Do you ever wonder how much credence astrology has in our world of science and technology? Well, some would argue astrology is science - proven and practiced for millenniums.
If you have an interest in this age old art, you have many great resources to choose from. My pick is Astro.com. You can get all sorts of charts done (for free), compare your chart (example to the right) to friends' charts, and get your daily horoscope.
Astrology can be a fun avenue into character - yours or one who you are working on. The ways to creatively think about character is limitless!
When you are hired to play a person living in another time, though we share the trait of being human, that person moves differently than you do now. I am sure you are aware of the fashion discrepancies decade to decade, let alone in another century, so how do you allow these differences to inform how you re-create the world of that time?
Necessary To Do List:
rehearsal clothing that mimics your costume(s)
research on undergarments, clothing styles, and garment materials (wool would feel very different than silk - how would that inform how you move?)
research on that town/area to learn standards of living, culture, belief systems, and where your character would fit both truthfully and most interestingly
what sort of secret might your character have with these given circumstances?
what sort of props would your character use and how can you create relationships/personalize those props?
Your dramaturg is your best friend. Great information will be had through his or her research. Regardless, do your own research prior to your first rehearsal so you can go in with questions, ideas, and fun secrets with which to play.
If you find yourself getting bogged down with the era of the play, you might find tempo of movements free you up. For example, tempo can be the inner rhythm through which your character operates. If you're playing Hedda Gabbler, you might consider her tempo to be that of a persistent heart beat. How would that inform what you do given the time, place, and garment restrictions?
Rehearsal is the time to play, play, PLAY! Use your fine imagination to live in the world of the play; use your intelligence to inform distinct choices about that world.
Some people dedicate their lives to breath and awareness in the body; I am one of them. One of the fundamental involuntary processes in our body is breath. This life supporting function can also be adjusted voluntarily. Because of this duality, breath can and does link directly to the calming or stimulating of the nervous system.
Connecting to the breath will connect you to sensations that are occurring in your body moment to moment. Sensations connect you to emotions. So if you are able to allow and experience your breath, or let your body breathe you, you can then fully experience your NOW.
You may already understand and agree that breath work is fundamental to an actor. Actors take years to train and develop breath support. We hone the ability to breathe in large thoughts to avoid running out of breath. Without good breath support, an actor cannot do quality stage work - no matter how intimate the theatre.
If you are interested in exploring breath work, I offer private classes that are informed by Rodenburg, Berry, Linklater, Fitzmaruice, and Skinner. To breathe is to live.
Do you ever wonder how much credence astrology has in our world of science and technology? Well, some would argue astrology is science - proven and practiced for millenniums.
