Reflections on the First Workshop With Tara--ISTA

A transcription of some notes from ISTA:

10-1-09
Workshop w/ Tara

Important Points she made:

1) Comedy rule of 3's
2) High Stakes
3) Words-let them affect you
4) Reversal of expectations
5) Positive/negative space
6) The Ensemble
7) The Unsocialized Self

Exercise about Inspiration:

Things in the space I am drawn to:
wooden chair
red waste basin
clock
window
half drunken smoothie in the corner

What does this say about me?

-i am drawn to the smoothie, i like something that is out of place and out of the ordinary, unexpected, imperfect

How could this be developed into a piece of theatre?
-a piece about someone who is an observer, wallflower, sees the world from an external perspective

possible space: inside of a school cafeteria

Stimulus/Devising

stimulus- something that inspires you, a trigger

devising-what you create from a stimulus

*academic honesty is important

(this relates to the exercise we did at the beginning of the year with inspiration, influence, and imitation)

Theatre Skills
-acting/reacting
-cooperation with the ensemble
-knowledge of theatrical conventions (stage directions, stance, projection, etc..)
-listening THEN reacting
-using my body (this also relates to physical theatre work)
-Applied skills in The Laramie Project
character acting--->voices, physicality, reactions, energy
-Inspirations/Influences
Teachers--David Monseur, Greg Varner, Rob Warren
Seeing Shows
School Plays
Uncle David's Plays at UGA
Plays I see on family trips
Around Atlanta
Television Shows
Master Classes

How do I become a spectator?
-seek to be entertained
-technical choices
-blocking
-use of scenery
-telling of story
-relatable
-specific choices made/other possible choices