What an experience! While it was definitely a bigger time commitment than I had anticipated, being in Brian's show "Transit Authorities" was a great opportunity to work with my peers in a close-knit ensemble to try and put everything together. I also was able to work on some acting skills, like comedic acting, and got to participate in the whole process of putting together a show.
I think I probably benefitted from the performance experience, and hopefully learned a thing or two about comedic acting. While "Transit Authorities" is not a comedy, it had many funny moments, and trying to find a balance between funny and real was difficult. Both comedy and tragedy were important elements of this production. For example, I had a definite tendency to try to play funny. In "real life", outside of acting, I am definitely not funny when I try to be. Well, same goes for playing a funny character. I learned that it isn't effective if you don't take yourself seriously as the character. You can't play funny, you just have to be funny by playing your tactics. One thing I had trouble with was being drunk, especially the part in the beginning when I fell over. I had to go with my impression of a stereotypical drunk person, but it wasn't effectively getting the message across. It was too over the top, so Mr. Warren said to play it as though I were trying to not be drunk. That would be my tactic, and I would have to fight convincing everyone else that I wasn't completely hammered, while being in that exact state. Reverse psychology and acting all in one! Although I don't think I mastered that in time for the performance, unfortunately, I still learned how to play it for the future, and to be mindful that I don't get too over the top! While I never got the drunk acting thing down, I was told that my fall was convincing, and that some people thought it wasn't part of the script...I don't know if that's good or bad? I'll go with good.
Working on Brian's show also taught me more about the role of a director, although I myself was not directing. From this experience I learned that the director is a crucial element to a show, especially when the ensemble needs guidance in putting it all together, and working from a stimulus. It was Brian's job to give us purpose in rehearsal, and to help us help him with the show. I appreciated his openness with the cast, and his willingness to listen to our opinions. If I ever direct in the future, I would want to emulate Brian in that way. Also, I liked how he started us off with a stimulus, and with fun games, which brought the ensemble together and helped get us in the right direction. For example, we played games where we would be blindfolded and expected to find an object. This reminds me of Bunraku, where we have to channel "it", and have a sort of zen connection. Working closely with Brian, and having insight into his whole process showed me how to go from stimulus to final product. I remember one of the first rehearsals when Brian gave each of us a photograph related to public transportation and we had to come up with characters and possible plot lines from them. This exercise was not only useful for inspiring the director, but it also helped the actors out with understanding where the show was going. It also re-inforced the idea that the performance is but only one step in the creative process, and not necessarily the most important.
I think I probably benefitted from the performance experience, and hopefully learned a thing or two about comedic acting. While "Transit Authorities" is not a comedy, it had many funny moments, and trying to find a balance between funny and real was difficult. Both comedy and tragedy were important elements of this production. For example, I had a definite tendency to try to play funny. In "real life", outside of acting, I am definitely not funny when I try to be. Well, same goes for playing a funny character. I learned that it isn't effective if you don't take yourself seriously as the character. You can't play funny, you just have to be funny by playing your tactics. One thing I had trouble with was being drunk, especially the part in the beginning when I fell over. I had to go with my impression of a stereotypical drunk person, but it wasn't effectively getting the message across. It was too over the top, so Mr. Warren said to play it as though I were trying to not be drunk. That would be my tactic, and I would have to fight convincing everyone else that I wasn't completely hammered, while being in that exact state. Reverse psychology and acting all in one! Although I don't think I mastered that in time for the performance, unfortunately, I still learned how to play it for the future, and to be mindful that I don't get too over the top! While I never got the drunk acting thing down, I was told that my fall was convincing, and that some people thought it wasn't part of the script...I don't know if that's good or bad? I'll go with good.
Working on Brian's show also taught me more about the role of a director, although I myself was not directing. From this experience I learned that the director is a crucial element to a show, especially when the ensemble needs guidance in putting it all together, and working from a stimulus. It was Brian's job to give us purpose in rehearsal, and to help us help him with the show. I appreciated his openness with the cast, and his willingness to listen to our opinions. If I ever direct in the future, I would want to emulate Brian in that way. Also, I liked how he started us off with a stimulus, and with fun games, which brought the ensemble together and helped get us in the right direction. For example, we played games where we would be blindfolded and expected to find an object. This reminds me of Bunraku, where we have to channel "it", and have a sort of zen connection. Working closely with Brian, and having insight into his whole process showed me how to go from stimulus to final product. I remember one of the first rehearsals when Brian gave each of us a photograph related to public transportation and we had to come up with characters and possible plot lines from them. This exercise was not only useful for inspiring the director, but it also helped the actors out with understanding where the show was going. It also re-inforced the idea that the performance is but only one step in the creative process, and not necessarily the most important. 
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