Post Solo Performance

Whew..., was it good? What was the response? I don't know, audience...what was the response?

I felt extremely good about the performances, of not just me, but of my comrades in the class. I feel like we all gave it all that we could considering (at least from my perspective) how much we really didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. I will be the first to admit that I was filled with dread beyond all dread, no matter how often Amy told us it wasn't that big of a deal (...but academics are academics!). However, having done one I reflect:

The last time I did my solo performance with a larger audience I felt like I was missing a big chunk of information. Granted, everyone is their own biggest critic, I realize now that Fairouz was in no way as developed as other people developed theirs...or maybe she was and I just can't see that? I will admit that I feel like I went a much different route when it came to doing my performance, I felt like I was doing a monologue a lot more than I was bring pieces into the piece to be examined, although that was a part of it. I felt that I didn't explain my process of creation, but rather did a weird monologue that was full of exposition of my character. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but perhaps it limited me...or I just didn't know how to develop it more (at the time). I ramble....

The big chunk that I was missing was part of my character that I sort of tricked myself into thinking I really didn't need.... for example...the race difference! Ah, gad! It was as I was down pretending to have sand fall through my fingertips that I realized that I was not complete and I had turned this woman into a woman from campbellsville and I no longer believed in her anymore - that is, not to the fullest extent.

However, this has taught my loads! In fact, it makes me very excited to do this process again and I may just go around making ten minute solo performances as I please... I mean, I'm already the life of every party anyway, ha. But, on a serious note, I deeply feel that I grasp the level of commitment something like this takes and how I did not give it all the justice it deserved. It was a learning process though, and now I've learned without receiving a literal slap on the wrist. I think that doing TOO much research is always the answer instead of curtailing around a schedule - although, I do think that I gave it as much as I could in my current state of ...crazy and sick.

How did it affect me as an actor? technician?

How didn't it. I think it's obvious how it affected me as an actor, but as a technician it only furthers my evolving through process that...theatre is not Me or You - it's US. And, if it isn't US it isn't worth a damn. I think this only makes it clearer that research is important in all facets of ...LIFE. It's a crime to misrepresent anything and these techniques allow me to represent to a more full capacity. Also, creating these solo performances allows all this research and information to become tools for creativity which was the most fun. Being able to take SO many things and create a story from it, my own story (so to speak) makes me feel more like the artist that I strive to be. In the end, we're all artists, even the audience.

This was TOO much fun! Can't wait to do it again!