SOLVING PROBLEMSCHAPTER 18 – Stage Directing a Director’s Itinerary

Lots of problems will arrive during a rehearsal… Lots of methods have been suggested by directors

like Michael Chekhov, Sanford Meisner and Stanislavsky

See table (Page 189)

Visualizing a momentPROBLEM: Actors are not finding a sense of the entirety of the performance nor the arc of the character’s journey.

PREPARATION: 1. Actor finds a comfortable position on chair of floor

2. Actor closes eyes

3. Actor clears the slate of the vision in mind’s eye

WARM UP THE IMAGINATION (190)

EXPLORE IMAGERY (190)

APPLY VISUALIZATION TO SPECIFICS OF SCENE (190-191)

Character movement visualization

Actor is not linking physicality to the inner life of the character

PROMPTS (Given by the director – (pp 191-193)1. Find a comfortable position on the floor and close eyes

2. Visualize character in this position

3. Relax and breathe

4. The director should guide the actor through a series of actions focusing on isolation different parts of the actor’s self

5. Try to recall these images when you are in the scene, etc.

AS YOU GUIDE YOUR ACTORS THROUGH THESE DISCOVERIES IN THEIR IMAGINATION, ENCOURAGE THEM TO TRANSLATE INTO THE ACTION OF THEIR CHARACTER

Exploring a moment with repetition#1 The actor is not finding emotional truth in the moment

Consider the Meisner repetition exercise to unlock something emotional that should be happening in the moment (193) Isolate a pair of lines and repeat them back and forth to one another. Use side coaching to guide their reactions.

#2 Responses are not spontaneous; actors are not listening to one another

This is a more improvisational version of the Meisner exercise. The actors do not use lines in the script…the purpose is to force actors to listen and respond (194)

Subtext improvisationPROBLEM: Scene is all on one level, actors are not playing subtext

STEPS: Identify the subtext or moment in question1. Discuss the subtext

2. Develop a word that is the essence of the moment

3. Use the word as the basis for an improvisation

4. After a series of improvised moments, play the scene as written

5. After working with a word, use a phrase or an “I want” or “I need” statement

Being realPROBLEM: Actors are pushing (trying too hard)

Inexperienced actors love to push for emotional depth. The truth is, emotional depth can’t be forced; it can only be allowed to happen.

To help actors who are overacting or pushing, seat them in chairs facing one another and guide them with side- coaching towards naturalness using the text.

If not yet off-book, allow them to do the exercise with books in hand.

Soap opera exercisePROBLE: Actors are inexpressive or physically stiff

SOLUTION: Using the melodramatic acting style of soap opera, actors are encouraged to push towards a deeper connection with the emotional truth of the scene.

This can be a very silly exercise…after the initial reluctance, have the actors work to find the emotional truth of the scene

Opera exercisePROBLEM: Actors lack energy

This works best with inexperienced actors and is aimed at energizing and raising stakes. It is more fun than emotional.

Encourage the actors to sing through a problematic scene with faux opera voices…sing all the lines

Encourage them to keep at it until you get them awake and energized!

AtmospherePROBLEM: Actor has no sense of place

IN an exercise, guide your actor(s) to activate the given circumstances – mood – atmosphere of the scene

Repeat as needed for the different scenes in the play