Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Natalie B - On Awkwardness

    As actors, we often get questions about how difficult it is for us to embody a character or speak a playwright's language.  In this particular piece many of us (and actually I should say many of my fellow actors, as I have no long poetic monologues - though I do have two "soliloquies", so I guess I can relate) have pieces of text that seem outside normal daily speech.  Fortunately, our cast has a penchant for the abnormal (and I'm pretty sure you'll all agree, but if you don't you can take it up with me in the dressing room...but remember I brought candy).  And actually I think most people do.  
    I often wish that I spoke in heightened language.  That I could attract people rather than drive them away at a bar by launching into my complex philosophical theories on audiences and theater of cruelty...well in truth, it is my only way to test potential friends and more romantically inclined friends out, so maybe I don't wish that everyone were attracted to that.  But, to be cliche, I digress.  
    Back to my belief that we all have the secret desire to be more artistic with our self expression.  It seems to me that most people have a fascination with some kind of fantasy, be it Tim Burton or Star Trek (you're welcome Emily).  We all thirst for something outside the mundane.  This piece of theater gives us exactly that.  And though I am a newbie to Dream Theatre's work, I believe this is what you get from all of their performances.  
    I feel honored to delve into my most vulnerable of states, one in which I leap into awkward joke and total bitch move after awkward joke and total bitch move, just praying one night my scene partner doesn't decide to slap me or not be as forgiving as her character tends to be.  However, often, I feel that if she did, I would completely understand.  So.  Is it difficult to translate Mishelle's writing into staged reality?  Nope, because at least if I fall on my face, I do it knowing that my words came out beautifully. 

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