It’s more than just individual work!

Again here we are at this time of the year. Last year at exactly this time I learned a new thing called theater, and until now I am still learning new things about it with my daily experience. Even though this the third time I take Acting class, but this class can always bring me something new. In this semester, I had my first two directing experience in class, and these two are the one I learned from the most. The first one was a silent movie, and second was Inception. I personally want to say that these two project gave me one of the most important lessons which is “It’s more than just individual work!”. Before I had the experience being a director, I thought a great actor can carry a show. However, I have to say that I was so wrong about about a show.

A show is never simple enough that a individual actor can carry it, even if it is monologue because you always need different perspectives and analysis to help you to build a character. However, a show is much harder than a monologue because a show requires a group of people to work together. I have to say that director need to see and hear everything about a performance. When I was doing the silent movie, I wrote the theme on my own which I would change if I can do it again because my opinion might not be the best fit for my cast. Then I made the same mistake again in the second project. I chose a piece which is very serious and complex, and most of our classmates didn’t have much acting experience before, so they didn’t have big interest when we were doing it. As a director I should always know what is the best fit for everyone in the show. If I can make some changes, I would choose a comedy piece instead of Inception because whenever Robert and Josh are doing a comedy scene, their energy is just so high. I will carry what I learned in this class, and I will make my future productions better and better

After I learned from this, and I experienced more in the spring play. I still remember that I complain to Ms. Guarino about how people were not there at the rehearsal. However, Ms. Guarino told me that to calm down and there are always ways to solve the problem. The result was that we did a good job in the spring show together. Even though we made some mistakes, a cast together saved the show. More importantly I have experience most of the work in theater, and I wish I can know more next year. I have to say this year was a wonderful year, and I learned a lot. I cannot wait for next year which will be my senior year. I wish that we will keep exploring together to find more shinning stars on stage under the spot light!

YOU ARE SAFE!!!

This year went by so fast, and I didn’t even had a chance to stop and see all the wonderful moments, but I have them all in my mind which I will never forget! Comedy Tonight is the show that I was a director, a singer and a actor, and I was also Mr. Trump, Mr. Dykeman and the latte boy! This was the longest play that I ever did which was a three hours one, but this is also the one I love the most because we put this show together and we succeed! From the first cast audition till the opening night, every one of us had giving huge amount of ideas and effort to this play, and I have to say that not only audiences but also us had so much fun! Of cause this was also the hardest one I did because many different reasons, but I think only one thing was the most important one that is put everything together!

When we were planing this play, we saw individual pieces first and we thought we are in a great shape. However, later during the rehearsals we found out that we offer missing people and forgetting lines. Anyhow, as usual we made the final production amazing! I truly learned a lot about how to put things together this time because this time I had to act, direct, improve and sing which basically covered everything except tec crew, so it was a hard time! My last directing experience taught me that I have to keep my eyes on everyone all the time, but I was also been watching by other directors. Three weeks before the opening night I remember that I complained about the progress but Ms. Guarino told to not worry about it because that is what theater looks like. I trusted her, and the result turned out great. I guess when the time is coming everyone just start to get everything together, so directing is never a one person or group job; it's always a job for everyone, and that is how we put on a show!

I cannot think anything but wanting to have one more chance to have another show! I cannot say latte without saying it out! I cannot say “you are safe!” without sounding like Mr. Dykeman! And I cannot forget the name Penalope! Thank everyone who gave me such a awesome experience, and I wish all the senior the best in their college life, and I hope we will present more and more amazing show next year!

My name is...

Hamilton is now one of the most famous and amazing musical play in the world, and I am so excited for presenting the opening song in acting class. Even tough, I am the main character in this song who is Alexander Hamilton, I don't have a huge singing part in this song. However, I need to react to what other people sing about me, so the character building is the most important part I need to work on. So far, I have been enjoying this project because I like this musical play a lot and everyone’s energy level is pretty high.

Alexander Hamilton is one of the most people who served United States, and he is on the ten dollar bill. I didn’t know much about him before I heard this Albums, and I was just in shock when the first time I heard it. This is such a amazing music work, and I never thought that rap can be in musicial theater, but after I heard this song I am not crazy about it. I started to sing it randomly around my classes, and we are actually presenting the opening song in acting class. I am not the best singer, but I have a ability to build a character. At the beginning I thought that Hamilton should be a super confident person, but I was so wrong because he was actually a so small and unfortunate figure at the beginning, then he became to a hero. I thought about this character again, and I found out that this character should be shy and doubting at the beginning. Later, after all the bad thing happened, such as mother’s death he started working extremely hard and he finally proved himself.

We are still working on this project, and I can already see a great final production. I can tell that when people are on stage and they are ready to dance, they are so excited. This is what I did not see during acting project, so this semester’s class is more like a musical class. I was not a big fan of singing, but now if there is a chance I can sing, I am throwing away my shot!

Romeo Monologue

'Tis torture, and not mercy: heaven is here,

Where Juliet lives; and every cat and dog

And little mouse, every unworthy thing,

Live here in heaven and may look on her;

But Romeo may not: more validity,

More honourable state, more courtship lives

In carrion-flies than Romeo: they my seize

On the white wonder of dear Juliet's hand

And steal immortal blessing from her lips,

Who even in pure and vestal modesty,

Still blush, as thinking their own kisses sin;

But Romeo may not; he is banished:

Flies may do this, but I from this must fly:

They are free men, but I am banished.

And say'st thou yet that exile is not death?

Hadst thou no poison mix'd, no sharp-ground knife,

No sudden mean of death, though ne'er so mean,

But 'banished' to kill me?.'banished'?

O friar, the damned use that word in hell;

Howlings attend it: how hast thou the heart,

Being a divine, a ghostly confessor, 

A sin-absolver, and my friend profess'd,

To mangle me with that word 'banished'?

The first time!

Ever since I studied Romeo and JulietI in Literature&Performance class, I started liking Shakespeare’s work. I have been wanting to do a Shakespeare monologue for a long time, and finally I got the chance to do for my audition project in acting class. I want to do this not just because I like Shakespeare, but also I want to challenge myself.

As we all know that the Shakespeare’s monologue is one of the hardest kind of monologue to do, especially me who is a international student. Also, this kind of monologue is also the only kind of monologue I have never done before even I have taken this class three times. This time, I will find a Shakespeare monologue, and I want to do a really dramatic or comedic because I want to try some dramatic monologues and I also need a comedic monologue to put in my resume.

I will start to searching monologues and analysis the original text to fully understand the plot. Most importantly I need to being in the character, so I will have to work extremely hard on lines, in order to make the scene goes smoothly. I remember that the first Shakespeare project I did I had my script in my hands and I kept looking on it, so I constantly pause to see the line, then started to act again which looked super awkward on stage. This time, I will have all of my script memorized and keep being in character and blocking the whole time.

To be honest, I am actually a little nervous because Shakespeare is like the symbol of the hardest project ever. It felt like I am in chemistry I and tomorrow I need to find a new Element. Anyway, I will put my most effort in this project even this is the end of the school year! I am also looking forward to see other classmates work!

It's not too bad!

Inception is the most diffcult project I have ever had in acting class, but this one is also the one I learned the most. This is the first project which I have to direct a short film with 9 actors. I also played the main character in this project which Ryan should play, but I had to take over for some unexpected reasons. To be honest, I have to say that people who acts in their own directing work is just genius because there is no way you would ever feel satisfied with any scene. This movie is one of the most famous movie in the world because of it’s perfect story and amazing cast. When I decided to do this movie, I know that my hard time id coming. After this project, I want to say that it was not the best directing experience, but it was definitely the best learning experience in many ways.

Through this project, I have learned two most important thing, and they are the first how to get work done when most people don’t want to work, second how to cut lines and cut scenes to fit everyone in class. The energy in class was so low, and I could almost feel Google translator was reading the script which has no emotion and character development. I would say that if I can have people’s energy level ten times higher than it was, the production will be bought to a whole new level. It was not only actors’ problem, but also my the directer’s problem because I didn’t successfully make everyone be interested in this movie and their characters. Also, I wasn’t so clear with scripts and lines at the beginning which slowed our speed. About lines and scenes, we could not all of them because of stage limits and people’s memorization issues. Anyway, we figured a way to give most people equal amount of lines. I was not so prepared at the beginning, so I made so many mistakes on lines and scenes which confused everyone. However, after I give Cobb’s lines to other people, everything worked out. I still think that if we can put more effort in the script before we start to run the scene, we will be able to give a much better show. Nothing is perfect, so the final production is actually not bad.

I was so nervous, because I am afraid that I would not be able to put all the small scenes into a film. The result is that all the short scenes look good together and the transition is not so random or awkward. I want to thank everyone in class who puts effort in this project even when we spend so long in class on only the Inception. I also want to say that everyone has improved a lot in this movie, and I am looking forward to see you all in the future acting activities!

Director+Leading Character=almost crazy

Inception is one of the most difficult project I have ever had in acting class, and this is also the one I’m worried about the most. This is the first project which I have to direct a performing work with 9 actors. This project was going slowly and well, but after my dear friend Ryan started circling in all different kinds of life troubles, I have to take over the character Mr. Cobb which is the main character who has a huge amount of lines, so this is also the most challenge project to me. Anyway, I want to report some of my feelings of being the director and main character at the same time, and some progress we have done in this class.

There are so many famous actors who direct their own movies, and they often be harder and more serious than normal directors because they want to make every scene perfect. I can tell you that I can feel exactly the same way. As a director I always want to see my actors to be in their best condition, but I have to say that in my acting class not everyone is always ready to be in the character which we need to work together every class, so we can be ready to present our scenes. As a director I have to get everything down on my own, such as costumes, scripts and the filming ways. It’s a lot of work for me to do, and I feel that so far we are in a slow speed, but we do get works down well.

However, I am not only a director now. I am also taking the leading role in this project. Ever since I watched Inception I want to try to play Cobb so much because he is the coolest one in the whole movie because he knows everything and he has a lot of emotion changes and great lines. I wanted my best friend Mr. Kim to be this character because he has the kind of characteristic to be fancy and cool. However, he had to give this great part to me, and I have to say that I have been enjoying this character, but I am also struggling with lines and timing. After all, I think I am doing well on this character, and I am looking forward to see the over all performance.