Rehearsal #3: Scott's Living Room

(Scott Keck, pictured)

Rehearsal last night started out like any other. Early arrivals congregated in the back hall, dodging actors from a Jean Shelton class practicing their scenes. Then we moved into the theater once Christian arrived to let us in.

But then, at just about 7pm, another group showed up to rehearse in the same space. A quick check of the mainstage revealed that was booked too. Oops. We had no place to rehearse.

Scott called his wife, and bless her heart, he got permission for us to rehearse in his living room. We piled into people’s cars and rushed out to the inner sunset. No one was happier about this than Derek, who went from running late, to being the first one there.

We arrived, met Scott’s Irish Terrier Finnegan, thanked Scott’s wife profusely, rearranged the furniture in the living room, and got to work!

It meant skipping our dance review, but no one seemed to really have the energy to dance anyway. Instead we started right into scene work and probably got more done as a result.

Our focus was scenes in a small town that established a protagonist. Tara called upon me to give my usual spiel about how to be the protagonist (be likable, by liking something). I can teach much better than I can do. Perhaps its because I’m so skilled at avoiding the protagonist role that makes me know so much about it, intellectually.

In the first scene I was in, I went on stage with the intention of being the protagonist. I got off to a great start too. I was happy and positive, and I had a big reaction to one of Dave’s offers. But then, without even trying, I immediately began pushing the protagonist role off to Dave. I wasn’t even aware of it until Tara pointed it out. I do it without even thinking.

One big thing that I could have done better in that scene would have been to make my reaction to Dave’s offer more personal. Instead it was very non-specific and ultimately reflected the offer back on Dave giving him more focus.

In the next scene Molly was clearly the protagonist before I entered. I went in to help her, but was a bit rusty. I asked her questions, which can be good in this instance (how do you feel about that?), but I could have endowed things as well (you’re grandpa raised you, didn’t he?).

In the last scene I finally nailed the protagonist role and kept it. Mostly because everyone else was busy endowing me as the protagonist and I just kept reacting properly. Though I confess, I would have been a bit lost had I actually needed to sing my characters “need” song in that moment. Thankfully, next week, we work on “need” songs.