The FANTASTIC Mr. Fox

Last night, October 11, 2011, was the first rehearsal for UNCG's production of Roald Dahl's The Fantastic Mr. Fox.The cast of about 28 people, give or take a few, promises to be an exciting, and hilarious one. Even during our first read through the cast was smiling and laughing out loud as each actor brought something new and unexpected to the reading. I could tell that this will be a cast with a different kind of flair and connection. I just know that the energy level of each show will be a continuous high, and we will always be engaging and interesting for the school children coming to see our productions. I am very much looking forward to the rest of the rehearsal process as our direct is VERY big on collaboration. Even last night, after we finished the reading, we, as a cast, sat and discussed with the director different ideas for some situations, and just all sorts of very interesting things to help create an amazing show. I have never been a part of such a process that I think this will provide an amazing learning and exploring experience for me as an actor. I wish I could truly make you understand how excited I am for this production. Last night, as we were shown the set and costume designs, I got so very excited. I was giggling and smiling and I couldn't help but laugh at myself and my energy. Even now as I write this post I am getting jittery and nervous with excitement and anticipation for tonight's rehearsal. I am just so excited.

Coming to you live from the Greenroom

Hey all, its almost the end of week three here at UNCG. I am really enjoying myself too! Right now I am in the Taylor Theater Greenroom located directly below the stage. In fact the is a nice large rectangle that if you were to remove some ply wood (very thick I'm sure) you would be sticking out of the floor. They are currently building the set for The Threepenny Opera, and I just finished my 2 shop hours. For my tech class I get to work in the shop for 4 hours each week. I really enjoy it. Everyone is really fun, but of course they are all very smart about the fact that they are working with things that could, well, kill you! I just finished building one of the HUGE platforms, started making some spacers, and unloaded some steel. In the other hours I have worked I, looked for steel, made bricks, cut wood, and held build a platform wrong, and then begin to fix it. It really is a LOT of fun and I can not wait to see the show and see all my hard work onstage and then destroyed in a matter of hours. Well on to Tap! Its great!

Auditions and Callbacks(oh and classes)

Hello, and welcome to my first post from UNCG!!! Tuesday night were my auditions. I performed monologue from The Glass Menagerie, and then I sang Being Alive from Company. I think I did alright. I then received a callback for both of the shows that I auditioned for, The Threepenny Opera, and The Fantastic Mr. Fox.

The callbacks were pretty fun. The threepenny callback was simply a dance for the part I was called for. So I did the best that I could and I felt like I was making a really stupid and incorrect face the whole time, but who knows.

And then I really enjoyed my callback for Mr. Fox was really fun. I simply had to read a side (a chunk of the script) but she let us have free range with it. It was loads of fun.

The cast lists come out today so I am super so I am super excited to see what happens! Believe me I will let you all know!   

As for my classes they are whats up! My acting 1 teacher is very cool, and I am stoked for what all we will learn. The same is true about my voice for the actor class. My tech class is cool, you know sets and lights, its all the same. Tap is FUN! but hard ish... I need shoes. Math is so easy it makes me cry when people ask questions. and finally my English class will KICK MY BUTT!  I have always been terrible with writing and and that kind of stuff (but for some reason I have a blog?) So yeah! College life. Not too bad.


UPDATE !!!!!!!!!!
After my math class I made the  minute trek to the Taylor Theater Greenroom, where the cast lists were posted. The first one I saw was for The Threepenny Opera. As I began looking through the names I saw the name of one of my friends and then another, but I did not see my own name. Now at this point I started to feel a little bumbed out. I mean I started going through the classic, "well at least they saw you and were interested enough to want to see you again, you can always work the crew and you have to do some work on it..." All that stuff that actors in these situations say to themselves, when not cast. Of course I double checked it, closer just in case I skimmed over my name. Nope it wasn't up there. So like I'm not sure if within those seconds I forgot about The Fantastic Mr. Fox or what. In remembering it, I said to myself, "Well, its at lest worth looking at." So I kinda look over it, and the first thing I'm attracted to is MY NAME!!! Like my brain didn't start at the top and read left to right down the list, it just zeroed in on my name! As soon as I saw it I glanced over to see the role, not really caring what it was because I would accept it anyway, but there it was the speaking part that I had been called back for! Isn't that great?! YAY! Now a chance for more people to see me, for directors to work with me (the way I feel is best to get to know me as an actor) and a chance to have fun. Like I mentioned before, the call back was really fun and playful, so I can only guess how much fun the actual rehearsal process will be! And I say to all the were cast congrats, to all that were called back way to go, and a big YEE HAW to all that even auditioned. You put yourself out there and did what some can't so good on you, and you know I mean that is really all you can do. Its risky business, but isn't that why we love it?

A Monologue

Simple, Right? One character speaking. In other words a paragraph. How hard is that to find?

Let me just tell you!

A monologue, we begin, is, as I said, one character speaking for an extended time.
Well, that's just a brief, one line, explanation of what this theatrical phenomena is.

Now to have a good monologue it must be prepared, active, and direct. These three words are simple enough. To explain them I will start from the end.

Direct:
A monologue is said to be direct when a character speaks to another. So the whole passage, or speech, is to be directed at another character. Simple enough, this means we cut out speeches that break the fourth wall, or that are delivered directly to the audience. This can also count out most of the soliloquies. Now there is a whole "the audience is a character" thing, but really? Lets just not go there right now.

Active:
As a character in a play you have an objective, or what you want. Every character wants something, that is what gives them drive, and so giving them purpose in the play. Their goal for the whole play can be called the super-objective. With-in each scene that the character is in there is an objective. This idea of objective can be broken down for each line even. So for a monologue to be active the speaker needs to be trying to get something. Something from the character they are speaking to.

There we go. Find an active monologue, and maybe you have found a direct monologue.

Prepared:
Okay, so a well prepared monologue comes from a place of knowledge. To really understand a character when he or she is speaking one has to know where that character is coming from. So yes there may be plenty of monologue books with published, direct, and active monologues, but with out know the story up to that point it makes the character development terribly hard. So how do you get that, you get the script, and you read it.

Now I am only a student, and one who has not had many "monologuey" parts. SO it is VERY HARD to find these things. I DISLIKE monologues. Not because they are hard to act, no. One can find a character and present it with out the other half of the scene, as much as I like the energy that comes from another actor. No I dislike monologues because they are so stinking hard to find.

Especially when they say no accents and one of the shows you did needed an accent, so that is how you memorized the lines! UGH

It has been a while

I'm very sorry! In the time I have been away I have done three major things that apply to this blog, the first thing was with my chuch. Each year my church has a large gathering of Young people from both North and South Carolina, and I am part of a Drama team that performs in the meetings. One of the "skits" we did was an Old Church Lady dance. That is right a Chuch LADY dance. Now if you know me you will know that I am a little larger than life, so when a chance to be in drag comes along I will not miss it, also there is NO holding back. I say if you are going to be a man in a dress then go all the way, believe it or not it is less embaressing! So that was fun!

Next was  my schools musical. This was my schools first muscial, and in my opinion it was not done very well as a whole. Not many of the students had ever done musicals before and well the way that the rehearsal process was set up did not allow for very good work. In fact the first show was the first full run through and the next night when I steped into the lead role I had yet to practice two whole scenes! I went on either way and relied on all the skills I knew. Everyone told me how much better the show was the night that I was the lead, even the crew and in a way the director. 

Now the last major thing for theater that I have done, was that I co-directed a play. I feel all in all it went well. I do wish I had more time on  the stage to work out spacing, but the cast handeled it very well! I have decided that I could never be a director, not unless I have a VERY strong vision of a show. I do think that I could work as a set or costume designer, but  directing proved to be a chanllenge that is not for me. Of course I would always rather be an actor! 

I hope you have a great summer! Next time you hear from me chances are I will be in college!   

The Man

So tomorrow I open in A Raisin in the Sun as Mr. Karl Lidner, the white man. And I think it has been a really interesting project to work on. When you hear that someone is the white man in a "civil rights play" images that come to mind are sights of anger and shouting and even something very threatening. But if you have ever read this script then you know that their are two major ways to play this role. The first is the one that everyone imediatly thinks of but this requiers a lot of sarcasm, which I think s just a bit too much and not exactly right. I take it to the other extream. When I read the script this man is very uncomfortable. He is scared he is surrounded by people who will not be very happy with him. So he is very nervous. I just think tht it is interesting that this "white man" is not the that bigot that we all think of. To me he doesn't even read like that. When he enters he seriously has their best interest at heart, just that is not what they want to hear. It has just been really interesting to think about who this man is, in this situation and even back in his own neighborhood. Oh the things we think about as actors.

Update

So I have been gone recently and haven't gotten to post anything. Right now I am in rehearsal for two, well really 3 shows. I just finished my audition for the local Arts college (UNCSA) so that is one thing crossed off my list. All this whie trying to go through the whole process of designing and making a costume, not to mention school work and church. Really, a lot is happening, so if you ever ask me "Whats happening" don't believe me when I say "Not much"

Art

So I was listening to a radio show on my way home, and they were talking to a man who does screen printng. He told this story of him in art school as they each said their favorite thing to do, some said oils, others sculpting, he liked to make posters and the school sad that he was undicided. It made me think, what is art. I mean why can't a poster be a work of art even if it is for a hand, there is so much that can go into it. So like what makes something art. To me it is something that expresses an idea, sure it may not have been thought I'd when it was originally made, but if it is still there then it's art. That's just something interesting I thought you should think about.

We Opened!

So, yesterday (11/11/10) I opened as Freddy Benson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. The show opened to a small crowd of about 12-15 people, but not to worry. Thursdays are strange days, and are probably not the best for an opening night, but the next day is always Friday. Friday usually means large(er) crowds. So I look forward to seeing who all comes tonight! For some  the sight of only 12 people in the audience could be a little disheartening, but not me. Why? Well, like I said, its Thursday. Also the show could use a little "word of mouth" advertisement. But most importantly, it doesn't matter how many people are out there watching as long as who ever it is is enjoying themselves, which I think they were.

Since it is live theater little things always pop up and go wrong, so maybe you miss a joke? But NEVER let it get you down. So you didn't get it that night, if you are running more than one night, you will have a chance to correct it the next evening. Also I'm sure there is more than one joke in whatever show you are doing so take pride in the laughter and applause that you did receive.

Well I just wanted to say that we did open and I made it through my first REAL leading role (even if it doesn't feel that way to me). But I did it! And I have 7 more chances to make it even better! 

Update and Worries

Before you read: If you are reading this andahoy are working on either of the plays mentioned DO NOT BE OFFENDED! The advice I give is not directed toward anyone individual. It is simply advice that comes from my expereince as both a member of stage crew and as an actor.
So I have done it! I have successfully memorized all my lines and my first actual performance is less than 2 days away. This performance is at the North Carolina Theater Conference regional competition, and it will be a cut of my school's play, Mrs. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge, by Christopher Durang. I will admit that I have my worries about how well we will do. It seems that our tech crew is a little behind on their knowledge of the play and changes, and a good amount of our stuff is still missing. Still there is one day left of practice, and this gives us just a little more time to get things in order. So what is the moral of the story? Well, it depends whether you crew or an actor?




ACTORS: DON'T WORRY!!! or at least try not to. If you're like me, then well you can't help it, but do your best. If your director has any sense then he or she will be just as worried as you, probably more so. Just try and let the director take care of anything, you just need to focus on the acting. I know that this can be difficult at school because it happens around you, and you could be called on to do crew for other school productions. A director once told me, any good actor does not need all of the costumes or sets or anything else to put on the show. As long as you and the rest of the ensemble can work together to create the characters and the world around you and you believe it and truly see it, then the audience will follow you and take the journey, even if they can't totally see the world. If you can create it they'll see it.



CREW: Do your best to know the play you are working on. If you can get a hold of a script early on, and read it, this way you can become acquainted with the play. It will also help you in anticipating any scene changes. Also if you are placed on the crew that is in charge of moving any scenic pieces, talk to the director or designer bout what the set looks like, this way you have a semi-visual, or idea, of what you will be moving. Now in most community theater, if you have the ability to sit in on early practices or run throughs, do and see if you can obtain a script. If you can't and are only present for the tech rehearsals, which is the common practice of most directors and crew, stay focused throughout the entire rehearsals. Stay quiet, listen to the scenes being performed, do your best to understand what is happening around you. Normally you will only have one week to know when changes come, how long you have, and where each piece goes. Focus on your part will relieve any stress on your director, the actors around you, and most importantly YOU!



So there you go, two lessons worth learning in the theater.



Oh hey, I also start tech for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels very soon,which also means we OPEN soon! Legs will be broken... I HOPE!

A Challenge

So I have recently taken on a new challenge of two Major shows, at once! Both in which I have MAJOR roles. The first show to be performed is the musical "Dirty Rottn Scoundrels." I am very excited about this show. It promises to be a riot I end up in a wheelchair and yodeling, oh it will be great. My other show is a little darker in it's humor, but still funny. The thing is both are full length shows, in which I have a lot of lines. So by November I will have 5 characters running around in my head(not counting the normal ones!) So the goal here is to memorize all my lines for both shows, and not to mention the normal things for this point in my student life. I will, or should be keeping you updated on my progress. Wish Me Luck!

Auditions

So this Up coming spring my one of my community theaters is producing Hairspray, and today my friend asked me to help her find an audition song. And it made me think. How much do I really know about auditioning? ... The answer is, more than I expected, and more than I practice. So here are the tips that I know: (Even if I do need to put them into practice a little more than I do now)

1. Find a song that compliments/shows off your range.
2. Find a song that is similar to the show you are auditioning for.
3. Try not to pick a song from the show because the auditioner may read that as "This is how I will perform this song if I am cast," and that may not be how they want it. So it seems like an "either or" situation.
4. Try to pick songs that either catch their interest, or so your voice off quickly because you might not make it all the way through the song.
5. If you know the original version of the show and the characters have a certain voice don't use it unless it is your voice. Show off you not the original character.
6. Practice! You can not walk into a room for an audition with a brand new song that you have never practiced.
7. If you are singing to another character in your song put that character just past the auditioners, do not bring them into your scene.
8. Be careful not to get to close to the auditioners.
9. Do not wear anything that distracts from your voice or acting skills.
10. But at the end of the day... you're another day older. (Sorry I couldn't help it.) But really at the end of the day all that matters is that the auditioners have heard you sing and that they know your voice.
11. AND DRINK WATER! Stay hydrated. All day. If you have an audition that evening try to drink water all day long. Warm up, it will help you feel more comfortable singing. Stretch you will most likely feel more relaxed in the audition. And have a good attitude.

So those are my tips for a singing audition, and as I think about it a lot of them would cross over to a monologue audition. always look around for tips. There is one fellow on Youtube that gave a lecture on auditions. Look for it and listen, it will help. Also the more you audition the more you learn about How to do it.
Do NOT get discouraged if you are not cast. In fact this is one of those moments where the phrase "what does not kill us makes us stronger," really rings true. Ask the director why you were not cast, if you have a way of contacting them. Although if you do this please be respectful. Directors WILL remember you, so be nice. Simply ask what they were looking for, and what you could have done differently to maybe have landed the show.
So those are my tips. I'm sure there are more out there, but that is all I can think of. I would like to thank :

• That Guy On Youtube
• Marjory Watson (pro singer and Actress)

And

• Scott Christian (pro percussionist)

For all of these wonderful tips.

New

Hi there. I'm new here and this is my first post! Woo. I'm currently on vacation, so that means no shows for me. I just finished work out at my churches Music and Arts camp as an Asst. Drama and Dance Instructor. I am currently a student and hope to one day pursue a career on Broadway! Hope you follow along in my adventures, how ever strange they may be. :-)

Feel free to check my website: www.eganacting.webs.com