In class blog post

what did you learn?
How are you applying it to the work you Re doing now

I learned quite a lot from my peers in class, especially on Konstantin Stanislavski and Uta Hagen. I have never taken an acting class, so everything I learned was very new and informative. Stanislavski taught actors to not exaggerate and to stay natural. Sometimes a character is meant to be over the top, but if you are interpreting someone who has a normal appearance, it is important to stay true to real feelings, and to know how to improv in a way that would connect your character to real life. He explained how actors must know and understand the backstory of who the yard trying to portray. I also thought his three main ideas, super-objective, stage action, and suspension of disbelief were all very important to making your character seem believable. Uta Hagen believed that actors need to learn why their character does what they do. She believes that every actor needs to completely strip down their character to portray them in the best way (even down to what clothes they are wearing.) Hagen believed that you need to take your character out of the crisis they are in, in order to know how they would really react to every situation that can come against them. She understood that actors needed to know the world of the play they are in, so they can see the big and small picture, like how I need think of Verona, Italy as a whole, but also the building and specific place my character is in at an exact moment. I believe that in order for me to really embrace Juliet as a character, I need to understand her thought process and reasoning for how she reacts. I believe that the two acting teachers gave insight that will allow me to go into greater depth of my character that I would not have before I learned about all the different techniques. I would have exaggerated much more if I did not know that it looks more fake than putting in my own ideas for how I think my character would react.

Prop, costume, and blocking ideas

-Modern costume (all black)
Romeo: black pants and a black shirt, maybe a black jacket, black shoes (hair normal)
Juliet: black dress(?) or black shirt and pants (more feminine than Romeo) black shoes, hair down

-Props
I do not think we will need any props, but Romeo could possibly bring flowers for Juliet(?)
Completely empty space, maybe a square taped off around Juliet (since she is not leaving her area/"balcony"

-Lighting
Spotlight on both of them, softer, white.
As Romeo moves the light will not have to move with him since it will stay over the whole stGe the entire time
Lights will go out at the end of the scene

Blocking:
-Romeo and Juliet enter before the lights come up
-They are frozen until Romeo breaks a couple seconds after the lights come up and begin to say his lines
-Juliet downstage right facing the audience
-Romeo upstate left facing Juliet/audience
-As the two speak of their obstacles to be together, Romeo moves further away from Juliet
-As the two speak of their love for each other, Romeo moves closer to Juliet
-Juliet is stuck in her area/box/balcony, not able to move to or away from Romeo-- she struggles with -this/is annoyed with the fact that she is contained
-Juliet tries to leave her area during a few lines, but in a mime-like manner, she is not able to
-Romeo and Juliet go back to how they started (frozen again) with a different expression on their faces than when they started (maybe happier?)

Performance Log #1

After meeting with my partner to go over the scene and our characters, I believe that we came to an understanding where we can now go more in depth of the blocking and characterization. My partner and I edited the lines of the first balcony scene between the two protagonists. After reading through the first edit aloud, we decided to cut it down and put certain lines in areas where they make more sense to both the character's motives and the audience's understanding. When we first looked at the lines, it seemed very daunting to memorize everything. I decided to cut the scene in four parts, so we could dissect each moment and understand how the character's should be feeling as well as what they should be doing. It was much easier to discuss each line and memorize them when they were cut up in sections for us to focus on.

I have many ideas for blocking the scene. My partner and I decided that we should portray the balcony scene in a modern time period, with simplistic costumes and mannerisms. One of my ideas for blocking the scene is to have Juliet downstage left facing forward, and Romeo upstage right facing Juliet. I want to highlight the idea of how far apart the two families are, as well as how intimate the moment is for the two romantics. This could be accomplished by having the characters move closer and further apart as Romeo and Juliet have conversation about family and other obstacles they are facing to be together. We have not tried the whole scene out with the blocking, but I believe as we get more into the scene, we will be able to tweak and perfect where Romeo and Juliet will be placed and how they will move and react.

As I have been reading through lines with my partner, I have been able to get more accustomed to how they react to certain lines, and how we work together as actors. After reading through the same lines a few times, I noticed that as my partner gets more comfortable and memorized, he is able to automatically add in his natural emotions to each line. He started to take pauses at certain places, and say his lines in a more precise and passionate way. Once my partner achieves that place of comfort with the lines, I am able to change how I react to mine as well. I can speak based on both of our manners, and change my emotional response based on how we are both interpreting each moment.

As we progress into more depth of blocking the scene, I believe that it will be easier to be efficient during practice, and have a better view of how the the scene will turn out overall. As we start to finish blocking the beginning, we will be able to change and come up with new ideas, as well as develop our presentation of the characters.

(This is information based on all of tuesday's class and the classes before it)

Portrayal of Romeo

The first balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet is a staple moment where the two protagonists are able to completely confess their love for each other. There is a very romantic and whimsical mood set throughout the scene. It takes place at night where Romeo and Juliet expose the great amount of innocence they posses. The balcony scene embodies the most purity out of all of the scenes. Audiences are focused on the idea of the two lovers being together for the rest of their lives, and them overcoming the fact that their families are against their favor.

Romeo is a hopeless romantic throughout the play, and portrays someone with strong and overwhelming emotions. He falls hard for Juliet and will go to great lengths to be with her. The balcony scene helps the audience see how devoted Romeo is to Juliet. He makes it look easy to get over the wall and through the guards to see his other half. Romeo is a little less thoughtful than Juliet in the sense that he works quickly with much more force. Right after he sees Juliet at the party when the two make their first connection, he needs to see her that same night.

When editing the lines for this scene, it is clear that Romeo's words back up his forceful nature. He always has an answer for Juliet and is able to think on his feet well. He is very poetic and speaks in a manner that makes him seem authentic and sure of himself. Romeo knows that all odds are against him when it comes to being with Juliet. It does not stop him though, from showing up at her balcony and confessing his love to her. He wants her to know how he feels immediately, almost as if he cannot hold feelings inside of himself for a long time.

Romeo's only motivation throughout the scene is Juliet. This makes the scene much more rich in value since there is only one thing for the audience to focus on. The balcony is a staple piece for the story as a whole, and the scene defines what motivations the rest of the play will consist of. Since the only thing the two protagonists are thinking about is each other, they are able to expose their true and undivided attention and feelings.

Acting as Romeo, I want to highlight his soft and naive side. Even though he shows overpowering emotions, I think that it is important to display a strong sense of purity and hopefulness. It is important that the balcony scene distracts the audience from the bad, and hones in on the innocence and positivity of the two protagonists. It makes the rest of the play that much more ironic and powerful. The balcony scene is where the audience members really get attached to the two characters.  Romeo must be portrayed as a hero in a sense, from the get go of the play. At the end when the two characters die, it is important that the end is seen as neither Romeo or Juliet's fault, but instead the bitterness of the two brawling families. I hope that I am able to embody the amount of emotion the scene needs, while also setting up the audience for what is yet to come in the rest of the play.

Acting Theories - Uta Hagen

Uta Hagen:

German American actress and theatre practitioner
-Born: June 12, 1919 Germany
-Died: January 14, 2004 NYC

Wrote many books and won a tony award for best lead actress in a play
Has been in 22 broadway productions
Wrote "Respect for Acting" which is used as a textbook in many college theatre and acting classes

The nine questions-

• Who am I?
• What time is it?
• Where am I? 
• What surrounds me? 
• What are the given circumstances? 
• What is my relationship? 
• What do I want? 
• What is in my way? 
• What do I do to get what I want? 

Respect for Acting (Chapters of teqniques and the process of mastering them):

Chapter one - concept

• An actor needs: talent, imagination, a grip on reality, desire to communicate, character and ethics, point of view, understanding of human behavior, total discipline.

Chapter two - identity

• Fill a warehouse with sources upon which to draw for construction of character. Object exercises (C11 – 20) help build self-awareness.
• Your own identity and self knowledge are the main sources for the characters you play.
• You experience most human emotions by age 18.

Chapter three - substitution

• Find yourself in a part vs. losing yourself in a part.
• Substitution: transference from your own experiences and remembrances; put them in place of the fiction of the play.

Chapter four - emotional memory

• Sub in order to release that big burst of tears, shriek of terror, etc.
• EMOTION OCCURS WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS TO US WHICH MOMENTARILY SUSPENDS OUR REASONING CONTROL AND WE ARE UNABLE TO COPE WITH THE EVENT LOGICALLY.
• Uta uses a RELEASE OBJECT to bring about emotion; trigger objects; a verbal or physical action (fist) can also be used.

Chapter five - sense memory

• Concentrate on a body part. EX. don’t think “hot”, focus on underarms: perspiration, sweaty, stickiness; attempt to overcome heat; adjust blouse; whole body will feel hot. For “cold”, focus on chill on back of neck; adjust to get warm; overcome sensation.
• Stimulate the Remembrance; fight against the sensation in one focused area (drunk - fight to be sober)

Chapter six - five senses

• Cologne could make you remember old boyfriend; use it.
• Alert taste buds for taste of liquor.

Chapter seven - thinking

• Real thinking is active.
• Get out of the habit of verbally analyzing your thought process.
• To act is to do; not think.

Chapter eight - walking and talking

• Total animation of the body is about correctly incorporating the surrounding circumstances.
• Action of words: how you send them, for what purpose and to whom, under what circumstances- what do you want or need at the moment.

Chapter nine - improvisation

• Used for a better understanding of the reality of the character, circumstances, time and place, emotions, and varied action.

Chapter 10 - reality

• Truth in life is not truth on stage; Ex. you can’t really hurt someone.
• You must adjust to tell the story.

http://actingtruthfully.jimdo.com/hagen-technique/

In the dramatic arts, method acting is a group of techniques actors use to create in themselves the thoughts and feelings of their characters, so as to develop lifelike performances.

Quiz Act 4 and 5

A) Romeo and Juliet is a play that portrays many themes and ideals that are opposite from the norm, and defy what is expected. The two protagonists are represented at the start of the play as what their gender expects from them. Juliet is locked in her room and Romeo is expected to fight for his family and represent his name. Juliet blossoms into her personality throughout the second half of the play. Something changes inside her that seems like a mix of upmost passion and possibly some obsession and angst. She goes after what she wants with a burst of quickness. Juliet realizes that in order to be where she wants in life, she has to go and never look back. The amount of risk that Juliet takes seems careless. As someone portrayed so deeply in love though, it does not seem unrealistic relating the context of the play. Juliet possesses hero-like traits by the end of the play because she is no longer thinking of herself, only Romeo. At the beginning of the play Juliet had never experienced feeling strong emotions for someone until she met Romeo, which led to exposing all of the built up affection she had. The play as a whole has many contrasting moments and themes. Gender roles and how they affect who you are get very exposed throughout the story. Romeo in the second half has no comparison to Juliet when it comes to facing your fears and being courageous. Romeo seemed much more timid and quiet while Juliet was going full force with her actions. The order of which the play is written reveals what was expected of gender roles at the time, and how they can be defied.

C) I believe that Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy because it exposes an ongoing negative setting, as well as highlights a situation that could have been prevented had it happened under different circumstances. The city's natural order is restored at the end of the play because people were able to recognize how dangerous and worthless a feud was once an event happened that could not be hidden or made light of. The two families were both portrayed as stubborn and stuck in their old ways. The deaths were required for the two sides to realize how long and tiresome the fight has been. In order for people to detach themselves from unhealthy situations, usually something has to change or be taken away from them. The play will be a tragedy because even though the feud is resolved, there is still a numb and unsettling feeling at the end. It took the two families until enough people died for them to realize that they were enemies for a reason none but entitlement.

F) Throughout the film and the play, Romeo is portrayed on the surface as someone growing up from an emotional standpoint. Romeo is going through somewhat of a learning experience up until his death. Even though throughout the second half of the play he is not as active as Juliet, he is still a bold character. In the film version of the play Romeo is seen as a powerful daydreamer. He is bold and poetic, which can be overlooked in when reading the play. Though he is older than Juliet in the play, his facial features in the film make him look more naive and fragile. Romeo is emotional and powerful throughout the film. He yells, cries, and acts depressed in an exaggerated manner. Though Romeo is depicted as a more stationary figure throughout the second half of the play, in the film he is still lively and willing to go great lengths for Juliet. The film highlights the idea that Romeo is just as passionate and involved as his counterpart. The supporting characters like the Friar and the Nurse help portray that idea as well throughout the film. Overall the film stays true to the basics of the character, but enhances traits that portray Romeo as involved and desperately in love.

Balcony Scene Lines

Romeo:
“But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief


Juliet:
Ay me!

Romeo:
She speaks! O, speak again, bright angel

Juliet:
“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet”
O, be some other name!


Romeo:
“I take thee at thy word.
Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptiz’d;
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

Juliet:
“What man art thou that thus bescreen’d in night
So stumblest on my counsel?

Romeo:
“By a name
I know not how to tell thee who I am.
My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,
Because it is an enemy to thee”


Juliet:
“I know the sound.
Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?
”
Romeo:
Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike
“With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls,
For stony limits cannot hold love out,
And what love can do, that dares love attempt;
Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me.

Juliet:
If they do see thee, they will murder thee

Romeo:
I have night’s cloak to hide me from their eyes,
And but thou love me, let them find me here;
”
Juliet:
“O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully;
Or if thou thinkest I am too quickly won,
I’ll frown and be perverse, and say thee nay,
So thou wilt woo, but else not for the world.
I must confess,
But that thou overheardst, ere I was ware,
My true-love passion; therefore pardon me,
And not impute this yielding to light love,
Which the dark night hath so discovered.”


Romeo:
“Lady, by yonder blessed moon I vow,
That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops—


Juliet:
“O, swear not by the moon, th’ inconstant moon,
That monthly changes in her circled orb,
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.”


Romeo:
What shall I swear by?

Juliet:
Do not swear at all, and I’ll believe thee.

Romeo:
O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?

Juliet:
What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?

Romeo:
I gave thee mine before thou didst request it

Juliet:
“Wouldst thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love?
“My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite”
“Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.
If that thy bent of love be honorable,
Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,
By one that I’ll procure to come to thee,
“Parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night till it be morrow”



Romeo:

“Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast!
Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest!
Hence will I to my ghostly friar’s close cell,
His help to crave, and my dear hap to tell”

Blog Post #4

The Baz Lurhmann version of Romeo and Juliet embodies the extreme emotion the play represents. Acts four and five stay true to the main ideas of the play, such as the two protagonists dying at the end. There are parts and components though that were added in that make the two acts even more gut-wrenching than they already were.

When Juliet goes to talk to Friar Lawrence about Romeo going away, she points a gun to her head, and then at the Friar when he will not let her kill herself. When the Friar tells his plan to Juliet, a play-by-play is shown of what is supposed to happen. Obviously the plan does not work, which makes seeing the Friar's plan in action much more surreal. When Juliet is about to go to "sleep" there is a flash of her in a wedding dress, and then back to her pajamas. Those few moments made the next scenes even more upsetting because they showed what could have potentially happened if everything did not go awry.

The audience does not see the nurse come in to find Juliet dead, only the Friar telling people to take her body away so they can prepare for a wake in her honor. The Friar is portrayed as much more nervous in the movie than depicted in the reading. He sweats a lot throughout the last two acts. After Balthasar delivers the news that Juliet is dead to Romeo, the protagonist screams and cries to Juliet in a deserted field. Romeo then gets into Balthasar's car and they rush into Verona territory.

In the play, audience members do not get to see how Romeo gets to Juliet. In the movie, there is a huge dramatic scene where Romeo is being hunted down by watchmen/soldiers/guards in Verona. Romeo has to run from the helicopters and at one point places someone at gunpoint so he can get into  the church. Everything in that scene is full of action and moves very fast. The caliber of emotion and grand gestures is so high that it causes the scene to feel much more shocking and "in your face". Once Romeo reaches Juliet the moments that occur next feel much more surreal, which is what the play is trying to portray as well.

Juliet's shrine is gigantic. It is extremely over the top and features tons of flowers and candles throughout the whole church. In a way, the flowers and candles give a romantic and warm vibe to the scene, even though they are meant for Juliet's death. In the movie Juliet wakes up to see Romeo drink the vile and kill himself, which makes his death much more dramatic. He speaks to Juliet as he is dying and in the end Juliet ends up shooting herself in the head, causing blood to spill all over the dead couple.

In the play, Romeo and Juliet's death gives off a more numbing feeling. The scene is still dramatic, but it feels much more unfortunate rather than sad. The movie hits viewers with an over the top, in your face death scene. The amount of emotion is much higher than in the play because viewers can feel every second up to the deaths. The amount of struggle it took for the protagonists to get to where they are in the last scenes is understood more when it is seen instead of read, especially because after the two die, there is a flashback of them in love and happy. The movie really emphasizes on what could have been, to make what happened much worse.

Blog Post #3

This week the class evaluated and discussed the different aspects and ideas throughout Romeo and Juliet. The play includes many different patterns, time-frames, character, and themes that some may not recognize while initially reading the story. I found myself reading mostly for the plot, without realizing all of the aspects and clues that are involved in creating the world of the play. There is so much meaning behind the characters and the places and things surrounding them that cannot be seen unless you slow down and dive into the specifics.

After each of the different groups presented this week, my overall view of the play was very different.  It was easy to add up all of the specific ideas into one big picture after fully understanding what was happening. For example: After I researched the climate of the play, I realized that many lines hint at the weather, and it affects many characters and their feelings toward certain situations. When Benvolio says, "I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire. The day is hot, the Capels (Capulets) are abroad, and if we meet we shall not scape a brawl, for now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring."(pg.104) he gestures to heat in a negative way. I was able to understand how it was summer during the play, which I was not able to decode while initially reading. The way the play references the season during different scenes was very interesting because summer was related to both good and bad depending on what the scene called for. 

The time of the play was an important factor in understanding the climate as well. The class discussed how the day usually represents positive, while the night is negative. In the play that idea is portrayed backwards, since the day is when all of the fight scenes happen, and the night is when Romeo and Juliet fall in love. This idea adds to how the heat and sun are able to be discussed in a more negative manner, having to do with the ironic organization of time. I also did not realize that the play was really over only a week's time. After I understood that though, the play seemed much more realistic to me in how fast all the events play out.

I did not fully understand what Elinor Fuchs was explaining in Visit to a Small Play until I analyzed the play into different categories. There was so much more to Romeo and Juliet than just the raw plot. Once I understood the many different variables and ideas I was able to piece together why some characters acted as they did, or why some circumstances caused scenes to be more tense than I thought they were. What Fuchs explained about how each play is it's own world is completely true. Romeo and Juliet takes place in a world that has it's own time, climate, sounds, settings, characters, shapes, plot line, and changes. Now that I understand all of these, I can now let the play take place in it's own world, instead of trying to relate it to mine. 

Notes on Acts 4 and 5

ACT 1

Scene 1:

• Juliet finds out that Paris is making arrangements to marry her. 
• After Juliet confesses to Friar Lawrence-- he creates a plan and gives Juliet a vial that will make her appear dead. 
• Her family will think she is dead and will put her in a cemetery, where Romeo will come to find her so the lovers can sneak off to Mantua.

Scene 2:

• Capulet is planning the wedding when Juliet arrives home. 
• Juliet asks for forgiveness for her disobedience, and explains to Capulet that she will indeed marry Paris.
• Capulet sets off to plan for the wedding feast and tells Paris the News

Scene 3:

• Juliet goes into her room and tells the nurse and Lady Capulet to leave her alone for awhile to rest. 
• She contemplates drinking the vial because she is scared the plan Friar Lawrence came up with will not work. (Kinda goes crazy in her own thoughts. Off on tangent.)
• She drinks the vial anyways and goes along with the plan. 

Scene 4:

• As the wedding gets prepared, Capulet gets chastised by both the Nurse and Lady Capulet for being a "meddler."
• Servants bring in supplies for the wedding-- Capulet is very overexcited about making his family look good after the fights.
• Capulet hears music and announces Paris' arrival-- Capulet runs to meet him.
• Tells the nurse to go find Juliet. 

Scene 5:

• The nurse tries to wake Juliet and sees that she is "dead."
• Everyone gathers around Juliet to find that they will now be mourning her instead of celebrating. (Lady Capulet, Capulet, Nurse, Paris)
• Friar Lawrence orders everyone to leave to take her body to be buried. 
• The mood changes-- everyone is sad and over the top depressed. 

ACT 2

Scene 1: 

• Expecting news from Friar Lawrence, Romeo instead hears about Juliet's "death."
• He finds out that she has been put in the Capulet family tomb from Balthazar 
• He decides to Purchase poison from an apothecary-- he decides to kill himself next to Juliet's body.
• Romeo has no clue that Juliet is only in a deep sleep, because Friar Lawrence never told her. (Friar Lawrence evil??)

Scene 2:

• Friar Lawrence talks to Friar John. Friar John tells the other Friar that his letter to Romeo about Juliet being in a deep sleep did not get to Romeo because he (Friar John) was quarantined in a house suspected of being infected by the plague. 
• Friar Lawrence orders Friar John to get a crowbar and go to the tomb by himself so that someone will be with Juliet when she wakes up from her sleep. 

Scene 3:

• Romeo arrives at Juliet's tomb and finds Paris mourning. 
• The two men fight and Romeo kills paris. 
• Romeo enters the tomb and finds Juliet-- He drinks the poison and dies. 
• Friar Lawrence enters the tomb, seeing Paris' blood.
• Friar Lawrence discovers that Romeo and Paris are both dead. 
• Juliet wakes up and the Friar tries to convince her to leave, Juliet says no.
• Friar leaves, and Juliet is alone
• She tries to drink the poison, but there is none left-- she stabs herself to death
• Montague announces that Romeo's mother died of grief the same evening.
• Friar Lawrence explains what happened 
• Everyone is left upset and looking to resolve the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets.