REHEARSING Intensifying and Polishing the Action

Objectives  Lead actors to enliven their performances by exploring “choices”  Identify and remedy indicating  Explain the benefits of side coaching  Polish the action  Describe some specific rehearsal goals for final runthroughs

What happens after blocking?  As rehearsals progress the director is spending more time intensifying the play’s action  From the actor’s viewpoint, this is moving from the general to the specific  The final phase of polishing follows the intensifying rehearsals

Intensifying the action  Lead the actors to the fullest wants/needs/desires…

What does the character want? This is the question that you ask at the early rehearsals…and the answers often come throughout the rehearsal period.

Use the body to intensify…

During these rehearsals, the director has to multitask

The actor and objectives Objectives need to be stated as active verbs.

The actor must always play something

Objectives must be playable It contains three parts: A want/need The object of that need The response For example: “I want to make Jane marry me.” Make sure your actors know what they are playing for.

COACHING ACTORS  Work with your actors to bring out their best performances  You have these TWO responsibilities during the rehearsal period 1. Understand the script as a journey between human characters 2. Work with the actors to intensify and make more vivid the actions of their characters

Avoid weak verbs  Inform Jane of Bill’s lies is weak  Poison Jane against Bill is strong  Make Bill bow is weak  Force Bill to kiss my boots is strong  Remember…you are staging action...that means strong verbs!!

Lead the actor to be more specific  Avoid “being” verbs  An actor may say “I am sad” which may be true but implies no action

Adjectives are descriptors They are what the audience observes in a character’s behavior…an actor is perceived as charming, when making “charming” choices in his or her actions. You must guide the actor to find a verb, an actable verb that helps him or her appear charming.

CHOICES They must be specific, clear and serve the play…

GIVING NOTES  NOTES after rehearsal should encourage actors to intensify the action  AND…your notes must be specific  SOME NOTES are easily correctible (notes about props, sightlines, etc.)  Use the note period efficiently...for example, give tech notes separately from acting notes

INDICATING Guide actors away from demonstrating and telegraphing…it is untruthful.

Some corrections to suggest  What is happening?  What are you playing?  What are your objectives?  What tactics are you using?  What stands in your way?  Why are you here? WORK TOWARDS “Less is more!”

Polishing the Action  RUNTHROUGH GOALS FOR ACTORS  Continuity  Connections  Clarity  Entrances/exits  Confidence

Polishing the Action  GOALS FOR THE DIRECTOR  Storytelling  Characters/relationships  Climaxes  Shape  Transitions  Business  Make use of written and specific notes

TECHNICAL AND DRESS REHEARSALS  Be prepared  This is the time for the production crew  Preparation with actors should be completed

CURTAIN CALLS  The last memory of the audience  An acknowledgment of audience applause  Prepare the bow  Make sure there is a clear break between bow and end of show