Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Presence In the theatre, we talk about presence a lot. Some people use the word charisma, but I'm not as fond of that word. It suggests personality, which is not what I mean when I refer to presence in the theatre. A person of charisma may have presence, but what I'm talking about is the kind of presence an actor can bring to the stage whether they have a powerful off-stage personality or not. What is presence? My aesthetic wants one thing when I go to the theatre. I don't go to be moved, to be educated, or even inspired. All those things for me are by-products of the thing I really go to the theatre for. I go to see something happen. Why is it that something seldom does? What I mean by wanting something to happen is that acting is the art of doing. Not pretending to do, not making believe that you're doing, but doing. Actually acting, as in action, as in trying to impact the here-and-now body state of the other person on the stage. I'm not going to go on about this just now, but I want to throw it out there for those of you who love the theatre to think about. Here's the question: when you are watching live theatre, how do you know when something's happening or not? I suggest (and this will sound no doubt somewhat elitist) that audiences today are not terribly discriminating, and often times cannot tell the difference when something is happening and something is only pretending to happen. There is nothing more thrilling in the theatre than action between characters. This is what is popularly referred to as electricity between actors. Why are those shattering moments, when something lifts off the boards and becomes infused with power that can barely be resisted? Presence and action. If you are an actor, how do you go about getting there? And can you even know if you are there at all? Do you trust directors to tell you? Do you trust them to know? Any takers on these questions? 7:49:49 AM    comment []

Daily Life Notes Another amazing morning in Seattle. The front page of the Seattle Times points out the contrast between our weather and that in LA. I guess they're getting the rain we're missing. I've discovered that in late February, with this kind of clear sky, I can see Mt. Ranier from my office window. It's been three or four mornings in a row now, no clouds, just the outline of the mountain looming just over the roofline of the next door house. Certainly cause for thanks. Got a nail in a tire yesterday. Started the evenings taxi service (two teenagers) and felt the dreaded thumping of the flat tire. Handling that this morning. The biggest thing is that I'm starting to make decisions on the artistic choices facing me over the next six-twelve months. The sabbatical I've been on has been positive, and the energy is starting to flow again. A couple of new assignments writing assignments have come in, Arthur: The Hunt is on the horizon, and there are things percolating I'm not yet willing to talk about. But good things are coming. We're starting to get more serious about the process of getting my daughter off to college. That's eighteen months from now. Something tells me I'm the one in for an education. Amy and Daniel both have shows coming up in the next few months, so as usual, the Berryman house will be humming with rehearsal and performance jitters. How did we get this life? So blessed.... 7:39:13 AM    comment []

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