theatre. theater. theatre.

My younger cousin is in town to visit and have her last two weeks of vacation before she officially embarks upon the lifestyle of the poor starving artist. She wants to be an actress.
Actually, she is a very fine actress already, and I'm sure that although she'll do the struggling waitress/tempjob thing in the city, she'll also have her continued share of successes.

Coincidentally, I happened to have an audition yesterday for a production that is "straight theater" heavy. It's an opera, yes. It's an entire role. But it is also staged for a smaller, more intimate audience, with the use of close up Audio/Visual materials, etc, and so they were looking to cast a strong actor who would not stand and sing pretty, but be able to convey up close the emotion and meaning of what is necessary in the piece.

I walked into the room quite sure of what I was doing vocally, and I decided to just let myself feel the piece out dramatically. What did that mean?
Well, for me it meant more time in the recits, and motivating them with realism on stage.
Instead of hoping the conductor isn't getting pissed that you're taking too much freedom with that eighth note rest.

It meant different vocal colors, that may not have "beauty of tone", but still belong there dramatically.
Instead of worrying what your voice teacher or coach will say about the fluidity and even-ness of the vocal range.

It meant relying on my acting skillzzz and actually finding out that they are "right". They work. They inspire me to do the "right" things, the things that make people move. That make people lean forward in their seats. That make people think about what I'm saying in another language becaues they can understand my body language and intent.

I have never subscribed to one "method" of acting. Usually it comes to me quite naturally, but I do have to still find it-- whether I find it in my voice, the character, a piece of detailed information, the source material--there is some trigger and then I "get" what I have to do to make this person come alive through me.

It was a great feeling to work with drama people and feel like I wasn't "opera"-acting faking it.
You know what I'm talking about.

Basta. A few more days of leisure, a gbye, and I'm off to opera1 this season.