Off Broadway Actors' Studio

The ghost of Theatre Company past.

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:46:11 GMT

Dear Theatre Company class of 2008/2009,

Looks like I kinda failed at keeping this LJ up and running. Oops. But look, wasn't it useful? Check out the blocking notes, man! If it actually gets used, this thing could totally work. I tried passing on the information to Ms. Orr, but I have a feeling she doesn't care much for it, so I'm taking one last swing at passing it on. Seriously, folks. Everybody loses their scripts and billions of sheets of paper, so post it all here where everyone can access it. If you have a typed document of the script, post that shit here! Think you won't be able to make it to a rehearsal? Tell your stage manager and fellow actors here! I'm gonna go through here RIGHT NOW and tag the entries that were made for Or What You Will. I'll make them nice and clear, and if you keep this nice and tidy, it'll be such a great resource for everyone.

For the sake of everyone's sanity, just give it a try.

Sincerely,
Jessie

LJ INFORMATION (Hopefully no one will hijack this account and use it for EVIL):
username: theatre_company
password: orwhatyouwill! (feel free to change this, but be sure to let everyone know if you do)

EDIT: I've finished the tags!

http://theatre-company.livejournal.com/tag/

Alright, I'm done my obligatory I've-graduated-but-I'll-still-help-the-drama-program-anyway duties. Give me a shout at jessie.sonofander@gmail.com if you absolutely need me, but otherwise, I'm outta here.

More blocking notes!

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:29:31 GMT

Sacha again.

Hey guys. I have more blocking notes for ya'. Horray!

Scene VI - One Ring To Rule Them All
Scene VII - Subtle Hints
Scene XII - Token Violence

That's all for now. If I have time, I will post more Sunday.

Blocking notes!

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:11:29 GMT

I never realized drawing out blocking notes took so long. I finished some scenes. I still have quite the amount of scenes to do, but this is a good start.

Mask Intro for Scene I
Scene I - Hungry for Looove
Scene II - Trans-Action
Scene V - Not Quite Dead Yet

More to come later.

-Sacha

Check up

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:55:04 GMT

Sacha here.

Hey guys. I really hope all of you are checking the LiveJournal account for the latest news.

I just want to do a small check up with everyone, and lay down some reminders. Thursday we are doing scenes XI & VI. We need to block scene XI. It's a fairly large scene with almost ALL the characters. I understand that this may not be a wise idea seeing that Science Fair is taking place at the same time. I might switch to do scene V & XIII, depending how many people are present.

Also, I want to make sure everyone knows that on Friday we are doing a run. I know for one, that I don't want to be there for long so let's do this nice and quickly. It can only go as smooth as we let it.

Kougar
I will have the blocking notes up here later today. I have nothing else to do but them tonight, so they will be up.
Also, if you can, I would recommend coming to one of the runs. Friday would be a real nice day. Just so you can see it with your own eyes.

On another note, I want to bring one issue up.
I understand everyone's frustration with Ms Orr. We all feel it, and we are all dealing with it. If you're unhappy, please stick with it being verbal. I want to remain this journal being strictly for the show and what is going on. Let's please not go on personal rants. If you have the urge to broadcast it on LiveJournal, please get your own account. Who knows, Ms Orr might actually check this and I don't care how angry you are at her, no one deserves to read a rant about them. Imagine how you would feel if it was you.
I dont' want to offend anyone, but I just think it's important for the morale of the play if we don't let our personal feelings get in the way of the more professional aspect of it.
Thank you.

this is for the cant remember grrr two weeks ago

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:36:53 GMT

hey piper here
the rehearsal went alright things got Ironed out but of course they're still wrinkles

First the good stuff
the recording mr Reid made was put to successful action and cues were established in the second scene. our waltz in the first scene was adjusted but we still need timing and smoothness and some very good suggestion's were put into action in the wave scene and in others.
also the stealing of sebastian by the ocean was almost finished.

now to the bad part

first off, dancers Maria and I need lots more focus for the coming times. though you all are certainly getting better. It can go alot faster and smoother and less time wasted on the reminders.
talk all you want during stretching.

Also NO eating during rehearsal unless asked for by me, maria, or ms orr. If your hungry then let me know
I was left dangling that one time when we were needed and you guys were out eating oreos and I wasnt given time by the nasty ms Orr for instruction

which brings me to my next topic

I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the way she continually deals with me and several other students even after I spoke with her on that very subject. yelling to be quiet wont help the noise level to be any better, not clearly communicating cues, changes, or new Ideas won't help us make progress, we are not psychic.
that day when she did not tell me we were running things through and then asked me "what are you doing on stage?" not with what I recognized as a nice tone but condescending and rude. I wont tolerate it Im through with it.

the fact that most people I talk to come to rehearsal even after a bad day with high hopes and leave miserable, stressed, and ready to cry. has to say something of the inappropriate behavior of ms Orr

sadly Ive also noticed at times this similar tome in both mr Reid and ms Agnew

I respect all the adults working on this play for their age and experience but that gives them no right of assumption to make us out to be dull witted or unknowledgable in this field
I know my own experience is very big and others as well. those who have little should be acknowledged simply for their interest in the subject

the life rules of:
treat others as you wish to be treated and think the highest of a person till you know the lowest
see you soon sorry I cant be at rehearsal this week see you friday

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 22:37:52 GMT

Hey guys, Jessie here. Um, my computer died last night, so my contribution to this page may not be as frequent as it ought to be. Fuck my computer! Augh!

Ms. Orr's sick of photocopying scripts, by the way. She says she'll make five more copies, but after that we're on our own. (Which means, in other words, that I'm supposed to re-cut the script and reformat it to make it all book-like. Originally I had this all saved on my computer, but my dumbass computer fucked up the file, so now if people need scripts, I have to start from scratch.)

The shipwreck scene looks awesome, you guys! Wow! I have faith in this play looking really good.

We need to tell Ms. Orr to communicate with Gina and Mr. Reid, because right now all adults seem to think that they are directors. I've heard that Ms. Orr has told the mask group to enter from one side of the stage while Gina's telling them to enter from the other, and that Mr. Reid wants everyone to dance in the final scene, while Ms. Orr knows there's no way that's happening. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not dancing.

We're having some issues with the stage right now. If everything continues the way it is now, there will be about half a foot of space between the scrim and the walls being built, meaning that we'll all have to squueeeeze ourselves onto the stage (or take the more dramatic approach and kick the wall down every time we need to enter or exit).

When I get a computer in my room again (I'm using my mom's right now), I promise I will continue with the blocking notes. The notes I've posted are already outdated, 'cause we changed the direction that characters enter from in scene III already. I may have to reapproach the entrances in other scenes as well.

Sacha, can you make the rehearsal schedule? Ms. Orr wanted me to do it and I just have no fucking time at all, and when she suggested that you do it, it sounded fabulous to me, but I don't actually know if you have the time either. So far, we've decided to run through scenes that we haven't really rehearsed yet on Thursday (scrapping the initial plan of blocking scene XI) and then Friday we're doing as much of a run as we possibly can. And as a reminder, I have to leave early on Friday (about quarter after three at the earliest) to get my injection. Sorry, folks.

That's all I've got for now. Hopefully I'll be able to be useful again in the near future.

-Jessie

New titles!

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 07:07:35 GMT

Hey guys, we're changing the titles of a few scenes. Not many, just a few. The changes are basically just there to make things either funnier or more relevant to the scene.

HUNGRY FOR LOOOVE
SHIPWRECK --> TRANS-ACTION
SHE'S THE MAN
IAMBIC-PENTAMETER-ING TELEGRAM
NOT QUITE DEAD YET
ONE RING TO RULE THEM ALL
SUBTLE HINTS
RAINING ODOURS --> SECOND TIME? NOT THE CHARM.
VIOLENCE IS THE BEST PROBLEM SOLVER --> VIOLENCE SOLVES PROBLEMS.
SHUT UP, IT'S A MAN PURSE
GIRL, INTERRUPTED
TOKEN SEX AND VIOLENCE --> TOKEN VIOLENCE
GRAAAND FINALE --> THE ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN

-Jessie

Scene Breakdown

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 05:37:49 GMT

Sacha here.

As requested to do, here is the scene breakdown for all of you to print yourselves out a copy. Ms. Orr will no longer be making copies for us so please copy + paste/write out/print this out. You'll need a copy. Thank you.

Thank you!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Or What You Will?

Scene/ Breakdown        Basic Structure

Rough Draft (subject to change) Jan 30

Four Basic Locations with minimal set

Seascape - dancers waves/choral soundscape – recorded & live
Garden - dancers/percussion & cardboard shrubs to be brought on stage
Palace - Statues and Palace Tableaus/Dance (to be worked on) Guards & Servants Possibly Scrim down
Street - Mask Performers playing passengers on ship, love/heart pass and generic townspeople

1. Hungry for Love Opening

Where: Orsino’s Palace Scrim down
Content: Words of love about Olivia
Who: Dancers/Percussion, Choral: Orsino’s Monologue adding Orsino


2. Shipwreck

Where: Seacoast
Content: Viola & Sebastian get separated at sea. The Captain saves Viola and brings her to Illyria
Who: Wave Dancers & Percussion
Choral Soundscape
Mask Performers Passengers
Viola & Sebastian
Captain & Viola down stage to apron Gender transformation. The Captain helps Viola change.

3.She’s the Man

Where: Orsino’s Palace scrim down
Content: Viola’s Arrival
Who: Dancers: Guards & Servants, possible human statues and actors

4. Iambic-Pentameter-ing Telegram

Where: Olivia’s Garden:
Content: Viola is at the gate coming to see Olivia with message from Orsino
Who: Pre-scene Garden Dance (this dance will change and adjust depending on the mood/content of the scene after)
-Garden dancers start to evolve
-Mask Performers: Heart pass (will evolve throughout play) The heart symbolizing the various forms of love.
-Choral: during the scene P. 11 within the scene: given these lines Viola’s line: “Tis beauty truly bent………..” ending with “cunning hand laid on”.
-Choral: P. 12 “ With adoration, fertile tears……..ending with “sighs of fire”. Possibly echoing “Olivia” from Viola’s speech, (before “babbling gossip” part.

5. Not Quite Dead Yet

Where: Seacoast
Content: Antonio shows Sebastian around (has saved his life)
Who: Antonio & Sebastian
- Pre-scene: Wave Dance slightly different from the first scene & possibly low sound of ocean

6. One Ring To Rule

Where: Street
Content: Malvolio chases after Viola to return ring.
Who: Mask Performers: Characters in the town
Possible Choral: “She loves me” echoes Viola’s line P. 16 during the Ring Monologue

7. Subtle Hints

Where: Palace Scrim down
Content: Orsino & Viola (her boy name is Cesario) discuss the nature of women
Who: Dancers: Statues & Palace Movement/Percussion, possible tableaus ?

8. Raining Odours

Where: Olivia’s Garden
Content: Character development, relationships established and plot moves forward
Who: Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, Viola, Olivia,
-Dancers: Garden (playful possibly)
-Mask Performers: Possible Mask Heart pass Transition

9. Violence is the Best Problem Solver

Where: Olivia’s
Content: Planning the fight.
Who: Sir Andrew, Fabian, Sir Toby
-Garden dancers (tableau ?)

10. Shut Up, It’s a Man’s Purse

Where: Street
Content: Establish the man crush
Who: Antonio & Sebastian.
-Mask Performers: Local Townspeople to set up the scene or heart pass Antonio’s heart getting broken

11.Girl Interrupted:

Where: Olivia’s Garden
Content: Gender & Identity Issues P. 33-35
Who: Sir Andrew, Fabian, Toby, Maria, Olivia, Viola, Officers.
-garden dancers evolution of garden choreography
Scrim down (need different lighting) Shadows of Dancers and possible stylized fight dance behind, where in the t.b.a. around P. 31. The fight

12. Token Sex & Violence

Where: Olivia’s
Content: Confusion of Characters Olivia & Sebastian fall in love?
Who: Andrew, Sebastian, Toby, Olivia
-Garden dancers (tableau)
-Possible brief appearance of the mask performers passing heart on the bottom of P. 35

13. Grand Finale

Where: Olivia’s
Content: The identities are uncovered and love for all, well almost
Who: We will build layers of everyone being on stage at the end.
The essence of the scene will be a celebration of love.
Choral: Possibly a song and everyone joins in for the last couple lines (speaking or singing)

ATTN: Tech Students

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 12:20:27 GMT

Anyone who has nothing to do with tech for the play,need not apply

Kougar (me) needs a detailed lighting inventory so i can do my Lighting Design
anyone with free blocks or drama blocks who wishes to help
can start by writing down the numbers of what kind of each fixture we have, where and in what condition it is in

Example info
X amount of working Fresnels
X amount of Fresnels in need of new bulbs
X amount of NFG Fresnels (No Fucking Good!)

Same with Lekos/ellipsoids
Same with Parcans

additional info,
plug type ( TLG or UG)

List of cables
ie twofers, adaptors

The more Information on the inventory the better.
I have already mentioned this to both Keaton and Sacha, if you have blocks with with them they know what kind of info i need.

I will be in on Tuesday the 12th, coming up,
anything that can be done before then would be extremely helpful
the best place to start is in the studio, with the lights that are already hung, and any that are kicking around in storage

If Possible please email me what you get done monday
KougarBasi @ hotmail.com (nospaces)

Thank you
Yours in Arms
Kougar Basi

Blocking notes for Scene III and Scene V!

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 07:28:20 GMT

SCENE III (so far)

SCENE V (so far)

-Jessie

Jessie speaking!

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 03:44:25 GMT

Hey guys, the Theatre Company livejournal is up and running. The idea is that this journal will be used by all of VanTech's Theatre Company students to keep everyone posted on what's goin' down. Feel free to mess around with the settings, if you want. For example, in the profile, I stated that the current project is Or What You Will, but if this journal stays in use for future projects, just edit the profile to say the name of the next one. Also, if you have an LJ, I suggest that you add this journal as a friend.

To log into this journal, go to livejournal.com and sign in. The username is Theatre_Company, and the password will be posted in the drama studio shortly. Then, once you've logged in, hover your mouse over "Journal" and click "Post an Entry." Then just type in the giant textbox thing and click "Post to Theatre_Company" when you're done. Simple as that!

Okay, so to get things started, here's my news from today! I was sick and missed rehearsal, but I did take some notes during the production meeting.

-We will be doing a run next week, and there will be a production meeting after that. We will put a time limit on the run so that we aren't all stuck there for four hours or anything.

-The prop list needs to be done by the end of February.

-Hey production kids, do you all have cell phones? We were thinking of communicating via text messages during the shows rather than using the walkie talkies, because those things NEVER work, and when they do, they're really loud.

-Kazumi needs someone to help him raise and lower the scrim.

-Actors should be off book by the end of February. Katherine, Zoe and Kayleigh may be exceptions to this.

-Costumes: For male outfits, we're thinking of short pants, white dress shirts, and waistcoats.

-I will be making a rehearsal schedule for the next two weeks. This will prevent actors from showing up and having nothing to do.

-Scene 11 will be blocked on Thursday. I believe we need all actors for that.

I'll try to make another post fairly soon with blocking notes and other useful things. We'll see how this journal works out!

-Jessie