Acting as a life : "What am I doing?"

Transcription

1 University of Iowa Iowa Research Online Theses and Dissertations Summer 2012 Acting as a life : "What am I doing?" Andres Ray Enriquez University of Iowa Copyright 2012 Andres Enriquez This thesis is available at Iowa Research Online: Recommended Citation Enriquez, Andres Ray. "Acting as a life : "What am I doing?"." MFA (Master of Fine Arts) thesis, University of Iowa, Follow this and additional works at: Part of the Theatre and Performance Studies Commons

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8 1 WHAT AM I DOING? Doing the Do When asked why I love to act, I always say that I am fascinated by people and human behavior. I always seek out in my own life why it is I do what I do and especially why others do what they do. Were I more studious and patient (and academically diligent), I may have decided to pursue a degree in Psychology. Yet there s something so fulfilling in understanding a character and opening yourself up to their world, then embodying that person and telling their story to a crowd of people, while they are entertained, enlightened, or empathetic. It s unique, cathartic, and one of the most gratifying experiences I know. Because of this fascination I have of humanity, watching a very real, honest, and human person on stage is what speaks to me and inspires me as an artist. I admire those actors who dig deep into a character and themselves: They dare to be stripped down of all their tricks and masks and act truthfully; they make big, bold, and even dangerous choices in order to explore/discover the character being played; they bring an ease to the work, free of extraneous tension; they are physically versatile and emotionally available; they take in everything, and are responsive and connected to their fellow actors. All these aspects say to me that this person is not simply a good actor, but a beautiful artist. Those same qualities are the ones that I work for every day in my own work, and am fortunate enough to have the skills and tools to do so. * * * One of the things that draws my attention when watching acting is simplicity. To me, simplicity means a dropping of all efforts to try for something in your work and to

9 2 just allow whatever happens to happen. It means letting go of both physical and mental tension, not trying to seize up or brace for any moment, nor thinking through or anticipating a moment so much that the spontaneity and truth is gone. When I see someone simply experiencing a moment and emoting in response, I m completely captivated. One of my favorite actors, Will Smith, who I normally associate with comedy and extremity, brought a beautiful simplicity in the last moments of his movie, The Pursuit of Happyness. As he listened to his new boss congratulate him on getting the job, all he did was take this in and hear the words, letting them affect him without forcing emotion or gathering tension. Not only did we see his joy, but we felt it as well. Smith s portrayal of Chris Gardner in this movie touched me, not merely by being simple, but by being extremely brave. I believe a great actor is one who is incredibly and consistently brave. This encompasses a large number of things: Taking risks, complete trust (in yourself, your partner, the text, etc.), and not being afraid to fail, in whatever capacity. One idea I always start off with when teaching my acting class is taking a risk, being silly or big, and having the courage to do so and commit to it. Of course, for beginning actors, bravery on stage often means making a strong committed choice during a warm-up game or improvisation. Even so, the results of that are more often than not a more honest choice, simply because it was a choice filled with fear, yet still fully committed to. While bravery in green actors begins to unearth honesty, bravery in experienced actors is a beautiful thing to watch. One of the actors in my own class, John Watkins, has always been a shining example of a brave actor to me. His choices, be they correct or not, are always risking something; whether putting his emotions on the line or making

10 3 himself look ridiculous, he will explore and try out anything that he feels might work. It s a pleasure to watch him work, and a privilege to work along side him. Brave actors have the power to make those around them feel permission to take those risks as well, which is what working with a brave actor does to me. In my own journey through Grad School, I ve found that simplicity and bravery go hand-in-hand for me. I ve always had strength in my work for choosing to do something, but rarely have I been brave enough to not try and do anything and simply be open on stage. I have, however, experienced the power of not rushing to do something and being brave enough to let it happen, which has laid the foundation for my belief and appreciation in brave simplicity. In the last rehearsals of Sarah Ruhl s Eurydice, I (as Orpheus) had to use just my words to grab and reach for Eurydice (Deanna Brookens) as she started walking back to the Underworld. I saw Deanna, connected with her, and made a choice to just say the words so that she would hear them no pushing, no playing at the emotion, just speaking and connecting. Before I knew it, I was overwhelmed with regret, sadness, and began crying through the lines. Having never really cried on stage before that, I was shocked at my own results, and thrilled with my own performance. Unfortunately, I never trusted myself to be able to get there again, and every night of performance I pushed my way through that scene and never felt the same feeling I had in rehearsal. But for that one evening, in front of nobody else but the stage crew, I understood what bravery in connecting to your partner was; I let Deanna in, I spoke to her, not at her, and I gave a truthfully emotional performance. I m always impressed with crying on stage, as silly as that might sound. The reason it impresses me so much is that, like I said, I m not one to do it. The release of

11 4 emotion is something very difficult for me to achieve and always has been. So when I see an actor truly connected to their big feelings on stage, I can t help but stare in amazement. I believe emotional connection is what makes theater such a beautiful experience for everyone involved, including the audience. When watching an emotionally filled performance, I can more easily connect to the character, sympathizing and becoming empathetic. Yet when I m actually the one on stage, my rush to find the emotion inside me blocks me from actually having the experience. This is probably why I have such an appreciation and admiration for those who are so emotionally available. I m reminded of one of the most heart-wrenching film scenes in my opinion, the scene from Good Will Hunting with Matt Damon and Robin Williams in the school office. The more Williams approaches Damon saying It s not your fault, the more overwhelmed Damon becomes. Eventually, he lets go and breaks down, fully affected by the situation. It was incredible to see his capacity for feeling so much in his performance. While the ability to use one s emotional range freely is admirable, what makes it truly beautiful is when one still follows an action through the emotion. In several of our acting classes, I ve witnessed those who have easier access to their emotions come up on stage and let it carry them away, losing connection to their intention and leaving the audience behind as well. However, there are those times when a classmate of mine will stop focusing on their feelings and keep connected to their objective, getting us to connect by being connected themselves, all while emotionally releasing and creating that sense of pure need that I crave to see in theatre. I remember Deanna Brookens performance of Constance from King John in voice class, how easy the emotion was for her, yet how she kept her concentration on the people on stage with her, reprimanding

12 5 them for calling her mad and driving her point of how great her grief is. To me, it was one of her strongest moments in class. Since I was a kid, I ve been drawn to performances that are based in the movement and mechanics of the body. As a kid, I would watch three kinds of movies over and over again: Swashbuckling action films, Musicals, and Marx Brothers movies. It s no doubt that this history has instilled in me a love for physical range and the expression of one s true self through physicality. Harpo Marx was a big inspiration in my youth. His absolute liberty in using his body for his jokes was exactly what I tried to bring into my own form of entertainment, reenacting his gags all over my house and telling jokes to my friends at school. I was also inspired by actor/acrobat Burt Lancaster, who had made several movies that fueled my imagination and made me believe I, too, could swordfight four men at once and leap from walls onto awnings lightly and effortlessly. As I ve grown older, other artists/performers, such as Jackie Chan, Bill Irwin, Buster Keaton, and Fred Astaire further inspired me and showed me the true beauty in physical versatility. More than that, they have shown me the ability for honesty in that expression, having the physical gesture come from a place of true need. I ve always loved how well they used their bodies in extreme ways, leaping, bending, twisting, jolting in every which way, and bringing life and excitement to the story. However, I ve learned to truly appreciate the use of the body in economic ways as well; a simple and unstressed relationship with ones physicality and using that to access emotion and convey your meaning. Again, simplicity and emotional accessibility, two of my most desired qualities in good acting, are what I love most about someone s physical expressions.

13 6 I was first introduced to a physical relationship to my emotions in Paul Kalina s first class with us as new Grads. We all underwent a process he called unblocking, which connected us to our areas of physical/emotional tension ( blocks ), releasing them and allowing the experience to happen. Upon being unblocked, I noticed tensions in my body that I ve never been aware of before, and I felt a release of that tension for the first time in my life. And yes, I cried like a baby. Experiencing this opened my eyes to the importance of simplicity and relaxation in physical expression. If one wants access to their full emotional capacity on stage, it has to start with the physical release in the body. Since my unblocking, I ve been extra-aware of actor tension, both in myself and in others I watch, and the difference in presence between the physically tense actors and the freer, more relaxed actors is incredible. At my undergraduate school, UC Santa Barbara, I was lucky enough to see Bill Irwin give a lecture. Before he came, I watched a few clips of his previous work as a clown, really impressed with his effortless use of his body in his gags and bits. What I didn t expect was the same control and ease in his portrayal of Joe from Who s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee. His physicality was significantly diminished from his clown work, yet all the energy and life from that work filled his performance on stage. He was 100% grounded. He had complete awareness of his physical self and was able to be completely physically committed to the role, even though his choices were subtle. It s a continuing inspiration in my own work. With my students, I find the biggest misunderstanding about acting is that it s all planned out, perfectly sculpted to look and sound amazing. Most of my students begin their approach on acting in this way. It s a very safe way of doing things, but ultimately

14 7 calls upon actors to accomplish things that aren t feasible (crying/accessing emotion on command, namely). Most people don t realize that a sense of absolute presence, listening, and responding creates those beautiful moments on stage, and not a construction of some façade. I find responsiveness beautiful on stage because it makes up the essence of acting: Living Truthfully under Imaginary Circumstances (Sanford Meisner). The truth of living is responding to your surroundings. If an actor can accomplish that, they can be free to explore and truthfully experience a scene and make the audience believe them. I often talk to my students about the difference between truthfulness and believability. To me, believability is making your audience believe you, whether or not you believe yourself (I often associate believability with lying or planning out). Truthfulness is a response to the situation on stage that allows you to be honest in the moment. Ideally, we want to aim for truthfulness and achieve both that AND believability. The artistry in response comes from letting each moment on stage happen to you for the first time. I recently went to Chicago to see Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting at the Looking Glass Theatre. In one incredibly tense moment of the play, Paul Robeson, played by James Vincent Meredith, belittles and shames both Bill Bojangles Robinson and boxing champion Joe Louis, leaving them both emotionally destroyed. Meredith s long-winded speech was sure to have been rehearsed to death, incorporating physicality and vocal variety to amplify his intentions. Yet Joe Louis, played by Anthony Fleming III, listened and wept as if Robeson s words had come to him as a total shock. The audience was stunned silent as Robeson continued on and Joe Louis listened in agony. To me, Fleming s openness to receive that moment is why responsiveness is so beautiful to see on stage.

15 8 Where I Stand: The Good and the Bad Okay, so what about me? Where do I fit in to all of this? Honestly, I think a big part of the reason I find all of the above so beautiful is because they are things that I struggle with in my own work as an actor. When I began to list the weaknesses in my acting process, I realized that they all were the result of one of four major obstacles I ve encountered: 1. Going after a result, focusing on the product as opposed to the process. In other words, having an idea of how something SHOULD work and the result of it working. 2. My fear of the unknown, and my fear of allowing the unknown to happen. 3. Physical blocks that hold emotional tension. 4. My tendencies toward extravagance and elaboration. All of these things have at one point or another stopped my work from going further than it has. That s not to say that I haven t made strides towards diminishing these problems, which I m proud to say that I have. The thing is, these weaknesses persist and will continue to persist the rest of my life, even in the areas of work that I feel like I have strength. Voice Ever since I was a kid, I ve loved to sing, and my work has been influenced and solidified by my musical past. I ve understood the power behind diaphragmatic breathing and how to properly attack a sound without damaging my vocal chords. What s more, I

16 9 have a very good sense of rhythm and musicality that I frequently apply to texts. It has aided me in the understanding of Shakespearean verse, and on a very fundamental level, helps me to memorize my lines. Musicality helps me to hear and feel the words in a more imaginative way, play with the rhythm of more modern texts. Also, as I ve learned from Judy Leigh-Johnson s various voice classes, I grasp the notions of breathing for the full thought, using operative words, and exercising full pitch range and articulation fairly well. With Judy s help, my speaking voice has only gotten stronger. However, as a result of this, my focus is often not on my voice engaging me in my acting, but on how it sounds. At times, I balance close to what Patsy Rodenburg calls voice beautiful, a superficial beauty in the sound of the voice, but one that does not aid the actor in connecting to the text. Often times I stopped short of freeing up or playing with the text because I needed the result to sound a certain way. I often need to take a step back from hoping for a result and focus on my text, my breath, my alignment, etc. The great thing is that when I do, it really changes my work for the better. I will say one of my strengths is a good listening ear for foreign sounds, making my ear for dialects and accents keener than many. This has also helped me grasp the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and apply it to my dialect learning. The ease I have in developing a dialect has allowed me to have more fun in exploring the character s way of speaking, as opposed to tackling it as some sort of strenuous task. Physicality As I ve said before, I mean physicality both as physical versatility in one s craft, as well as a connection to the inner workings of the body (breath, body centers, physical tensions, etc.) when playing a character. I m a very external actor big on

17 10 playing shapes and movement, getting up on my feet and finding my motivation through physicalizing my actions first. Because I value physicality in acting so much, I admittedly judge myself pretty harshly when talking about my own physical capabilities. I ve always been aware of my overdoing it habits, which create a lot of uncommitted, flailing gestures on stage. Also, in the rare cases of seeing my own work, I noticed a disconnection to my extremities that kept happening, and quite a bit. The big discovery of my time in Grad School is the specific areas of tension that I hold in my body. The tension I ve found in my shoulders, my lower back, my pelvis, and my legs have been big blocks in my both versatility and connection. Working through these areas of tension has not been easy for me; in fact it s one of the bigger challenges I ve faced here. Due to my need for fast results, I ve slacked a lot on physical release, not really thinking that my other problem areas could be connected to my tensions. Only in my last year have I been more focused on the body, grabbing hold of any new exercise to help my problem areas relax and let go. The positive is that learning more about my own body has improved the work I was doing before. While still fighting through my blocks, I ve achieved a much greater sense of bodily awareness, where my body is in space and how it s moving. I ve also developed the habit of chakra mapping, a yoga philosophy we learned in Paul Kalina s class(es). I m also gaining awareness through the use of the Three Parts of the Body philosophy learned in Eric Forsythe s Grotowski class. These schools of thought have vastly improved my physical approach to a character and give me a deeper connection to my character, not just giving shape and movement.

18 11 Comedy I ll be honest; I think I m pretty funny... most of the time. Most of my humor is derived from observation of those who I find funny. By studying my funny friends and my comedic role models (the Marx Brothers, as previously mentioned, along with a plethora of stand-up comedians), I am able to bring that sense of comic timing and delivery into my work as an actor. But as usual, I can tend to get in my own way with it. For example, I may get an idea of what will be funny and force it upon the scene, completely void of truth. In other moments, if something s not yet funny to me, I will overdo the actions to garner results, again nixing the honesty. Since my time at Iowa, I ve been filling my comedic sense with truth, having it come from somewhere honest instead of from my brain. In classes with John Cameron (Meisner), Paul Kalina (Mask and Clown) and Eric Forsythe (Acting Comedy), I learned the beauty of simplistic comedy, a humor that exists in the moment of truth (or Truth of the Moment, as stated in A Practical Handbook for the Actor) for the character (or clown character, as it were). Some of the funniest and most honest moments I ve had on stage were in my final for Paul Kalina s Clown class, dubbed The Stapler Scene. In the piece, my clown had just subdued Deanna s ravenous and wild clown by throwing his jacket over her head like a falcon s hood. As she stood silently, I, equally silent, cautiously crept towards the stapler, the bane of my existence, and began to wring it in my hands, fuming. I truly hated that stapler. As I strangled it, it accidentally clicked, causing Deanna to bark and me to stop cold. The audience erupted in laughter and appreciation. Why? Because it was an honest moment of anger and shock, not manufactured or spawned from the actors minds. The comedy was reinforced by the Truth of the Moment.

19 12 Simplicity My first year was full of John, Paul, and Judy calling me out on my tendencies toward the elaborate or the extravagant; constant movement, pushing in the voice, and rushing through my actions without experiencing what s really going on in the moment. It was around the time of my unblocking experience in Paul s class that I started to realize my potential in gaining a sense of simplicity. What the unblocking taught me was that the engagement in acting does not have to be effortful, and in fact the more you are released and open, the better. I had a similar lesson my first year with John Cameron, working on a scene with classmate Courtney Eaddy-Richardson on The Red Coat by John Patrick Shanley. In the scene, I had a somewhat sporadic (and incredibly frustrating) monologue about why I was sitting outside waiting for Courtney s character to arrive. No matter what I tried to do, everything fell short of making the lines work for me (because everything was so forced). Finally, John said all I needed to do was to say the words, no more, no less. After many rocky attempts, I finally was able to blurt out my lines towards Courtney, making no attempts to feel or do anything but simply tell her what I was doing there. The result, as told to me by my colleagues, was more honest and real than what I had been attempting originally. It took me a while, but eventually I started to trust the feeling of not trying to make something happen and simplifying myself on stage. I believe I ve made a lot of my work simpler, strengthening my acting. The feeling was most evident to me in my recent role as Trofimov in The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov. My first entrance on stage is loaded with back-story and subtext, as are a lot of Chekhovian works. In the start of rehearsals, I wanted to play all of the history to make sure it s all included in my performance, so everyone would get it. However,

20 13 remembering what John had told us about playing the history of a scene making it general and complicated rather than simple and specific, I found the one thing Trofimov was doing when he entered he was looking for forgiveness. The next rehearsal, I relaxed, cleared my mind of everything but the action get forgiveness, stepped on stage and was brought to tears, standing and facing Deanna Brookens, who played Liubov. So long as I remember, I can be simple on stage, and in turn, create the moments of presence and beauty that I so admire in other people s work. Emotion Possibly the biggest struggle in my work has been emotional connection. Part of it comes from clamping down on my emotions as I was growing up, not wanting to show weakness or be made fun of. Another part of it is all the many tricks and habits I ve developed as a young actor to fake and plan out my emotional responses. Now, as I continue to grow and release my old tricks in an effort to become more present, I find that my emotional connection to the scene and the text are still lacking at times. All of my tendencies, or isms as an actor contribute to my difficulty with the access of honest emotion: Because I want to give an emotional performance, I ll often try to feel something right away (endgain), which leads me to pushing and contriving emotion. Other times, I ll involuntarily shut down from the experience, afraid of what hidden truths might pop up (my ugly side, as Paul Kalina would say). Also, my physical blocks hold a lot of emotional tension that has yet to be released, so those areas tend to tighten during a high-stakes performance. Lastly, my habit of extravagance and doing too much takes my focus away from what is really happening in the scene, losing any

21 14 chance of emotional connection. The weaknesses I have all seem to come to a point at my emotional connection. Unfortunately, I know these problems will persist, and true emotional connection for me will always be a challenge. I m proud to say, however, that I ve made some great strides in the past three years. There is a much greater release of physical tension, a stronger focus on the moment-to-moment, simplicity in my choices, and a more fearless way of dealing with emotions as they rise up. I first really remember experiencing this during a staged reading of Omnium Gatherum by Theresa Rebeck and Alexandra Gersten-Vassilaros. My character s long-winded monologue was new to me, I had only previously read it a few times. On stage, book in hand, I took a full breath before beginning the moment, relaxed, and spoke the text. Once I had broken this seal, I realized that I was in fact capable of accessing emotion without clamming up (in class with John, Paul, or Judy working with me was not the same as getting up in front of a room full of strangers and performing). My confidence was heightened that day, and since then I ve had more occasions of honest emotional expression. Listening/Responding I believe that I ve benefitted from all of the classes I took at Iowa, but two classes stick out in my mind as life-changing: my first year of acting with John Cameron (Fundamentals/Meisner Technique) and Paul Kalina s Clown class (previously mentioned). John Cameron s Meisner class opened me up as an actor to actually listen on stage and be present in the moment with my partner and my surroundings. Since this class, I ve noticed myself be a much more responsive actor. As an undergrad actor, I felt a stronger connection and responsiveness to the audience rather than my scene partner(s).

22 15 When playing Sebastian in The Tempest five years ago, my performance quality was based on how much the audience liked my character and got my jokes, not on how much I tuned into the actor playing Antonio. Now, I ve noticed a significant shift of focus from my audience to my surroundings on stage. Nothing is so planned out as it used to be. My fear of not knowing my next move has significantly diminished, thankfully. The audience is still there, yes, and can sometimes still capture my attention, but I ve developed better presence on stage with my partners since I ve been here. Paul s Clown class pushed the point of listening even further for me. It had been two years since the Fundamentals class and all my old tricks were out the window and instead replaced with new tricks. Yet as Paul had said, the [clown] nose amplifies everything, even the bullshit. We would play games every class to get us open and responding honestly, and frequently I would be called out for not responding truthfully in the game but being clever instead. It wasn t until the last few weeks of that class that I started to understand simple, honest response. Since then, not only can I play more on stage, I want to do so, especially during auditions. I m much more excited about the prospect of something new, not something planned out. My obstacles keep popping up, unfortunately. I will often know how to respond before the truth of my response can occur. Rarely do I try something to remedy this, such as slowing down to find my truthful response. If ever I do, I feel my body tighten, a bad habit stemming from the pressure I put on myself to be truthful. I ve been improving with every class and every production, yet I still stumble across moments of blocking out my sensors and going on autopilot.

23 16 Moving On The reason I came to Grad School was self-confidence. I hoped to gain a better understanding of acting, as well as myself, so that I could step out into the world and actually succeed at this incredibly challenging way of life. The good news is, I ve never felt more confident in my work than I do after my time at the University of Iowa. Nearly all of everything I ve taken from this place will stick with me and influence my development. Judy Leigh-Johnson s vocal warm up has already been something I like to start my days with and is something I do before every performance. I m keeping it with me, remembering her advice to make it interesting and fresh for myself as I keep doing it. I know I intend to make an effort to keep in shape, which allows me to actually DO more on stage. I also intend to keep stretching and paying attention to my blocks, whether they be a source of emotional tension or just areas that seem tight/immobile. Every day, I keep one eye on myself and remind myself to relax my shoulders, back, feet, fingers, etc. etc., and I know I won t stop. My education in Alexander Technique has been invaluable for that. And as much as I can, I will exercise my imagination; Reading, Writing, playing, improvising, or just spending time with my friends that inspire me creatively. This is the kind of work that will keep me well tuned and ready for whatever role I get in the future. Some of the most valuable lessons I ve learned here have not been so techniqueoriented. These lessons I not only want to remember, but I need to remember, for the sake of my own self-preservation in this work. All of these lessons I learned my first year here, if not my first semester: It was one day in Verse class where we worked on our Shakespeare monologues. I nervously recited my piece, making few strong choices and more concerned about

24 17 getting it right as opposed to what I was wanting. Judy and I worked extensively on the context of the piece, and I tried it again. I believed I had applied the notes well, obviously still needing work. Judy looked at me with a concerned face and said, You re not having fun. This shook me up, because she was right. I was so worked up getting the intention correct and the voice well utilized that I began laboring in my piece. This was one of several wake-up calls for me to ultimately enjoy myself while doing this work. This work, this life, is fun. And whatever I need to do to make it fun, whether it be slow down and take my time, or explode with big, wrong choices, I will make this work enjoyable for myself. Possibly my two biggest lessons came from every single faculty member here yet I remember when I first got this advice from Paul Kalina. It was one of the several times I went into his office my first year like an abandoned puppy, slumped into his chair to ask him why I wasn t getting it, why I was struggling in class, and pretty much why I was even here in the first place. You re not gonna get it all at once, he said back to me, And you don t need to. At first, I didn t get it I thought that was the point of Grad school, to gain knowledge and then know what it is I m doing so that I can keep applying it. You re here to learn, and you re going to learn at your own pace. If your pace is slower than everyone else s, let it be slower. This sat in me for about a whole year before I started to embrace it. My process, my work, is for me and me alone. Now, I ve gained more of a comfortableness and an acceptance in how I do things, and I ve allowed others in my mind to do things their way as well. Having this, my work can be freer, more for me than for anyone else.

25 18 Just as I was about to leave Paul s office, probably still looking a little bit bewildered, he stopped me and said, Don t forget to love yourself, Andres. If you don t, no one else is gonna do it for you. This was not the last time he or anyone else said this to me from John Cameron to even Fanny Hungerford, who I only had two yoga sessions with, I ve gotten this advice from every angle possible. More and more each day, I m learning the value of being okay with myself and being okay with where I m at as an artist, person, etc. Since my time here, I ve gone from being constantly afraid of being judged, being put down, and being a bad actor, to a more open, more willing, and more secure actor. There are and will always be moments when I go back to being hard on myself, being upset that I have failed in some way. Honestly, I don t know if I ll ever not be that kind of person. Except now, I can handle it much better, move past it, and learn from the experience. * * * Bottom line, I love what I do, and I know that I will be doing it for as long as I can. Acting is my passion, and I honestly feel privileged that I m capable enough to pursue what I love most. I will always continue growing, hoping I ll never stop as much as I ve learned, I can still learn a whole lot more. I ll never stop trying. I ll keep practicing, keep working on myself, keep failing, keep learning from my failings, keep learning from others, keep relaxing, keep taking time, keep playing, keep finding the joy, keep loving myself. It s the only way I know to do this work.

26 19 PRODUCTION LOG Written by: Basil Kreimendahl Sidewinders Produced by: University Theatre (Gallery) Director: Nathan Halvorson Costume Designer: Maggie Blake Scenic Designer: Kevin Loeffler Lighting Designer: LeeAnn Yeckley Stage Manager: Michael Turczynski Dramaturg: Jennie Page-White Cast: Dakota...Kristi Starnes Bailey...Lauren Brickman Sandy...Andres Enriquez Sam...Andrew Wilkes Venue: Theatre B March 8pm, 2pm, 2012 My Role: Principal Role Written by: Anton Chekhov The Cherry Orchard Produced by: University Theatre (Mainstage)

27 20 Director: Eric Forsythe Costume Designer: Mia Khayat Scenic Designer: R. Eric Stone Lighting Designer: Jessica Fialko Composer/Sound Designer: Michael Cash Stage Manager: KatyBeth Schmid Dramaturg: Kristin Kurz Cast: Liubov Ranévskaya...Deanna Brookens Ánya...Maggie Blake Várya...Michelle Smith Leoníd Gáev...Patrick Kilby Reynolds Yermolái Lopákin...Kendall Lloyd Peter Trofímov...Andres Enriquez Borís Semyónov-Píschik...Sam Baur Schoer Charlotta...Lauren Brickman Semyón Yepihódov...John William Watkins Dunyásha...Daisy McKinlay Firs...Kevin Burford Yásha...Kjai Block A Homeless Man...Ben Schlotfelt The Stationmaster...Andrew Mehegan The Postman...Lev Cantoral Maid...Alyssa Perry Leo the Dog...Himself

28 21 Venue: E.C. Mabie Theatre October 7-8, 8pm, 9, 2pm, 2011 My Role: Principal/Supporting Role Written By: Patrick Barlow The 39 Steps Produced By: Shawnee Theatre, Bloomfield, IN Director: Brandon Bruce Costume Designer: Gene Delgado Scenic Designer: Dylan Luke Lighting Designer: Katie Stepanek Properties Designer: Melissa Boatwright/Sarah Helt Sound Designer: Brandon Bruce Stage Manager: Christine Scarfuto Cast: Richard Hannay...Andres Enriquez Annabella/Pamela/Margaret...Heather Michele Lawler Clown 1...Luke Schares Clown 2...Eric Paskey Venue: Shawnee Theatre July 8pm, 2pm, 2011

29 22 My Role: Lead Role The Fantasticks Book and Lyrics by: Tom Jones Music By: Harvey Schmidt Produced by: Shawnee Theatre Director: Brandon Bruce Costume Designer: Gene Delgado Scenic Designer: Dylan Luke Lighting Designer: Katie Stepanek Properties Designer: Melissa Boatwright/Sarah Helt Choreographer: Heather Michele Lawler Music Director: Roger Smith Stage Manager: Christine Scarfuto Cast: El Gallo...Brian Quijada Matt...Andres Enriquez Luisa...Melissa Boatwright Hucklebee...David Cole Bellamy...Martin Gonzalez Henry...Josh Sazon Mortimer...Luke Schares Mute...Nigel Brown

30 23 Venue: Shawnee Theatre July 7-9, 8pm, 10, 2pm, 2011 My Role: Principal Role Ring Of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical Conceived by: William Meade Originally Created/Directed by: Richard Maltby Jr. Music by: Johnny Cash Produced by: Shawnee Theatre Director: Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson Costume Designer: Justin Feichter Scenic Designer: Dylan Luke Lighting Designer: Katie Stepanek Sound Designer: Kevin Lee Guthridge Properties Designer: Melissa Boatwright Choreographer: Heather Michele Lawler Music Director: Roger Smith Stage Manager: Christine Scarfuto Cast: Ensemble...Melissa Boatwright...David Cole...Cate Davison

31 24...Andres Enriquez...Jake Ferree...Sarah Helt...Heather Michele Lawler...Brian Quijada Venue: Shawnee Theatre June 9-11, 8pm, 12, 2pm, 2011 My Role: Ensemble/Principal Role Written by: TigerBear Theatre Co. TigerBear 2 Produced by: Working Group Theatre Director: N/A Lighting Designer: Drew Bielinsky Stage Manager: Kizzy Marco Cast: Ensemble...Claire Barnhart...Andres Enriquez...Peter Odegaard...Luke Schares...Brian Quijada...John William Watkins

32 25 Venue: Riverside Theatre, Iowa City, IA May 12, 2011 My Role: Ensemble/Principal Role Urinetown: The Musical Book by: Greg Kotis Lyrics by: Greg Kotis & Mark Hollmann Music by: Mark Hollmann Produced by: University Theatre Director: John Clarence Cameron Costume Designer: Mia Khayat Scenic Designer: Amanda Helland Lighting Designer: Bryon Winn Sound Designers: Jeff Crone & Lindsay Wolf Choreographers: John Clarence Cameron and Mauria Brough Music Director: Michael Schnack Stage Manager: Jennifer Sears Dramaturg: Christopher Okiishi Cast: Officer Lockstock...Kendall Lloyd Little Sally...Lauren Brickman Bobby Strong...Alex Lamb

33 26 Caldwell B. Cladwell...John William Watkins Penelope Pennywise...Kristi Starnes Officer Barrel...Brian Quijada Mr. McQueen...Andres Enriquez Senator Fipp...Kyle Niemer Old Man Strong/Hot Blades Harry...Derrick VanDerMillen Josephine Strong/Old Woman...Melina Neves Soupy Sue/ Secretary...Courtney Eaddy-Richardson Tiny Tom/Dr. Billeaux...Kjai Block Little Becky Two-Shoes/Mrs. Millenium...Katie Consamus Robby the Stockfish/UGC Exec. #2...Andrew Wilkes Billy Boy Bill/UGC Exec. #1...Sam Hawkins Chorus...Kaitlyn Busbee...Kim Cooper...Sydney Hayes...Scott Myers...Megan Renner Venue: E.C. Mabie Theatre April 15-16, 8pm, 17, 2pm 2011 My Role: Minor Role Written by: George Bernard Shaw Produced by: University Theatre Misalliance

34 27 Director: Eric Forsythe Costume Designer: Amanda Helland Scenic Designer: R. Eric Stone Lighting Designer: Paul M. Collins Sound Designer: Lindsay Wolf Stage Manager: Becky Simons Dramaturg: Jenni Page-White Cast: Johnny Tarleton...David Hoffman Bentley Summerhays...Andres Enriquez Hypatia Tarleton...Deanna Brookens Mrs. Tarleton...Mackenzie Calkins Lord Summerhays...Kevin Burford John Tarleton...Kendall Lloyd Joseph Percival...Patrick Reynolds Lina Szczepanowska...Katie Consamus Julius Baker Gunner...Greg Geffrard Venue: E.C. Mabie Theatre October 8-9, 8pm, 10, 2pm, 2010 My Role: Principal Role

35 28 Written by: TigerBear Theatre Co. TigerBear Produced by: Working Group Theatre Director: N/A Lighting Designer: Drew Bielinsky Cast: Ensemble...Claire Barnhart...Andres Enriquez...Peter Odegaard...Luke Schares...Brian Quijada...John William Watkins Venue: Riverside Theatre, Iowa City, IA August 28, 2010 My Role: Ensemble/Principal Role Written by: Theresa Rebeck Family of Mann Produced by: Iowa Summer Repatory Theatre Director: Mary-Beth Easley Costume Designer: Andre Harrington

36 29 Scenic Designer: Sasha Olchefske Lighting Designer: Paul M. Collins Sound Designer: Mark Bruckner Stage Manager: Briana Maxwell Cast: Ed/Dave...David Combs Belinda/Sissy...Katie Consamus Ren/Buddy...Andres Enriquez Clara...Jennifer Harris Sally/Ginny...Kristi Hartsgrove Bill...Jim Van Valen Steve/Uncle Willy...Bill Watt Venue: David Thayer Theatre July 13-18, 8pm, 2010 My Role: Principal Role Written by: Kevin Artigue Produced by: University Theatre Achilles: Scourge of Man Director: Anthony Nelson Costume Designer: Brittany Dee Bodley Scenic Designer: Paul M. Collins

37 30 Lighting Designer: Maylan Thomas Properties Designer: Rebecca Simons Sound Designer: Andrew Stewart Projections/Video Designer: Jesse Damazo Fight Choreos: Jason Tipsword, Brandon Bruce, Paul Kalina Stage Manager: Tresa Makosky Dramaturg: Christine Scarfuto Cast: Achilles...Logan Piper Hector...Andres Enriquez Patroclus/Trojan Citizen...David Hoffman Antilochus/Priam...Scott Strode Agamemnon/Chorus...Brian Quijada Thetis/Chorus...Lauren Leigh Baker Hephaestus/Hecuba/Chorus...Brittany Swensen Brisieis/Chorus...Megan Renner Andromache/Chorus...Kaitlyn Busbee Lycaon/Chorus...Chase Bottorff Chorus...Corey Homewood Chorus...Olivia Symmonds Venue: David Thayer Theatre May 8, 2010 My Role: Principal Role

38 31 Eurydice Written by: Sarah Ruhl Produced by: University Theatre (Mainstage) Director: Sarah Ballema Costume Designer: Renee Bell Scenic Designer: R. Eric Stone Lighting Designer: Paul M. Collins Sound Designer: Andrew Stewart Stage Manager: Michelle Martin Dramaturgs: Christine Scarfuto & Justin Dewey Cast: Eurydice...Deanna Brookens Father...Kevin Burford Orpheus...Andres Enriquez Little Stone...Maggie Jones Loud Stone...Brynne Dickie Big Stone...Kristi Starnes Nasty Interesting Man...John William Watkins Venue: David Thayer Theatre March 4-6, 8pm, 2pm, 2010 My Role: Principal Role

39 32 Reefer Madness: The Musical Book and Lyrics Written by: Kevin Murphy Music by: Dan Studney Produced by: University Theatre (Mainstage) Director: Brandon Bruce Costume Designer: Loyce Arthur Scenic Designer: Scott Schoonover Lighting Designer: Paul M. Collins Sound Designer: Alex Ruhlin Properties Designer: Craig Kelchen Choreographer: Annett Schaedlich-Hendrix Music Director: Ben Bentler Stage Manager: Erin Burns Dramaturg: Kate Tull Cast: Lecturer...John William Watkins Jimmy Harper...Andres Enriquez Mary Jane...Claire Barnhart Mae Coleman...Tracy Pelzer-Timm Jack Stone/Jesus...Brian Quijada Ralph Wiley...Luke Schares Sally DeBanis...Lauren Leigh Baker Placard Girl...Mollie Laylin Chorus...Laura Anderson...Luke Christiansen

40 33...Andrew Cole...Elizabeth Gansen...Maggie Jones...Alex Lamb...Dre Prizant...Angela Rodriguez...Cassandra Schiano...Nils Thorsen...Derek VanDerMillen Venue: E.C. Mabie Theatre November 13-14, 8pm, 2pm, 2009 My Role: Principal Role

41 34 BIBLIOGRAPHY Blunt, Jerry. Stage Dialects. Woodstock: Dramatic Publishing Company, Print. Bruder, Melissa, Lee Michael Cohn, Madeleine Olnek, Nathaniel Pollack, Robert Previto, and Scott Zigler. A Practical Handbook for the Actor. New York: Random House, Print. Donnellan, Declan. The Actor and the Target. London: Theatre Communications Group, Inc., Print. Fo, Dario. The Tricks of the Trade. Trans. Joe Farrell. New York: Routledge, Print. Gelb, Michael J. Body Learning: An Introduction to the Alexander Technique. 2 nd ed. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Print. Harrop, John/Epstein, Sabin R. Acting with Style, Second Edition. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice- Hall, Inc Print. Houseman, Barbara. Finding Your Voice. London: Nick Hern Books, 2002.Print. Kopf, Ginny. The Dialect Handbook: Learning, Researching, and Performing a Dialect Role. Second Edition. Orlando: Voiceprint Publishing, Print. Linklater, Kristin. Freeing Shakespeare s Voice. New York: Theatre Communications Group, Inc., Print Freeing the Natural Voice. New York: Drama Book Publishers, Print. McEvenue, Kelly. The Actor and the Alexander Technique. New York: Palgrave MacMillan, Print. Rodenburg, Patsy. Speaking Shakespeare. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, Print The Right to Speak. United States: Routledge, Print. Seifert, Mark F., Ph.D. The Complete Idiot s Guide to Anatomy. New York: Penguin Group, Print. Skinner, Edith. Speak with Distinction. Applause Theatre Book Publishers, Print. Smukler, David. Speaking North American, Naturally: The Vowels, Dipthongs, and Consonants in North American Speech with Particular Emphasis on Canadian Usage. 2 nd ed. David Smukler/York University Bookstore, Print.

42 35 Stanislavski, Konstantin. An Actor s Work: A Student s Diary. Trans. and ed. Jean Benedetti. London: Routledge, Print. Vineyard, Missy. How You Stand, How You Move, How You Live. Cambridge: Da Capo Press, Print.