for actors and understudies

Uta Hagen’s “Nine Questions” Uta Hagen: “Respect for Acting”

1. Who am I? (character-search for character’s life prior to play’s/scene’s beginning)

2. Where am I? (environment: location, conditions)

3. What surrounds me? (persons, objects, color and texture)

4. What time is it? (hour, minute, date, year, century, era)

5. What are the given circumstances? (those events, facts, and conditions occurring before or during the play/scene that affect the character and /or action)

6. What is my relationship? (to all of the above and to other characters-solid or shifting?)

7. What do I want? (Objectives or Intention –includes the overall character objectives as well as more immediate beatto-beat intentions).

8. What’s in my way? (Obstacle)

9. What do I do to get what I want? (ACTION – VERBS; physical, verbal, psychological)

for actors and understudies

Role Analysis

Whenever possible, all answers or comments are to be based on information about your character in the play.  When this is not possible, you may create answers provided they are logically related to the information in the play.  This is an opportunity for fresh, original actor creativity, provided in an organic framework for directing and acting which permits and encourages artistic individuality as well as artistic collaboration.

1.       Name of actor/actress ____________________________________________________

2.       Name of character – first and last _______________________________________

3.       Age of character ___________Precise birthdate of character _________________

4.       Astrological sign__________________  What significance if any to this sign.

5.       How Physically active is your character?  Explain.

6.       Name an animal – not a bird – which in appearance, movement, or manner seems analogous to your role.

7.       What is it about this animal that most specifically relates to your role?

8.       Can you name a person close to you who seems to be a good deal like your character?  If so, name him/her.

9.       Can you name a famous person who seems to be a good deal like your character?  Name him/ her.

10.   Vocally, is your character quiet and demure or loud and flamboyant? If neither, describe your character’s vocal nature?

11.   How would you describe the way your character likes to dress?

12.   How would you describe the way your character likes to wear or comb his/her hair?

13.   Select 3 or 4 major emotions your character encounters most?

14.   Give an example from the play in which each of the examples you listed are revealed – from #13.

15.   What is the MF (Motivational Force (spine) of your character? State the MF of your character by beginning with the name of your character and the word – wants… The spine or want should relate to another character or characters in the play.

16.   What is the major beat or action (key moment of activity and/or decision/choice) in the play for your character (The most important moment in the play for your character)?

17.   Describe in short phrases the MAJOR activities your character engaged in during the day of action of the play (from rising, up to the first entrance on stage).

18.   Describe in short phrases the MAJOR activity your character engages in during all offstage time after every exit made during the action of the play.

19.   Create a list of 5-8 MAJOR character idiosyncrasies, likes and dislikes for your character.

20.   Add any other pertinent comments about your character.

Seven Spots on the Sun Cast and Crew

Seven Spots on the Sun

These parts are not set in stone.  There were many talented people tonight. If I have left anyone out, please see me tomorrow.  All actors and crew must turn in packets by Friday at 4PM.

Cast

1.       Moises – Eli Kollman

2.       Belen – Reagan Tucker

3.       Luis – Colin Lain

4.       Monica – Cooper Mitchell

5.       Eugenio – Maverick Bryan  (Alternate – Carter Berryhill)

6.       Town 1 Alee Roberts (Alternate – Faith Ruckey)

7.       Town 2 Kaytlyn Bunting

8.       Town 3 Stephen May  (Alternate – Chase Hunter)

9.       Town 4 Ramzi (Alternate- Clayton Medley)

10.   Town 5 Kate Munson (Alternate – Luisa Glennemier)

11.   Town 6 Carter (alternate – Tre Nunez)

12.   Town 7 Hannah (Alternate – Kate Adair)

13.   Town 8 Don (Alternate – Breck Moyers)

14.   Town 9 Marinda Pincon

15.   Town 10 Spencer Jackson (Alternate Ryan Melcher)

Crew: Clay Moyers – Spanish Guitar

Lights: Matthew Haynie

Stage Lights : Taylor Everitt

Hair and Makeup – Alyssa Benthall , Sarah Tucker, Taylor Cox

Crew – Riley Emery, Emma Talley, Brady Gillson, Nathan Couto

COMMENT ON THIS. Maky and Riley did most of the critiques. Mine were intermixed.

EVERYONE	Opening of play was slow You are anticipating the freezes and especially Tipperary Everyone freeze in motion. Freezes were sloppy at the end. LISTEN TO EACH OTHER – IT’S BECOMING EVIDENT Look around after first bomb scene – You have to make it clear it is the first time this has happened. KEEP watching the soldiers as they leave until SHHH GREAT COMMENT FROM MAKY – SAY EACH OTHERS’ NAMES – THAT WILL MAKE THE LINES FRESH. Rule Britannia was great today. In the first freeze everyone was facing the same way – ask Maky.  I noticed Frank and Judith DICTION   DICTION   DICTION Everyone needs to be louder – the stage will be bigger.
Judith	Tag on dress Thanks for moving suitcase down. Do you want Alee and Kate to do it? In Judith Joan scene – we believe – hit believe You say front twice in the last monologue – hit both differently. Lower pitch in doll scene.
Bela	Don’t anticipate Sheila singing.
Sound	Could not hear some of the gunfire at the beginning. Louder on air raid sirens when no one is talking in the beginning. Sound in dead person scene needs work – see Maky
War head and soldier puppet	Don’t move them too late.  They are the entrances to the scene.  Head listed to the left at the beginning.
Viv and Soldier 1	Viv, let us see the expression on your face as Sheila does the desert fox line  then shimmy – seems too orchestrated. Aussie – have a funny face – oh gosh- react more. Also, Aussie, a beat longer before you follow Viv.  They laughed last night but would laugh more if you milked it.
Soldier 2	Start and finish in accent
Judith and Frank	Freeze in motion Frank, your diction is good, but Judith’s is REALLY good.  Match hers. Last shirt line was weird – no vocals. It just stopped.
Frank	Look out – don’t turn upstage to Judith. – I don’t know what
Military men	Work on win the war
Joan	What’s our wages? Slower diction Amazing – don’t tell me to say good bye.  I agree with Maky.  You improve with each performance. Good job raising flask – that’s right love
Aussie 1 Brian	Down under – hit the n’s and d.  Let your voice crack as Aussie 1 More Aussie than English More heartbroken, not mad when speaking to your mom.
Sheila	Monologue more heartfelt.  Think about the words Change the way you say – we haven’t killed anyone – many of your lines are starting to sound the same.Maybe laugh – like she is ridiculous – you haven’t made any bombs.
Aussie 2 & Angie	Watch your scene being too memorized.
Joan	Hope you remember how you did little woman.  It was magnificent. You changed the way you said many of your lines – wonderfully fresh.
Frakker	Cost us the war – hit t   DICTION make each word different.
Briggs family	Good on getting up quickly after the bomb. Speak to Mrs. Kuehler about her view on the scenes.
Alister	COMMIT to UGGGH LOUDER, but you were better with everything else.
Mrs. Gently -	Say Mrs. Gently in your lines about Alister when the men have gone. Good noise falling Don’t anticipate drum
Tom	Louder Fall when the bomb hits.

TEST GRADE

Comment -  What can you do to help at STATE make the experience better, to help the play, etc?

Rooms for State

1.                       Kadyn, Ashlynn Maky & Carly

2.                       Kate, Alee, Hannah, Kristen

3.                       Taylor C, Emma, Claire, Taylor Everitt

4.                       Reagan, Marinda, Kaytlyn

5.                       Payton, Sarah, Cooper, Brooklyn

6.                       Evan, Jonathan, Spencer, Carter

7.                       Eli, Reese, Tre, Ramzi

8.                       Brady, Riley, Ryan, Colin

Order for State

3A - May 3, 2018     4pm - Session 1

OrderSchoolTitle  

1stShallowater HSsf Front  

2ndUniversal City: Randolph HSsf Cat on a Hot Tin Roof  

3rdLittle River: Academy HSsf Twentieth Century  

4^thMalakoff HSsf Peter and the Starcatcher 

7:30pm - Session 2     

5thWhitesboro HSsf Ghetto  

6thCanadian HSsf The Angelina Project  

7thYoakum HSsf The Curious Incident of the

Dog in the Night-Time

 8thWhite Oak HSsf The Women of Lockerbie