Today's Lesson in Acting

So, for weeks, I've been walking around wondering how I could tell my scene partner, that while I really liked what he had written for us, I just couldn't perform it the way it was written. You see, there was a certain word that I just could not say that seemed to be important to the scene. No, not the "f" word, although it's one that is not in my swearing vernacular. Just get in the car with me sometime when someone cuts me off, and you'll hear which ones I do use when I lose all femininity.

Which reminds me...you might as well know now...this is how my mind works. I jump around a lot. (Yes, it drives my special someone crazy.)

Anyway, my first scene in class years ago, my acting coach gives me, "The Graduate." Yes, that scene. My scene partner is a young man...I mean really young...doesn't drive yet. Good little actor, however. Anyway, he asked me to drive him home after class once...and I just naturally swore when someone wouldn't let me change lanes. He thought it was sexy. I laughed. Oh yes, and my acting coach said she gave me that scene as my first to make me comfortable!! Really? What's next? Actually, it never got worse than that!

Getting back to my scene today. It was a good scene and eventually, we worked it out so that he said the "n" word several times, (and being a black man...he said it wasn't a problem). But, what was so interesting to me is...I had rather moped around here for a little while, because I didn't have a clue how I was going to play the scene. We rehearsed the lines, but I still was uneasy. It didn't help that the first two scenes in class were wonderful.

When it came time to do the scene, I thought, "Just go with it." This was the second half of the scene, actually. The first we had done a few weeks ago, where I had a lot of dialog. I feel it's a lot harder to just comment briefly and sit there and react, as my part was written this time around. Well, somewhere in there, I just dropped in. I just got it. The emotion came, the feeling was there. Of course, it didn't hurt that I had a great partner.

Everyone commented on it. Someone told me the focus was on me because of how still I was and my reactions. The lesson here is trifold (1) how little you have to do or say to tell the truth in a scene, and (2) not knowing how to do it is a good thing sometimes and (3) listening is paramount. The scenes I really like and can't wait to do are the ones that usually fall flat.

How lucky I am to be working with all these amazing, supportive, talented beautiful souls.