives me shivers.
Excited but a bit apprehensive about our semester-long assignment. Going to have to start stalking soon. What fun. Good practice for the future, when I become a full-fledged creeper/super-spy. Easy to confuse the two. I like to blur lines.
Shortest post yet--I suppose few reflections on a class that was pretty focused is sensible. One reflection per activity means... two reflections. Unless I'm tremendously forgetting the first part of class (NB: I truly despise that physical vocabulary game--the only ones I can usually remember are one and four).
Anyhoos, here's the most important part of my post:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORSzfw8FE-o
Notice how, in the grip of her intensity, the song's "spell" becomes very literal voodoo magic. You can totally imagine her calling up otherworldly spirits and sending them after her lover, locking him into a supernatural embrace. Gives me shivers.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Tuesday, 1/20
Short one today. Here's the quick speech response I wrote on the messageboard I frequent:
"I laughed when he screwed up the Oath--I was actually waiting for Biden to do it, but it fell to the Big Man. It was a pretty good speech, some parts I didn't like but some were really inspiring. My favorite part was the John Williams quartet though--Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman, come on baby! I gotta say, I'm something of a self-admitted religious apologist a lot of times, but it still really annoys me to open and close the ceremony with prayers. Jesus, people! ...Har har. But really, the tenacity of a ****ing clergyman to pray "regardless of religion" to the Judeochristian God. Pfft. What a hoax."
Turns out the guy reciting the Oath to Obama is actually the one who screwed it up--he forgot the paper or something, so he ad-libbed. Obama probably had it memorized, and that's what screwed him up. I'm sure some right-wing nut-job will claim he isn't the real President because he didn't take the Real Oath. Yadda-yadda, people always find good ways to justify madness.
I will say, another of my favorite parts was watching Obama saunter through the building just before he emerged--his confidence and bravado was pretty stunning, and very well-calculated. A performance to remember, for those of you interested in the theatrics/cinematics of politics. Actually, Obama is fantastic to watch for that--his performances throughout the entire campaign, in relation to the camera and to its interaction with his crafted image and with the internet, has truly been amazing. He is a genius, and he is surrounded by genius--his wife and the rest of his team are all brilliant as hell. It's encouraging, going from an idiot to a genius. Things just might get better.
I will note a slight tinge of regret that I didn't take my GWU friend up on her offer of a weekend in DC leading into the inauguration. I have numerous friends there now. I'll have to ask them about it. Historic moments don't come along too often. Ah well, I was warm and able to hear every word, and I didn't have to stand for hours waiting.
"I laughed when he screwed up the Oath--I was actually waiting for Biden to do it, but it fell to the Big Man. It was a pretty good speech, some parts I didn't like but some were really inspiring. My favorite part was the John Williams quartet though--Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman, come on baby! I gotta say, I'm something of a self-admitted religious apologist a lot of times, but it still really annoys me to open and close the ceremony with prayers. Jesus, people! ...Har har. But really, the tenacity of a ****ing clergyman to pray "regardless of religion" to the Judeochristian God. Pfft. What a hoax."
Turns out the guy reciting the Oath to Obama is actually the one who screwed it up--he forgot the paper or something, so he ad-libbed. Obama probably had it memorized, and that's what screwed him up. I'm sure some right-wing nut-job will claim he isn't the real President because he didn't take the Real Oath. Yadda-yadda, people always find good ways to justify madness.
I will say, another of my favorite parts was watching Obama saunter through the building just before he emerged--his confidence and bravado was pretty stunning, and very well-calculated. A performance to remember, for those of you interested in the theatrics/cinematics of politics. Actually, Obama is fantastic to watch for that--his performances throughout the entire campaign, in relation to the camera and to its interaction with his crafted image and with the internet, has truly been amazing. He is a genius, and he is surrounded by genius--his wife and the rest of his team are all brilliant as hell. It's encouraging, going from an idiot to a genius. Things just might get better.
I will note a slight tinge of regret that I didn't take my GWU friend up on her offer of a weekend in DC leading into the inauguration. I have numerous friends there now. I'll have to ask them about it. Historic moments don't come along too often. Ah well, I was warm and able to hear every word, and I didn't have to stand for hours waiting.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Thursday, 1/15
First and foremost: lung cleansing successful, and indicated to me the tight spot in my chest. Right behind the bottom of my sternum, or about the indentation in the center of the chest. Felt like a pinching or like my ribs didn't want to expand there. Was able to complete the vacuuming, but both times that spot was in pain. A vice or it was sewn shut. Wonder what it would be like to have that opened up--hopefully vocal work will help.
The rest of the class was much fun. Different attitudes of walking, with closeness of body parts--I love touching! It's nice to be in a group that is self-comfortable, so we don't have the awkwardness involved in forced touching. It's like vacation time, canoodling in class on command. Wish we could have done the noses. Shared breath is a bit like a rebirth. Hot and musty... you get the idea.
It was wonderful and hilarious playing Adam through his life. I liked that I found the character's throughline--unable to make eye-contact, ruined forever by a terribly awkward conversation with his dad about the Facts of Life--somehow I don't think it's fair that this is class for us, and sad, sorry business students are sitting around getting boring lectures--but hey, they picked their fates (does one pick fate?). I chose this one because it's so much fun. Of course, they'd probably think it was stupid and wasteful and foolish and childish, so much the better for both of us.
Singing in different styles and in rounds is always good. Got to revisit childhood songs... what a delight! I always love the way "merrily, merrily, merrily" rolls along and over itself in canon... it really sounds like a stream burbling. Drunk lounge-pop came together really well.
I really want to play more of the genre game, telling different stories--really cool game, breaks down your barriers and lets you inhabit some mindset or mode without too much weight or expectation--quite freeing.
Tossing the ball was also fun.
Wearing shorts was a pretty good idea, I liked being mobile and athletic... I believe very much in an athletic approach to acting (I sure feel like an athlete on stage, huffing and puffing and sweating and straining), so it's encouraging to be in flex-gear, something you might wear to the gym or to yoga class. I feel like that, that acting is a workout or a spiritual ritual, cleansing, breath-based, empty, only a flow of energy... being able to move is critical, unless the object is to let the energy sink into certain parts and ruminate or boil or stew. But that's a movement choice, which is choice, not compromise--if you have the ability to move, you can still choose not to--if you do not have the ability to move, you cannot choose to do so. Choice: important.
I'm interested in breaking through the wall of caricature that seems to be present at these early stages. Relieving the humor (while keeping the fun)--it's play, but soon I hope it will be very serious play, the kind of play tiger cubs do to train for the hunt--stage-life feels brutal and bloody like that, muscular and animal. I'm excited to put aside the playful play and begin the serious play. I think the Greek will be great for that--blasting bodies like trumpets, sheer emotion of superhumanity, gargantuan puppets of myth instead of puny fleshly things... ooh, I get all bothered just thinking about it.
Additionally, here's my non-sequitor video of the day (actually a triplet):
Film (Part 1)
Film (Part 2)
Film (Part 3)
The rest of the class was much fun. Different attitudes of walking, with closeness of body parts--I love touching! It's nice to be in a group that is self-comfortable, so we don't have the awkwardness involved in forced touching. It's like vacation time, canoodling in class on command. Wish we could have done the noses. Shared breath is a bit like a rebirth. Hot and musty... you get the idea.
It was wonderful and hilarious playing Adam through his life. I liked that I found the character's throughline--unable to make eye-contact, ruined forever by a terribly awkward conversation with his dad about the Facts of Life--somehow I don't think it's fair that this is class for us, and sad, sorry business students are sitting around getting boring lectures--but hey, they picked their fates (does one pick fate?). I chose this one because it's so much fun. Of course, they'd probably think it was stupid and wasteful and foolish and childish, so much the better for both of us.
Singing in different styles and in rounds is always good. Got to revisit childhood songs... what a delight! I always love the way "merrily, merrily, merrily" rolls along and over itself in canon... it really sounds like a stream burbling. Drunk lounge-pop came together really well.
I really want to play more of the genre game, telling different stories--really cool game, breaks down your barriers and lets you inhabit some mindset or mode without too much weight or expectation--quite freeing.
Tossing the ball was also fun.
Wearing shorts was a pretty good idea, I liked being mobile and athletic... I believe very much in an athletic approach to acting (I sure feel like an athlete on stage, huffing and puffing and sweating and straining), so it's encouraging to be in flex-gear, something you might wear to the gym or to yoga class. I feel like that, that acting is a workout or a spiritual ritual, cleansing, breath-based, empty, only a flow of energy... being able to move is critical, unless the object is to let the energy sink into certain parts and ruminate or boil or stew. But that's a movement choice, which is choice, not compromise--if you have the ability to move, you can still choose not to--if you do not have the ability to move, you cannot choose to do so. Choice: important.
I'm interested in breaking through the wall of caricature that seems to be present at these early stages. Relieving the humor (while keeping the fun)--it's play, but soon I hope it will be very serious play, the kind of play tiger cubs do to train for the hunt--stage-life feels brutal and bloody like that, muscular and animal. I'm excited to put aside the playful play and begin the serious play. I think the Greek will be great for that--blasting bodies like trumpets, sheer emotion of superhumanity, gargantuan puppets of myth instead of puny fleshly things... ooh, I get all bothered just thinking about it.
Additionally, here's my non-sequitor video of the day (actually a triplet):
Film (Part 1)
Film (Part 2)
Film (Part 3)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Tuesday, 1/13
So it's 2009 now, today's class was the first of my semester. Oof. But fun and lively and a good way to kick off the last stretch of meaningful academics. Gotta get graduated and all that, and I'm glad that I have a fun class as one of my few for that.
We went over the syllabus, which is a tedious but necessary formality, and then we did some good warm-ups. I was glad about that, I only had five minutes in the Blackbox alone before the class came in, so I didn't get to stretch properly. My mind was a bit muddled and sleepy and vacationy, so that helped me wake up and recognize the school that was upon me. Again. School again. Oof.
Pretty excited about the potentials for this class, especially Electra, and an excuse to read a Shakespeare I haven't yet (I suppose I should have, but I'm shameful). If today's exercises and Hip Hop/August Wilson indicate anything, the class as a whole should be pretty funky and really enjoyable and worth lots of learning points. In fact, I expect it to be all of those things. I expect to enjoy myself and learn a lot, which means I expect you, Kashi, to be a badass professor. And I, in turn, will be a badass student. So that's my challenge to you, Kashi: don't waste my time, and I won't waste yours. I know we'll have a good semester.
On a totally unrelated note, here is Elwood, the world's ugliest dog.
We went over the syllabus, which is a tedious but necessary formality, and then we did some good warm-ups. I was glad about that, I only had five minutes in the Blackbox alone before the class came in, so I didn't get to stretch properly. My mind was a bit muddled and sleepy and vacationy, so that helped me wake up and recognize the school that was upon me. Again. School again. Oof.
Pretty excited about the potentials for this class, especially Electra, and an excuse to read a Shakespeare I haven't yet (I suppose I should have, but I'm shameful). If today's exercises and Hip Hop/August Wilson indicate anything, the class as a whole should be pretty funky and really enjoyable and worth lots of learning points. In fact, I expect it to be all of those things. I expect to enjoy myself and learn a lot, which means I expect you, Kashi, to be a badass professor. And I, in turn, will be a badass student. So that's my challenge to you, Kashi: don't waste my time, and I won't waste yours. I know we'll have a good semester.
On a totally unrelated note, here is Elwood, the world's ugliest dog.
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