PERSONAL INVENTORIES: These short written assignments are self-evaluations of the student as an actor. Two are required. The first is due on the first week. It should be one to two typed pages in length, and should be written in paragraph form using correct grammar. Answer the following questions:
Why did you choose to sign up for an acting course? What do you hope to learn or have accomplished by the end of the quarter?
What do you perceive as your strengths and your weaknesses as an actor? You might discuss physical and vocal abilities, self-consciousness, imagination, etc.
What background or experience do you have in drama?
What does actor need to know about theatre? It all depends. Depends on what you want...
No way I have to complete all the lessons! 12 week, 3 times a week = 36 pages!
For now I would make 2 sample lesson-pages in each subdirectory (BioMethod I -- V).
Monologue First Week:
introduced: Actor's Text, 5W's, 123 Dramatic Composition, Floor Plan. First Chapter Textbook. Monologues and resumes are posted. Warmups introduced.
Second Mon. -- keywords, use of journals, prop. Cold Reading -- line-by-line analysis.
Selection of the second (contrasting) monologue.
Sample (Actor's Text, 1st Draft):
[ From "Singles" Written by Cameron Crowe
Character: Janet, 23 years old, works in a coffee shop in Seattle,
saving money to go to architecture school, has a sort of boyfriend in
the same apartment who never calls when he says he will. ]
(UR, come in apartment with umbrella up, put down umbrella, walk over
to answering machine at C, look down, take off apron, set down
Starbucks coffee)
(start pacing back and forth DL to DR, slowly, while talking)
God (pause) I'm in love with my neighbor. (increase speed of pacing)
(sigh)
Why don't you call me Cliff? (stop DC) (pause, look at watch) (look
around)
Hmmmmm……what can I eat, I'm tired of starving myself for this guy.
(pause) (look down) (walk to UL)
Salad……..maybe I'll have a salad. Or not. (shake head )
(start pacing again, look at watch) If I call him to remind him,
that's being desperate. He's just late or he forgot. If he shows up
I'll listen……….(hand gestures) no way do I call him.
(walk to C turn back to look at audience)
Of course………..….men DO like to be called. (head tilt to right)(pause)
(look at watch) I'll call him in 10 minutes……that'll be one hour and
that'll be officially very late.
(sit down in chair at table and stare at phone)
(sigh) (look at watch) He is officially very late.
(look around, get an idea, tear off a piece of newspaper and wad it
up)
If I make this basket, that's fate telling me to call him. (throw
paper and miss basket at CR)
Okay….2 out of 3. (wad up another paper and throw and miss basket
again)
Wait……….(look at audience) did no basket mean I'll call him or don't
call him?
(smile) Call him. (use phone, pick up and start to dial, stop
midway, start again, look at watch, pick up rec, put down rec.,
finally dial…. sad look because it is busy)
Busy. (sigh)
(loudly)That's a sign!
That's fate saying don't call him.
Forget it. (pick up phone and yell into it) I'm not desperate. I
have many, many people to spend a Saturday night with. (slam down
phone) (get up, sit back down look at watch, stare at phone)
ET:
