Yup. You heard me right. That's basically what the past two days have been. And that's basically how much this education is costing me.
The piece we have been working on (for those of you just joining this program, the piece is called Pool[no water]), has reached the part in the script where the cast gets high off of numerous drugs and then has a mass orgy. Before you worry about my sanity, please realize that we all keep our clothes on and that it is in fact artistic...as artistic as you can get with ten bodies writhing around. Well...it's certainly taken away all shyness in our group. And we can't claim we don't know each other after this. And it's made for some WONDERFUL laughs.
The piece itself is raw and unflattering. It's meant to be that way. It's definitely not something I've ever worked on before and it surprises even me with some of the things I do without a second thought.
I feel this would be a good time to talk about that leary question that everyone always wonders about actors: How can you do explicit things? and in front of people??
Now, I can't speak for anyone but myself. People have different limits, morals, and tastes. But just because I participate in a performance piece like this, does not mean I am without these virtues. On the contrary. I'm quite conservative. And for those who know me, I don't express a lot of public display of affection. But on stage or on film, you are not in public. (Well, you are. There's hundreds of peeping eyes from the audience.) Technically, if you are having a moment with another character (if you are doing your job) you are only with that character. The audience does not exist. There of course are gray areas (i.e. when it is an abstract piece or presentational, and breaks the "4th wall" and involves the audience). But for the most part, if I can justify the intimacy within the play, and it serves a purpose in telling the story and adds to the meaning of the piece, I'm all for it. Let me reassure you, however, that I do NOT count pornos as art. Or anything of the like.
But there is beauty and power in intimacy and the use of it.
Regardless, in the end, it IS about the work. It's about the story.
That being said...I'm not quite sure what story we are trying to tell with this mass ball of people. I certainly would never invite my family to see it. But not because I'm not happy with how it's evolved. I am. I just don't think that's what they would see. And not something they would enjoy.
But I am pushing my own boundaries, learning to DO and not only THINK. And though frustrations are high, we are learning to work together which is a Herculean feat all in itself.
I will be ready, however, to move on to the next project after this Friday.
Before parting I will share with you some wonderful isms I've learned this week.
*Munter or Minger= a very unattractive person.
*Faff= to muck about or waste time. and therefore...
*faffucino=A beverage purchased from Starbucks which causes a delay and a queue to form. Particularly popular with the person in front of you when you are rushing to get coffee at the station for the morning commute.
Now...back to memorizing lines.
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