Theatre 130: Acting Foundations

THEATRE 130: ACTING FOUNDATIONS

Term: FALL, 2009

INSTRUCTOR: KRIS MARUSHY

Theatre 130 oriented students towards open expression and exploration of self as the foundation for all performance work.  It introduced students to fundamental techniques of acting, improvisation and exploration of trust exercises to remove barriers inhibiting free expression.  After each class, students were assigned point values for the grading criteria, and their final grade reflects their consistent, daily ability to push themselves towards creative goals.   Shakespeare excerpts took the weight of 3 classes, heavily impacting the final grade.

As per RSA policy, absences/lates result in deductions from student’s final grade.  Per the syllabus, “unexcused” absence is defined as anything without prior approval.

KAT’s GRADE BREAKDOWN: (each section weighted 20% of grade)

• Show up on time, ready to work:   88%

(positive/willing attitude)

• Be creative, don’t worry about originality:   84%

(process over performance)   

• Take risks, listen and support others:   85%

(participation in activities and class critiques)

• Challenge yourself with honesty, self govern your progress:   85%

(preparedness and self-motivation)

• Respect others and the class environment:     88%

(professional behavior and focus)

Kat is a creative thinker not afraid to take risks.  She pushes herself to go outside the box. She came to class with a willing attitude, ready to work and contribute to a group dynamic.  She has a strong stage presence, and intuitive understanding of emotional journey and the needs of a scene.

Although I believe Kat’s intentions are usually in the right place, she often demonstrates defensiveness to critique, seeming to want control over how her work is perceived.  She is more comfortable looking at the “big picture” of performance and story rather than investing in personal exploration and vulnerability.   Her risks seem more outward rather than inward.  In frustration she resorts back to her own ideas of success rather than trusting valuable feedback.  

I think Kat will benefit tremendously from one-on-one acting coaching in an intimate environment where she can focus on the work instead of an audience.  She has a ton of talent, but her work currently consists of broad strokes instead of details and nuance, robbing it of emotional impact. She must work WITH others instead of finding value through comparison and competition.  She struggles with “indicating” and “anticipating” instead of being in the moment of true improvisation.  The ability to think quickly on her feet often hinders her investment with scene partners: she focuses more on performing a story  than connecting with her partner. 

I think Kat has the talent to be a strong performer, but her need for control currently undermines this potential, and her creativity lacks vulnerability.  Kat has expressed interest in being a writer, but her growth as an actor will serve her more at this time.  She has the talent, and growth in acting will translate to the craft of playwriting.  Acting requires direct trust in others, a willingness to open up, and risking failure.  Kat will benefit from developing these crucial skills. 

GRADE:  86%, A-

Thoughts:

This evaluation is very much the feedback I received in my certificate year, talent and a willingness to risk that is undermined by a lack of connection and vulnerability as well as the desire to control.
As I grew up away from Rosebud I feel like I lost that ability to risk, as I grew up I became a lot more thoughtful and risk averse, but I believe my ability to connect with others wasn’t really practiced until I returned to Rosebud again.
It’s slightly painful to see evaluations that say I “could have been” a talented performer, it really does make me wonder what “could have been” if I had chosen a different path.