In other news, I've started dabbling in the world of actor coaching. In addition to the coaching I recieved from Ben Evett, Scott Fielding and Rachel Kurnos (a brilliant combo), I've also been doing some coaching myself. I did sessions with a few actors around the time of the StageSource generals, and I really enjoyed it. In general, I've always enjoyed working with actors on acting. Up this point, I've mostly worked in this regard as a director. But actor coaching... it's so much different as it is the same.
First, I have to learn to take off my director's hat. I can leave my dramaturg hat on, but ultimately the audition is such a personal expression for an actor that he or she must be his or her own director. I can't coach them based on what I want. I have to learn to coach them based on what practically communicates the most to an auditor. Moreover, this auditor can be anyone with any taste, with or without competance.
In a weird sort of way, I'm both preparing you for the most scrutinizing and most dullardesque of audiences. Not because we assume the worst, but because we have to be ready for the worst. When you put yourself through the wringer, the real thing seems blissful in comparison.
To paraphrase John Gilued (I think it was him): "The actor must make the impossible look difficult, the difficult look easy and the easy look beautiful."
Anywho, I think I'm going to look seriously into more actor coaching kinda stuff. I really enjoy it, and my actors responded very well.
In the meantime, I promise to post more often now that "play." has been cast!
Be well!
K
P.S.
Look what I saw in the 7-11 today (for scale, that thing is about as big as my chest and torso):
Two pounds of awesome.
We had one of those once at Cabaret rehearsal. It WAS awesome.
ReplyDelete"Dullardesque". A Kenny-ism? Love it, whatever its derivation. MLM
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