Gravitation
“Being at the center of attention is uncomfortable, but it doesn’t have to be torture.”
Stephen Ochsner
share YOUR STORY IN an active study
ETUDE - a study
Drive to action in performance seems genuine when you gravitate to an image, person or goal and so on. You want something and you move.
I’ll be there for you while you make your etude answering these questions:
Who? (your hero/heroine seen through an event)
What? (your subtle and dynamic material)
How? (your form)
For whom? (your relationship to your audience)
By giving your attention to the etude you can bring about something that is undeniable (like gravity) across a range of media. Our job is to bring out that invisible thing other people can suddenly see and relate to in your performance.
HEROINE/HERO
From Greek ήρως (eros) means “half-god” or “endowed with remarkable abilities”.
Stories are often told through the ego (subjective), and contain something shared (seemingly objective). What we want is for those to line up.
If you look at history as a thing of culture, performance could be seen as a distinct and wholehearted existence as heroine/hero via the self that spontaneously resonates with another/others.
Thankfully heroines are know to defeat challenges, win happiness and share their abundance with others.
You have a story to tell.
safe theatre, 2022
FORM
Form usually falls in line with your interests and talents. Everyone has them, but most everyone seems shy to admit they do. Unfortunately not admitting you have talent or interest is like holding a touching gift for your beloved and not letting them have it.
Any poem, monologue, song, scene, situation, memory, dream, movement piece or relevant conflict (i.e. inspiration) can serve as vehicle for a story. Whether that material is relatable or permissible depends on the people who will be your audience (i.e. your geopolitical and cultural situation).
AUDIENCE
Whether we’re using an imaginary fourth wall or not, part of any performance is the audience and their relationship with the performer.
Zara Antonyan once told me, “Whoever your audience is, love them.”
I’ve heard Thomas Richards say something like: “I think we are deeply afraid of being seen.”
The only statement that doesn’t make sense to me is: “Ignore them. Forget they’re there.”
