Pure Theatre Bliss

This weekend's opening was an intense yet fascinating experience...each night or day before I went on, I prayed or meditated for the need to "just let go & let Annette have her moment". Each show was similar but a little different in that I was "in the moment" of the story, completely at one with the reality of the play.




Whether there was an audience of 20 or so, 4 or even 2, I came to a point where I didn't even know they were there, so completely lost in my character, her story, & those she was involved with. It was the moment of pure theatre bliss, the moment you long for as an actor or actress, the reason you went into acting in the first place, to lose yourself, to not feel the nervousness but to become fused with the character...I am thankful that I have such awesome co-stars, Mark Schneider, Barbara Rains & Christopher Perme who helped me get to that point with their focus & love for the story & their own characters (as well as for my director, Obed Medina).


We'll do it again next weekend & the weekend after. And, then Annette will live on forever in me, in gratitude for allowing her moment, her story, her truth, as well as I have gratitude for getting to know her. Its the stuff actors and actresses hope for, a character that we can sink our teeth into, dive into, become one with...




I've had two previous to Annette & always I find myself thinking How or When will I ever find another character like this...and now its becoming how can I hold onto these characters I once embodied, but somehow you manage, Roberta Victor from Working is still just as much alive to me today as Edna Miles & Annette Raleigh, with more to come.


And, now I start work on the next projects.


https://www.facebook.com/events/540659122731657/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

How do I get what I want?

In rehearsal for my upcoming show, God of Carnage, I have been thinking seriously about the nature of tactics, the device used to achieve the character's overall goal in each scene and in the entire play.  I remember in my drama classes in college and acting books hearing these words which at the time seemed obscure and difficult to comprehend.  But, now with, for a lack of a better term "hands-on" experience, I am starting to see the meaning of such terminology.

I have heard from various comic actors and actresses that comedy is more difficult than drama, however, the emphasis on "living truthfully in the given circumstances" still applies and, in fact, should be even more emphasized.  Whether it be a satire, a slapstick, or a darker comedy (as in the case of the current production), the point is to not play the laughs or even to play the words to force the joke or, furthermore, to play the emotion, but, as always in acting, to play the character's intent truthfully and with focus of their entire goal.

The dramatically trained actress that I am, (in college I was given scenes from such plays as "The Seagull" by Anton Chekov and Macbeth by that English chap) and one who dwelves deeply into the backstory and psychology of each of my characters ( as seen by previous blogs) I have found that these personal resources still apply in preparation for comedy.  In my current work, I sat down with my script and listed each of the tactics for each line with the intent of reaching my character's overall ambitions.

Thanks for the Memories production of "God of Carnage" opens October 3rd at 8:00 pm at Oak Street Dance Studios in Ashland, OR.  The show stars Mark Schneider, Barbara Rains, Chris Perme, and Lia Dugal.  It is directed by Obed Medina.  Thanks for the Memories is a new theatre company founded by Peter Wickliffe.

https://www.facebook.com/events/552250238207967/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

http://tftmtheatre.com/index.html

Meet Annette Raleigh

My name is Annette Raleigh.  I was born Annette Ann Stevenson.  I am, at present, 35 years old, married to Alan Raleigh, 39, with one son, Benjamin and a step son.

I was born and raised in Upper Manhattan, the youngest of 6 children in a very devout Catholic family. I spent my formative years in Catholic schools, where I privately rebelled by smoking cigarettes behind the gym and occasionally drinking with friends on Friday night. But, mainly I was a good girl and these bad girl moments were few and far between, mostly I towed the line, afraid of stirring up the water or more likely my father's abuse. I was raised primarily watching my mother submit to my father's undermining, masochistic behavior and was determined to not allow myself to go down that path, while being groomed in the appropriate behavior for a woman in today's society.

I went to college and studied business and finance, determined to be an independent businesswoman and break free from the path of the rest of the women in my family. But, along the way, I discovered boys, having gone to an all-girls school all my life, and started dating frequently, with a variety of guys. It was then that I met Alan, who was a first year law student at the college I attended. I was a senior about to graduate.

Alan was older than I by four years, putting him at 28 and me at 24 when we met. I was overwhelmed by his charm and sense of humor, the twinkle in his blue eyes melted my heart. He had been briefly married before, while in college, now divorced, and with a child from that marriage. We started dating, fell in love, and then...oops, I found myself pregnant. Since our plan was already to get married, we were forced to bring that on faster due to the request of my devout parents...a child out of wedlock, no way! Due to this, I developed a keen sense of the appropriate, more than ever before, and the need to hide my true self.

Eight months after my marriage, I gave birth to our only child, a son named Benjamin after my husband's late grandfather. It was a difficult pregnancy for me and thus was warned about the dangers of having another one. Due to this, I became rather over-protective of my son and perhaps coddled him a bit too much.

While Alan finished graduate school and all that entailed, I was the main bread winner working at a local bank specifically focusing in wealth management, but once he graduated and got a job at a local law firm, quickly rising in the ranks at the office, I gave up my job, due to Alan's insistence and my parents dominance, and became a stay at home mom. I accepted this, secretly begrudgingly, telling myself I would go back to work in a few years when Benjamin was older. We fell into a pattern, acceptable wealthy family roles, to keep up the appearances while on the inside things were quickly corroding. At least, I had my son.

When Benjamin comes home one day, in tears, and tell me of his assault, I am at once horrified and shocked. I didn't raise my son for that, but upon hearing his eleven year old reasoning, I start to regain my position of defending him, at all cost. As we head over to address the situation with the other boy's parents, I see this as my last chance to really engage Alan in the parenting of our child and thus save our marriage.

At first glance, I am terrified of the impending situation and of meeting the Novaks and struggle to maintain the appearance of happy successful thriving family and, more importantly, that of a devoted mother. But, with the rapid fire of assault by Veronica and, partially, by Michael, coupled by, once again, Alan's lack of presence in the situation, brings about my exterior cracks as years of restraining my true self and feelings start to come forth.

With the fact, that my marriage may be ending, I realize that all I have left is my dignity as a woman and mother and that of my child, my Benjamin.

Find out what happens October 3rd at 8 pm, opening night of Thanks for the Memories production of "God of Carnage".  The show runs through October 19th, with Friday and Saturday performances at 8 pm and a Sunday matinee at 2 pm.  The show is written by Yasmina Reza.  This production is directed by Obed Medina.

https://www.facebook.com/events/552250238207967/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

7 Days of Gratitude, Day 7--Final Day!

7 Days of Gratitude, Day 7--Final Day!

1.) finding my character for the first time for God Of Carnage, it was such a thrilling feeling & awesome discovery

2.) getting to know my new cast & director, new friends, through this process

3.) the restlessness I feel for change

4.) financial stability, of sorts

5.) watching parts of my family, (cousins, Aunt, sister) challenge each other on facebook with the ALS ice bucket challenge

6.) the fact that I have yet to be challenged

7.) that where I was is not where I am & that things keep getting better & better

8.) the adorable way Tansy looked at me just now

9.) our personal collection of sock monkeys, including sock monkey hats, & people who made them for us

10.) for August because 7 years after the fact its been a really good one, amazing, in fact

11.) for good books that stick with you long after you have finished them

12.) for the 12th doctor because his time officially begins