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International Thespian WORKSHOP
CREATIVE EXERCISES FOR CLASS WORK OR
PLAY REHEARSAL
TABLE TALK :
During the first week, it is a great idea for students to gain “ownership” of the show through their research. It’s kind of a “show and tell” for all actors AND technical crews. VISUAL MEDIA (Television, film, documentaries, commercials, etc.) MUSIC VISUAL ART PHOTOS MAGAZINES, NEWSPAPERS CURRENT EVENTS (or period events!) POPULAR CULTURE PHOTO OF THEIR CHARACTER SOCIAL ISSUES POLITICAL ISSUES CHARACTER CIRCLE : The actors circle up and take turns walking around the circle as their character saying the name of their character. At some point they stop before another actor and the two of them begin to repeat the name until the new actor “becomes” the character. The new actor repeats the character name ‘given’ to him/ her until instructed to ‘walk it off’. Then the actor begins to walk around the circle repeating their character’s name (and mannerisms) and the process repeats itself until all in the circle have had their turn. (This exercise can also be used as a rehearsal warm-up. The actors will circle. One actor will begin a movement and sound and move across the circle to face another actor. Then that actor will repeat the movement and sound until it is identical to the original. That actor will then create his or her own movement/ sound and will cross the circle to a different actor. The process continues until everyone has had a chance to match and create a movement and sound combination.) ACTING CENTERS : Part A: Actors are asked to image where their characters “live” in their body, i.e. head (intellectual/ nerd), chest (romantic), stomach (lazy), pelvis (sensual), ear, knees, shoulders, nose, etc. The actor will walk around the set until they have connected with their character in the space. As they walk, they are encouraged to begin to speak lines that they speak as the character. This exercise might also be combined with the Character Walk exercise. Part B :
Actors are asked to image a character that has a profession, career, or major goal in life (accountant, construction worker, or miser, etc.) They are then asked which of the body centers that person might ‘lead’ with. Again they are asked to walk around the space leading with that part of the body. They might be asked to allow this to influence the other parts of the body, hands, feet, legs, etc. This exercise might also be combined with the Character Walk exercise. Part C: For the more advanced students. Actors are to come up with a list of adjectives that describe their characters or a person that they know. The actors are then asked to use one of those adjectives to “pull” them from their Acting Center through a variety of activities such as walking or sitting in character or performing a daily activity. It might help to imagine that adjective as a “string” that connects to their body center. For example they describe their character as “jealous”. They are asked to use a “jealous” string that pulls them across the room from their heart center. STAGES OF LIFE : This is a great exercise in finding appropriate movements and vocal work in characterization. Actors are instructed to begin “life” as an infant on the floor. They are instructed to move like an infant of 6 mo. then 1year then 2 years, 5, 10, 13, 16, 18 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 70, 80 then the process is reversed 80, 70, 60, etc. This exercise is not to be rushed. The students are asked to greet each other, play, talk about their lives, families, etc., sit, stand, move, WALK, group together, gossip, etc. during the ages that they are playing. The instructor (or director) must continually coach them to allow gravity to work on their muscles and skeletons, their faces, limbs, etc. They are reminded of how their movements change and slow with age, paying special attention to their spines, breathing, pitch and volume of their voices, etc. BLIND KIDS : Great ensemble building exercise. Everyone stands in a tight group. With their eyes closed and a hand on someone’s shoulder, they are instructed to ‘find’ the Director. They are instructed to follow the sound of the Director’s voice as she/ he moves about the room. The game continues until they catch up with the Director. TACTICS : Assign each student a different generic phrase such as “I don’t want to talk about it”, “I love you”, “Leave me alone.” “Let’s go.” “I can’t.” etc. They are then paired up to say the lines to each other, never changing the line, but adapting its meaning as they react to the other person. The students should be forced through the exercise to use a wide variety of tactics to get what they want.
Part C: Living Set Pieces: Use cast and crew members to become the set pieces, chairs, etc or to stand behind the actual pieces. When the performers are using these pieces, the “support” members whisper pre-determined lines to the characters using them (such as “You need to dominate everyone or You are a timid, excitable person, or things such as this) For advanced students only. REVERSE ROLES : This is a great way to open up a problematic scene. After reversing roles, the actors are encouraged to tell their partner what they found most useful in their characterization. This is not to be confused with an actor directing another actor. The dialogue should be constructive and about the behavior or vocal work that most affected them during the scene. ACTING THE OPPOSITE : This is another way to make discoveries during scene work. The actor is asked to identify the dominant need, trait, or mood of their character and to rehearse the scene using this trait. I then ask them to do the scene using the opposite needs trait, emotion or mood. Very good way to open up an actor to other possibilities. IMPROV THE SCENE : Students read the scene and discuss their character's intentions, obstacles, the plot and the conflict. After identifying the plot development, they are encouraged to discard their scripts and improvise the action of the scene. They will often find the logic of the scene, its progression, and they are often able to remember the lines that they are using, enabling them to “learn” the lines rather than memorizing them flat. REHEARSAL GOAL SETTING : Actors are given a weekly/ daily goal setting sheet. On this sheet the actors are encouraged to set a specific goal for EACH rehearsal. Examples are pacing, volume, intention work, listening and reacting to the ‘other’, etc. LEARN THE ROLE : Actors are asked to play the telegraph game with their dialogue for a scene or a monologue. They take each sentence and on a separate sheet of paper they are encouraged to write down only the words that are absolutely necessary. For example in David Mamet’s OLEANNA John says,
John: A pilot. Flying a plane. The pilot is flying the plane. He thinks : Oh my God , my mind’s been drifting! Oh, my God! What kind of a cursed imbecile am I, that I, with this so precious cargo of Life in my charge , would allow my attention to wander. Why was I born? How deluded are those who put their trust in me… et cetera , so on, and he crashes the plane. By writing only what they consider the key words they learn to connect the key thoughts. They are asked to continue going over the dialogue, each time using fewer and fewer key words until the thoughts are their own and the dialogue is learned. MOMENT BEFORE/ AFTER : Often young actors do not visualize or often provide a sketchy idea of the moment before or the moment after a scene. By improvising the actions that might occur before or after a scene they are given the opportunity to ‘flesh out’ the action preceding and following their scene. Can also be used as a homework assignment that is written down to be handed in or discussed. It must be very specific and lead to the scene work on stage. INTENTION WORK : Part A: Actors read their scene and decide what the other character is doing to them. For example if they feel that the other character is “putting them down” or “being condescending” they would add the line, “You’re being condescending to me, aren’t you?” after EACH line of the dialogue in their scene. After they have done the scene this way, they are encouraged to now add the line, “Stop being condescending to me.” When they have finished with this part of the exercise they are asked to now add the line, “Keep on being condescending to me”. When the entire exercise is finished they are asked what discoveries they made in the scene or with their relationship with the other actor in the scene. Part B: Actors again read their scene and decide what they are doing to the other person. They must put this in actable, intention charged words ( I want to slap you, I want to hold you till you cry, I want to escape from your anger)
SOAP OPERA:
Same procedure as French Farce but more easily recognized using a ‘soap opera’ style of acting. Helps to free the actor up to emotional possibilities. OPERA : When you have an actor or actors who are playing their lines monotone or missing the emotional opportunities in a scene or monologue, asking the actors to sing their lines as opera just may do the trick! It is a quick fun way to find the greater emotion in a scene and gives the actor permission to explore the sounds of the dialogue. As usual, it is important to discuss the discoveries that are made and to bring them into the scene. SILENT RUNNING : This activity is a great way to check your blocking. By going through the scene (or the entire play!) without words, the actors will be forced to think of their roles physically and really connect with the other actors and their intentions. They will often make discoveries about their bodies and gestures that are connected to their intentions. FAST FORWARD: When students are acting between the lines or if the show is dragging, a game of “fast forward” can often help with this problem. The actors are asked to go through the scene on fast forward, as fast as they can or as fast as they can WITHOUT rushing the dialogue, just picking up their lines immediately after or ON the last word or phrase. GIBBERISH : Students can benefit from a session of “gibberish” lines. This game will help those actors find the physical lives of their character as they cannot rely on the words to help them communicate their intentions. YES, NO : Part A: Students are encouraged to go through scenes of conflict using only the lines, “yes” or “no”. One student goes through their lines saying only “Yes, yes, yes, yes…” while the other character can only say “No, no, no, no…” in place of their scripted lines. Part B: Students are encouraged to go through their scene saying “yes” or “no” after each line—May use whichever is appropriate to the line or strictly using “yes” after each line then go through the scene using “no” only after each line. You might also have one student saying “yes” after each line and the other student in the scene saying “no” after each line.
BEHAVIORAL VOCALS:
To help actors find the sounds that people make in situations that are not part of their script, Anne Bogart in her book, “Viewpoints” suggests a round of improves that call for behavioral vocals. The actors are encouraged to make the sounds that people make while… “waiting at a bus stop and the bus is late” or “sounds that people make while taking a test” or other situations. The director then takes the discoveries back to the scene that they are working on to discover sounds that may be appropriate for it.
Important note: I feel that it is important after each improvisation or rehearsal
technique to take a moment to ask the performer what they learned. Getting them to articulate the experience helps to galvanize the work that they have just done. Make sure that you go over the scene as written soon after the improve or technique as well. This takes the discoveries back to the play/ scene.
