Scotland Podcast!

Hey, folks! So AHS Theatre Arts got invited to perform at the American High School Theatre Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland during August of 2007. I'll be podcasting the details leading up to that trip along with anecdotes during my familiarization trip this summer. For pictures & audio, go to http://www.fromantiochtoedinburgh.podshow.com. Be sure to leave comments!

Added ShakespeareCast Stream...

OK, so I never really wrote about it, but I figured I'd add it here. It plays the most recent episode first, so it's not the best place to listen. Go to www.ShakespeareCast.com and subscribe for free!

Period 2 - 3/15 Notes

Empire Records

• Great vocal choices!
• Gary - try bigger facial expressions as tactics on him.
• Clean up the physical stuff a bit. It seems messy.
• Nice work.
  

The Graduate

• Nice Charika! Very clear goal and moment before.
• Tim - does he want to get back with her? Let's see a little of that either way.
• Charika - feel free to come into the space and own it.
• Tim - good idea sitting, but then it kills the importance of that speech. Try other things before you decide on that choice.
• Good work.
  

Confronting the Obvious

• Good start. Play around you guys - these are just friends hanging out.
• Eye contact! (I know you're still working on lines)
• Don't be afraid to get really pissed off, Shawntanique.
  

Period 7 3/14 Notes

Mean Girls

• Everyone slow down!
  
• What do these kids do while they are on the phone? How can you show us where they are or their personality by adding one prop or costume piece?

Freaky Friday

• Nice work. It's coming along.
• Watch your speed!
• Great characters! Good relationship!
• Pencil exercise.

Beauty Shop

• Careful of leaning on the wall! It turns you into high school students.
• Take your time!

Doctor

• Get copies of the script!
• Nice work going after your goal, Katina!
• Where are they? Is there a desk? How can you mix it up visually.
  
• Katina, watch your jacket - it defines who you are & keeps you from becoming her.

Tape

• Where are you? How can you show us?
• Visual pictures.
• Go after him, Joe, when the time comes! Feel free to get pissed!

Beauty Shop 2

• Great energy! Keep it up.

Friday

• Good energy!
• A bit short.
• Watch out for crossing in front of people. It's a strong move, so if you're the one talking it's okay, but there was one funky one in there.
  

Period 7 Notes

Crimes of the Heart
Sarah/Narmaine/Priscilla

• Where's the urgency? Do you really "HATE" yourself? We don't believe you yet.
• Great job listening to each other! All of you have a good "family feel" together.
• GUM!!!!
• Don't be afraid to get closer - they're sisters!
  

Crimes of the Heart
Elise/Stephanie/Alyssa

• Energy! "Let's play cards" should be exciting.
• Very clear dialogue. Nice work everyone!
• GUM!!!!
• Raise the Stakes! BIG FIGHT! You guys are close, but you have to go for it! Throw out everything and just go after each other. You're almost there - don't worry about the audience - we'll love it when it's real.

Boys & Girls
Angie/Robert

• Nice moment with the baby.
• Good, Angie - I can tell how important your goal is to you.
• Don't be afraid to move around: "I'm having more" is a perfect place to get up and go get a drink.
• Robert - nice work with the unfinished sentences. Very realistic.
• Try to start the scene sitting down and then when it gets intense, stand up. Just an idea...
• This is close to brilliance. Practice, practice, practice!
  

Money
Jeff/Joe

• Lines!
• Do they shake hands?
• Joe - try making him really nice until the chair pull and then making him the "drill sergeant."
  
• Lines, lines, lines.
• Try mixing up youe tactics, guys. This sort of feels like a "one note" scene right now.

Money
Camillo/Yoshio

• Lines! Practice, practice, practice!
• Go after your goals! You're just reading lines right now, not acting!
• Threaten him, Camillo!
• Put some energy into it, guys!
  

Period 2 - Third Runthroughs

Boys Life
Jake/Gary

• Gary - take the time to see the spaceship on the paper.
• Excellent work. Just get those lines down and you're good!
• Careful of being "too relaxed" - make sure to pursue your goals.

Hello From Bertha
Christine/Cheyenne

• Watch the hands in the pockets, Christine! ;)
• Good job, ladies!
  
• Very clear obstacles & goals. Nice.
• Christine - try getting down on her level as one of your tactics.
  

Crimes of the Heart
Yessica/Erica

• Get those lines down. Yessica, you do a thing where your eyes look up and to your left when you are "searching for the line."
• Where's the energy today? You've got to get to the point where "you feel like you're going to vomit" or we won't believe you.

Dracula
Sean/Michael

• Both- watch the hands in the pockets!
• What can you do physically to tell the story? I saw two students running lines today instead of the scientist and his servant. Have fun with these characters!

American Buffalo
Eric/Iraj

• What're these guys doing? Are they just hanging around talking? I could close my eyes and listen and get as much as I did from watching today. Movement, movement, movement!

Black Thang
Shawntanique/Dymonde

• Lose the coats!!!!
• Volume was low today - don't forget that we have to hear.
• Very natural. Nice!
• Great relationship.
• GET RID OF THE GUM!!!!!!!

Nick's mind; in 5 Acts: Sheh-jewel (that's schedule in proper English)

Nick's mind; in 5 Acts: Sheh-jewel (that's schedule in proper English)

The above article is a great example of "self-examination" as far as the directing process goes. Check it out!

7th Period Notes

These notes are for 7th Period's second runthroughs.

Tap Dancing
Alejandra/Evelin

• Start getting those lines down. You both have to get out of the book and start trying to achieve your goals!
• Blocking? We can't tell what's going on, where you are, or anything...
• Too long.
• Good vocal projection.

Crimes of the Heart
Narmaine/Priscilla/Shawneshia

• Nice, Narmaine. I saw your concern for Grandaddy.
• Priscilla - let me see a little about how you're feeling towards Meg with the way that you're sitting.
• Bring an actual photo album so that you have some pictures to look at.
• Slow down a bit and speak up a little.
• "Banana splits for breakfast." Is that funny? You guys should be having fun!!!
• Make me believe that these people care about each other.

Boys & Girls
Robert/Angela

• Where are they? How can you show this to us?
• They're standing pretty far apart for 2 people with that sort of relationship...
• Make it more important, Angela. You're working up to a huge question.
• Too long. The second half is much better (your goals are clearer, relationship is better, etc.) - maybe start from the "We want you to live with us" moment.
• Great second half!

Life Underwater
Kevin/Delvisha

• Volume! Can't hear you guys.
• Go after him D.
• Good job on lines. Keep it up.
• Nice movement - Good moment on " I don't want to talk to him" Robert.

Unknown
Elissa/Katina

• Good clear voices.
• Blocking? Have you done any rehearsing with this? It looked like this was your first time reading it.
• Go after your goals.

Crimes of the Heart
Steph/Elise/Nick

• Nick, you're an excellent cold reader! Good work.
• This scene is really coming along! Time to step it up: get some cards, borrow our phone ringer, etc.
  
• Go after her, Steph! Get in her face. You've got to end in tears, right? I know you're sharing the script today though...
• This will be excellent, just turn up the stakes = make everything life or death.

An Acting Experience
Lena/Josh

• Great moment before. Excellent characters.
  
• Josh, don't go back to the paper until/unless you know that it's safe.
• Lena you can be a touch louder if you want.
• Good work you guys. A little low energy today, but that's fine.
• Josh - make the peak higher: right before "I don't even know why I'm talking about this."

Last HS Party Ever
Shawneshia/Vanessa/Chelsea

• Good character work. They have a great relationship.
• Make sure that you're trying to DO something to the person you are talking to.
• Get those lines down.
• Practice! Practice! Practice!

2nd Period Notes

These are the notes for the 2nd runthrough of scenes for Period 2:

Boy's Life
Jake/Gary

• Very natural. Nice.
• Would there be music playing? Maybe "Late party" softer stuff? I don't know...
  
• Good work on lines. Make sure you're actually listening to each other: what would happen if your partner said something different at any given time? Would you notice?
• Cut the Nick part - we don't need it.
• Almost there, guys. Good work.

Hello, From Bertha
Christine/Cheyenne

• Very clear goals. Nice.
• Careful of your volume, Cheyenne.
• What would happen if you had a blanket?
• Christine: try some vocal variations - your upper & lower register - especially during those last couple of lines.
• Excellent work - get off book and the rest will take shape.

Black Thang
Shawntanique/Dymonde

• Dymonde - lose the jacket, it swallows you.
• Nice "You never knew that cat."
• The second half of this scene is much better than the 1st half. This means that you have to focus on your "moment before" a lot more to juice up the energy at the beginning.
• What happens if you do this on its feet? Tell the story visually.

Waiting for the Ink to Dry

Here's Kelley's Director's Blog:

Waiting for the Ink to Dry

Tantalising speach

Tantalising speach

Here is Nick Wong's Blog. Check it out for notes on directing and other random musings.

Nick's mind; in 5 Acts

Here's Nick Jackson's Blog where he'll post stuff about his student directing experience:
Nick's mind; in 5 Acts

Period 7 Final Notes

Crimes of the Heart
SarahPricillaNarmane

• Nice work on the lines. Emotions are next. Really work on that moment before.
• Meg - really be disturbed about how you treated GDaddy.
• Very clear. You guys need to build their "sister" relationship. If you have time outside of class, go do something fun together to bond a little bit. Need a big warm fuzzy hug at the end! Good work.

Crimes II
EliseStephAlyssa

Intro!? Great vocal work. Very clear. Actual phone ring? Lenny - how does it make you feel when she says "No" to still playing cards? Meg - after phone call, head straight to the purse & start getting ready. Are you really sorry about the candy? Lenny, feel free to flip out. Babe - what are you doing during the first part? (I know, so ask me if you can't figure it out.) Lenny - she ends up in tears: don't fake it, try to get there. Meg - don't rush last line, give us a second to catch our breath with you.

Boys & Girls
AngelaRobert

Great work on lines. What state of mind is she in at the top of the scene, Angela? Think about her moment before.
Robert - What's he doing? Hanging at her house, TV, dishes?
Ang- slow down; actually try to DO things to him: convince/persuade/coax/lure/seduce/threaten/bribe him to move in. Very clear goals. Tactics need to be clearer. Robert - hands in pockets whole scene - is that you or him? Methinks him.

Acting Experience
LenaJosh

• Excellent Moments Before!!!! Very good start - grabbed our attention! Good relationship - I believed that you have been together for a while.
• J-Gum!
• J- Show us how frustrated you are during "made love" speech. Careful of talking too fast.
• L - Have a paper. Great character & commitment to your goal.
• Very clear goals both.
• Excellent work both!!!!

Nice to Meet You

• Lauren- what are you doing at the top of the scene? Can it be something that makes us know where the scene takes place? Packing her stuff? Something.
• Good Moments Before, both.
• Lena - Weigh the heaviness of "Why did you decide to keep the house?" before you answer.
• Nice work.

Painted Rain

• Where are they? Use a bottle. Good relationship.
• Y- go after your goal! Good work on the text.
• C- Nice clear goal.
• Too long.

Last High School Party
ShawneshiaChelseaVanessa

• V-Moment Before! She just got Blowkissed! WooHoo!
• Listen to each other.
• Have fun with these guys!

Life Underwater
ShawneshiaKevin

• GUM!
• Nice character, Kevin
• D- Bit louder. Try to get your goal!

A Hatful of Rain
TrentonMark

• M-"I didn't get much sleep." Are you tired, then? Grumpy? =Moment Before
• Where does this take place? How can you show that?
• Make that "care" moment more important: take the time with it.
• T - be emotionally distracted by "that kid" through the whole scene.

At the Party
Artaysha

How many times have you guys actually read this scene, like twice? REHEARSE! REHEARSE! REHEARSE!

Pythagorian Therom
ChristinaAnthony

• Very clear. Good vocal quality. Get your heads out of the script, though, and listen to each other.
• TOO LONG!
• Go after your goals.
• Where are you? How can you show that?

Money
JoeJeff

• Very clear vocally.
• What happened with the chair? It didn't feel connected to the scene. Joe - you should find times to get up. He's not very intimidating while sitting down.
• TOO LONG!
• Go after your goals.
  

Period 2 Final Notes

Crimes of the Heart
Blocking! Figure out where everyone's standing and what they're doing. Watch your volumes. Goals were clear - nice.

Side by Side
NickPhilStephLauren

Sweet scene! Do it on its feet. Where are each of these conversations taking place? This brings up: What do you do with the people not in those convs?

Get the lines down. Rhythm, Rhythm, Rhythm!

The switching doesn't work. It kills the energy. If it's in the script, work on it (who is the person that stops the scene? How is that person different from the character that Nick plays?); if it's not, cut it.

Too LOOOONG! This must be fun to work on. Enjoy rehearsing it!

Dalmation
KalaniCheyanne

K- don't forget you have a goal with the guy on the phone.
K - good character work! Very different from you.
C-Watch volume. Nice going after your goal in the 2nd half! Very clear.

Too long!

A Boy's Life
GaryJake

Give us a second between intro and start of scene.
Have at least rehearsal props - TV Guide, remote, can of beer. It feels weird to see you pantomiming on a real sofa.

Great choice of scene. Good character work.

Blowkiss
RobertJesica

Really call for her, Robert.
You both have good vocal ability.
Have an apple. Eating it will change what you're doing.

Good characters.
Hello From Bertha
ChristineChayenne

Great Character work!! Very clear goals. What can you do Christine to add a little movement? Start cleaning up her mess? Something. Needs a little visual variety. Good scene. Maybe using a chair not a desk will help.

American Buffalo
IrajEric

Good listening to each other. I get that if someone does something new/makes a new choice that the other will notice and respond accordingly. Excellent!

Where are they? How can we make this as interesting visually as it is verbally? Who can do a little moving around?

Raise the stakes. Cops!

Nice work. Once you're memorized, the pace will smooth out.
Good Thing
DeannaPhil

The chairs work OK, but try it with tables.
Boots on - "Hate that" even more - higher stakes.
Great relationship. Married: Phil - do you know she knows?

REHEARSE with that 3rd person!

Nice "I should sorta go." Good tactics right after that Deanna.

Good characters. Deanna, go even further in the direction you're going. Phil - can you say "Your Mom!" in as high a register as possible? Deanna - change the C-Word. ;)

This scene will be excellent if you rehearse it as much as you should.

Too long. Maybe end it before the Mom stuff? Right after? The whole Ithica stuff we don't care about.

Dracula
SeanMike

Good work on lines. Try to get past them so you can really go after what you want. Both of you don't be afraid to be creepier. We want you to be creepy.

Where are you? How can you show us through movement?

Black Thang
DymondeRicquel
Volume!
Good relationship.
REHEARSE! It was like you were reading the lines for only the third time! This would be a great scene if you actually worked on it. The second half was the best half - you really started going after your goals.
Where are you? Would it help to have some Miles Davis playing?

Black Thang II
Same thing: where are you? What are these two people doing? Just sitting around? Possibly, but drinking coffee, snakcing, etc. is a possiblity.
REHEARSE!
R-much better the second time - see what practice will do?!
S- How is she (your character) different from you? Celebrate those differences: they are what will make us care.
Don't do these scenes right after each other: we won't be as interested (if you noticed we didn't clap - mainly because the scene neeeds rehearsal & we had just scene it before).

Hello From Bertha
ChristineSarah

Great Moments Before! Very clear objectives.
C- don't be afraid to get more upset with her. This is a tough part. Change tactics as often as possible.
S- Nice work! Excellent character work.

Sweet Home Chicago

So we're in Chicago for a couple of days. I was hoping that the harsh winter would chisel away at my love for this city, but we were walking around tonight and it started to snow. Not crummy, sting-your-face type snow but beautiful oh-how-I-love-this-town floating flakes of frozen sky. Pretty amazing. I'll try to get some pictures up.

Boy, could I live here...

Podcasting, Here We Come!

It's a little early, but keep an eye out for our totally new and original podcast. Hopefully it'll be up this week.

Not sure what a podcast is? Check out Podcast Alley.

Back to School

Another year has begun. It was a short week, but I'm exhausted. I forgot how much energy it takes to teach. I guess that's what summers are for - to refuel.

Classes seem good. The right students seem really motivated this year. There seem to be a lot of tech issues on campus, though, so that has been a bit crazy.

I'm loving my new Tablet PC. It's perfect for educators. Students, too.

Here's the school site.

ANCESTOR: Scott Sigler's new Podcast Novel - Sept. 11

For the millions of Scott Sigler's EarthCore fans, the world's first podcast only novel; His 2nd novel ANCESTOR will be out September 11. Not an EarthCore fan? Subscribe now! Scott's latest podcast novel is certain to have you again clutching your iPod in white-knuckled intensity. It's free, it's thrilling, and it's the hottest stuff on the burner.

read more | digg story

Hazlehurst, Day 2

Woke up at 10:30, got to the diner next door at 10:59 - they just stopped serving breakfast. Of course. Went to the High School first. Interesting waste of time. As far as I could tell by the class photos on the wall, the last Caucasian student at the school was in 2003. The Principal made me wait and then couldn't get me off campus fast enough: Scary white guy with camera… They've got no librarian either.

Public Education needs money. On to City Hall…

City hall had nothing but this poster, and referred me to the paper. The folks at the paper were more than willing to help, but they had a fire in 1978 that burned everything from 1974. They suggested the library.

The library was a fast gold mine. They had all the old newspapers bound and, looking for one applicable to the show, I found one published on the date that the play takes place, 10/23/74! Too cool. How's that for accurate period information!?! Took digital photos of that and one of the ladies asked if I'd been to "the house." News to me. The movie was filmed in North Carolina or somewhere, so I'm assuming they're referring to a house that Henley lived in. Spent some time driving back & forth shooting houses. I probably got it, but I can't tell which one it is. They were unsure as well… I'll have to do a little more research on that.

Rushed to the airport, only to wait & wait & wait… the incoming plane was delayed coming from Houston - like 2 hours. Soooo… rather than get stuck in Chicago (which I would have loved, but would have been contrary to my purpose) I raced (literally had to call to ask them to stay open) back to the Hazlehurst library. Got there at 5:28. Two minutes to spare. I took close up photos of the paper and found a reference book on Hazlehurst & its history & families. Took photos of the Henley info. If I had time, I'd stay for some hours at the library there, but alas, I must go.

In my continuing effort to eat at local places and avoid the McDonald's across from the hotel, I went into the only place I could find to eat downtown: Elby's Sports Bar. Now the place was too contemporary to have been open since 1974, but after talking to the bartender (I was one of 2 customers and the other was obviously a regular) I found out that her boyfriend's father had owned the building for about 30 years (close enough for my romantic mind) as a pool hall, and they had just added a kitchen a year ago. Really good cheeseburger. While chatting (it's amazing who knows about Crimes of the Heart and who doesn't in this town) I find out that Sunday evening a police officer was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop and the killer had run off with the cop's gun. They had been chasing/looking for him since then and during a firefight Monday he had dropped the gun but was still at large. This explained the plethora of police I saw on my way in. What a crazy counterpoint to my peaceful visit!

After dinner I sat in the small town "oval" and listened to those things that aren't crickets but make just as much noise and watched a lightening storm come in. Very cool way to spend a half an hour. As I got back to the hotel, re-checked-in, and got to my room, the rain had started. I moved my table to the window and did some script work while watching the lightening and rain and listening to the thunder. Great way to end the trip.

In the airport I saw on the news that they had caught the young man they were looking for. He had just been released for some other crime… It's weird, but I feel connected to his story in a yin-yang sort of way: my trip was similar in geography to his, but different in nature. Very strange…

One of the most obvious things about Hazlehurst - and the bartender and I talked about it because she's from Texas - is the pace. These people will take their time if it kills you. If they have a story to tell, by God they're going to tell it, no matter if you're next in the grocery line. I'll try to bring some of that back with me along with the pictures...

Hazlehurst, Mississippi

I arrived in Jackson, rented a car, and drove down to Hazlehurst. About a 35 minute drive. I wonder how Meg got from the airport in 1974… It's a long cab ride… Hitchhiking? ...Didn't know that word had 2 h's next to each other..

Stopped at Stuckey's a couple of exits before Hazlehurst - mainly because of the TV show ED. Had an ice cream, but it was basically just a local gas station with a store inside. Lots of "Redneck" T-shirts, mugs, etc. I drove over the freeway to check out the county fairgrounds, but got scared off: there was some sort of police thing going on. There were approximately 20 law enforcement officers gathering in the parking lot; there were cars from various towns including Hazlehurst. I found out what the fuss was about on Monday night.

After checking into the Days Inn (I seemed to be the only guest - certainly the only car at the time), I drove around town for a little, just to get my bearings. Took some photos of the Copiah County Courthouse, City Hall, Hazlehurst High School, train depot and other cool looking buildings.

Had dinner at ? - one of those "drive-in" diners. They just brought out the food, though, and didn't leave the tray attached to my car like the good ole days. Had an OK burger and some fries that reminded me of the ones that ESPN Zone serves…

Went to the hotel (which, incidentally, is next to a Wal-Mart) for the evening. Started working on the script and wound up designing the set. I'm happy with the design, but not the colors. Have to be sure that I check the time period for the fans…

Fell asleep around 11pm only to wake up an hour later. Couldn’t get back to sleep until 2am… did more script work and changed the set colors to the pink that I'm still unsure of. At 6am the fire alarm in my room beeped. That "my battery is low, but I've got enough power to annoy the hell out of you" beep. Problem was it only did it once. And then at about 6:17. And 6:52. And about two more times. Needless to say this, combined with my 11pm "nap" conspired to foil my plans to get up early and do breakfast at the local place next door.