Now is the time to create my character development method. This is the method that I have constructed from various acting methods and will use to create the characters in my five monologues. This is what I've been working towards, this is my main goal. In the future, I may change some aspects of it, but for now this current version will do.
First, I must read the text. It's basically a guide through the play. I need to read and reread to get as much information from the playwright as possible. I need to research my character, finding out as much about their past as possible (Strasberg method). I need to ask myself, "Who am I? What are the circumstances? What are my relationships? What do I want? What is the obstacle? How do I get what I want?" (Hagen method) Using imagination can further develop my character envisioning the world in which my character comes from and the conditions in which my character lives. I can also use my imagination to develop my character in unexpected ways. (Adler method)
I need to identify what my character is feeling. Is he sad, happy, angry, scared, disgusted? And why is he feeling this way? I can take my own experiences and emotions and merge them with that of my character. I need to not just play my character, but become my character. That will guarantee a convincing performance. I also need to be aware of what I'm doing on stage. Everything I do, I need to do for a reason, through gesture, task, word, and expression. (Stanislavski method.) The way I carry myself and project energy is vital. When interacting with other characters on stage, I'm either sending energy or receiving it. My posture and movement suggests the amount of energy I have and whether it's positive or negative. (Margolis method).
Once I've determined all of that for my character, I need to practice my lines and stage blocking. Repetition, repetition, repetition. I need to drill it over and over again until it becomes second nature. Once my lines and blocking have become instinctive on stage, I can focus on the emotions, energy and history of my character to give the performance that the audience deserves.
When developing my character, I find that I don't like to watch video clips of how someone else performed it. I want my rendition of the role to be unique and based off of my own interpretation, not a copy of someone else's performance. I need to play around with volume and rhythm of dialogue. When saying my lines, I find I'm always thinking about how to make them seem as human and natural as possible. And how to make moments of discovery in the character feel organic and genuine. I also need to remain extremely present in whatever role I'm playing and try not to anticipate any action, which is very hard. I need to be an active listener in the scenes and truly work off of whatever my scene partner(s) give me.
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The Senior Capstone Project Journal of Aaron J. Holt
No FicciónUpon completing his senior year at the University of Minnesota, Aaron J. Holt put his theatrical skills to the test. Tasked with creating his own character development method, Aaron drew from various methods. Then, to prove that it worked, he had to...
