500 Clowns

I love finding new podcasts to listen to, and recently I stumbled on Talk Theatre in Chicago!  The first podcast I listened to provided some wonderful insight into producing children's theatre, and their show about auditioning was taped while an audition was happening, with actors coming out of their audition and going into taping.  How cool is that?

Today, I downloaded and listened to an episode called Interview with 500 Clowns, about the Chicago based troupe of three actors.  They take serious stories, such as Macbeth and Frankenstein, and turn them on their heads in a way that creates pathos by engaging the story in surprising ways.  

Frankenstein, from their website

The structure is that three actors are trying to put on the play Macbeth, say, and a series of misfortunes occurs that prevents them from telling the story, but as such, they are telling the story.  There is a lot of improv and audience participation, though the framework is always the same.  Doesn't it sound like fun?


I was inspired by their ideas of clowning, such as "always say yes to the audience".  This is an idea we accept between our fellow actors, but I've never heard it in regards to the audience's energy.  They also mentioned that it is the clown's job to be honest; they don't just make us laugh, they make us cry and cause us to get angry.  It is the supreme truth that elevates clowning.  Their words are inspiring, and I can't wait to see how I can implement them in Scapin:)

 500 Clown Macbeth trailer

Would you want to or have you seen their show?

Animal Kingdom

Our director for Scapin challenged us the other day by asking us to each pick an animal to base our characters on.  Usually this is not my thing: I tend to come from a more vocal than movement base in acting.  With this play, however, the choice seems to really work.  The goal of this production is to be truly funny and family friendly, and so basing characters on animals moves us closer to that goal.  So my friend David (also in Scapin) and I went to The Columbus Zoo yesterday to do some research.  We caught some amazing things on camera, including a wolf rolling around playfully and flamingos fighting.

My character tends to laugh a lot, and so naturally I gravitated towards the jovial hyena.

It's body movements and hang dog look, however, didn't suit my sensual gypsy character, so I'm now looking towards the sly fox for body movements, and keeping the hyena for vocalization.

Doesn't she look like she's smiling?  We saw two arctic foxes get into a brief play-fight yesterday, and it was over as soon as it started: it made me think of how quickly a summer storm blows through a sunny day.  

I was surprised how naturally the work came to me, as soon as I was open to it.  My body and instincts took over.  I'm looking forward to really playing with this technique and seeing where it takes me!  Have you ever done animal work in your acting?  Where did it take you?

(Photo from Woodland Park Zoo.)

So Charming

I've been thinking a lot about lockets lately: I love the idea of putting a picture or a lock of my darling's hair in one.  I think it must be a fantastic gift for new moms as well, and Mother's Day is just around the corner!  Here are some beautiful lockets from Etsy.

Do you have a locket?  What do you keep inside?

(Pause)

Tonight, Will and I are going to see the incomparable Jonathan Pryce in Harold Pinter's The Caretaker playing at The Southern Theatre.  The Caretaker is a limited engagement, playing tonight through Sunday only!  And the amazing thing is, it's only playing at two other theatre's in the whole country: BAM in NYC and The Curran Theatre in San Fransisco.  How did Columbus get so lucky?  Connections:)  I first saw Mr. Pryce in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels on Broadway, so it will be interesting to see the differences in the characters.  Not to mention that Pinter is an absolute favorite of mine so I'm truly looking forward to this chance.

Tomorrow, we are going to see my sister in Columbus Civic Theatre's The House of Bernarda Alba.  She is playing Adela, Bernarda's youngest daughter.  I'm so proud of all the work she has done for this play, and I'm extremely excited to see it!  Alba runs April 26- May 20.

(1. Broadway World  2. Columbus Civic Theatre- Lindsey is top right:) )

Talk Like Shakespeare Day!

A few years back, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre started Talk Like Shakespeare Day, which is celebrated every year on April 23, Shakespeare's birthday.  The company even created a website dedicated to the event, complete with ways to turn your everyday phrases into luxurious Elizabethan sentences.  There is also a collection of Shakespeare inspired videos.  While I didn't watch them all, my favorite so far has to be Brian Cox teaching Hamlet's most famous soliloquy to Theo, aged 2 1/2.

There's also a hilarious sketch by Rowan Atkinson and Hugh Laurie that I can't stop laughing at:

If you're in Chicago today, stop by Navy Pier, Chicago Shakespeare's home, to visit with Shakespeare himself:)

...And to thine own self, be true!

Hello Friends!

It's been over a month since I last posted, and I'm looking forward to sharing with you all again!  I took a bit of an online break (my Etsy account still needs a rest!) but it's good to be back in the blogosphere.

Next Monday I start rehearsals for Scapin with New Player's Theatre.  I'll be spending the summer playing Zerbinette and also Regan in King Lear as the two plays are being presented in rep.

Bill Irwin and company in his adaptation of Moliere's Scapin.

While I am extremely excited to be playing both roles, I have to admit I'm a bit nervous for my first foray into repertory theatre.  Luckily the plays are being helmed by two lovely directors whom I trust, and I couldn't be happier that they are trusting me as well.

 

Trever Nunn's King Lear featuring Sir Ian McKellen, Romola Garai, Frances Barber and Monica Dolan.

So now comes the digging.  Research is one of my favorite parts about theatre, and I love to dissect my characters to find out what makes them tick (Nerd Alert: I sound like Sylar, don't I?).  It's such an amazing feeling when your character sparks on stage fueled by the months of hard work and personalization you've put into making her.  I sincerely hope that I'll be able to do these characters justice, and that you will come see the results!

Scapin runs June 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 and July 8, 12, 13, 20, 21, 22.

King Lear runs July 6, 7, 14, 15, 19, 26, 27, 28, 29 and August 2, 3, 4, 5.

All performances are at 8 pm at Mill Run Amphitheatre, 3455 Mill Run Dr., Hilliard, OH 43026.  Every show is pay what you will!  Watch for more information coming soon on Facebook and New Player's blog.

(1. Stark Insider  2. Movie Mail)

Ready for the Storm

We just had one of the most amazing storms here in central Ohio.  The tornado sirens were blaring, and at one point lightening struck so close to us, it made a huge cracking sound that was deafening.  We had to get the cats into carriers and take cover, it was all so close.  My sister was over, and the three of us had to jam in a closet when a huge gush of wind swept by, making me think there was a tornado in our back yard.  It may have been a dramatic response, but I was in a better safe than sorry mood.

It's amazing that the sky can be so light and so dark at the same time.

I couldn't help from seeing the beauty in the storm, even in the midst of a sort of chaos.  I had trouble tearing myself away from the window at first, even though it is not a safe place to be.  I watched a sheet of rain blow in from our upstairs window, and the lightning was so thick and bright.  There was a moment when we were all in the closet that I felt completely surrounded by, and at the mercy of, nature.  I recalled a dream I had when I was younger that has stuck with me for over 20 years.  In the dream, we were living in our old house in Springfield, IL.  There was a tornado, and we all sat on the stairs going from the kitchen to the basement as the tornado swirled around us.  It completely enveloped the house, and I could see the swirling wind from where I sat.  The tornado was talking to us in it's own way, snarling almost.  And yet I wasn't scared of it.  It was almost as if we were all in it together; us, the tornado, the house.  I'm not sure how else to describe the feeling.

Proof that good comes with the bad.

I left the windows open at first: 1. because I like them open during storms so I can see and smell everything, and 2. because that's what we always did growing up when there was a tornado, and so I thought it was the right thing to do.  My sister, however, informed me this time around that you are actually supposed to close the windows:

To get to the very center of a mature tornado (where the pressure may be low enough to cause some explosive effects), the windows would have to endure 100-200 mph winds in the walls of the vortex. Those winds would be laden with boards, stones, cars, trees, telephone poles, and the neighbor's roof shingles as well as wind pressure of more than 100 pounds per square foot. This barrage would blow more than enough ventilation holes in the building to allow any pressure difference to be equalized.  Even with the windows closed, most houses and commercial buildings have enough openings to vent the pressure difference in the time that it takes for a tornado to pass.

                        ~Tornado Project

If you would like to learn more about Tornado Safety, visit FEMA.

My thoughts are with those who have not been as fortunate as us.

1. By horrormove on Deviant Art   2. By Eric Nguyen on picbitz