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drose
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bullet Topic: acting workshop
    Posted: 9/10/07 at 11:32pm
I am a director/actor who now owns 1/2 of a relatively new(2 years), community theatre (dear god, what was I thinking?!)  I am putting on an actor's workshop in October (it's not limited to, but is aimed at beginners and moderately experienced actors) and would like to know what YOU would find most helpful in an actor's workshop.  I find that we (ct directors) often don't have enough time to work in depth with actors to help them develope, well, as actors.  I'd like to provide them with some resources and techniques to enhance their skills and to provide a jumping off point to embrace the art.  Any ideas, titles, resources, etc. would be great.  I know what I would have like to have been told when I first started out...what would you like to have been told?
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Gaafa
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bullet Posted: 9/11/07 at 4:42am
I have not attended an actors workshop, only floated about on the fringes.
One of the things I found interesting was the mask prop thing. Where they had a set piece to emote & then apply
different emotions & characters when  delivering it.
They did get into using make up on the masks, to depict the differing characters, but this just ended up in a messy situation.
However using a heap different type hats for the character roles, became just as interesting & less messing about.
The only part I played was to help them understand the different terms used in theatre & applying them to parts of the stage, As I called it 'to box the stage', which most appreciated.
Other than that I can't help!

      Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
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to a full house}

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Nanette
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bullet Posted: 9/11/07 at 6:36am
I find actors most often need to learn how to develop a character (mannerisms, voice, stature, etc.) and how to memorize lines (sounds easy, but soooooooooo many study alone and learn everyone's lines except their own).  Stage direction is also much needed (US, DS, C, DLC, etc.)
In a world of margarine, be butter!
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Kathy S
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bullet Posted: 9/11/07 at 9:01am
1) It helps actors to know that if the director does not have notes for them, then what s/he is doing is ok with the director. Keep doing it that way.
2)  Don't act the "emotion", act the action.  Think of the verb, not the adjective. 
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TonyDi
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bullet Posted: 9/11/07 at 9:58am
Of course you all KNEW I would say this - but PLEASE teach actors how to use stage makeup properly....if you can find a decent book that shows it.  Corson's is great but it's also expensive.  There is NO other book I know of that doesn't have some BAD concepts in it - even brand new books.  But so many of them need to get away from the silver hairspray, crayon sized lines, no fancy makeup for men (but yes, still need makeup) and women also need to understand that street makeup sometimes works and there's no need for embellishment.  As well for God's sake drop all the old fashioned concepts and cliche' ideas that simply never did do anything for a good makeup application. It's ALL very individual and specialized. Oh that I had the time, I would make a full time career of doing makeup seminars.  But I couldn't make enough money nor would there be the time much less the interest.  You DO know I've heard it for years from actors that "oh, I do my own makeup"!!! Well let me tell you tales and stories from the front and you'll be amazed.  WELL maybe another time.  Wink
 
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Gaafa
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bullet Posted: 9/11/07 at 10:52am
So Tony when is your book coming out?
Might be a good project for the Greenrooms Mike & Chris to look at &/or assist in publishing.
'Making up warm props'.
I think most luvvies only worry about the acting & strutting in the Limes. Totally  unconcerned about the mise en scene effect on their performance.
In that regard have a techies acting workshop & vice versa.
As we all know techies make the better actors anyway!Ouch
Now a play with just lights & no actors has possibilities, with the techies doing the voice overs!
      Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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TonyDi
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bullet Posted: 9/12/07 at 8:06am
Originally posted by Gaafa

So Tony when is your book coming out?
Might be a good project for the Greenrooms Mike & Chris to look at &/or assist in publishing.
'Making up warm props'.
I think most luvvies only worry about the acting & strutting in the Limes. Totally  unconcerned about the mise en scene effect on their performance.
In that regard have a techies acting workshop & vice versa.
As we all know techies make the better actors anyway!Ouch
Now a play with just lights & no actors has possibilities, with the techies doing the voice overs!
 
Hey Joe,
 
WELL........that's just it...you see I'm always involved in so much stuff I rarely have TIME to do anything I WANT to do or plan to do unless it's literally MONTHS in advance.  HOWEVER, I AM STILL rolling this around behind my eyes in that big huge space that is supposed to contain gray matter (such as it is) and I have a 'rough' outline done with many modifications yet to come in THAT before I could even begin writing the text portions which will also have to be modified when the photos would be done.  AND as I think I said before, I MAY end up doing a series of DVD's instead of a book - MUCH quicker, easier and gives a "visual" demo of HOW to do it and can contain much more information that a written text.  AND it's easier for people to follow, to watch and see how it's done and to allow them something that they don't have to sit there and try to decipher by reading and applying what it is they read.
 
SO YES, it IS coming someday and YOU ALL will be the FIRST to know it when it's available.  I am past the year wherein I said I was going to do it and have only gotten to that rough outline.  But it's time I got me butt in gear and got something rolling in that regard.  One of the things I have issue with is finding willing victims who can serve as guniea pigs for this outrageous idea.  I DO want to do a makeup transformation in several different ways on a high school aged person to give them ideas how NOT to and HOW TO do makeup to age a youthful face effectively for playing older roles.  As you all know, it's often in the choice of actor or actress which gives you the BEST results in that regard.  They can still be young...they just need the kind of face that can best be made to look older than they are.  It's a lot about facial anatomy and bone structure, plus so much more.
 
ANYway, thanks yet again for prodding.  I NEED that constant heckling to get me on the ball and "git 'er done" so it's a reality and not a pipe dream.  So thanks for asking.  All I can say is it will get here eventually.
 
TonyDi
 
BY THE WAY I LOVE the title.  Can I use it with credit to YOU for coining that?  "Making Up Warm Props" ....!!!! HAHAHA!! I THINK THAT is A GREAT title and piques a little fun.  I HOPE to make it a bit humorous as well as anecdotal too.  So much to do, so many ideas.
 
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Gaafa
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bullet Posted: 9/12/07 at 7:26pm
Cor Blimey I'd be chuffedWacko
Could this be sort of imortality at last?CryWink

DVD what a fantastic idea!
{I should have thought of that for doing my neglected series of books, ['Besides the Pro', 'Behind the Pro, 'Before the Pro' & 'Beyond the Pro']}Big%20smile
(Pity I'm not young enough to know how to do it?)Confused

      Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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drose
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bullet Posted: 9/12/07 at 10:36pm
Joe,
Thank god for emoticonsEmbarrassed or I'd never know what you are saying!  I love it!  I love your posts even when it takes me a while to figure out aussie jargon.  You have great insight and advice - Thank you!  -d.
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Gaafa
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bullet Posted: 9/13/07 at 1:01am
Thanks drose!
I'm a Pohm not actualy an aussie as such,being a british citizen & aussue resident, because I have not bothered to have the surgery done. [I,m still counted as a pommy bathplug, as I have only been here almost 47 years]Wink
Being a Pohm & born a Geordie, I lost my accent, on the theatre circuit, in my youth.
I have rather a plain non descript accent, neither one thing or the other?
I don't know why I bung on here.Embarrassed It maybe that I still have to come to terms with & in learning to type in english again.
A spell checker would help & thank gawd for the 'edit' button!Wink
So I apologise & will endeavour to curtail the urge to lapse into 'Ockerisms as often!Embarrassed


      Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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