Center Stage Youth Theatre

Posts Tagged ‘Coaching’

I spent some time this afternoon with a delightful young actor I had met when I first moved here.  She was a real standout, and I was very pleased and honored when she asked me to coach her on her monologues for her professional auditions later this month.

We chatted for a while (ok, at least an hour) and then we got to work.  It was so exciting to watch her go through the process of making the monologues part of her body and her soul.  She was very well prepared and very open to suggestion.  I especially liked the way she was able to take my suggestions and use what made sense to her as she developed her own meaning for the pieces.

I really enjoy monologue work.  There are only the words and the actor – no place to hide.  And the way the meaning of the piece begins to shine through as you work it and then suddenly - a big chunk of meaning will fall off and land in your lap! 

This young woman was especially beautiful to watch – it was quite moving to see the monologues become part of her.  I could see the transition – suddenly she would relax and you could feel her enjoying every word.  At one point I could see that she was doing everything I had asked her but it wasn’t working for her.  She looked unhappy and out of control.  I asked her then to put back some of what she had originally brought to the monologue and just use what I had suggested to flavor it and Voila! There she was again, as comfortable as could be.  It was quite wonderful.