Session Three: Week 6

Tuesday  

We tried a new warm up today, one that comes from Michael Chekhov technique and warms up the whole body while getting one’s energy flowing in all directions. While some people with whom I’ve worked have been resistant to this exercise, this group loved it and requested that we do it regularly from now on.

We determined that, since attendance was rather low last Thursday, the best use of our time today would be to review what was worked on that day. One of the women suggested that we put the scenes immediately on their feet, rather than reading them, to see what those who were new to the scenes could get out of them. We tried this with the scene before the party, which includes Mercutio’s Queen Mab speech. The women said that they were still finding it kind of mystifying, so we broke it down. As with many of these scenes and monologues, we decided that it would really take the actor’s physicality to make this speech work. But what kind of physicality would that be? Another participant suggested that they break up into smaller groups and experiment.

The first group of four women each chose one line to “act out.” They wound up using each other as props, which we all decided would be a good thing for Mercutio to do in the scene. What was remarkable was that each of them memorized her one line in the fifteen minutes we spent working on this. That seemed to instill some confidence in the group that memorization might not be as difficult as they anticipate.

The second group designated one Romeo and then took turns talking to her, using gestures they thought were appropriate, with just one section of the monologue. The whole group liked this approach as well.

The third group didn’t fully commit to their approach because after they saw what the other groups had done, they thought they had misunderstood their goal. We talked about how that could have been an opportunity to improvise rather than to simply go through the motions.

It was a productive day, but we’ll have to do much more work on this speech. I think that’s a very usual challenge to have with this play!

Thursday

After warm ups, we worked on three line scenes, led by Sarah. The women got better and better at this exercise as we kept working, and they can all see how this exercise in particular will help them in performance.

We reviewed Act I Scene V, the “party scene.” After we read it through, one woman asked why Capulet is okay with Romeo being there. We discussed some ideas – maybe he’s NOT okay with it, but he doesn’t want a fight at his party; perhaps he is protecting Tybalt; or maybe he’s just so drunk he doesn’t care. Another question posed was how nobody sees what happens between Romeo and Juliet. We talked about how important blocking would be here, but how we could also use a theatrical device to make it work better – perhaps everyone except the two of them either freezes or moves in slow motion, for example.

We put the scene on its feet, and it was very nice. The women who read Romeo and Juliet gave a very quiet, vulnerable reading. The woman who read Romeo has done a lot of reading so far, but she said this was the most connected she had felt to the text and the other actors. This was a good opportunity to talk about how sometimes a very large performance isn’t necessary, and how we really liked how sweet and simple their reading had been.

One of the women said that she has read through the whole play and feels an intense connection to the Nurse. She feels that she has a lot in common with the character and is very eager to play her. I don’t think that will be a problem for anyone – we’re all very excited when we see people making those connections.

Session Three: Week 5

Tuesday  

After warm ups today, we reviewed everyone’s names since some of the women are still a little hesitant, and then we played a very goofy game that builds ensemble as we begin to recognize each others’ voices and senses of humor.

We spent the rest of the time working on the first scene with Juliet, Lady Capulet and the Nurse. This proved to be somewhat laborious, as the Nurse’s famous monologue in that scene took a long time to break down and understand, and as the group was fairly low energy to begin with, it was a bit frustrating and slow going.

But we began to understand the characters and relationships, and we decided to put the scene on its feet to see what more we could get out of it. We discussed each of the three characters having a distinct type of energy, and the women reading the parts tried to incorporate that.

What we arrived at today was that this scene will depend largely on the physical interaction (in the case of the Nurse and Juliet) or the lack thereof (in the case of Lady Capulet) of the characters to immediately establish their relationships. The women feel that getting that across right away will make the impact greater later in the play when Lady Capulet and the Nurse turn on Juliet.

One of the women volunteered that she enjoys getting these scenes on their feet, even if they are rough, because it’s making her more comfortable being onstage and speaking the language. She was on the fence about the group in the beginning because she has always had terrible stage fright, but now she is completely at ease getting up in front of us. She’s still not sure about performing for an audience of strangers, but she feels more confident that she will get to a point where she can do that, too.

Thursday

Written by Dominique

It was a dark and stormy night.

Well, not exactly, but a blustery rainy Halloween afternoon and we were all definitely fighting a sleepy lackluster vibe.  A combination of the weather, holiday triggers I imagine lurking , and I think the fact that it was just me, a newbie, facilitating the group made for a small turnout. With only 9 people it made it difficult to get enthusiasm going, so we just went with the day as it was.

The actors were great about letting me know how they felt the class should go, how things usually went or what they wanted to do with the time. It was kind of hard to get focus, the energy was chaotic, nervous. I had questioned whether certain types of warmup would work, there are some facial exercises and vocal warmers that can seem goofy - you have to be willing to let go of any sense of decorum. There were definitely a couple of things we tried that very few of the group were willing to do. It's a big leap, and I have to remind myself that even if I rely on some of the goofier, floppier physicality to get out of my head they may not be willing or really feel safe to go there.

And then the lights went out.

Seriously, it was funny really. Someone spoke in a very calm voice - "Just stay perfectly still, they will take care of it. Just stay exactly where you are." I chimed in "They must have a generator, it'll only be a minute." And it was, only a minute. But it was pitch black, and an interesting moment. One of those things that sounds like it would be terrifying but wasn't at all really. I don't feel threatened really by anybody in this group, though I think people would expect that you would be.

There was some tension between a couple group members. One comment in particular I think deserves recognition. There are definitely actors who find the text more available than others, and it was pointed out that some people have seen a film version when others haven't. This was seen as an unfair advantage. There has been discussion as to whether to watch one of the R&J movies. While it can be an easy way to get plot and overall character it creates the possibility of seeing the film version as the "right" interpretation and one to be copied.  The "real" way to do the play. I had not considered the idea though that having any previous experience of the play can seem daunting and unfair to someone approaching it and Shakespeare for the first time. Maybe a group viewing and group discussion of the Zefferelli film, as Frannie suggested, could even the playing field a bit.

The group decided we should play Dr. Know It All, which seems to have become the favorite improv (to the point that I think they may have outgrown it), before moving on to the script. The progression in this game from the first day has really been impressive. They have so quickly learned to let the free associations just ride. It made me think that maybe some more complex improv might be called for, maybe something like sit, stand, squat, where the actors include movement along with the verbal improv.

We circled up and began to read through the script. The group decided that they wanted to move on from the Nurse, Juliet, Lady Capulet scene they read last time. I offered that maybe we could talk about it some when we put the scenes we worked through on their feet. Frannie had suggested that my "real world" experience from playing the Nurse with the Shakespeare Festival could be of value. I sensed some trepidation, they wanted to move on, so we did.

I hadn't bothered to read the scene ahead of time thinking I knew the text pretty well and of course the first two paragraphs we read were completely unintelligible. I was glad to have my Riverside Shakespeare with me and was able to interpret for the group what turned out to be references to costuming and masquerade ball formalities of the time. The rest of the scene was fairly self explanatory and it is just amazing to me how easily they identify the action of the scene. We put it "on its feet" and discussed the scene further, the interplay between Romeo and his boys and the character of Mercutio. We talked particularly about the Queen Mab speech, what it reveals about Mercutio and some of the possible choices an actor could make with that speech. That whatever the actor decides Mercutio obviously takes the stage,and walks a thin line between brilliance and insanity. There may be a little rivalry for the playing of Mercutio, and I am only surprised that it didn't happen sooner.

A couple actors who had been reading had to leave at this point. We decided to push forward and read the next scene. We discussed Capulet's character and how he switches in this scene from garrulous to contentious in a heartbeat. The idea of Tybalt and Lady Capulet being lovers was brought up. I can see how that would make things interesting for the people playing those two characters. We discussed how actors are always making choices and that as long as it is supported by the text, the more invested or even dangerous choice is going to be the more interesting one to play. The poetry in the meeting of the lovers seemed to have been well covered in the 20 minute reading of the play, but it did give an opportunity to point out how often stage action is indicated by the text itself.

It was mentioned that when we "put things on their feet" very often it tends to be just that, the actors reading the text standing. So it was decided we would approach some direction of the scene, with the caveat that obviously none of it was to be set and it was simply for the sake of exploration. This gave us a chance to talk about how a masquerade ball could be portrayed onstage, how the logistics of the boys entering the dance would work, play a couple of times with Capulets entrance and Tybalt's wrath, and explore some how Romeo and Juliet "discover" each other.

We also discovered that the way I had been directed in this scene as the Nurse, to run off and ask Romeo's name (a moment that had always felt awkward), was much simpler and more direct if played the way the actor playing the Nurse chose, that as the Nurse she knew what was up already. It was a nice moment, and I think helped cut the tension about my experience in playing her, that I didn't feel it was the be all and end all of interpretations.

We accomplished a lot with such a small group, which I hope doesn't throw things off for the next meeting. I continue to be impressed with the openness and insight of these women, and am grateful for the moments when it seemed that one or two of them made a point of looking out for me. At one point someone whispered to me that I shouldn't leave my keys laying out like that, that it was creating opportunity. As it turned out the keys belonged to another actor, which was funny, but I did appreciate the reminder that it is a prison after all.

I find it so easy to forget that when we are deep into working the text.

Session Three: Week 4

Tuesday  

During our check-in today, two of the returning participants noted that they have been reading ahead in the script together, and they are feeling very pulled toward certain characters. We again discussed the need to be open to at least two or three characters, since we will do casting as a group and not everyone will get her first choice, and then they gave the group a preview of what is coming up.

One of the past participants asked if we could “jump around” in the script, working scenes in no particular order, but another mentioned that that felt a bit chaotic to her in the past. We decided to compromise by working through the play in order now, and then working whatever the group feels like once we’ve gotten through the whole thing.

We played two call-and-response games, which were a lot of fun, and then we got down to the play. We continued to work on Act I Scene I, reading through the second part of it and then getting it on its feet. We proceeded to cycle through many of the participants in the Romeo/Benvolio part of the scene, experimenting with vocal freedom and physicality to communicate the relationship and characters. We got to a place where everyone was able to get the dynamic across, more or less, and one woman remarked about a pair, “That was very different but still worked perfectly.” They are gaining confidence in making individual choices with the text as they see it coming across clearly from different people. We saw Benvolios who cared deeply about Romeo’s situation and others who were mocking and sarcastic, as well as a few who struck a balance between the two extremes.

This scene is always a lot of fun to play around with, and I have a feeling we’ll be working with it more when we begin “jumping around” in the script.

Thursday

Today was a very positive day, even though it got off to what could have been a rough start. It took much longer than usual for us to get through security at the facility, but we kept in mind that last week the women began warm ups without us when we were a little late, and hoped that they were finding ways of using their time well while we waited. When we entered the auditorium, I was elated and extremely proud to see the entire group sitting in a circle, working on the script. This is something that I had not seen in our program yet and shows the incredible growth this group is already experiencing – we are only in the fourth week of the program, and they are already confident and empowered enough to take on the challenge of working on the text without a facilitator to guide them. And they were doing excellent work. As a result, they are even further empowered to take ownership of the program and the text – when we discussed a date in the future when it may not be possible for any of our volunteers to come to the facility, a few of them jokingly said, “We’ll have class without you. We don’t need you!” I am so excited that they’ve taken this step together.

They had moved on to Act I Scene II, and Dominique and I plugged ourselves in and caught up with them. We filled in some of the (very few) blanks they still had, discussed the characters a little bit, and then put the scene on its feet. This led to further character analysis, in particular about Paris and Capulet. One woman asked if Paris were just a pretty face. We discussed that, while he is definitely less developed as a character than other people in the play, he also gets very much swept up in the tragedy – it’s possible that he suffers the most while having the least amount of responsibility for what happens.

Another woman brought up that she is getting a “Donald Trump” vibe from Capulet, which I think is dead on. Another woman didn’t quite understand the parallel, and the first woman explained that she feels that he is powerful and domineering but, ultimately, kind of a blowhard.

I was also pleased to see a familiar face had rejoined the group today – the woman who, in the last session, had so many issues with communication and experienced such growth in terms of expressing her opinions without hurting others’ feelings. She is back for more, is getting along great with everyone so far, and I couldn’t be more happy.

These first four weeks have been truly amazing. This group has gelled far faster than the previous two, pushed in that direction, perhaps, by the larger number of returning participants, and I am so very excited to see what their growth will be like from here on out. They are already amazing all of us volunteers every single day.

Session Three: Week 3

Tuesday  

We welcomed some new participants today, all of whom were enthusiastic and eager to participate. One of them is a returning participant from the first session. She is very happy to be back, and I’m glad she has returned.

After warm ups, we did introductions and checked in with one another. Two of the newer participants said they already feel that we have established a level of trust in the group that makes them feel like they get an escape from prison while they are together. That being said, because we had brand new participants today, we decided to postpone our trust-building activities until they are a little more acclimated.

We began work on the prologue and first part of the opening scene of Romeo and Juliet. Those in the group who grasped the material more quickly were patient with those who needed more time and clarification. We talked a great deal about whether Gregory and Samson would actually do the things they talk about, or if they are just talking a big game, and how that will be up to the interpretation of the women who end up playing those parts.

The group really likes this first scene, and the plan is to work more with it at the next session.

Thursday

Sarah and I were a bit delayed getting through security and to the auditorium today, but when we walked in, the group was already warming up. This is a wonderful step for them – it shows clearly that they have already bonded and are feeling empowered. We continued the warm up and did a round of introductions, since this was Sarah’s first day and we had one new participant as well.

We played a couple of theatre games for focus and quick thinking, and then we moved on to improv. We played a game that we played last week, Freeze, and the women showed that they are improving already. One thing that we noted is that sometimes when one woman begins a scene, she isn’t clear about what is happening in that scene, the relationship between the actors, etc. We talked about why getting that kind of information out as quickly as possible is important, not just in improv but also in a scripted performance, should something go awry. We are going to do an exercise called Three Line Scenes at the next meeting to work on this skill.

We read through Act I Scene I again, discussed it briefly, and then put it on its feet to play with it. The first time through was a bit rough, but it gave the women lots of insight into the scene – where they should stand, entrances to use, physical commitment to a character, etc. The second time worked much better because, having done it once, they understood it better. They had more ideas for improvement after this as well.

This is a much better approach than if I were to direct them through the scene because it encourages them to take ownership of the material through their own experience, to learn by “making mistakes” and realize that that is okay, and to work more as a team to develop the scene. They did a great job, and I can’t wait to see where they take it from here.

Session Three: Week 2

Tuesday:  

We began today with some rousing warm ups, including a fun game to build energy and commitment. To my delight, this group jumped in with far more gusto than either of the previous groups. I believe this is due to the example provided by the returning members of the group, who are so enthusiastic and committed. We played another game after that and, again, it went far better more quickly than it usually does.

We moved on to an improv game that one of the new participants had played before. She jumped right in at the end of my explanation, and the group just took it from there. They showed a lot of imagination and willingness to be very silly, which is the first step toward letting themselves be as emotionally vulnerable as one needs to be to fully commit to some of the characters in a play like Romeo and Juliet. I made sure they knew that their improvisation doesn’t HAVE to be funny, but that it’s great that they’re so willing to put themselves out there. We also discussed excellent comic actors who are gifted dramatic actors as well.

Toward the end of the session, the women decided that they wanted to read through the 20 minute Romeo and Juliet again. It was very fun this second time, but some of the women expressed that they are itching to know what some of the scenes look like in their original, tragic form. One of the returning participants recalled the monologue from Richard III we worked on about a year ago (Anne: Set down, set down your honorable load…), began reciting the piece (accompanied by another veteran) and then wanted to know why we weren’t staging that play. I explained again that the majority vote was in favor of a play with some uplifting or comedic elements, and that anything “funny” in Richard III is very darkly so. Most of the new participants then expressed that they would have no problem working on a darker piece, but that they are happy to work on the one we’ve already chosen this session.

Thursday:

After warm ups today, we revisted the improv game that we learned last Thursday. The women are already showing improvement at this game, thinking more quickly on their feet and finding very creative ways to play. We had a lot of fun with it.

I asked them what they wanted to do next, and they decided to work on the “What a piece of work is a man…” monologue from Hamlet. We read it as a group, from punctuation to punctuation, and then a few women volunteered to share what they had gotten from it. Gathering together all of the ideas they expressed, we got the gist of the piece right off the bat. We then went through it again, breaking it down phrase by phrase to get more detailed meaning.

Several women then volunteered to “read the piece with feeling.” The first to read went through it twice, slowing down the second time and saying that she was starting to “feel it” more. The next to read showed that she already grasps the musicality of the language – it was a very expressive reading; she took her time and expressed a firm understanding of the piece in the way she lingered over certain words. The group was very impressed and excited.

I then introduced the concept that, in acting, the most important thing to remember is the character’s objective or goal in a scene – everything flows from that. I asked them what they thought Hamlet’s objective might be in this piece, and they arrived at him asking for help. The next four women to read the piece, all tried to focus on that with varying success. The language is very challenging for some, obviously, but we all reassured them that, with practice, they will master it.

One of the women then stated that, while she’s having fun, she really wants to get to know everyone better. I asked the group if they’d like to do some exercises specifically for team building, since we’ve already broken the ice, and they said yes. I am hoping that this approach – following their lead, easing them into these activities that make us more vulnerable to one another, instead of starting off with those exercises – will pay off in the end, since they’ve already built a foundation of trust without our overtly going after it.