Day 20

This morning we storyboarded the show, and started working out the kinks we knew we needed to work before our FIRST FULL RUN.

One of the moments we worked is called four arm blanket dance. We know that it looks cool because we've seen it on camera but it feels rediculous to do. To add to the trouble, we've improvised it in the past and we are now trying decipher our video recordings. However, the dance is cool because its impossible to tell whats going on with out arms... so it was a difficult and kind of foolish time trying to work out that moment.

I will say however, that deciding on our storyboard for the show was surprisingly easy. I think Tina and I were both a little tense over breakfast because we knew that today was the day we had to make our final (ish) choices. It turns out that the beginning, middle, and end of the show were all found in good form in our notes from previous rehearsals. Most of the time was spent working out the kinks in between. Also, the workshop elements of the show seem to be flowing nicely from our content, which is vital when experimenting with extra-theatrical audience participation stuff.

So, on to the run itself. I'd say it went as well as could be expected. Lighting and costumes were a mess, but we are only just now in a position to work those problems out, so thats okay. The middle section of the show is really crisp, and it has existed in this form for a while so its in our bones pretty nicely. The ending feels a little- something... unjustified perhaps? The thought is there but we need to work into it more smoothly from the middle.

This part of the process is all about refining our material. We are now able to look at monologues in the context of the show's arc and say that certain details are unnecessary and other details need to be stated more clearly. Every line, gesture, and decision has a purpose for the show. In many cases, moments overstep the purpose for the show and they need to be checked. In other places, the show is asking for what is obvious to us actors to be stated clearly for the audience. It feels really good to be working to widdle down, rather than reaching out in the dark for more material. CLARITY IS KEY.

                                                                                     -CJ



P.S. Here is a horrible quality photo of an awesome project I've been working on. (Kudos to Mako Fujimura for coming up with the original idea). Yes, it is a bird nest donation box.
                                                                                    -Tina