Guidepost 6: Discoveries -- Major Points

Guidepost 6: Discoveries -- Major Points

Overview Michael Shurtleff explains, "Every scene is filled with discoveries, things that happen for the first time. There is something new about this experience, this moment." This post will take you through his guidepost on Discoveries.

Major Points

• The discoveries may be about the other character, or about oneself, or about someone who is offstage, or about the situation now or the situation as it existed ten years ago and how that affects the now.

GP5: Opposites - Homework

GP5: Opposites - Homework

Your turn! 

• Go through your scene/monologue, and find at least two places where you can employ opposites.
• Ask yourself, "How did that feel?"
• Go through your scene/monologue, and find at least two different places where you can employ opposites.
• Ask yourself, "How did that feel?"
• Repeat.

*Please keep in mind that playing the opposite can be a hard lesson to grasp. Do not feel discouraged!

Up Next Guidepost 6: Discoveries!

GP5: Opposites - Application

 GP5: Opposites - Application

Overview Opposites is one of the harder guideposts to explain, and so hopefully these videos showing consistency (not playing the opposites) and inconsistency (playing the opposites) will help. Enjoy!

Application The following video is an example of a monologue performed so consistently that it becomes dull and boring. The person does not make use of playing the opposite or creating moments where she can play different emotions.

Consistency (What Not to Do):

 

Guidepost 5: Opposites - Major Notes

 Guidepost 5: Opposites - Major Notes

Overview  Michael Shurtleff writes, "Consistency is the heart of dull acting." Therefore, it is the actor's job to find or create the opposites that occur in each monologue or scene. One moment, the actor may be laughing hysterically, and the next the character might be painfully distraught. That inconsistency (which occurs in real life all the time) is exactly what captivates audience to keep watching.


Major Notes

• Whatever you decide is your motivation in a scene, the opposite is also true and should also be in it.

GP4: Humor - Homework

GP4: Humor - Homework

Your turn! Michael Shurtleff explains that there is humor in every aspect of life, and therefore it should be no different for theatre. How is there humor in every scene?

Homework

• Describe any humor in your scene or monologue. This humor can be a joke, disbelief at the craziness of life, sarcasm, something inherently funny, and so on.
• Run through the scene or monologue at least once while laughing the entire way through. This can help the actor discover any humor that works and does not work.

Up Next  Major notes on Guidepost 5: Opposites!

GP4: Humor - Application

 GP4: Humor - Application

Overview Humor is one of the harder guideposts I have come across. My application is a tricky one.

Application I will demonstrate with Antigone's opening line: "You would think that we had already suffered enough from the curse on our father Oedipus. I cannot imagine any grief you and I have not gone through. Do you know of the new decree of our uncle King Creon?" Now, here is what I did...

Guidepost 4: Humor - Major Notes

Guidepost 4: Humor - Major Notes

Overview Michael Shurtleff explains, "There is humor in every scene, just as there is in every situation in life." He continues to say that humor is important in both drama and comedy. This post looks at the major notes on this guidepost to help the actor create honest, humorous moments in any scene or monologue...