{"id":5977,"date":"2007-02-05T14:51:15","date_gmt":"2007-02-05T19:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=5977"},"modified":"2022-10-12T13:04:28","modified_gmt":"2022-10-12T17:04:28","slug":"fall-1996-acting-notebook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=5977","title":{"rendered":"Fall 1996: Acting Notebook"},"content":{"rendered":"

This was the beginning of my second year in grad school. My second year was all about my acting class with Sam. A man who changed my life – just one of those amazing mentors you find – a real “fan” – and yet a person who will make you work harder, who is such a fan that he can say, ‘Well, your acting just really bored me. What is going on?” – making me work harder, probe deeper, and also lighten up, laugh a little bit, trust that I had talent – I didn’t have to work so hard – How on earth he was able to do all of this, I will never know, and I don’t even care. It was a rough year for me on many levels – but I thank God that I found Sam. He’s still there for me<\/a>. It’s intense.<\/p>\n

So these are notes from his class – and also notes from the 2nd Year Playwriting\/Director’s Unit. This Unit was led by David Garfield – it was the beginning percolatings of putting together thesis projects, and it was a big drag, I’ll tell you that. Drudgery. It wasn’t until the next year that I started doing what I wanted to do, and declaring myself – keeping myself independent from those who wanted to either drag me down (Kate, Mitchell – if you’re reading this, please think: “How are you, Isis???”), own me, or … whatever, freeze me out of projects.<\/p>\n

This is the beginning of the Summer and Smoke<\/u> obsession. Just the beginning. I still get goosebumps thinking about that play.<\/p>\n

Sept. 5 Sam’s Class<\/u><\/p>\n

“Acting can be like a hand reaching out in the darkness.” – Sam<\/p>\n

\n

\nSept. 6 PD Unit<\/u>
\nLights off. All seems grey. The sky outside, the roofs below us, the floor. Even the air seems grey. The green blackboard has a greyish tint to it. Good energy here. Quiet. Grey. Cool.<\/p>\n

Read Garfield’s book History of the Actors Studio<\/u><\/p>\n

Garfield – taught at the Strasberg Institute – studied with Lee, Meisner, Uta Hagen – in the road company of Fiddler on the Roof<\/u> with Luther Adler<\/p>\n

This unit has got to be terrifying to the playwrights.<\/p>\n

Garfield: “I was waiting for some brilliant Kazanian insights … and he said, ‘Do it faster.’ And it was better.<\/p>\n

\n

\nSept. 9 Sam’s Class<\/u>
\nMaybe work on Beirut<\/u> with Charley<\/p>\n

“I have never subscribed to the ‘Colors School of Acting.'” – Sam [This is such a funny statement. Basically – a lot of teachers, and actors – believe that an actor needs to show all these different “colors”. That an audition monologue should show different “colors” – your “mad” color, your ‘sad” color – and so material is chosen because it shows different “colors”. This is almost an accepted creed of the craft. Sam was not a big fan of “colors” – but I just thought it was so funny how he said it.<\/i>]<\/p>\n

Sam: “In every scene, pick an objective. A strong one. ATTACK. SEDUCE. BEG.”<\/p>\n

\n

\nSept. 11 Sam’s Class<\/u><\/p>\n

“The difficult must become habit, habit easy, and the easy beautiful.” – Sergei Volkonski<\/p>\n

Sam: “Acting craft is there if you need it. It’s like any carpenter. You don’t obsess about hammers. You can use a screw driver if you need one.”<\/p>\n

Sam: “This business of sucking …”<\/p>\n

Objective. Play the objective. Don’t act. DO<\/u>.<\/p>\n

“It’s not that important to know who are you are. It’s important to know what you do – and then do it like Hercules.” – Stella Adler<\/p>\n

\n

\nSept. 16 Sam’s Class<\/u>
\nDon’t worry about feeling, or emotion. Do<\/u>.<\/p>\n

God, I am so happy here. I can’t even express it.<\/p>\n

Isolate issues. Then re-combine.<\/p>\n

“In what ways are you and the character different?”<\/p>\n

Sam: “There is a difference between pushing and expressing.”<\/p>\n

Mind in 2 places at once.<\/p>\n

Behavior<\/u> – It’s not there to be interesting<\/u>. You do it to explore the predicament of your character.<\/p>\n

\n

\nSept. 16 MARK RYDELL<\/u>
\n– leads Actors Studio West<\/p>\n

Sandy Meisner: really<\/u> doing something, as opposed to imitating<\/u> doing something.<\/p>\n

No one wants to talk about Lee Strasberg!<\/p>\n

Rydell worked on As the World Turns as an actor. He said it was great training. “Conversational reality.”<\/p>\n

Movies: “Movies are like trying to catch lightning in a bottle.”<\/p>\n

On The Fox<\/u> – Sandy Dennis – “I was the talk of the town for a minute.”<\/p>\n

On The Rievers<\/u> and Steve McQueen: “He was psychotic. A wonderful actor. But he was really crazy.”<\/p>\n

“The material makes its own demands.”<\/p>\n

On The Cowboys<\/u> – “I learned very quickly. You don’t say to cows: ‘Go.'”<\/p>\n

“It’s all personal. The work is all personal.”<\/p>\n

On The Rose<\/u>:
\nHe said to Bette: “Try to fill the bottomless pit every day.”
\nTo the cinematographer: “I want the picture to be like an abdominal operation.”
\nOn Bette Midler: “She is so precious that I think she should be protected. Like a National monument. Funds should be taken up so that she remains protected. She’s that preciolus to me.”<\/p>\n

On working with actors: “Find the button that frees them to say, ‘Oh! I know what to do now!’<\/p>\n

Movies: RECORD THE EVENT. That’s it. Be very clear what the event actually is. And then record it.<\/p>\n

\n

\nSam’s class<\/u>
\nSam to Stephen: “You’re addicted to suffering.”
\nStephen: “It’s the only thing I know.”<\/p>\n

Sam to Stephen: “You have a quality of latent aggression and vague intensity.” !!!!!<\/p>\n

Philadelphia Story<\/u>
\nMoment before the scene: I have been talking with Mike. I have read his stories. I find them “damned beautiful, almost poetry.” I say to him, “I believe you put the toughness on, to save your skin.” I recognize a kindred spirit in him. I offer him my little house in Unionville for a place to work. I’m only there in hunting season. I want Mike to stay with me during my conversation with Dexter.<\/p>\n

Me and Dexter<\/u>
\nHe drank whiskey
\nHis drinking made him unattractive to me
\nI got drunk once on champagne, climbed out on the roof, stood there naked, and wailed at the moon. I have absolutely no recollection of doing this.
\nDexter said it was an “affair of the spirit”.
\nWas I frigid?
\nI despise weakness.<\/p>\n

\n

\nSummer and Smoke<\/u>
\n1916
\nGlorious Hill, Mississippi
\nOn the Gulf<\/p>\n

Miss Alma Winemiller – had an adult quality as a child
\nnow prematurely spinsterish
\nexcessive propriety and self-consciousness
\nnervous laughter
\nyears of playing hostess at Rectory
\nbelongs to a more elegant age
\nairy<\/u>, graceful<\/p>\n

I have attacks of “nervous heart trouble” – panic attacks? I run over to see Dr. Buchanan at 2 or 3 a.m.<\/p>\n

I teach singing. I sing in church, at weddings.
\nI belong to an intellectual group that meets every Wednesday<\/p>\n

Father didn’t want me to take Nellie Ewell on as a pupil because of her mother’s reputation – but I did it anyway. “No one should presume to judge and condemn anyone else.”<\/p>\n

I keep saying, ‘I have a touch of malaria” – True? I am responding to John’s observation that I am shaking.<\/p>\n

John and I grew up together. “It used to delight you to embarrass me.”<\/p>\n

John has been away in medical school (Johns Hopkins) – his father has raved to me about his accomplishments (graduated magna cum laude). How long has he been away? How many years?<\/p>\n

My mother had a nervous breakdown when I was in high school. I managed the rectory ever since. “In a way, it may have – deprived me of – my youth.”<\/p>\n

When I go out – it’s to the public library or to the park. I have to be selective.<\/p>\n

I say to John: “Most of us have no choice but to lead useless lives.” He is wasting his divine gift!<\/p>\n

John to me: “Sometimes when I come home late at night I look over at the rectory and I see something white at the window.”
\nInsomnia
\nHeartache
\nI wait up till he comes home<\/p>\n

Dr. John Sr. is a father-figure to me. I say to him, “I don’t think I will be able to get thru the summer.”<\/p>\n

Do people think: “Miss Alma’s fading this summer”?<\/p>\n

Roger proposed to me. This may be my last proposal. He is:
\n— an active church worker
\n— he lives with his mother
\n— they just moved here
\n— he plays the French horn
\n— has a position at the bank<\/p>\n

Dr. John Sr. is “the one person in town that I have ever been able to rely on for a kind and honest and understanding discussion of my —– problems.”<\/p>\n

I am sexually frustrated. And I cannot picture myself in bed with Roger.<\/p>\n

All the girls I grew up with have married.<\/p>\n

My aunt: “a mysteriously colorful career” in New Orleans “on the old side of town”. Shades of Blanche?<\/p>\n

I may accept Roger’s proposal. I am afraid of being left “high and dry”<\/p>\n

I believe in the possibility of deep love between a man and a woman – but with me it could not be based on physical passion.<\/p>\n

It offends me when Roger touches me.<\/p>\n

When John touches me, I am not offended. “I am not a cold person.”<\/p>\n

I watch over him at night – every night – sometimes at daybreak when he comes home, sprawled on the steps – whenever he comes in at night I rush downstairs to peek out at him from behind the curtain<\/p>\n

I am pitied. People thnk I am an old maid. “I’m still young!” My mother has taken my youth away from me. She never says thank you.<\/p>\n

\n

\n27 Wagons<\/u>
\nBlue Mountain, Mississippi
\ngnats
\nMasochism – I like pain
\nThink child!!!<\/p>\n

\n

\nSaint Joan<\/u>
\nOrders from my Lord – Capt. Robert de Baudricourt is to give me armor\/horse and some soldiers – and send me to the dauphin. I am being sent to the Dauphin to raise the siege of Orleans. Bertrand de Porlengey and John of Metz have agreed to go with me.<\/p>\n

My Lord is the King of Heaven<\/p>\n

Faith<\/u>!<\/p>\n

My real father is a farmer.<\/p>\n

The English<\/u> – hold half of the country – right down to the Loire – they have Paris<\/p>\n

The Dauphin is in Chinon – like a rat in a corner – and he won’t fight<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This was the beginning of my second year in grad school. My second year was all about my acting class with Sam. A man who changed my life – just one of those amazing mentors you find – a real … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5977"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5977"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5977\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":180135,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5977\/revisions\/180135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5977"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5977"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5977"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}