Your rehearsal might be missing this crucial step
Rehearsal is a crucial part of the acting process. But more important than just rehearsing, is rehearsing right. Whatever your rehearsal looks like right now, here’s my suggestion:
Get. In. Your. Body.
Sitting at your desk, scribbling in your notebook, doing the tablework — it’s all useful, don’t get me wrong — but beware the trap of staying in academic-mode at the table during rehearsal.
Desk work doesn’t get in your body.
Check out this conversation in class to hear more about why getting on your feet during rehearsal is so crucial. And check out this blog post or this Instagram post to learn even more about how to rehearse.
CLASS CLIP TRANSCRIPTION
Student: Yeah, it felt good. I’ve just realized that, yeah, I’ve done a lot more paper work than I have actually…stood up and worked.
Sarah: Yeah, when you stand up you’re like, oh, it didn’t all make its way in, yeah.
Student: Yes.
Sarah: So as you’re trying to do some of that work, see if as early as possible, even if as you’re coming up with the idea for the actions from moment to moment, you’re even working off of your impulse, right?
“Cuz I know where you live!” What does that feel like I’m doing? I’m challenging, I’m exposing, I’m…right, what clues is my body giving me when I try to do that? Oh, it feels like I’m…that was it’s never like, that disconnect happening. You know, you’re always gonna have the muscle memory of working through that.
Student: Yeah.
Sarah: You’re trying to get to that experiential body voicework, right.
Student: Yeah. I do think I sometimes get caught too much in the getting everything down.
Sarah: Totally. And I did the same thing. Because I’m kind of a headier person, you know, and so it was really important for me to do it as early as possible. And I’m seeing that now more, like working with my students, how helpful it is the earlier people start working on their feet. You know?
