Perfecting Your Monologue

Before you start practicing a monologue, make a plan! Here are guideline questions for perfecting any monologue you do. They are questions because they are meant for you to ANALYZE.

First, ask: who are you talking to? Where are they? Picture them in their setting. How would your monologue's delivery change because of this? At all times imagine what the other person is doing, make decisions based on that.

What kind of play? If it's a naturalistic play, do not overact! Keep to the style of the play, it's very important.

If you choose a monologue where you are speaking to the audience, try to choose a different one. It's hard to portray well, and doesn't show off your connection to other characters. In storytelling monologues, there really is no arch, which is important. If you can't choose another one, pick someone you can talk to specifically. How would you talk to them? Have a motive, try to do something.

What did that person say right before you started talking? What made you want to say these things to them? If you know what they said, you can realistically portray what you would want to do and say. And when you pause, why would you? What did the person say, or what did their facial expression say? Try a different tactic, a different way to get what you want.

What is your relationship with the person you are talking to? Why are you even confronting them? Why don't you just leave?

What happens next? What is the other person doing after the monologue? What are they feeling?

What is the arch of the piece? Something changes in the middle, dynamics, climax, what is the change?
You begin feeling:
You end feeling:

Also, during an audition or rehearsal, a director may give you an adjustment. Even if this makes very little sense, it might just be to see if you can take direction so make sure you comply!

Choose a monologue that is age appropriate and shows emotional diversity!

Break a leg,
Maison

Don't Drink The Water Audition!

The fall play at my school is Don't Drink The Water, a comedy by Woody Allen.

"In an unnamed European country behind the Iron Curtain, the American Ambassador must leave the Embassy for business. In his absence he places his incompetent son Axel Magee in charge. Almost immediately the Embassy is thrust into a crisis as the Hollanders, an American family of tourists, come rushing in on the run from the Communist police. Walter, the father, had accidentally snuck into a high security area and taken pictures, causing the communists to believe that the family are spies. Axel digs the hole deeper and the embassy is surrounded, leaving the Hollanders trapped."

Woohoo!

Sadly, I have to choose from a limited selection of monologues to perform, instead of choosing my own:(

Here's the one I chose!

"Really, I'm not too fond of being stuck in this elevator! I mean, you're all very nice people and if I had to choose 5 people to fall 47 floors to my death with, well, you'd be in the finals! How long have we been in here now? Five hours? And how many breakdowns have I had so far? Oh, well that's not so bad! Feel another one coming on, though. Feel that little jingle-jangle that means panic's on the way. I'm afraid of heights, I'm claustrophobic, and I'm petrified of death so really this is perfect for me!"

I'm not thrilled with it, but it's pretty funny. I'm going to play it as a completely psychotic woman who switches between uncomfortable laughing and complete "I see aliens" crazy.

Hopefully it will be good?

Side note:
I'm hurting my throat with this monologue, I get pretty loud at the end!

UPDATE:
I GOT A CALLBACK! 
I got a callback for the chef, and I need to learn how to do a french accent in three days:/


UPDATE UPDATE:
I actually became Assistant to the Director! Weird! But it is definitely post-show now, and I can basically recite you the script beginning to end, so if you have any questions- ask away!

Headshots 101

Since I am completely uneducated about the world of headshots, I figured that Headshots 101 would be a good workshop to take. Here's a summary of the class:

• It must be 8x10 photo. (common knowledge)
• The picture should show at least from shoulders and above, but it is acceptable to cut off the crown of the head to pull focus to your eyes.
• Horizontal headshots are acceptable, but inconvenient to be stapled and flipped through, therefore not suggested.
• Black and white headshots are out as color printing is much more affordable now.
• For the stage, only 2 shots are needed: one for comedy and one for tragedy acting. For film and television, an array of different shots will be needed to show different sides of you and what you can play.
• For a dramatic headshot, you don't have to put on a dramatic frown. You could have a smirk, just make sure you have thought behind your eyes. To achieve this, have a thought in character while shooting.
• Have a blurred background that gives an idea of who you are. If you are a student, show something that hints at a school or library- just make sure it does not take away from the main point of the headshot- YOU!
• Do not wear solid black, white, or red because this messes with the balance of the camera. Wear something that goes well with your hair, eyes, and skin tone.

Finding your photographer:

• Preferably, they should be a Headshot Photographer. If you go to someone who does school portraits, that is what you will get even though that is not what you want. The next best thing is a senior picture photographer, as that world is getting more artsy as well as the headshot world.
• Pricing should typically be between $200-500 dollars for FULL PACKAGE. Some big names could charge more, but not be worth more. FULL PACKAGE means that it includes the consultation, shoot, initial photos, and most importantly- printing rights. If a photographer doesn't give you the rights to your photo so that you can print it yourself, then every single time you want to make a print you have to do it through that company which can turn out to be very expensive.
• Get someone you are comfortable with! If you are going to spend hours taking pictures with someone you are not comfortable with, it will show through on the photo.

I have one more post left in my ITS Workshop series and then I'll be on to the Seussification of Romeo and Juliet!

Break A Leg,

Maison

British Accent Mastering

Before this workshop that I took today, my British accent sounded Indian. Don't ask me how, don't ask me why- I'm not Indian. But I significantly improved after this hour and a half. Now I am not even close to qualified to tell you how to do a British accent, but I though I'd post the handout I got that helped me so much. This is for RP British, I might post the Cockney one later. Hopefully I don't get arrested!

SOUND CHANGES

Vowels

1) OH

Sounds like EH-OO

Start with the EH (red, bed) sound, and slide into OO (who)

Practice Words:

Boat, Home, Wrote, Cone, No, Flow, Toast, Roast, Mope, Throne, Throw, Show, Crow, Stone, Hope, Toe, Alone, Thrown, Open, Sacramento, Ohio

2) AH

Sounds like AW

Substitute the AW (law, claw, bought) sound

Top, Stop, Hop, Potter, Cop, Prop, Shop, Tom, Hot, Mop, Dock, Pots, Mom, Sock, Rock, Rocket, Pocket, Odd, Body, Modern, Shot, Got, October, Oxygen

3) A

Substitute the AH (stop) sound when A falls BEFORE:

F          Behalf, half, staff, laugh

FT        Stagecraft, engraft, daft

NCE    Dance, chance, France

NT       Can't, plant

PH       Graph, epitaph

SK       Ask, task, mask

SP        Grasp, raspberry

SS        Grass, pass, glass, class

ST        Last, cast, nasty, mast

TH       Path, wrath

4) AW

Keep the same vowel sound, but round the lips over it (as if you're whistling)

Law, Straw, Thaw, Claw, Paw, Flaw, Crawl, Stall, Mall, Palm, Bought, Thought, Taught, Fought, Caught, Walk, Talk, Chalk, Beanstalk

Consonants

1) D's and T's

Make them EXCEPTIONALLY crisp and clear

Connect, Succinct, Tent, Part, Dent, Dent, Expect, Respect, Different, Parent, Mint, Heart, Hard, Hurt, Pit, Fit, Hard, Card, Forward, Ward, Bored, Flawed, Wasted, Worked, Pointed

2) R

a) DROP the R when it's the last SOUND in a word

Far, Near, Hear, There, Car, Floor, Under, Over, Door, Four, Stair, Glare, Where, More, Stir, Sure

b) DROP the R when it falls BEFORE a consonant

Hard, Heart, Forgive, New York, First, Morning, Afternoon, Person, North, Orphan, Hearth, Worth

c) Keep the R when it comes BETWEEN 2 vowels (or Y)

Around, arrest, irritate, Eric, torrid, sorry, berry, forest

d) Keep the R when it ENDS a word, and this next word starts with a vowel

Pair of, or else, for us, over it, order another

e) Keep the R when it BEGINS a word

Right, ready red, rain, river, run, rip, roast, rule, rust, root role

f) ADD the R when a word ends with A, and the NEXT word starts with a VOWEL

Virginia-R-and Maryland, Victoria-R-and-Bob

Melody

Add a "dip" in your voice at the ends of sentences

                               arriving

I expect we'll be                    soo-          oon.

                                                       oo-

 

Questions:

• Y/N questions USUALLY end on a DOWNWARDS swing:

                         home

Are you going             la-

                                          ter?

• Other questions, throw in the "dip" at the end.

                                  mo-           vie?

What's your favorite           oo-

Words to Practice

1) Brilliant: Amazing, awesome, incredible...

2) Dodgy: Sketchy, shady

3) Mental: Crazy

4) Bloody: Very, really

5) Cheers: Thanks, goodbye

Steps for Learning Dialects

1) Isolate the major sounds

Choose FUN, engaging examples that reflect the sound you're going for

(movies, TV shows, YouTube)

2) Listen for different melody patterns, vocal inflections, and stressing

3) Identify what sounds are EASY and HARD for you to duplicate

4) REAL LIFE PRACTICE

Play with the sounds in real life AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

(brushing teeth, folding laundry, studying)

5) Pick up a script and test yourself!

Great, right? Will be updating on plays I've seen and other workshops I'll do tomorrow!

Maison

International Thespian Society Festival

It's almost time for me and my troupe to compete at Nationals for ITS! Since I'm mainly there for the experience, I will be taking as many workshops as possible and I hope to share what I've learned each day with all of you, and maybe some pictures as well. It makes me nervous that our Group Musical only has a couple of rehearsals left, though.

But I'm excited!

My Technique for Getting Into Character

None of these techniques are my own, but I use a simplified version of them. This is what works for me, and feel free to try them! I use them once I get a part and can see it in the context of the play. I suppose it could work before an audition, if you want to find the script and get really in depth with your reading or monologue. I'll also show you with a past monologue I've done, where the character is a brat faking a note.

• First, I assign an action that my character is portraying with every line. A lot of times, when you are trying to go in depth with your character, you would say what your character feels, so that there is more behind what you are saying. But this part is purely what your character is trying to express in that line. Here's an example of what I did with my short monologue.

(to attract attention) Your mother wrote you a note that said, "(to extract pity) Mavis is allergic to plays. (to excite classmates) If she is in one, she'll break out into hives. Her legs will swell to five times their normal size and she'll begin to sneeze uncontrollably. (to show off) Please excuse her."

Now this is out of context, but basically in this show, 15 Reasons Not To Be in a Play, Mavis starts off hating plays and ends up liking plays. Everyone talks directly to the audience, but interacts with the other characters as well. In this monologue she is trying to show her superiority by her ability to pass off a fake note. But we go more in depth about that character in the next step. This technique works with normal dialogue as well.

• Next, I assign a superobjective. A superobjective is what your character is ultimately trying to accomplish through everything they say or do. This part is not as shallow as (to show off) or (to extract pity). When I do this, I usually end up with a couple pages of description leading up to it, because just figuring that out can change the way your character holds itself or speaks.

For Mavis, I was originally just calling her a brat. But then, I figured out her superobjective was to maintain stable power. She wasn't just a brat, she was insecure and afraid of losing power. This was shown through every line. She tried (to attract attention) to get power, and so on. Now this post isn't about my character, so think about it as yours. When you first read your lines, you will get a first impression, but figure out what lies between the lines and how your character feels apart from what they're saying. We lie, and a lot of what we say has an ulterior motive. Your character is a human and will act as such as well. This can also make a dull part come to life. On the page, Mavis is actually becoming ill with plays, but if I said it like that I would literally be reading off a page with no personality whatsoever.

• Then I attach the emotion and character to my life. I believe that when you play a character, it shouldn't be a whole new person, it can be a different part of you that's dominant. Now don't play every character walking and talking as yourself, but find the similarities. And also, if you have to portray a strong emotion such as grief or embarrassment, find it inside of you instead of assigning physical things to do. The physical acting part will come naturally if you can find yourself feeling what your character is feeling. Find a moment in your life that you can remember vividly and attach it to each line you are struggling with relating to. If your character is feeling embarrassed, think through a moment you can play through your head that makes you cringe with embarrassment and remember it every time you say that line. The audience wants to see real, relatable people with emotions on that stage, not someone who simply says, 'Oh, I'm embarrassed.'
• And this is a little thing, but refer to your character as 'I' instead of he/she. It makes a difference!

Break a leg,

Maison

 

If you are wanting a look into the amazing and exciting world of show business, you are in the wrong place. But if you are looking for some advice on the details of auditions, monologues, casting, etc., in your community or school, hopefully I can give you some insight. In the next few days, I will start with some substantial posting, but here is a little ramble about me.

• I am competing at the International Thespian Society national convention at the end of the month in Troupe #88975. (as a very ironically casted Horton, considering I'm a vertically challenged girl.)
• I was recently inducted into Troupe #6605, and I'm pretty freaking excited.
• I'm currently rehearsing for a little community theatre show called, The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet, as Narrator #1, just because the director is amazing and I want her to know me.

I would lovelovelove it if you would follow, because I will be posting soon!