Too Much Talking

You know, you really can say too much. I learned this recently. Sometimes you just have a captive audience and you could talk forever (and you do) but it really isn't that helpful to anyone else or even yourself. What should you do when you find yourself talking and talking and talking... and no one is listening or looking or caring? Well, let's get to it!

There I was, being a good instructor and responding to my students' needs when all of the sudden: they weren't paying attention! This was, for me, shocking since I am generally able to command at least some amount of attention from my students. But alas! On this day something was different.

For one thing, we've been working on final scenes. This means that we're:

1. Meeting outside of normal class time.
2. Meeting with a small group (3 people total - including me!) and...
3. Under the most stressful time of the year (Finals!)

These changing circumstances certainly ensure that the dynamic will be different. One of the most notable differences is that I am the only person in the room who can give feedback. My feedback is pretty good. I've got a pretty well trained eye and ear and mind for this type of thing... so there's no defect there... but something is askew. Perhaps it's one or all of the three reasons listed above. Whatever the case may be a change must be made.

• Change #1 - STOP TALKING
• You know what, teacher, your advice is really good, but nobody needs to hear the same thing three or more times. Say it once, explain it, but don't indulge.
• Change #2 - QUESTIONS
• Ask if they have questions. If they do you'll answer them. If they don't, they won't ask. And you've got to trust that if they have questions they will ask.
• Change #3 - FINISH
• There's no reason to sit around and drag things out. We know you care... but you're a busy person too, right? If there aren't questions and you've said what you can say then go. Go do the things you need to do and trust that if they need to speak with you they'll find the time. Not everything is on your shoulders, Teach.

Now get back to work!

Playwriting Smarter

Some helpful tips I've noticed about my own writing is that the computer is not where my best work starts. Keyboards and easy editing are one thing... but the words just flow better when I'm writing on paper.

Not to mention the ability to take pen/pencil and paper anywhere: it's the ultra-portable netbook with an infinite battery life and it's potentially 100% recyclable.

Also, when you do sit down to the computer to type it all out you find yourself editing-on-the-fly. You'll make tiny corrections here and there, note themes and repeated phrases (because you're reading your work), note changes in tempo and rhythm and character voice.

This is a great system and (sadly) I don't always follow it. It's so much easier to sit down at the computer, hammer something out, press print, and be done. But, quality often (let's face it: always) suffers.

For more check out my eHow article here: http://tinyurl.com/dgy7z4

Dramaturgy

I'll certainly post more on Dramaturgy later but I've just published an article on eHow describing how to become a dramaturg.

This is the first of many.

Enjoy!

Success...

What is the key to success?

Could you put it into words?

Is it luck?

Fate? Contacts? Friends? Fortitude? Perseverance?

What is it exactly?

I've got my own ideas about this and I'd like to share them today. This, of course, is not just about theatre. This is about everything but theatre certainly falls under this category.

Here it is: Hard Work.

Disappointed? Hoping for a "get rich quick" scheme? I'm sorry, but there's just no such thing. That certainly is luck.

There is no replacement for hard work and there never will be. If someone hasn't done the work then there's simply nothing that can be done to improve the situation. What's worse is that not doing the work doesn't do anything good for you. Not only do you fail other people but you ultimately fail yourself.

Letting yourself down is not a good thing to do very often.

So... do yourself a favor: Work Hard.

At the end of the day you'll feel better, you'll have achieved something, and you'll get to where you're going faster.

No hard work = no success.

work hard

Stretching the meaning(s)

This will be brief but is applicable to actors and acting and directing.

If it's not working... try something else!

Part of what is so amazing and wonderful about theatre and performance is the idea that there are so many possible ideas. Add to those ideas so many possible performers and possible audiences and we've got something that is quite amazing in terms of the number of possibilities. I'm going to go with limitless.

Is the scene sad? Make it funny.

Is the character upset? Make them happy.

Do whatever it is you need to do in order to continue down the path of learning & trying rather than stagnating. Don't be an artistic cesspool.

If being wrong is what you're trying to avoid then you can only be wrong! You've got to exhaust possibilities before you can find the best ones.

Don't stagnate.

Now go do something productive.

[Disclaimer: This probably borrowed or modified from some famous person who taught someone who then taught someone who wrote a book and then someone read the book and then taught me and now I'm teaching it. This is, however, what I actually think.]

Resources

Little did I know that it was so important to have books.

Books on hand, books on a shelf, and (most importantly) books in the mind. How can one answer the complicated question of "where can I find a good [insert type] monologue?"

Now, having ideas in your head from having both viewed and read plays is of primary necessity, but depending on your student's ability to obtain said book/script/play your wonderful advice could be for nothing if they can't get their hands on a copy.

1) Anthologies:

1. I collected a large number of these simply by taking college courses in theatre. It was much easier for an instructor to design a course around a textbook than to order loads of individual books.
2. They're cheap! These things are constantly being sold to half-price stores as a "newer" version comes out. If you're interested in the plays as opposed to a new (and generally pathetic) section on non-western drama then you'll be fine having an older, used edition, right?
3. One book 2 One student w/ Multiple Plays = Efficient and more easily trackable lending of your books.

2) Collections:

1. What can you say about collections of works by dead authors (or incomplete collections from the living)? Well, you could start by saying that they're good. One writer : one place.
2. Year/Theme/etc... These can be grouped in such an enormous number of ways but each one can be helpful. Early works can be interesting for those who've only read the newest popular scripts. And, again: one book, one student, multiple plays = efficient.

3) Individual Plays:

1. These are easy to carry (who wants to carry around the complete works of Shakespeare on a picnic trip?).
2. For the money... my bet is on collections and anthologies for older works. This seems to be the only way, however, to get new works. If you're on the cutting edge it is well worth the cost.

4) The Internet:

1. There are many resources for finding and reading works.
2. For older, out of copyright works see http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/ - They house a great number of works (including that complete works of Shakespeare). Need to do a scene for class? Print off a couple of copies. What could be easier?
3. Lastly check www.charlesmee.org where playwright Charles Mee is offering all of his works online.

Until e-books become the main distribution method  for play scripts, it's good to have a couple on the shelf.

Motivation(s)

Let me tell you a little story about motivation: it's better coming from someone other than you. You can be as personally charismatic as you imagine you are (and you might in fact be) but that is no benefit against the infrequent other: the visiting instructor.

Simply the mythic status that this new person brings into the classroom is enough to create intrigue and interest in the minds of even the most interested of students. This is especially helpful when explaining concepts which are difficult to grasp, and (with acting exercises) ridiculous on the surface.

How can you convince someone to willingly submit to public humiliation in any of its various forms? Especially with a group of young people who are themselves naturally funny and friends with one another?

Watching someone other than a peer (and respected and mysterious) willingly concede to an exercise imbues that exercise with the seriousness required for the student to obtain the full benefit of the exercise. This strategy also increases the students preparation for the exercise as they are now serious about doing the exercise fully and completely.

More on this later.