Sometimes I like to take pictures of something I might usually ignore or find annoying and see what the lens reveals. Case in point: some weeds that are growing around the humongous weeping willow stump. It’s hard to keep that area nicely trimmed and I end up ignoring it. Like a little kid, I figure if I don’t ‘see’ it, no one else will, either.
A close-up reveals such beauty:
If I had any available space on my walls – and I don’t – I’d frame these. They’d make a lovely triptych.
I caught up on my sleep last night, thank goodness. Don had his first day of rehearsal. First days are rather overwhelming. So many new faces; not only the members of the cast, but the designers and stage managers and staff members. I find first days exciting and exhausting. This particular play, Our Town, is starting off the 50th Anniversary season of the Long Wharf Theater and is being directed by the Artistic Director, Gordon Edelstein. Don has worked with him before in a production of The Front Page (gosh, that was one of my favorite productions, ever.) I’ve worked at the Long Wharf as well. It’s a really wonderful space.
Today’s agenda here at home: Work on Act 1 of Hamlet. That means gathering up all my reference books, which are stashed here and there in the cottage, sharpening my pencils (Blackwings, of course), and going at the text, word by word. I make sure I know what every word means. I check the scansion (the rhythm and beats) of each line of poetry. Shakespeare wrote in Iambic Pentameter and those beats give clear clues to the stress and meaning of a line. I look for any abnormalities in the scansion that might be a clue to the character’s emotions. It’s fascinating and painstaking work that I cannot rush. I usually try to tackle an act a day, but sometimes it takes longer than that. Depends on the play. After about 3 or 4 hours, I have to stop for the day.
I do all of this so that when rehearsals start, I am armed with all sorts of notes on the text and know how it should flow. Then, when I work one-on-one with the actors, I can be as of much assistance as possible in helping them find their way with the text and, together, we can work on speaking it clearly and easily, with a full and free voice.
When I work as a dialect coach, I’m usually billed as Voice and Dialect Coach, or just Dialect Coach. But when I work on Shakespeare, I am billed as Voice and Text Coach because the text work is absolutely essential. It’s like working a crossword puzzle. There are lots of clues to be found and analyzed that lead to clarity of intention.
Getting started is always hard for me. I put it off. Perhaps because I’m a natural procrastinator? But once I start, I always become immersed in the play.
Then, maybe a bit of lawn mowing….we’ll see.
Happy Tuesday.
“But once I start, I always become immersed in the play.”
THE PLAY’S THE THING!!!
:)
Yes it is, Patricia!
Fascinating description of one of the jobs you do! Words in all their layers.
Love the grass photos; I can almost see them sway in the breeze.
I love the way they softly curve. So pretty.
Sounds like a full day for you! Glad you took the time to “explain” how you do what you do…it’s fascinating to me! Me…just gonna pull some weeds. Where you see beauty…I see interruptions in my landscape space…just enough to bother me! ;)
It doesn’t bother me by the trunk. Other places? Yes.
Claudia,
When I read the title of your blog entry today, I read it as, “CLOSE-UPS: ON WEEDS AND SNAKES”. LOL
I kept reading and reading and looking for a picture of a snake. After all, you spoke in the beginning of the piece about how you take pictures of things you would generally ignore or find annoying and snakes could definitely fit into that category, though I think most of us would find them more than annoying! :)
When I got to the bottom of the entry, I thought, “huh, what about the snake? ” I knew I must have missed it somewhere and actually scrolled back down! When I finally thought to re-read your title, I found it so funny how my mind turned Shakespeare into Snakes… I guess because of the weeds part.
Just a funny thing (to me anyway).
Thank you again for the daily posts. I really enjoy them.
Isn’t it funny how we can read something the wrong way? I do that fairly frequently!
First of all those photos are wonderful. The texture of the weed is really lovely. Your work is fascinating and I love how you explained it. I understand much more what you do now. I just finished the first book in the Garbiel Allon series and i’m hooked! Thanks for another great recommendation!
hugs,
Linda
Oooh! I’m so glad you liked it, Linda! Enjoy the rest of the series!
Such an interesting lesson in how you work.
After my father’s stroke the speech therapist asked what his goal was. His reply:”Hamlet.” He meant Hamlet’s speech to the players, specifically, “Trippingly on the tongue,” a phrase he’d always loved.
Oh, that’s wonderful. And that’s an admirable goal, indeed!
So interesting reading about your work, Claudia! I will watch plays a little differently now!
Your photos are lovely…sometimes I let the weeds grow, because they are pretty, too.
I think they are. Just depends on where they’re growing, I guess!
Your work is so fascinating! I love your voice and I imagine your students do too
Did my front yard this morning and yes the weeds have their very own beauty. And purpose.
The bees don’t discriminate so why should I ?!
Have a Happy week.
Exactly!
I have been noticing and taking pictures of the flowers of the grasses too as I stop to look long into the garden that is fading…mow the lawn. It will do you good to take breaks in nature. I love them.
I just got in from mowing the back forty and part of the front yard. Now, back to Shakespeare.
I love it when you talk about your work, Claudia. And Don’s too. So interesting. Acting, the theater etc is something I don’t know much about at all but you have been steadily educating me. I never knew that so much effort and detail went into “putting on a play.” And I definitely thought voice coaches were called in only when a part required an accent that the actor did not already possess. Who knew ??
Oh, there’s a lot a vocal coach does – clarity of speech, dialects, helping the actor with vocal problems, making sure they are heard and on and on!
I will never be able to give you advice about putting things off because I am a master of procrastination! Those weeds are so pretty. I have always wondered why we consider some plants to be weeds when I think they are lovely in their own right. Good luck with the new play!
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Thanks, Susan!
Those photos would make a lovely triptych Claudia..I also enjoy learning more about what you and Don do..we see actors all the time on the TV..in movies and on stage..we see the finished product but we are not taught what it takes to put these things together..Thank you both for sharing these aspects of the various forms of entertainment that you are employed in..Wishing you and Dame Scout a relaxing peaceful evening..
Sometimes I pick bouquets of weeds or stems from bushes that I think are pretty and put them in a vase. I’ve learned to leave the Goldenrod outside though, for it’s great ability to shed great globs of yellow pollen overnight!