Week 13 & 14: Act 5

I am sitting in the student lounge at Heythrop, searching for the words to describe these past two weeks.
I am packed and moved out of my flat, and this time tomorrow I will be on a train on my way to Paris.
I have said good bye to all of my teachers and friends-or rather, a "see you soon."

I never expected to grow as much as I did-psychologicaly and quite literally (Alexander class helped me find my full height and we found that I had an extra two inches that I was not using. whoops.)

All this past week, people were lamenting the fact that this program is ending-yes, this part of our lives is ending, but another beautiful new chapter is beginning. Plus, we kept telling each other, we shouldn't be in Act 5 when it is still Act 4.

Acting with Aoife and Shakespeare with Yolanda-two of the best classes, two of the best teachers I have ever had. I will be "affecting people" for the rest of my life.

All of my open rehearsals went off quite smoothly-which never happens, so I was a bit suspicious of my luck. In stage combat, I did a scene from John Dryden's All for Love as Cleopatra-what a joy that was to take our combination that we learned in class and perform it within the drama of that scene.

Movement went well, my partner and I put a lot of effort into our piece, and it was great to devise our own little piece of moveable art/share it with our peers. On a similar note, period dance also went well-brought our ensemble even closer.

Acting open rehearsal-I found a freedom and ease in the scene that I have only found once before-and it was invigorating. It was the reward for all of the work that we did before we even memorized our lines. Shakespeare open rehearsal also commenced in a similar fashion-Ophelia is now beloved to me because I realize I have more in common with her than I thought.

I wish I had more words worthy of a grand poem, to talk about all that I have gone through these past four months, not only by myself-but with all of the people who have gone through it with me.

So, I think I will end this blog series on that note-thanks for reading, whoever you may be.


End of Act 5/End of play/CURTAIN


No pictures, just a little quote by the man himself:

"This above all: to thine own self be true, 
And it must follow, as the night the day, 
Thou canst not then be false to any man." 

London to San Francisco-from one great city to another!

cheers, 

M.A. 

Week 12-Easter Break!

This week was a wrap up of all our classes. These next two weeks will be filled with various open rehearsals for each class-Stage Combat, movement, Shakespeare, acting. I look back at the past couple of weeks and marvel at how much has happened-in such a compact space in time-many changes in personal growth and a grand procession of memorable events. Needless to say, I am feeling a lot of pressure at this time because a lot of written work is due and many of our teachers will be in attendance at our open rehearsals.

But before we enter the final swell, we were treated to four days of break for Easter. My friend and I traveled to Scotland-both for the first time. We visited Glasgow and Edinburgh. Glasgow reminded me a bit of San Francisco because it is very laid back, but I fell head over heels for Edinburgh. That city is magical, and I wish I had more than a day to explore it. For our day in Edinburgh, we wandered up and down the Royal Mile and all over Old Town-visited Edinburgh castle, bought scarves for our families, visited Parliament, got lunch at a tavern that used to be a tollbooth and prison during medieval times (didn't try haggis...was too scared! Next time!) and climbed Arthur's Seat. All in 60 degree weather.

To be honest, I was so focused on not breaking my neck that I didn't really look up until we reached the topmost point of the Seat-but when I did, the view literally took my breath away (mostly because of its' beauty, partially because the wind slapped me across the face.) It was a humbling experience. We watched the sun touch the horizon and then melt into four colors, it was such a vision. A good way to spend Easter Sunday.

I will definitely be back-stole my heart-the rascal!

see what I mean?

for stage combat-a scene from John Dryden's All for Love. 

Right. It's Michele's Seat now, actually. ;) 

I must have taken five million pictures. 

until next time, lovely one.

two. more. weeks. 

-M.A.

Week 11

Truly lucky to have these experiences. I know that, in just a couple of weeks from now-I will read through these posts and weep. But I am trying to take heed of what Kathy told us in her latest workshop-and try not to think about Act 4 when I haven't even gotten through Act 2!

That is what I want to dedicate this post to-her workshop. 

my notes:

She focused on the seven questions by Stanislavski-and it’s crazy how I have looked at the sheet of paper that Aoife gave me-that explains all of it, but I couldn’t even really list it out. Jesus.

Acting-is doing something to the other person (from prior knowledge-that your scene partner(s) is/are the most important beings in the room.)

DON’T PLAY NEGATIVES-like impatient-what other characteristics contribute to your impatience? Play that instead? Instead of playing unreliable, think scattered-scattered makes you unreliable.

Always in relation to-how can I use this information as an actor? Is this information useful to what I need to do as an actor? Playable.

Who am I? adjectives (inner/outer characteristics very important)

When is it? 

(example-first scene of Antigone-this is right after the edict (you can’t bury the body) and RIGHT BEFORE the vultures peck out her brother’s eyes.-that is right, that is in the moment-and it is immediate. Don’t generalize it or think about Act 4 WHEN YOU HAVEN’T EVEN GOT THROUGH ACT 2. )

Where am I? (again-playable-the room that you perceive is different from what your scene partner perceives.)

What do I want? (ACTION) (think about TO MAKE OR GET-to make or get-I want to MAKE you think I am right….)

Why do I want it? (OBJECTIVE) (…IN ORDER TO, make you respect me)

How am I going to get it? (TACTICS) (ex: and I will achieve that by CHARMING you)

What stands in my way? (what are the obstacles-and how shall I overcome them?)

-Every scene needs that specificity-that care to detail and attention to it when performing. Otherwise it will seem hollow and flat and the audience will end up yawning and staring at their programs all night. 

I want to tattoo this lesson on my heart. Jab at me all you want for being cliche or sentimental-but I really do want that. 

Working on Ophelia in Shakespeare, Cleopatra for Stage Combat, Ethel from Noel Coward's This Happy Breed for Acting. Pleasure to discover these characters and apply the questions to my exploration. 

weekly treats:

looking over the River Avon in Stratford!

I love coming to this studio on the weekends and dancing. 

In front of Shakespeare's house. 

A couple of items I wish to stock from abroad: Tetly's tea, Rekorderligs, and that Steak & Ale pie. 

always reppin' ;) on High street!

cheers,
M.A.

Week 10

I have to be honest-most times I feel like my experience of London has been distilled down to the one street from my flat to school-and the interiors of both places. Not too mention all of the work that we all have to do-I find myself at school on weekends. Why not find a cute cafe in another part of the city then, Michelle? Because then I'd have to pay for the tube or bus, a drink, wouldn't be sure if they have WiFi, what about crowd control, who's going to watch my things if I have to go to the restroom, no one because I don't trust anybody, this kind of diatribe goes through my mind every time I consider exploring for once. But this is just a momentary frustration, I know, I've gotten to see a lot of the city-I was in Brixton last night-swing dancing with friends...before that, near Oxford Circus for dinner-so I do get out. But I digress on my original plan for writing this post-

This week, I had my last audition class with Eunice-she told me, it is harder for me to live in a more forward emotional space, a more open and vulnerable place...I will keep that last session in mind, mainly because I want to work towards being able to live in that kind of place when I'm performing. It annoyed me that I couldn't reach the pinnacle she pointed out to me, so perhaps I will get a bit closer with my new audition tutor. We have just started working on our stage combat presentations-with scenes to go with the choreography. I really do enjoy stage combat...it's a shame that I probably will never get to employ this knowledge in a professional situation-but it is good knowledge nevertheless. Period Dance is coming along too, we have a script now to accompany our transitions from dance to dance. All vocal classes and Alexander are great. Semi-supine is a life-saver.

In Acting with Aoife this week, we honed in on our character's inner tempo and the garments that they wore in the time period of the play. We also improvised a scene from a day in the life of our characters-I felt that Aoife's response to most of our choices-"consistent, but it needs to be more imaginative"-hit the nail on the head. I chose characteristics to explore in my character that I knew I could play, that I thought are the central tenants of this character-but I know there are many more. It is a good thing, then, that we get to have one more go at it. I didn't even think about the fact that my choices were safe-I need to focus more. In Shakespeare, we worked on making sure every one of our scenes were translated into "modern speech" just to get everyone on the same page. It really helped me get closer to Ophelia's mindset. We are to perform scenes from Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet. 

Finally, as a treat, we were taken to the Barbican to see the head of LDA, Kathy Pogson, perform in Sophocles' Antigone (a new version) directed by Ivo van Hove and starring Juliette Binoche in the title role. Yes, I was excited for Juliette, but scads more for Kathy. We all adore her. Aoife even praised her in acting class one day. We were seated on the third balcony-but she reached us. She was incredible, of course-on her action for every line. Even when she wasn't speaking, she was engaged. And when she spoke, her voice was full and rounded-her body obeyed her faultlessly because her gestures and movements all seemed necessary. I envied her effortlessness. But I know it is the result of-among other elements-careful technique. Antigone screamed through most of the play and was breathy for the rest of it-I think she is an excellent film actor-but-and Kathy said something about this that spoke to me, "she equates screaming with raw emotion." And, yes, while that is part of it, you need to "perform in a way that makes the audience want to tune in." Nobody wants to listen to a screaming baby. She had good moments, though. Chronologically, the play confused me. I thought some scenes were out of place-there were a lot of ideas presented-through the set, the projections, some sequences at the end, as always-that I still need to figure out. But overall, I enjoyed it-despite the fact that it moved rather slowly for me.

No pictures from this week, so I will leave behind this rehearsal pic of the Goddess in rehearsal in her Prada. You are welcome.

she makes confusion look good!

cheers, 

M.A.

Week 9

Only a little more ways to go. Really funny because I feel like I am just starting to consider my surroundings as home. Walking up and down High Street has become a routine I look forward to before and after school. It will be hard to leave London. Because it really is an actor's city.

This week, we explored our animals in acting class-brought in habitats for our animals, food, leaves, you name it. It was interesting to connect the habits and physicality of my animal (a tiger) to my character, because I found a lot of similarities and traits that could apply to my character-that I never would have thought of. Tigers move a lot from their pelvis-when they want to sit, their pelvis is the first part of their body that moves. I never thought that I could apply that to my character, who is a mother, but it makes sense-because a lot of motherly actions-like caring for a child on her lap-can stem from the pelvis region-it's not just sensual, which is what I originally thought.

I am constantly reminded, despite of the rigor of our classes, that I don't have to be perfect. It was a tough week, but I have teachers who encourage me to "be human" and "cry if I want to." So that's just what I did. It works, by the way-crying. It doesn't have to be something to be ashamed of-it's what humans do. The atmosphere here is very demanding, but also very supportive. What a blessing.

pictures from our trip to Brighton this past weekend. 

I couldn't resist. I don't blame her-that ride is truly terrifying...I closed my eyes when I went on for most of the ride. 

LDA Spring'15 represent!

Brighton beach memoirs <3

until next post, 

cheers!

M.A.

Ti Amo Roma, Te Amo Barcelona

This post will mostly consist of a collection of my favorite pictures from the week...a lot of pictures of myself around these two magnificent cities.

Roma

It was a joy to be able to go back to this city-and see all of the sights I loved two summers ago-with two new friends. Pizza, pasta, gelato. It was a glorious time.

Barcelona

This one was a kicker-two days alone because my companions were in Madrid-but I took a free walking tour, learned about the city's history and how it is an infusion of so many cultures. Ate Paella, tapas, drank Sangria in liters. Saw a Flamenco, heard Spanish guitar, fell in love with the works of Gaudi. Admired Picasso and Miro. Goddamn. It was a feast for the eyes, soul, stomach-I could rhapsodize about it further but I will refrain. The last two days were spoiled because of a robbery-not to me, but to my friend. Then we missed our flight. Well. Let's just say a lot of money went down the drain and I am in a sort of catatonia about the lost of my money-which, I wish I wasn't so fixated on it, but it is killing me. A bit. In any case, I have to tighten my belt even further the rest of my time here. I feel bad, but I am trying to place it in the past-where it belongs. And move on. Trying. Made me even more grateful for the Gilman program. But anyways.

Pictures!

Morning glory on the Spanish Steps.

St. Peter's Basilica-could not stop taking pictures. 

Park Guell by Gaudi 

THE BEST dessert in Roma at Naomachia-chantilly cream, chocolate sauce, and fresh strawberries in a waffle bowl. 

feelin' myself 

The view from the Rotunda at Park Guell!

...and the best gelato, Amarena black cherry and blackberry with cream. 

In front of the Roman Forum!

Casa Batllo in Barcelona by Gaudi. 

Roma's churches are beyond compare. 

...but my favorite church hands down, is the Sagrada Familia. Look at that play of light. Genius. 

At the Vatican Museum in Rome. 

The sea from Park Guell. 

In front of the Basilica on a foggy day in Roma. 

just happy :) 

what the inside of a conch shell must look like. 

he was amazing. pure duende. 

stage combat at the Colosseum. 

In front of Gaudi's famous salamander at Park Guell!

All for now. Until next post. 

-M

Week 7: Meet me Halfway

Already halfway there. Doesn't seem real. This week was dedicated to a bit of clean up before we leave for Spring Break. We talked about animal work in Acting, and visited the Zoo to look for our animals. Also rediscovered the craft in a small but significant way in both Acting and Shakespeare-thinking about what leads to a line, what compels this character to say this line in this moment. In Shakespeare, how I can learn to just "be" and not "indicate" so much. I get that. It's the whole "show, don't tell" concept I've heard over and over again-except for "be" instead of "show." I know the concept. I don't know how to put it in practice. And it is frustrating. So many ideas, "meet the audience 50/50" or "be, be how you feel, don't tell me how I should feel." And I understand it cerebrally, but I need to experience it for myself. We all get our scenes for showcase soon. Very impatient. I just want a piece of text to work with-I have one for Acting...but I want more.

This week, we visited the London Coliseum again-this time, for Peter Sellers' The Indian Queen (again, very conceptual.) The set consisted of a painted floor of various warm and cool colors, almost Monet-esque in its rendering. It had a series of painted, abstract backdrops, and various medium sized abstract paintings pulled down into place and then lifted up again with a change of scene. I need to digest this one and get back to it. But my first impression is a good one. It was very long, by American standards-about 4 hours. The most vivid remnants of it consists of two scenes-the scene after the massacre, where the mass of people were lying down in a formation as if they were floating in a bloody stream, with a huge red backdrop and red lighting. They were singing as their murderers looked on from stage left. They were singing a song that made my heart melt. As cliche and sentimental as that sounds. That is what it felt like. Not "melt" with love or ardor, but with a complete and heavy sadness. They turned house lights on for intermission after that, ironically. The second one is the very last moment of the opera, the Indian Queen rises from her deathbed into a single spotlight just on her, darkness on the rest of the stage. She looks up and raises her hands-undulating them gracefully, looking like a woman swimming to break the skin of a large body of water. Stunning.

So, again, a lot to learn from this. I sense a formidable pattern with the ENO!

Some pictures from the week:

There is a willow grows askant the brook.

The cast of The Indian Queen taking a well-deserved bow!

bit o' tube fun.

look at that floor! Very visually appetizing. 

In Regent's Park-a great oasis in the middle of a busy city.

Next up: quick recap on Spring Break!

cheers, 

M