Finals-- Journal Check

Pages that arent online:

• music graphs
• director's pitch
• various Boal/Commedia handouts
• vocab lists
• rehearsal schedules

Boal-- Actors and Non-Actors Alike

Boal:

• opened my eyes
• made me more comfortable on stage
• forced me out of my comfort zone
• caused me to think about situations in the outside world
• helped me build relationships with other actors
• taught me how to manipulate my body with different walks, expressions, actions, gestures, etc.
• taught me how to communicate the idea i want to get across with my acting
• taught me that theater is everywhere
• helps me keep my eyes open

The Very Same Stars

The Very Same Stars

This is the first year I've ever made a play. The first year I've even made CALLBACKS, never mind the actual play itself.

I definitely think theater class has helped my projection and acting. But most of all my confidence. I'm not saying my audition was BRILLIANT because it wasnt, but obviously it was good enough to get into the play. I just had a lot of energy. Idk. :)

I guess I just didnt realize how much I really HAVE changed this semester. Cause the things I'm doing now-- I NEVER would have thought I could do them in August.

I dont have a very big role. I play the Rain in Ghana, and also a Japanese dancer for the Bon Odori. I do wish I had some speaking lines, but I'm glad to have at least this part. I'm glad to be a part of this at all. Its so much more different than I thought it would be. A lot more relaxed. Like being able to do homework when youre not onstage-- holy crap. I never would have guessed. Haha. And playing musical chairs the first day? I love this :) :)

Invisible Theatre

Two words:

EPIC FAIL.

So for our invisible theater project, Brittany, Ariel, and I wanted to do a little project on teacher favoritism. The point of invisible theater is to get people involved and have people think about things in life-- and also to see how people react to certain situations.

This can bring up some good conversations about morality and ethics.

And since many people in our spanish class complain about teacher favoritism, we figured that would be the best subject to tackle.
And it would have worked too, if Gutierrez hadnt dropped the ball.
She played the wrong game so that Brittany and I were unable to start our argument.

Ha. Great.

Forum Theatre

Forum theatre is what Boal used to empower his audience. To teach them how to take a stand for themselves and how to gain the courage to step up and face the problems/overcome the obstacles they were faced with.

In our world, there are honestly not that many intense or hardcore issues to deal with. Nothing seriously damaging or pressing in our society. We live in a community that does not have problems with intense poverty or with severe economical restrictions. There is hardly any gang violence, traffic flows naturally, the geography is fine, the landscape beautiful, and we are hardly ever subject to natural disasters. We live not in a war-zone or battleground. So for forum theatre, what issues are there to address? We toyed with the idea of taking on something like alcoholism, or divorce, or maybe an issue within the school that angers everyone. Like crowded freshman hall. Haha. :)

But in the end, my group chose to address child abuse.

The subject caught me off guard when Scott mentioned it because it is an issue very close to my heart. I played the role of the abusive mother, who shouted and yelled at the daughter who "could not do anything right".

I know the purpose of forum theatre was to empower those in the audience, but even as a part of the act itself, it really hit me deeply.
Being able to play the role of the oppressor, rather than the oppressed, was more inspiring than I expected it to be. And it showed me that the oppressor has the power to change the situation as well, if only they look inside their own heart and see what is right and wrong.