Journal #3 “Drama, drama, drama…”
Acting. It is a passion of mine. Not only do I like doing it, I enjoy watching, critiquing, and helping others do their best as well. My field of study at the moment is not actually Dramatic Arts, but I am hoping to change soon. I want to know how to help others act their best; lose their stage fright and work together without the jealousy and backstabbing that can sometimes go on backstage. It is vitally important, I am sure, to research and review what other actors have done and the stages theatre has gone through (no pun intended). However, the questions I feel gnawing at me are much less related to the exact structure and history of stage performance. By now you must be able to assume that my desire is geared more towards teaching and directing plays than actually starring in them myself. I find doing things for others is always so much more gratifying. I want to know, how is it best to make people work together and perform together well. Because you can be the best actor in the world and still find yourself doing a bad job because you do not get along with the rest of your cast. Being at your best during a performance is crucial and I want to find how I can help these kids trust, care for, and help one another as they perform.Just throwing a person up on stage is not going to make them a better actor, at least in general. There are techniques, games, and details that need to be taught in order to give someone the right know –how, to do well. Which also interprets to the fact that I’ll need to know these things too. So, what are the best ways to help theses kids overcome stage fright? What methods are there that I can use? What other ones can I come up with that might be better than existing ones?There are so many different facets to putting a great show together; lighting, choreography, and costuming, just to name a few. Much of this will come out of experience and depend on the cast, but solving the questions and getting the knowledge of basics will help me do my best. Dramatic Arts may seem a frivolous thing, but when you see the love these kids have for it and the character that can be built performing it when it is taught correctly, you can do nothing but want the best for them. The final thought is one that might not be answered just by schooling, what can I do to be the best I can and not let these students down?
