Acting 101

My class is Acting 101, and you'd think after the past twelve summers of teaching the class it would all be second nature to me. I wouldn't have to prepare or even think about what I'm doing. Unfortunately, that is not the case. I always put off getting the acting class ready until just before camp begins.

I get all my materials out including folders of various stories from Aesops to Greek or Roman myths, previous lesson plans, dozens of scripts the kids have written over the years, various books that would make a good short play. I always try to do something we didn't do the previous year. Since we performed "Anansi" last year, we may do "Curious George" this year. I always use some of the fairy tales and Aesop fables for practice of taking a story and turning it into a script. We only use improvisation, and the scripts are never written down unless I decide to do so after the play has come together or if I start getting really nervous the last week that we'll never get it together unless I write a script. Fortunately, that script is never accepted by a single child.

I'm almost ready to begin final preparations though today I have done everything imaginable to postpone working on my plans. I've taken pictures of my supplies on the bed and the table. I've downloaded them to my computer. I've posted them on my blog. I've changed sheets, made stack of washing to do, sharpened pencils, eaten breakfast and lunch, drank more coffee and a coke, taken extra care to put on make-up and fix up like I'm going somewhere. Now I only have this evening left because I have frittered the whole day away doing everything else, and camp begins tomorrow.

I need to get a grip on this so I won't go in there tomorrow in the frame of mind that we have to learn a script and perform it in two weeks; and we better hurry, and no one can be absent or change classes; and I'm the boss and whatever other nonsense enters my brain. No, it takes preparation to get in the theatre state of mind, in the creative spirit.

I find Viola Spolin is helpful with getting the teacher ready. I also read through some of my notes from previous years. Instead of working on the actual plans, I have to first work on myself and become the playwright/director and think like a child for a few hours. The reward of course, is I find these kids know what to do if I have the right environment and materials and encouragement. It's not about me or performance, but about them and developing them as actors. Once I let go of "the performance" angle, and turn the class over to the best in all of us, the magic happens.

The class becomes a microcosm of society. We have the leaders and the followers. There are some kids that no one wants in their group. There are always one or two who have all the ideas of what we should do and who should do it and they may even get an attitude if they don't get their way. There are the clowns who are there to show off and the ones who almost cry if called on. Some love it, and some act like this is the worst experience of their life until they find their voice, their script, their group. Then the same bored child lights up with enthusiasm.

It makes you wonder if the United Nations should have Acting 101 where they learn to work together and share ideas. For sure, these kids are never the same from the first day to the day we go on stage. But every year I always have these same fears that this year nothing will happen. None of us will have any ideas or I'll forget what to do with the kids or I'll have a nervous breakdown at dress rehearsal because everyone wants to wear the same dress or someone at the last minute decides he's not going to be in the performance.

I suppose this comes with the territory, so for now I will put all my procrastination aside and go to work, beginning with reading from Viola Spolin's, "Improvisation for the Theater."