Sky and words

Got up to go look at the planetary alignment this morning, the lightening of the eastern sky already dimming the stars by a little after 6 am.  Saw maybe four (one was very dim) of the planets; the sky clear, and air warm enough to walk out in my pajamas with only a sweater thrown over. Told my housemate about it, and walked back out to show it to her; only a few minutes later, but most of the stars had faded.

The daylight grows each day in minutes, and in the course of the past month, it seems we've gained an hour on either end, each day's twilight lingering just a little bit longer as we head toward the equinox.  Last night the sky finally cloudless (and moonless) enough to see the stars.  Just before heading out the door this morning, I look out the window and a fog has settled in, filling in the empty spaces with bright clouds instead of the sun.  When did that happen?  Where did that come from?

We worked with accents last night; just picking an accent and running the monologues in it.  Really opened everyone up, even the way we moved, and how we phrased things.  And I realized it's not enough (for me, anyway) to speak it out loud, I need other humans in front of me, to focus, to give the words to someone.  We've been working with "antithesis" (a thought or word set against another for contrast), and I realize that mine are spread out across the piece, which is why I didn't think I had any.  Also, I rephrase similar ideas over again, but I think the meaning is slightly different...paraphrasing has helped in distinguishing those.  There are no throw-away words in dialogue/monologues, so why are you saying each one now?  You actually have to know the answer to that or it won't connect.

Working on the script analysis for three plays.  Guess once you slog through the first one and figure out what the questions mean, might as well do the others.  And I've started reading the Scottish play again...actually, it's pretty short.

It's like building a road map to get you through the scene.  You work through the script with the questions, and then realize, "oh, this is where we are going ('what do you want?'), and these are the steps (the action, 'what are you doing?') we take to get there."  Oh.  Talking about it with my scene partner helped as well.  Saying it out loud clarified it.  (And helped me get past that "perfectionist" tendency where I have to have the "right" answer before I can respond.  No, I have to have an answer, then try it, and if it doesn't work, try another one.  The world ain't gonna end if I make a mistake.)

(And I think if the performers have clarity of where they are going (the point of it all) and the steps between A and Z, the audience will more easily stay with you.)  (I say that from having seen a lot of shows and thinking about what kept me engaged, and what made me zone out...and understand, I go to the shows wanting to follow the performance, and be invested in what happens next.)