>From: "Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
>
>Elizabeth and Vocalisters:
>
>How about an acting concept that is not particularly related to ones
>own needs or neuroses? That is, an acting concept that is based on
>skill and the learning of that skill and less based on one's "being".
>
Lloyd, I resent you labeling me a neurotic method actor! :-P I found that
the Independent Eye workshop I took (which emphasized improvisational
theater games and story-telling) helped me a lot more than the half-baked
Method that I learned in college. And I found that my acting was much more
free, confident and (I hope) natural once I stopped being so damn neurotic.
(The little green pills help.) :-D
As Dr. Diane remarked in her wise post, donning the costume and the makeup
are a big part in my performance; the physical transformation helps with the
inner emotional transformation. Making myself up as the Old Lady in
"Candide" was practically like meditation. More recently, when the
executive director of the "Butterfly" company took pity on us on a hot day
and said we didn't have to wear makeup for the final dress at Villa
Montalvo, I found I had to put on the black eyebrow pencil and eye-liner,
just so I'd feel right.
Incidentally, one interesting tidbit I learned in Theater History class was
the adjective applied to every single one of the great actors, from Thespis
to Gielgud: "natural." No matter what style of acting was in vogue at the
time, the wildly popular star or respected artist was honored with the
compliment, "natural." Suggests that there's something going on in the
heart, as well as in the face hands and voice.
Elizabeth Finkler
half-baked and only slightly neurotic music theater actor
http://home.earthlink.net/~mightymezzo/
mightymezzo@h...
I think gasoline should cost 49 cents a gallon. No, darn it, make that 29
cents a gallon! Also the gas-station attendants should pump it for you. And
when you get home, you should be able to watch Milton Berle on your Philco
TV. --Dave Barry
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