Gratiludes:
- Whatever I am listening to at this very moment through my headphones! Thank you Ecclectic 24 (streaming KCRW.com)
- Getting up to do 6am yoga class
- Having someone who doesn’t like that I am getting up for 6am yoga because he doesn’t like waking up alone (Gag if you must).
- writing today (write here, write now)
- (BTW song is “Closer” by Deadmau5)
I had a brilliant idea for my blog topic — last night– or was it early this morning? Or was it in between a snot induced Kleenex fit and an open dry mouth breather attack due to congestion. Now, I don’t remember my brilliance but I forge ahead regardless.
I had a head cold this weekend. I refuse to say “I am sick” because I don’t get sick. In truth, I don’t remember the last time I was sick. To quote my gentleman lover, ‘”Take it from someone who gets sick all the time, you’re sick.'” Still not buying it.
My congestion woes are probably stemming from my summer gig working with a children’s theatre camp. It’s my first year/summer working with them and I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity to teach! Wait! Me? Teaching? Acting or something that resembles “acting” to children. 3-6 year olds. Uh. Dilemma.
The Education Manager said that I could teach one of my specialties. You know, something I have done in my own training. Masks, Movement, etc. Um, I’m Meisner trained. Like, went through the intense 2 year process of the full Meisner training. I’ve done a lot of other training and I incorporate other techniques, but I will always be a Meisner snob. For those of you that are somewhat familiar with Meisner, it does extend beyond repetition and “your shirt is blue.” The Ed Manager laughed and said, “Yes, please teach them Meisner.” Knowing that probably won’t work. I am going with animals. Yay! Let’s be animals. As characters…?
The challenge (in my limited experience) in teaching children of this age acting is, well there are a few things:
1. Making it a class, not just babysitting
Let’s face it. Lots of parents are probably dropping of their kids at summer camps so they can still get their own shit done.
2. Having the kids learn something, take away something that positively enforces acting
I am trying to mix their favorite animal characters from a movie, book, play, etc. I want to start expand their imaginations and body movements into something different yet familiar. So that they have a jumping off point.
3. Not to create bad habits
Actors are full of bad habits, bad choices, bad attitudes. I am not excluding myself from this list. After going through a lot of training and not knowing how to juggle the techniques being thrown at me and having no life experience to apply these techniques to; I finally was able to start breaking through some of my bad habits with Meisner. I don’t want to be a creator of bad habits.
4. Saving my voice
I yell: Please get in a line. Many times.
I taught my first 2 classes this morning. When I saw some of my tiny campers later in the afternoon they were doing some of the things that we learned in class. Which made me feel a little better. I taught them a song in sign language about monkeys jumping on the bed, which of course, I sourced from YouTube.
So from teaching the little ones and all the energy you expend keeping them in a line and “sitting on their bottom,” it makes me think of my own bad habits. With them help of my friend I have come up with some creative goals that I need to achieve. I need to finish the first damned draft of my first damned play. That would top the creative priority list. Well…bad habit…I haven’t been writing. Just because I am meandering through the Third Act, it’s not excuse to effing write! I need to be writing 2 hours (yes, that is 120 minutes) a day. Minimum. 1 hour down and half a scene written. Sept 1st deadline approacheth.
Balance the bad habits. 
Dana Does... 