You see, the script allows you to have a few lines, place a voice to how your character may be feeling, but it doesn't give you everything, like:
The who, what, where, when? what is this characters' pre-life ( their experiences, age, growing up event, daily routines, etc.) what does this character want. How will he/she get it? What are the obstacles? Only the actor has these answers' locked' deep inside and it takes discovery to find all of the answers. The Director can guide the actor(s) through his/her knowledge of the other characters in the story, understanding from the script writer (when available), and his/her own vision of the story to build and complete the story. With this bit of acting lesson behind us, I now let you in on the rehearsal process for La Soledad. Not skipping a beat on anything I've mentioned above, I say that Rob Graydon, our Director is amazing! Not because he may be reading the blog, or anything...but because he simply is! Here is why: the one thing that he has done that is not mentioned above is collaboration with the actors. Maybe it's because I've worked mainly on stage, but rarely have I had a Director ask me..."what are your thoughts, Katherine, what are Alba's thought here?" WOW! It is totally liberating. My input counts! His most constant note to us is "Listen...always listen, keep listening." For me this has been the life line that has allowed me to delve into the deep places during discovery. Where with Dominique, the actress who plays Soledad, I instantly knew how to 'speak' to her character, through Rob, I've been discovering Alba's voice within and for the rest of her family. As people we depend on all our senses to guide us. As a person who has lost the gift of sight from my TBI, I am dependant on my other senses to complete what I cannot always see. Sounds, words, inflections in tone, and body motions become so important on how I react to the world around me. Now double that when I prepare for a scene. My sight no longer delivers the first signals for responses. These come to me through my ears. It has taken 7 years and 5 months to retrain my brain to receive information this way. But, don't confuse hearing with listening folks -cause, there truly is a difference. In life, I hear cars as they speed by me, they help me gage how I drive. I hear the tapping of the water in the pipes that tells me I'm about to be scalded from putting the hot water knob too far to the left, I hear the sizzle of water I sprinkle as a precaution on the stovetop, after years of burning myself from not seeing which burner was too hot. But, I listen...to the inflection in Cory's tone as he tells me about his day. Then I know if it was good or bad. I listen to the whine of each dog... I know which one means: "I'm hungry, I'm lonely, or I need to pee NOW!" I apply these skills to my acting. I take in every line delivered as an emotional wave. It is a physical sensation. It prickles my skin. When that happens I know I've done it well. I've got it. We've made contact. In becoming Alba, I have had moment such as these. I am lost for those few minutes between the real world and the world of Danielle Baraducci (Screenwriter). Then Rob gently pulls us back and allows us to decompress and return. Only to connect to another piece of the dialog that later build upon another layer of this never-ending story. Next week I breathe eternal life into Alba. Still, I am asking: Is she strong? Is she right? Would I, could I..do the same thing she did? Am I like her? I may never answer these questions. They may never need answering. In becoming Alba, at least I had the courage to try. That's just the point.
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