Assignment 3: Task 1 and 4: Connection Weekly Process / Show

Audition Process 

We started off connections with reading the script in a big group and getting up and speaking when we would like, I sat back for a while so I could get a feel of what the script was like then afterwards I would then stand up and start reading for younger Kobi as that is the character that appealed to me from the start. After we had got through the script we spent the next couple of days working on developing characters by giving facts that we could tell about each character by reading lines in the script that would tell us information about how they're feeling after the incident, what had happened to them after the incident (how it changed their lives) we also read the information that the writer gave us to go off as. We had to come up with our own opinions on the characters by reading the lines as well and try and take what we know and think of what it could mean even if its not true. The hardest part of connections was definitely at the start diving into the characters lives while also trying to figure out the challenge of how we would implement the flashback's into the show. For this Kelly split us into groups and we had to choose a scene in the script that had a present day and a flashback in the same scene. We were tasked with implementing the flashback in a way that wouldn't confuse us or the audience, while all this was happening Kelly was watching everyone since this was also our audition process, every rehearsal and learning of the script up to when we actually got casted was us also being watched and judged upon the outcome of who Kelly would inevitably choose to be part of the show.  

The audition process ran all the way through January with the final 2 being on the 30 and the 31st of January. On the 30th of Jan, we had multiple groups on the board where we had our 2 choices that we told Kelly that we wanted to audition for in the end (my 2 choices were Younger Kobi and Older Zafer). We had time to go practice in the groups before we would all wait outside in the hallway while each group would go in switching scenes and characters so Kelly and the production team could see how well we worked with different people while not having enough time to practice with them and while different groups scenes being blocked differently to anther groups. On the 31st of Jan we did the final auditions that were mainly for the Older Zafer and Stefi, it was the scene 1 duologue where we got given a time slot and partner, I got paired with Phoebe who wanted to be Older Stefi. We had time to go and practice in the film room and get feedback from other classmates on how we could improve before we went and auditioned together. We saw the scene between both the characters as not as emotional as everyone else had been doing it, we thought they were more tense between the matter at hand and instead of shouting its more of them being annoyed at each other but still passive aggressive bickering. We were around the middle mark of the pairs to go in, we performed the scene in front of Kane and the production team so they can feedback to Kelly, we got some positive feedback from them even saying that both me and Phoebe had improved in our acting ability. 

The 1st of February was when we got casted and found out that Morgan would be taking on an understudy cast as director so that if wanted they could still then perform their own show. I got casted as understudy younger Kobi and Delroy got casted as main cast younger Kobi. I was gutted at first but also happy for Delroy as this was his chance to shine since in the last show (Wizard of Oz) he was Uncle Henry. Kelly took the main cast upstairs as Morgan asked if there was any of us that wanted to fill in as extra characters that would normally be the older versions playing multi-roles but Kelly casted them as there own characters since it gives people more opportunity to be in the main show and it would be less confusing having the flashbacks and older cast multiroling as well. I decided to put my name down for the role of Younger Ray's police officer, which in the end I got. 

Rehearsal Process

We started off the first rehearsal day on the 6th of February since we spent the 2nd February looking a accents and audio play because Kelly was thinking of doing a sound scape for the very first scene which in the end we didn't do. So on the 6th of Feb we split the dance studio for both casts, understudy cast started the work on the going through scene 2 and 3 with some youngers having to fill in for olders in scene 2 since they were busy filming the Unbroken film at the time as well. We gave feedback to the olders as well as Morgan directing how he thinks he would like it as well but also letting naturally fall into the character to react and act like how their character would in the situation they are in. We then moved onto scene 3 which was the first flashback scene so we had already hit a challenge as we needed to think of a way to make it easier and less confusing we decided to just role with it to begin off with and see if we can build it up slowly, the main struggle for youngers was all of us keeping the same energy going through the whole show as there would be bits where we would lose that energy and not seem like 13 year old kids anymore. 

On the 8th of Feb we didn't have Morgan since he was in a Lamda workshop meaning it was up to one of us to take the directing role today and polish up the scenes we had done before while also now having a look at scene 4, I decided since I hadn't one anything like this before that I would direct, I found it quite a challenge as I would keep clashing with another student as they would try and keep ding it their way when everyone else agreed with another way. After polishing up scene 2 and 3 I decided to keep the transition for 3 and 4 simple it still being youngers I had Amma ad Tom Joy run back onto the stage first then the rest of us follow on after because they come up with a plan to scare us before we arrive, we then all led the scene naturally adding little bits of humour and energy to imply we are 13 year olds and just acting as naturally as you would in the scenario. We then showed it Morgan at the end of the day which he was very pleased about because he loved the scene and was happy that we managed to come up with something ourselves while he was away. It was also a lot harder for us since all the 2nd yeas were in the Lamda workshop meaning again some of us would have to fill in for younger and older scenes just to keep it flowing. 

On the 9th of Feb we ended off scene 2 and 3 since Morgan was happy with how it was he just needed the younger cast to start being more energetic since it was something we kept lacking, something good he had told us was go as over the top as you want because he can always bring that energy down but try not to be flat because its much harder to bring the energy up as you can then go too over the top. Morgan was happy enough to start working on scenes 4 and 5 because he wanted to have us get a feel for scenes because then we have done them 3 or 4 times he was happy enough to move on and come back to later to polish any bits off he didn't like. At the end of the day I had to switch casts as I was going through the scene with the officer with Aiden who played Younger Ray in the main cast, Kelly gave me some pointers that I needed to be more stern instead of shouting as he's only a kid so in the end we would try being more stern with them so it would be more of a intimidation act. I got tasked with going away and learning those lines as well as  looking up police interrogations with kids in them to sort of get a feel how of how the officer is towards them. 

We finished off scene 4 and added in scene 6 at the end of scene 5 and from there we kept working on the scenes and having to switch casts to do officer scenes while also coming back and doing Younger Kobi scenes. On the 16th of February we got up to scene 9 and decided since we were going to show the other cast ours and then they show theirs that we would quickly run through it all, all the way from scene 2 to scene 9. The other cast were happy and gave us some pointers to work on to make it better in the long run. When the other cast was getting ready to show theirs to us I had to fill in as Younger Zafer as I got asked by Kelly if I would like to learn the lines as I could potentially be taking the role since the student playing the role might of had an injury. I tried my best to fit myself into their scenes but as I had never worked with the main cast fully it was a lot harder since the understudy cast do completely different things in the scenes. I had fun and with getting involved with the other cast and helping where I could and when I asked Kelly about feedback she said I was a amazing Younger Zafer there was just one scene where she would of liked it if I had walked away before Tom finished his line, but she wasn't too bothered by it as it was the first time I was doing it. 

Over the course of half term I managed to learn the lines for Younger Kobi, Younger Zafer and the police officer so that I was ready to come back to college and jump back into rehearsals without a script as Morgan had tasked us with trying to get the beginning scenes all the way from scene 2 to scene 5 off script or if we could try and be off script complexly. 

When we returned on the 27th of February we jumped straight back into the swing of things this time, Morgan being harsher with the younger cast as the first couple of rehearsal days we were just too flat there was no energy in the scenes. So he did little 1 on 1 workshops with the younger cast while he some of production to take charge with older cast to try and get them off script the best they could and work on the scenes they were working on. We finally got the space sorted in the theatre so that we could use it as well which brought the energy up a lot and Morgan also worked on scene 1 which is the duologue between Zafer and Stefi. I kept helping the main cast as well as my own by having to throw younger zafer lines out there as well to keep it flowing. We ended up performing it again to the others when we had finally got the whole way through the script, which Kelly liked our scene 6 and decided to implement it into her show as well. We also added 2 doors into our show as well one we used as the cafe and the other for the Ansten house which only the youngers would be using anyways. 

As it was getting closer to show day majority of our cast were just finishing off learning lines from the script. We had full tech runs where Morgan wanted no stoppages but youngers ended up coming on a line too early, I also ended up stopping half way through the tech run since there was a part where I scream and I didn't like causing me to stop and ask if I could do it again but Morgan said it was fine and to keep it going. We also started adding in costume and props, the youngers would be wearing a school uniform while also having something that stuck out that the older version would be wearing to show that they are the same person. We used flashlights when looking around the Ansten house and our bags on to show we had just came from school while also having chip boxes since we get them in the show, a prop knife and prop intestines and a heart and 2 handmade casts. 

Show Day - Task 4

Show day was on the 16th of March, we had a bit of time to rehearse beforehand since the shows weren't on the night. So we came in early to start working on the scenes and adding in the voice overs that Morgan had filmed for us which were the youngers guardians and parents. We also got drilled about having energy because as Morgan said you can always bring it up. We sat in the film room and had a full cast read through without scripts, no acting just reading as Morgan wanted to make sure we were ready and familiar with it before we went and used the theatre space. 

6.00pm was the first show for the main cast where for the police officer, which in the end we said was more of a detective so instead of wearing all the police costume and gear instead had to wear something smart and casual. I ended up wearing a suit with a black tie which Henry (another police officer with me) ended up wearing as well since theres a scene where we interrogate 2 people together and give a sign to each other that something is wrong. For the first scene with me and Aiden I nearly went on too early luckily someone stopped and said my cue wasn't yet, we also nearly came on too late as Aiden was getting changed, everything went smoothly once we got on the stage though. I was a little nervous at first but I managed to keep calm and not stutter through my lines which is a common thing I do when nervous and performing. After the bulldog scene me and Henry got ready to go on together which in the end went smoothly Aiden ran off stage though and had to quickly run back on. At the end I was also the shadow which I got given the day of the show luckily it wasn't too complicated, I just had to walk on stage and stand in the door way making sure no one saw my face so I had a hood up with my head down and a phone to my ear. Since I did this I did miss the bows but it was ok since I had the understudy cast show where I could end up doing my bow. 

For the understudy cast everything went fine there were a couple of mistakes where Tom Joy had forgot their lines for the Belle cast scene, we had skipped over a chunk of lines in scene 4 where we mention about Toms dad. I also kept running into the curtains when trying to get off stage since I couldn't see where the exits for them were. The energy for the youngers was amazing on the night as well and I ended up sticking with the shout I didn't like in the end since it grew on me and was natural and realistic to the scene. The older cast were flowing amazing and even though it was last second some of them learnt their lines they managed to know majority of them, they nearly skipped a chunk off a scene but Henry (who was older Zafer) saved them and brought it back to where they were. When I come on to deliver my last lines with the voice over there were too sound clips played at the exact same time so I decide to ignore it and keep it going since it did get turned off afterwards, I still delivered both my lines and ran off in my character. We added little bits in to the show as well like me shouting 'oi' at Tom Joy when they mention about my Nan and also improvised lines and energy acts from all the younger cast to really show the audience that were 13 year olds. I changed part of my outfit during the show as well which my older version also did, I would put the jacket around my waist when the bulldog scene was on, which Jack (who was older Kobi) would naturally when it felt right put it round his waist before I would run on for bulldog. I managed to get the bows done this time as well.