Weekly Rehearsal Plan (Tentative): 3/9-3/11

The following post comes from the mind of our director, Kathi Kaity:

As we talked about this past Friday at our full, production team read-through, I will be constructing a weekly rehearsal report that will outline objectives, goals, and themes for each week of the process. This system will allow designers and other production team members to plan accordingly for which rehearsal they want to drop in on, as well as allowing the actors a sneak peak to what they will be working on.

These rehearsal reports are partial, meaning they won’t explain everything we will be doing, but giving a brief overview (there are things I don’t want the cast to know about prior to rehearsal) – if you want more specific information on anything, email me (kfk08). Production Team members – if you see a rehearsal that you think would be beneficial for you to attend, please e-mail Ben with the date as soon as possible, so we know to expect you. Thanks!

Week of 3/7 - 3/13
Final Week of Intensive Character Work
Overall Objectives:

• Physicality (13 year olds, 16 year olds, mother)


• Learn story of Golem


• Setting personal goals (for each actor)

Tuesday, 3/9; 5:30-7:30
Called: Ethan, Sam

• Sit down, check-in’s (about how everyone’s day has been)


• Writing (5 minutes) – What happens to Oliver and YL’s friend/relation-ship?
  
  During the play and after the play? Have they “lost” that special something about first love already?
  


• “This is Your…” Game – Oliver and YL have a very intimate relationship – one where, at times, it appears they are more comfortable with their best friend’s body than their own. This is one aspect of physicality that must come through onstage. In this game, partners of two will take turns touching certain body parts of their partner, and explaining what they are for, in either the most literal or metaphorical language they can think of. Example (touching partner’s nose): “This is your nose. It is for sniffing./ This is your nose. It is for smelling the ocean.”


• Armchair, Shelf, Swab the deck – partners will use their bodies together to create a single narrative.


• Mirror Game


• Get into character


• “Entering the space” – partners of two, ask permission to “enter a space.” Go back and forth asking yes or no questions such as “can I stand?”, “can I crawl 3 paces to the left?”, and “ can I put my head on your shoulder?” In character.


• Character interviews/stories.


• Close Rehearsal

Wednesday, 3/10; 5:30-7:30
Called: Full Cast

• Sit down, check in's


• Setting personal goals for each actor. Talk about what they want to work on and what we (directing team) want to work on.


• Enunciation– there are a lot of moments in the script where there is “hushed” dialogue – dialogue that is said quietly because a character is unsure or apprehensive about saying it. Let’s start practicing it now AND enunciating so the audience won’t lose these important words and scenes later.


• Writing (5 minutes) – What does your character need? What does it take for them to ask for it?


• Mill and Seeth – playing with awareness of all body parts, speeds, levels, characterizations.


• 3’s – People tend to have certain stances that they fall into when they are not paying attention, most people have about 3 go-to stances, such as standing with weight on one foot, arms crossed, etc. Each person must find 3 “go-to” stances for their character. These will be the positions they put themselves in when onstage and not performing a specific action.


• Get into character.


• "Molding” – in character, actors will “mold” their peers into different emotions, the way the character would see fit. Example, we ask YL to mold Oliver into “sadness” – YL would move Oliver’s body (and Oliver would maintain pose) into what YL considers sadness. We will also “mold” characters into different ages.


• "MOVE" exercise


• Character Interviews/Stories


• Talk about the story of the Golem (Al? Rachel?)


• Close rehearsal, remind cast of offbook day (Thursday after Spring Break)

Thursday, 3/11; 3:30-5:30

Called: Ethan, Sam

*Closed rehearsal*

• Sit down, check-in's


• So much of this play revolves around water and beaches – we are going to be going to a beach, why not go in the water?


• Differences between 13 year olds in water and 16 year olds in water…what games do they play?


• Get into character


• Marco Polo


• Pancakes or waffles


• Free swim - in character


• Character Interviews/Stories


• Close rehearsal, remind cast members of off-book day!