As we come closer to opening The All-Female Taming of the Shrew, I am looking back at the beginning of the process, in part, because reporters are making me think about it. Self-producing is hard but it's also incredibly rewarding. Some issues we all deal with as we start:
1. Do what pleases your heart.
You've been working in theatre for years now, doing the shows that come along - and doing them happily. You've learned a lot and become very good at what you do. And there were some plays that were uninspiring but you did them anyway because you love theatre. If you're like me, you take every opportunity that comes along regardless of whether it's your favourite show or not. Theatre companies choose plays that they think will sell and you only get better by doing. So you do what's on offer.
But when you're embarking on your own project, make sure that, though bums in seats is a top priority, you do something that really turns you on. Do what pleases you.
2. It's never the perfect time.
You may be carefully waiting for the perfect time when all your little ducks are lined up in a pretty little row -- when you have all your money, the rights are available, your chosen theatre is available, your design team is ready. You could be waiting a long time.
We are hard-wired to be careful. We are easily dissuaded. There are a million reasons why not to do something. Don't wait. Decide the minimum amount of cash you need (depends on what your stomach can handle), get that money, and get going. Goldilocks never comes.
3. Plan.
Write that Marketing Plan. A lot of folks don't bother, especially if the show is small. They feel they don't need it or they feel that everything always changes so much, a plan is a useless. Look, I won't lie here: most Marketing Plans are so much waste paper precisely because the situation can change drastically. However, I have found it easier to cope with that change when I have a plan already in place including a budget and a timeline.
I often call writing my Marketing Plan 'inventing my future'. Because that's exactly what I'm doing.
4. Don't talk about it; do it.
It's a little known fact that our brain gets the same ya-ya out of talking about doing something as it gets from actually doing that thing. This is why so many folk are caught up in the talk, talk, talk and never do syndrome. If you find that you are endlessly talking about your project to your friends at the bar or if you are having (yet another) planning meeting, find a way to kickstart the process. The best way I find, for me, is to set a deadline (say, for the first fundraising event) and announce that deadline publicly. It's really motivating for me to live up to my word.
5. One step at a time.
But how to start? It's a huge task! It freezes the brain just to think about it. I just go back to that Marketing Plan, look at the first deadline, and break down what I need to do to get to there. A show is a thousand, a million steps. Do the first thing on the list. It will lead to the next step and the next...
And, then, not too far in the future, you might find yourself pausing to reflect on your journey so far. But that will never happen if you don't get started in the first place.
Jacqui
Burke is
a freelance director, writer, and
theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is
currently directing
the all female version of Taming
of the Shrew
for
Jaybird Productions going up in
the fall of this year. She is
looking forward to directing Children's
Hour for
Encore Productions and Rumours
for
Scarborough Players. She is, also, serializing The
Pretender,
her first novel, online at
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui
Burke
talk/text:
647-292-0210
twitter:
@jaybird01
skype:
Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
Warbles in the dark.
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Huh? Why we should do Shakespeare.
I just went to a play reading of Twelfth Night last night in the hope that a local community theatre group might produce it in their season next. It went well. We laughed and we had fun. It's a funny play. Sits a bit on the page in Act 4 and 5 because the show becomes so much about physical comedy; so it wants to get on its feet but, other than that, a good night all around. Most folks in the room were behind the idea.
And there were a few that just thought we shouldn't do it at all. Why? It's too hard. Too hard to understand. I don't get it. I'm missing a lot....
Okay. Okay.
The language is archaic but a good dramaturge can work that script up nicely for a current audience unused to its rhythm and its turn of phrase. A good dramaturge can also streamline the piece to keep it at a nice length. Shakespeare will not be turning in his grave. He would, I am sure, be saying: "Give them what they want!" I imagine the guy to be more like me (this is a personal conceit) than like the purists who are worried about which folio they are working from and who want to preserve and reproduce every word. So we could do a version, with a bit of extra work, that our audience will love.
But it got me to thinking: why do Shakespeare if it takes all this work both for the company and for the audience. Why bother?
It could be because Shakespeare is the greatest playwright in the English language. But that's not why I do it. It could be because Shakespeare is the most oft quoted person in the English language after the folks who wrote the Christian bible. But that's not why I do it. It could be because we owe Shakespeare more of a debt language-wise than most people know. He added thousands of words to our daily vocabularies. But that's not why I do it. That's why we should respect him but not why we should produce him.
I do these plays because they are fun or moving or compelling. The stories are excellent; the devices simple and unreliant on fancy tech or gimmick. The characters are deeply memorable, inspiriing, or easy to hate. The language is vaulted, beautiful, and inspiring. These are real human stories told well and, four hundred years later, we relate to them. In short, I do these plays because they are entertaining. I do these plays because audiences love them.
And I think I can hear Shakespeare cheering because there's really no other reason to produce any play.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing the all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year and running her Shakespeare is Boffo! -- theatre for active kids -- summer camps. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
And there were a few that just thought we shouldn't do it at all. Why? It's too hard. Too hard to understand. I don't get it. I'm missing a lot....
Okay. Okay.
The language is archaic but a good dramaturge can work that script up nicely for a current audience unused to its rhythm and its turn of phrase. A good dramaturge can also streamline the piece to keep it at a nice length. Shakespeare will not be turning in his grave. He would, I am sure, be saying: "Give them what they want!" I imagine the guy to be more like me (this is a personal conceit) than like the purists who are worried about which folio they are working from and who want to preserve and reproduce every word. So we could do a version, with a bit of extra work, that our audience will love.
But it got me to thinking: why do Shakespeare if it takes all this work both for the company and for the audience. Why bother?
It could be because Shakespeare is the greatest playwright in the English language. But that's not why I do it. It could be because Shakespeare is the most oft quoted person in the English language after the folks who wrote the Christian bible. But that's not why I do it. It could be because we owe Shakespeare more of a debt language-wise than most people know. He added thousands of words to our daily vocabularies. But that's not why I do it. That's why we should respect him but not why we should produce him.
I do these plays because they are fun or moving or compelling. The stories are excellent; the devices simple and unreliant on fancy tech or gimmick. The characters are deeply memorable, inspiriing, or easy to hate. The language is vaulted, beautiful, and inspiring. These are real human stories told well and, four hundred years later, we relate to them. In short, I do these plays because they are entertaining. I do these plays because audiences love them.
And I think I can hear Shakespeare cheering because there's really no other reason to produce any play.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing the all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year and running her Shakespeare is Boffo! -- theatre for active kids -- summer camps. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Please make sure your headshot looks like you.
Okay, I see a lot of folks audition - just finished casting the All Female Taming of the Shrew, for example, and we had tons of great actresses out but we bumped into a problem; so, I decided to have a quiet word with you about your head shot, folks.
Please make sure your head shot looks like you.
A surprising number of folks brought in glam shots as head shots. Nice pictures, lots of make up, seductive poses, a little bit with the touching up here and there. Great pictures, truly. But we would look at them following the auditions, trying to decide who we were calling back or casting and the picture would not evoke the actor in my mind. Killer for an auditionee. After the second night of auditions, we even toyed with taking a picture of each actor as she came into the room, this happened so frequently.
Remember the reasons why we have head shots in the first place:
1. To help get a callback.
2. To help get cast.
How? By evoking the actor's performance. If your shot does not make me think of you, we both have a problem.
All right, all right. Some folks are getting work because these shots. And the cynical side of me understands why you have them. Also, I think they are great for television and film. But in theatre, use them judiciously. If you are coming in for a glam character and will present in audition made up and seductive, fine; bring in that glam shot. But if you are coming in for any other kind of role, consider having a second, clean, untouched up, smiling you to look at. A shot that looks just like you.
It will help me a lot.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild, directing The Wild Life (a Kidsplay production), and prepping for the all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
How To Make Sure You Stay Inspired As A Director
So much of creativity seems to come out of the ether, from nowhere, seemingly magically. For a Director, it's no different. The crazy, awesome ideas that come to you in the middle of the night or at the spur of the moment in rehearsal, these are golden. I, personally, feel so lucky when I am so inspired and have worried, in the past, about what I would do if the inspiration didn't come.
But, after having directed dozens of shows and been in rehearsal watching other directors work for dozens and dozens of shows, I have come to the conclusion that the best way to stay inspired is to keep working. Why? The inspiration will come. It will. What's the trick? You have to know it will.
Oh sure, you say. Thanks for the circular argument.
Fair enough. But the crazy is this is true. You are a talented, intelligent director. You've already had a few kicks at the can and done well. You know that, when you needed it, the inspiration came. When you had to solve a problem or were stuck with a flat scene, always something comes to you that helps solve problem or makes the scene more compelling.
In fact, if you are like most directors, the ideas come at a fast and furious pace. So much so, that many Directors have trouble sifting through the ideas to determine what works and what doesn't. Some directors are changing things right up the to last moment often to the detriment of the piece - but that is a topic for another post.
For this blog post, if you are worried about your inspiration, all I will say is rest assured. If you are doing your research, if you are reading your play, if you are working with actors, the inspiration will come.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild, directing the All-Female Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions, and prepping three Shakespeare is Boffo! summer camps for Jaybird and the Open Door. Also, she is serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
But, after having directed dozens of shows and been in rehearsal watching other directors work for dozens and dozens of shows, I have come to the conclusion that the best way to stay inspired is to keep working. Why? The inspiration will come. It will. What's the trick? You have to know it will.
Oh sure, you say. Thanks for the circular argument.
Fair enough. But the crazy is this is true. You are a talented, intelligent director. You've already had a few kicks at the can and done well. You know that, when you needed it, the inspiration came. When you had to solve a problem or were stuck with a flat scene, always something comes to you that helps solve problem or makes the scene more compelling.
In fact, if you are like most directors, the ideas come at a fast and furious pace. So much so, that many Directors have trouble sifting through the ideas to determine what works and what doesn't. Some directors are changing things right up the to last moment often to the detriment of the piece - but that is a topic for another post.
For this blog post, if you are worried about your inspiration, all I will say is rest assured. If you are doing your research, if you are reading your play, if you are working with actors, the inspiration will come.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild, directing the All-Female Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions, and prepping three Shakespeare is Boffo! summer camps for Jaybird and the Open Door. Also, she is serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Your Privilege Is Showing
Don't lift that skirt any higher, darling.
I am directing a show called Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild. Arguably one of the funnier North America farces, Tenor was, however, written about twenty-five years ago and includes black face make up (a tenor dons his costume for Otello, the Opera). Black face is not, now, considered acceptable for any reason. A friend of mine, who is particularly interested in race issues -- and was even pre-warned -- left at intermission, he found the device so offensive.
As a person who is deeply aware that the current dominant gaze in our canon of theatre plays is white, straight, and masculine, I sympathize.
But I am a whore. I do every piece to its fullest. If the show is on, the show is on. Current methods of dealing with the black face include resolving to middle eastern (light brown make up/turban). This is something I won't do as it creates the same problem, in my mind and is a cop out, feeding on media driven fears in order to 'get away' with something. Nope, I just did it.
Having said this, I felt very bad - this is a good friend. No one wants to hurt anyone's feelings.
Now, I also went whole hog with the objectification of some of the women in the show. If I'm going to piss people off; I'm going to piss people off. Think whatever you like of me. Now, these women are sexy (assumiing the gaze is masculine and straight). It was interesting to me that no mention was made of how the women were presented. It was just assumed that the women would self-objectify to satisfy the dominant gaze and that's fine. Hey, wait....
Hmmmmm. Don't lift that skirt any higher, darling. Your privilege is showing.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild, directing The Wild Life (a Kidsplay production), and prepping for the all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
I am directing a show called Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild. Arguably one of the funnier North America farces, Tenor was, however, written about twenty-five years ago and includes black face make up (a tenor dons his costume for Otello, the Opera). Black face is not, now, considered acceptable for any reason. A friend of mine, who is particularly interested in race issues -- and was even pre-warned -- left at intermission, he found the device so offensive.
As a person who is deeply aware that the current dominant gaze in our canon of theatre plays is white, straight, and masculine, I sympathize.
But I am a whore. I do every piece to its fullest. If the show is on, the show is on. Current methods of dealing with the black face include resolving to middle eastern (light brown make up/turban). This is something I won't do as it creates the same problem, in my mind and is a cop out, feeding on media driven fears in order to 'get away' with something. Nope, I just did it.
Having said this, I felt very bad - this is a good friend. No one wants to hurt anyone's feelings.
Now, I also went whole hog with the objectification of some of the women in the show. If I'm going to piss people off; I'm going to piss people off. Think whatever you like of me. Now, these women are sexy (assumiing the gaze is masculine and straight). It was interesting to me that no mention was made of how the women were presented. It was just assumed that the women would self-objectify to satisfy the dominant gaze and that's fine. Hey, wait....
Hmmmmm. Don't lift that skirt any higher, darling. Your privilege is showing.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild, directing The Wild Life (a Kidsplay production), and prepping for the all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Sometimes Weight is Freedom
I usually don't like to weigh a show down with a cumbersome concept. I read the script over and over. The show will start to demand a certain physical reality to tell the story well. We embellish as much or as little as that show's reality requires.
Doing anything else can have the opposite of the intended effect. Concept plays were invented because the directors were moved to tell the story in a stronger way but, a lot of the time, director's concepts (metaphorically often strong and often very clever) actually compete with the piece for the audience's attention, thereby weakening both. Very rarely, an overlaid external concept breeds strength but, usually (sadly), external concepts forced on a piece are rather like placing a lightly frosted window between the audience and the play. It might be prettier but you can't see as well.
So, I worry. I have encumbered my upcoming production of Taming of the Shrew with the initial artistic decision that it will be played by all women. The rest of the process will have to accommodate that decision - from basic movement and vocal work, to blocking to costumes to.... Consequently, this play will be a little more challenging to get up than other productions. It'll be a little more difficult to get that story told well.
But I'm wondering: could this 'all-female' concept actually offer me some freedom?
For example, I have long been a proponent of blind casting but have been criticized and even ostracized for having the temerity to walk the walk on this issue. And, yet, if our default is always white and male, fairly soon the number of artists who can tell a lot of these stories will dwindle to a very small sampling of the overall population. Crazy. We need to find ways of opening stuff up.
And in this show I can. Why? If I've already blown the lid off of one pot, no one is really going to peek in the other. Honestly, if the person playing a male role is a woman, are people going to further question race? Why would they?
The construct is already sexless. We can make it raceless, too. Sometimes weight is freedom.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild, directing The Wild Life (a Kidsplay production), and prepping for the all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
Thursday, May 2, 2013
How I like to work. And who I like to work with.
Actors are, by and large, my favourite people. They are funny, talented, energetic, and darn good looking besides. I was just thinking how lucky I am to have another great cast and it got me to thinking about what kinds of actors I like to work with the most.
So, what do I like about my current cast? They play. They don't come in thinking that rehearsal is a kind of performance for the director; they don't want little gold stars. They use rehearsal time to try things out and really play with the piece.
Now, I want to be plain, here. I am a deeply collaborative director. I've done some study on what makes projects work and what inspires folks and, consequently, I've spent the last four or five years figuring out how to work effectively in rehearsal while at the same time eschewing the current 'Victorian Family' model of theatre; so, so: Director as Father (unquestioned authority figure), Stage Manager as Mother (or strict nanny), Actors as Children. I don't buy this model because I feel it's too limiting and insulting for all involved. I like a looser and more creative environment in which there is a lot of co-operation.
For the sake of peace and equilibrium, I remain the ultimate decision-maker. So a bit of a tyrant, that way, but during the process, I really encourage people to own their own work, to bring ideas to the table, to really play. Unless there are moments I am forced to craft (for example, I am currently doing a farce and at points timing is critical), I don't insist that they to do my blocking. I will have fallback blocking. I will have thought about it and worked it out, but I tend to let them move naturally through the space as we develop the piece. Not only is this ultimately more effective in producing an entertaining show, it's much more fun to rehearse because there's room for the happy accidents - those magical moments we discover together at rehearsal.
So, what do I look for in an actor? A bunch of qualities. But I can tell you that I am so thankful when I get a self-motivated cast who are willing to try anything, make fools of themselves, comment constructively, tell me what they like or don't like, and get off the darn book as soon as possible so we can really see what the play is about. Fun.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild, directing The Wild Life (a Kidsplay production), and prepping for the all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
So, what do I like about my current cast? They play. They don't come in thinking that rehearsal is a kind of performance for the director; they don't want little gold stars. They use rehearsal time to try things out and really play with the piece.
Now, I want to be plain, here. I am a deeply collaborative director. I've done some study on what makes projects work and what inspires folks and, consequently, I've spent the last four or five years figuring out how to work effectively in rehearsal while at the same time eschewing the current 'Victorian Family' model of theatre; so, so: Director as Father (unquestioned authority figure), Stage Manager as Mother (or strict nanny), Actors as Children. I don't buy this model because I feel it's too limiting and insulting for all involved. I like a looser and more creative environment in which there is a lot of co-operation.
For the sake of peace and equilibrium, I remain the ultimate decision-maker. So a bit of a tyrant, that way, but during the process, I really encourage people to own their own work, to bring ideas to the table, to really play. Unless there are moments I am forced to craft (for example, I am currently doing a farce and at points timing is critical), I don't insist that they to do my blocking. I will have fallback blocking. I will have thought about it and worked it out, but I tend to let them move naturally through the space as we develop the piece. Not only is this ultimately more effective in producing an entertaining show, it's much more fun to rehearse because there's room for the happy accidents - those magical moments we discover together at rehearsal.
So, what do I look for in an actor? A bunch of qualities. But I can tell you that I am so thankful when I get a self-motivated cast who are willing to try anything, make fools of themselves, comment constructively, tell me what they like or don't like, and get off the darn book as soon as possible so we can really see what the play is about. Fun.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild, directing The Wild Life (a Kidsplay production), and prepping for the all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Is it a theatre company or a theatre club....?
So, the artistic veracity of institutions ebbs and flows. For years, a company can be motivated by core values that put artistic quality first and, then slowly over time, can be more and, then, solely motivated by the social experience - more of a club. Either is fine. No judgement here. But, let's say the idea of artistic expression is paramount to you: a theatre club may not be your cup of tea. Or, let's say you're tired of busting your ass for thankless arteests and want to have some fun? Maybe a theatre club might be a better bet.
So, how can you tell? Is it a Company or is it a Club? Well, gosh. They often look and smell the same but really the core values of the two are completely different. Some ways to tell...
It could be a Club when....
1) They spend a lot of money on a nice clubhouse. (Don't confuse this with groups that have been gifted space.)
2) Casting decisions are based on friendship or who has done the most work for the group.
3) Artistic staff are hired based on friendship or who has done the most work for the group.
4) Every show is considered the best show ever. No criticism of the shows is allowed.
5) Artistic Staff tends to stay the same.
6) Significant resources go into parties or other social events.
7) Decisions are made with the comfort of the club members as primary.
8) The amount of resources thrown at a show is dependent on who is most popular.
9) Most of the members are in all of the shows.
It could be a Company when....
1) They have no or minimal resources going to permanent space, using space only when absolutely necessary.
2) In fact, all resource decisions are based in the needs if the show.
3) Casting decisions are based on who performs the role best in auditions.
4) A Company will hire pro directors whenever possible and only occassionally hire a (very) talented amateur.
5) Artistic Staff can be the same (especially if they're good) but there is always new blood coming and going.
6) Shows are internally critiqued and effort is put into getting better.
7) There may be a lot of going to the bar after rehearsals and shows but not a lot of social events, otherwise.
8) Membership grows with the needs of the show and members come and go. But there is often a dedicated core membership.
So, if you are looking to join a group that is all fun, join a club. If you are looking to win some awards, join a company. Don't go in and try to change everything; one person cannot change the culture in a group. Just go and find a group that suits you best. The end.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild, directing The Wild Life (a Kidsplay production), and prepping for the all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
So, how can you tell? Is it a Company or is it a Club? Well, gosh. They often look and smell the same but really the core values of the two are completely different. Some ways to tell...
It could be a Club when....
1) They spend a lot of money on a nice clubhouse. (Don't confuse this with groups that have been gifted space.)
2) Casting decisions are based on friendship or who has done the most work for the group.
3) Artistic staff are hired based on friendship or who has done the most work for the group.
4) Every show is considered the best show ever. No criticism of the shows is allowed.
5) Artistic Staff tends to stay the same.
6) Significant resources go into parties or other social events.
7) Decisions are made with the comfort of the club members as primary.
8) The amount of resources thrown at a show is dependent on who is most popular.
9) Most of the members are in all of the shows.
It could be a Company when....
1) They have no or minimal resources going to permanent space, using space only when absolutely necessary.
2) In fact, all resource decisions are based in the needs if the show.
3) Casting decisions are based on who performs the role best in auditions.
4) A Company will hire pro directors whenever possible and only occassionally hire a (very) talented amateur.
5) Artistic Staff can be the same (especially if they're good) but there is always new blood coming and going.
6) Shows are internally critiqued and effort is put into getting better.
7) There may be a lot of going to the bar after rehearsals and shows but not a lot of social events, otherwise.
8) Membership grows with the needs of the show and members come and go. But there is often a dedicated core membership.
So, if you are looking to join a group that is all fun, join a club. If you are looking to win some awards, join a company. Don't go in and try to change everything; one person cannot change the culture in a group. Just go and find a group that suits you best. The end.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild, directing The Wild Life (a Kidsplay production), and prepping for the all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
Thursday, April 11, 2013
So, who is this chick, anyway?
How do we know anything about this character we want to play? How do we know what she wants? What she needs? As an actor, you will probably spend a lot of time fleshing this character out. I suggest you go through a process of determining what happens, asking the question why these things happen, answering the why, and, then, making conclusions from there.
For the what, you need to go to your first and best mine of information: the script itself.
Well, you say, it's a big script! How do I deal with it in terms of my character? Great question. When analyzing a script for character information, I suggest you make lists of points taken straight from the script that answer the following questions:
This is a simple list of each salient plot point that includes your character.
What does she say about herself?
This is a simple list of statements that she makes about her own self - things she likes, dislikes, cares about. Key phrases to look for:
What do other characters say about her? How do they treat her?
Well, well, well. This is the what. The what that happens, the what that is said. In this list, you will see that there is none of the why. Why was she late for the first time? Why does she go out of her way to make her boss happy? Why does he fire her, really? Why does she kill him?
Answering those questions can lead to unbelievably different conclusions; so, make sure your answers make sense or jibe with all of what she does or says. Further, the back story or any choices you make for this character, any fleshing out you do, must also accommodate these key character points.
Oftentimes, you might come across points that might seem hard to reconcile. In our example, we see that despite this being her first time late ever, she gets fired. The why of this could be very interesting. Clearly, the lateness is being used as an excuse.....
Happy character building!
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild, directing The Wild Life (a Kidsplay production), and prepping for the all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
For the what, you need to go to your first and best mine of information: the script itself.
Well, you say, it's a big script! How do I deal with it in terms of my character? Great question. When analyzing a script for character information, I suggest you make lists of points taken straight from the script that answer the following questions:
- What does the character do?
- What does she say about herself?
- What do other characters say about her? How do they treat her?
This is a simple list of each salient plot point that includes your character.
- She gets up in the morning.
- She talks to her fiancee about their upcoming marriage.
- She gets to work and finds a pink slip.
- She goes out and buys a gun.
What does she say about herself?
This is a simple list of statements that she makes about her own self - things she likes, dislikes, cares about. Key phrases to look for:
- I want/don't want [insert thing here]
- I hate/love [insert thing here]
- I couldn't/could
- You do/don't think [insert thing here] about me
What do other characters say about her? How do they treat her?
- Do other characters describe or comment on your character? Write these statements out in full.
- Do they treat her with respect or disdain or....? Make a list of how folks treat her.
- She is a maid who is late for very the first time in five years.
- Everyone says she is usually reliable.
- She says she loves her work.
- She often goes out of her way to make her male boss happy.
- He fires her for being late once.
- She says she is devastated by the loss of her job
- She goes out and buys a gun.
- She returns and kills her employer.
Well, well, well. This is the what. The what that happens, the what that is said. In this list, you will see that there is none of the why. Why was she late for the first time? Why does she go out of her way to make her boss happy? Why does he fire her, really? Why does she kill him?
Answering those questions can lead to unbelievably different conclusions; so, make sure your answers make sense or jibe with all of what she does or says. Further, the back story or any choices you make for this character, any fleshing out you do, must also accommodate these key character points.
Oftentimes, you might come across points that might seem hard to reconcile. In our example, we see that despite this being her first time late ever, she gets fired. The why of this could be very interesting. Clearly, the lateness is being used as an excuse.....
Happy character building!
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild, directing The Wild Life (a Kidsplay production), and prepping for the all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
Monday, April 1, 2013
Gotta have faith.
I have spoken to a number of actors who tell me they won't let the director know when they've been blocked to perform a move or action that hurts them physically or scares them. They don't want to rock the boat. They don't want to be labelled as difficult.
As a long time theatre person, I know that getting a bad reputation (deserved or no) can be a killer for an actor. You just stop being cast and nobody tells you why. Just brutal. A nightmare. Same thing goes for just about every position, however. The community can, with no notice nor chance to change one's behaviour, quietly close ranks and stop letting an individual do anything. I've seen this happen to highly effective people, highly talented people. I've seen it happen in professional and community level theatre. Ostracism is rampant. Course, I don't think ostracism is wise but that's a topic for another post.
Long and short, though: If this happens to you, you're out in the cold. Often with no recourse. Which is why I understand the fear of standing up for yourself. You don't want to get a reputation.
But the very same actors who don't let you know they are hurting, will argue with you for half an hour before accepting a bit of blocking that they don't understand. That's okay. But personal safety? You don't want to be a problem?
When it comes to safety, we should never muck around. And you have to have faith that you're working with adults who care.
Don't be afraid to come forward. Theatre is dangerous. And, if the move or action hurts, imagine how it's going to feel after you do it a hundred times? N'up, let me know right away. That information, truly, helps me in my opinion and, if you're not working for someone like me, if you're working for a bunch of jerks who couldn't give a shit about your safety, let 'em ostracize you. You may live longer.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently prepping and leading her Shakespeare is Boffo! theatre arts camps for active kids, directing directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild , directing The Wild Life (a Kidsplay production), prepping for Shakespeare is Boffo! 2013, Summer Camps, and prepping for and all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
As a long time theatre person, I know that getting a bad reputation (deserved or no) can be a killer for an actor. You just stop being cast and nobody tells you why. Just brutal. A nightmare. Same thing goes for just about every position, however. The community can, with no notice nor chance to change one's behaviour, quietly close ranks and stop letting an individual do anything. I've seen this happen to highly effective people, highly talented people. I've seen it happen in professional and community level theatre. Ostracism is rampant. Course, I don't think ostracism is wise but that's a topic for another post.
Long and short, though: If this happens to you, you're out in the cold. Often with no recourse. Which is why I understand the fear of standing up for yourself. You don't want to get a reputation.
But the very same actors who don't let you know they are hurting, will argue with you for half an hour before accepting a bit of blocking that they don't understand. That's okay. But personal safety? You don't want to be a problem?
When it comes to safety, we should never muck around. And you have to have faith that you're working with adults who care.
Don't be afraid to come forward. Theatre is dangerous. And, if the move or action hurts, imagine how it's going to feel after you do it a hundred times? N'up, let me know right away. That information, truly, helps me in my opinion and, if you're not working for someone like me, if you're working for a bunch of jerks who couldn't give a shit about your safety, let 'em ostracize you. You may live longer.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently prepping and leading her Shakespeare is Boffo! theatre arts camps for active kids, directing directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild , directing The Wild Life (a Kidsplay production), prepping for Shakespeare is Boffo! 2013, Summer Camps, and prepping for and all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
Monday, March 18, 2013
Cool Change
So, off in the Melbourne, Australia, cool changes are often abrupt and almost violent things -- wind whipping through the streets, stirring up dust and refuse, so strong you couldn't stand up against it and you'd have to hide inside. But after it passed, the temp would drop, oh, twenty degrees and the air would be clean and pleasant. Really enjoyed the days after a change.
Well, I often find as an artist that the wind gets a little stale and I have to move on. And, by that, I mean that it all gets a little too comfortable and easy to do what you do - an immediate recipe for artistic mediocrity.
Or the converse can happen. People around you start making it too hard to do what you do - by not hiring you or laying down sets of core values that aren't germane to your artistic process. Folks start to believe they know you too well, know what you can do, or know how you'll respond, and that's where they put you. Again, an immediate recipe for artistic meh.
And, then there's the worst: you get yourself a posse. Posses make you look a little more important and impress folks outside your personal sphere but tend to contribute to artistic cronyism - I mean, you gotta pay back that posse somehow, right? Death to any attempt to make great art.
So I make the wind blow, dust off my wings and go elsewhere. Between you and me, I secretly like this part. I know I'm not supposed to because change is supposed to be hard. But it gives me a chance to clear the cobwebs artistically (and emotionally and socially, actually) and tends to leave me clearer and more motivated than before.
Ease rarely encourages an individual to strive. I'd much rather be a little fish in a big pond, than a big fish in a little one. Which is one of the reasons why there is a Jaybird Productions in the first place.
It leaves me a bit of a lone wolf but that's fine. Cool change is refreshing. Consider it often.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild and prepping for her Shakespeare is Boffo! summer camps and prepping for an all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
Well, I often find as an artist that the wind gets a little stale and I have to move on. And, by that, I mean that it all gets a little too comfortable and easy to do what you do - an immediate recipe for artistic mediocrity.
Or the converse can happen. People around you start making it too hard to do what you do - by not hiring you or laying down sets of core values that aren't germane to your artistic process. Folks start to believe they know you too well, know what you can do, or know how you'll respond, and that's where they put you. Again, an immediate recipe for artistic meh.
And, then there's the worst: you get yourself a posse. Posses make you look a little more important and impress folks outside your personal sphere but tend to contribute to artistic cronyism - I mean, you gotta pay back that posse somehow, right? Death to any attempt to make great art.
So I make the wind blow, dust off my wings and go elsewhere. Between you and me, I secretly like this part. I know I'm not supposed to because change is supposed to be hard. But it gives me a chance to clear the cobwebs artistically (and emotionally and socially, actually) and tends to leave me clearer and more motivated than before.
Ease rarely encourages an individual to strive. I'd much rather be a little fish in a big pond, than a big fish in a little one. Which is one of the reasons why there is a Jaybird Productions in the first place.
It leaves me a bit of a lone wolf but that's fine. Cool change is refreshing. Consider it often.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild and prepping for her Shakespeare is Boffo! summer camps and prepping for an all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
Thursday, February 7, 2013
A change is as good as a...
Look. I`ve got an ego like everybody else. I would argue, though I`m not admitting a thing, that I have a huge ego. Most theatre people do. I know what I like and that`s what I do. I`m smart and I tend to excel at things if I work hard. So lucky.
But I think my ego might have tripped me up in the area of auditions.
I used to think I was pretty good at re-directing audtitionees. Time and time again I would give a redirect and the actor would shine, the monologue would really click, and we would see a side of the actor that really helped us make a decision in her favour.
Used to think I was so clever.
But it`s dawned on me that I ain`t so smart as I thunk because of what I now believe was really happening. The actor didn`t all of a sudden `get better` because of what I said. My interpretation wasn`t specifically better -- at times I would ask the actor to work against the text to give some feel of what I was looking for. No, it`s just that the particular turn on the monologue was fresh.
Our greatest challenge as theatre artists is to deliver work that is fresh and immediate. And, the actor has that job in spades when she walks into an audition - usually because she has rehearsed her monologue a certain way over and over and over again in the hope that her recall is cold. But, sadly, it is probably that very act of repitition that kills the immediacy that brings a performance alive.
So as an actor, what do you do? You have to learn the thing, right? Riiiiight.
But here's an idea. Why not be me? Why not be your own director? Before you walk into the audition, why not put your own spin on the piece - ideally something that shows me a side of your acting that helps me to see you in the role - but definitely something you haven't rehearsed over and over and over again? Something that forces you on your toes, makes you hop, and breathes new life into the piece. For example, if you are going to play a character who is angry, why not spin the monologue to anger? Or if the character you want to play is prissy, why not present the monologue thus regardless of the original intent of the piece?
I am sure this would be a bit terrifying the first few times you do it but I bet you would present with a more immediate, alive version of your monologue that will make a huge difference in what I think of your talent.
I have enough ego that I would like to think it's me that makes you better but, really, actors: it's you. It's your committment, your energy, your talent, your honesty, and your courage. Anyone who tells you different is selling you something.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently prepping and leading her Shakespeare is Boffo! theatre arts camps for active kids, directing directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild and prepping for and all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
But I think my ego might have tripped me up in the area of auditions.
I used to think I was pretty good at re-directing audtitionees. Time and time again I would give a redirect and the actor would shine, the monologue would really click, and we would see a side of the actor that really helped us make a decision in her favour.
Used to think I was so clever.
But it`s dawned on me that I ain`t so smart as I thunk because of what I now believe was really happening. The actor didn`t all of a sudden `get better` because of what I said. My interpretation wasn`t specifically better -- at times I would ask the actor to work against the text to give some feel of what I was looking for. No, it`s just that the particular turn on the monologue was fresh.
Our greatest challenge as theatre artists is to deliver work that is fresh and immediate. And, the actor has that job in spades when she walks into an audition - usually because she has rehearsed her monologue a certain way over and over and over again in the hope that her recall is cold. But, sadly, it is probably that very act of repitition that kills the immediacy that brings a performance alive.
So as an actor, what do you do? You have to learn the thing, right? Riiiiight.
But here's an idea. Why not be me? Why not be your own director? Before you walk into the audition, why not put your own spin on the piece - ideally something that shows me a side of your acting that helps me to see you in the role - but definitely something you haven't rehearsed over and over and over again? Something that forces you on your toes, makes you hop, and breathes new life into the piece. For example, if you are going to play a character who is angry, why not spin the monologue to anger? Or if the character you want to play is prissy, why not present the monologue thus regardless of the original intent of the piece?
I am sure this would be a bit terrifying the first few times you do it but I bet you would present with a more immediate, alive version of your monologue that will make a huge difference in what I think of your talent.
I have enough ego that I would like to think it's me that makes you better but, really, actors: it's you. It's your committment, your energy, your talent, your honesty, and your courage. Anyone who tells you different is selling you something.
Jacqui Burke is a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is currently prepping and leading her Shakespeare is Boffo! theatre arts camps for active kids, directing directing Lend Me A Tenor for Scarborough Theatre Guild and prepping for and all female version of Taming of the Shrew for Jaybird Productions going up in the fall of this year. She is, also, serializing The Pretender, her first novel, online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
Jacqui Burke
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
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