Blog 22: 3-Column Chart

Final 3-Column Chart

Blog 20: 3 Column Chart

3 column chart

Blog 19: ESLRs and Senior Project

1. What ESLR have you excelled the most in senior project?
Mostly Effective Learner

2. Please explain why you think you have excelled in this ESLR.
I've done a lot of different things about my senior topic that help me get a better understanding of my topic. I've performed in two plays, coaching one, Fullerton Festival entry, Improv, stage managing. I've assumed my own responsibility to learning all there is about Theatrical Performance and each of my entries have expressed my own personal creativity in a way.

3. Provide evidence from your senior project to support your claim.

The Set of the Nerd

Blog 18 Meeting answer 3

1.  What is your essential question?
What is most important in creating a successful theatrical performance? 2.  What is your third answer to your essential question (write your third answer in a complete sentence)?
Having a cohesive consensus between director, actors, stage crew and designers between all aspects of the production. 3.  What are three details to support or justify your third answer (details are examples or facts)?

• The Nerd. All of our actors and designers and actors have all been in plays before and had different visions on the play's outcome.
• Talk back with Cal Poly Shakespeare production, "The Tempest" - How they created the round stage set. 
• "Improv a play in one hour" By Micheal Baskis - Communication between all players in improv.

4.  What source helped you prove this answer is justified for your essential question?

• Watching the production meeting in Hogan's classroom. We all needed to agree on all 3 set designs and whatnot in order to make things as smooth as possible. 

5.  What do you plan to study next and why? 

• I plan to work with a musical at Chino Community Theater, "The Great American Trailer Park: The Musical". Musicals have more "players" working on this type of production. The musical numbers include choreographers and musical directors. There are more people you must communicate in order to get a cohesive, consistent play throughout.

Blog 16: 2-hour Meeting Answer #2

• What is your essential question?

What is most important in creating a successful theatrical performance?

• What is your second answer to your essential question?

"Most actors involved in the production can contribute a valuable skill other than acting."

• What are three details to support or justify your second answer?

"Play to the top of your intelligence. You need more than just meer acting to cut it. Make the character as real as you are. Stupidity doesn't create anything." -Second City Improvisation

This award winning play, [Nunsense] requires you to tap dance, sing, ballet, and learn ventriloquism.

"We require a resume for a reason. You must portray something real so you should be skillful in as many areas as possible. You should have something you're good at that can be shown on stage. Just acting doesn't cut it nowadays. It's alright though. The more plays you're in, the more random ass crap you learn. I learned how to do the splits for a show. I never used that skill again." -Toni Lynd Director and runs a casting workshop

• What source helped you prove your answer is justified for your essential question?

My source that solidly proved this statement was the actors in "The Nerd." Each one can contribute something else to the scene that isn't necessarily needed but makes the scene that much more lovable with these little quirks in it. Chris Dielh sang Happy Birthday beautifully, because he's an amazing musical theatre singer. Bruce Hutching is a professional digital artist and also did the color renderings needed for the play along with the flyer. Stephanie Grimley cooked all the food we used since she's a great cook. They all contributed a valuable skill and it made a big difference. 

• What do you plan to study next with your second answer and why?

I plan to study directing and famous actors and actresses and their other various talents. As of this moment in time I'm adequate in all aspects of the theatre world, except for directing while paying special attention to who brings what else to the table. 

Blog 10: Senior Project Update

• What are you currently doing in your independent component?

Well, we're two weeks away from the opening of our play, "The Lady of the House". We are all kind of scrambling to get everything done in time. With costumes, make-up, hair, lighting, sound, OUR LINES, there is a bunch of stuff to do and not a lot of time left to do it. Even with rehearsing six hours a week, it doesn't seem like enough. I've worked closely with Mr. Hogan, our director, Gabriel Barreras, our stage manager, and the other actors. This is the first play from iPoly that has a wide range of actors, the one with the sea of lines (Natalie Najera-lead), to our ensemble cast. We are currently on our tech rehearsals and dress rehearsals that can run up to four hours a day. Regardless whether or not we think we're ready, we'll get it done. Onward to the four hour rehearsals!

Or we'll die trying. 

• What is a recent piece of research (article, interview, or audio-visual) that have you reviewed you would say was significant in helping you understand where to go next in your senior topic? 

It would have to be my mentorship at Chino Community Theatre. My mentor has been a director for decades and runs agent workshops. We had a two hour conversation on how to get into the professional acting business- how to get an agent, how to do my resume, skills you should have. It opened up another possibility I haven't considered researching for my senior topic.  

• Provide evidence from your independent component or the piece of research as something you recently did. 

One of the many rehearsals for Independent Component. 

Act II Scene 1.

Photo curiosity of Teo Cristanto. (Thanks Teo!) 

Blog 9: Working EQ and Possible Answers

• What was the working EQ you used during your presentation?

What is the most important aspect in becoming a successful performer? 

• Did you decide to revise your working EQ after your presentation?

I am not going to revise my EQ at this time. (Although, I probably will later.)

• What are possible answers to your current working EQ?

I have come up with good foundations for possible answers. 

Audience- Often overlooked especially with the newbies. When you start out, you're often told to ignore the audience, but I think that the best way to give your best performance is to establish a "connection" so to speak with the audience. It becomes easier and more natural when you acknowledge the audience and use them to your advantage.

Setting a goal- It doesn't have to be going to broadway or hollywood or earning tons of money. Learn a new accent once a week, or find different voices in yourself. Small little goals that help you improve in the long run. 

The prospect in loving what you do (even if you totally suck at it) - Totally cheesy I know, but hear me out. A lot of people go into theatre, or dance, or any type of theatrical performance wanting to make it BIG. They want fame, fortune, name in nice lights. One of my mentors said that you aren't going to get it here in theatre. "Once it starts looking like a career and stops being fun, quit. There is no point after." 

   

Blog 2: Topic Choice

• Decision

My senior topic of choice right now is Stage Acting/Theatre. I had an inside illness so to speak when I was little. I refused to go outside if I could help it. My mother decided to put me in a summer play in the summer before 8th grade to see if I could find something outside that I'd enjoy. I loved it. The concept of becoming someone else in order to express yourself came natural to me. When I entered high school, I joined the improv team and suddenly all those hours I put into video games and building fantasy worlds was put to use, in the form of entertaining people. Making up stories and playing made up characters in order to make people smile and laugh, gave me the greatest feeling.

• ESLRs

Effective Learner: I plan to take on the challenge of taking this topic to a more research standpoint rather than just doing it. The concepts behind it and what drives a successful end product. 

Effective Communicator: I plan on being able to communicate well with not only the director, but the other performers and the stage crew as well. We all work as a whole to put on the play. If any of the parts don't communicate well within each other, the entire play busts. 

Effective iPoly Citizen: I plan to understand and acknowledge the deadlines and attendance set for rehearsals and plays. Every role is significant. Listen to everyone around me and take criticism about my performance in order to improve my skills to the best of my ability.  

Effective User of Technology: I plan to use technology for more of research sake. Learn new techniques and try to apply it in theatre. In the past, I watched a lot of youtube in order to learn accents, voices, and styles of humor.