In Deep

Jul 19, 2007 21:29

I want to update a bit in detail about exactly what's been going on up here. I wrote this in my journal the other day, the day after the masks workshop.

"I need to talk about the masks workshop yesterday. This crazy lady named Shelly (maybe) ran it. Basically, she brought in these huge bags of trash, the contents of which we used to form a giant orchestra. It sounded badass, like African Tribal Drums. The whole deal starts with looking in the mirror and examining your face without any judgement. How scary is having to analyze your face in a mirror in front of a group of people? Worst nightmare, right? And once you put on those masks, mam. Magic happens. Like you look in the mirror and become another person.

We were later asked about partner work we did while wearing the masks, and it was crazy how people really saw the objects they were 'throwing back and forth.' They would describe the obhects with amazing specificity. 'There was a box filled with gold rings, which eventually turned into bottles that sprouted wings.' One kid, Will, was even like, '... this kid threw poop at me.'"

Two nights ago we had another play reading, but I don't think it was meant for kids our age. It was also... not very good. Last night we had stagecombat, and that kicked ass. It was run by a little funny cultish family called the Sortelees. There's an older dad who was kind of a douche, a young 20s guy who rocked, and a little 12 year old who maybe has been in some movies? Anyway, we learned how to choke, throw punches, hairpull, fall, etc. It was pretty badass. Got a little bruised. They put us on the spot a lot which makes me so nervous, but I'm sure is good for me.

I'm also bonding a lot with the people here. I think that you could put any 5 of us and put us in a room, and there would be lots to talk about it. There's been some petty teenage stuff here and there, but no fo serious drama. I've grown really fond of the people.

So in the mornings we have voice and movement. Movement is run by Rachel, a flexible, spirtual, awesome woman. We are doing... literally insane things with our bodies. I feel my strength improving. We have to climb on top of each other and jump into insane positions, and it's crazy. I'm trying to find a time to take pictures, but it's hard. Got some today because we had 3 FREEKING HOURS OF MOVEMENT. Which ended up being fun but... holy shit. I'm gonna be so jacked.

Normally we have voice as well. We do breathing and articulators and all that fun stuff, and we also work on how we use our voice during our monologues. Elizabeth runs the class and she can work magic. She understands exactly how the body works, and she taught us how from birth we are told to hold in all of our emotions, and it stifles our acting and such, and where we need to release the tension, and how the way our parents spoke to us closed up parts of our bodies. I tear up at least once in each class. Someone will do their monologue, and she'll do something simple like release their neck, or make them bend over so they release the tension in their lowerback, and suddenly everyone's emotions catch up with them, and people just cry. It's hard to explain. I can't really HEAR the difference consciously the two ways the monologues are done, but the second time I feel it in my chest. It's bizarre and wonderful.

In the afternoon we have the badass and tell-it-like-it-is-mama Jo's Class which is like Meisner technique, and James, a flaymboyant sweaty character which is like Stanislovski technique. We're working with a lot of Meisner repition in Jo's class which is tedious after awhile, but a really good lesson in connection abd being responsive. She added a new element to our excercise's recently where we had to do a challenging task while doing the repition with a partner. And not like hopping on one leg challenging... like legit physically tiring activities. Now we do not so much strenous but still challenging activities with a purpose, and that Jo can cut to the core, I tell you. She picks out exactly what is near and dear to you, and puts you in an uncomfortable place. People cry a lot. I've learned that I need to go uncomfortable places to grow. It's about facing our fears, this whole experience.

And James, too. Takes us outside the norm itno all sorts of crazy places, and puts us in touch with ourselves. Also, everything he says is fascinating. Literally every single thing. One time Sean admitted to not completing the assigned reading, and James spent 3 minutes pantoming cutting off Sean's various body parts.

I did get a little sick yesterday in the morning. I went to movement to sit out, I didn't want to not go at all. But I just fell asleep. I saw James there (he does movement with us despite his 50 year advance), and I told him I wasn't feeling well, and he said that it's okay because he was sending me rays. And I am always happy to recieve rays from James. I wasnt making it through voice so I did go back and sleep, and the head counselor Allison threatened me into feeling better, and her and James did the trick, and all was fine.

We all wrote 3 minute plays, being presented tomorrow! Jeez. Skeery. We had 4 hours study time/rehearsaltime tonight.

ahhhhh, that was so much wordvomit information, sorry! But it is in large part for me so that I will never forget a thing about this experience. =]
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